About Austin Balfany

About Austin Balfany

I'm Austin Balfany (he/him). For me, healing has always come through connection—whether that's with myself, with other people, with where I come from, or with the land around me. I try to bring honesty, humor, and a sense of realness to what I do. I want you to know that however you show up, all of you is welcome here.

I am completing my graduate training in Nature-Based Transpersonal Counseling at Naropa University and am certified in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). My work is rooted in the belief that the body is inherently wise, that emotion is a form of intelligence, and that healing involves tending to the places where connection and disconnection live within us. I integrate EMDR, somatic awareness, mindfulness, nature-based practices, experiential processes, and parts-based work within a trauma-informed and LGBTQ+ affirming approach.

I especially enjoy supporting queer clients and people navigating transitions in identity, relationships, and ways of living. Together, we may explore family and intergenerational patterns, build resources for feeling grounded and supported, and deepen your capacity to be with difficult emotions. I bring curiosity to how past experiences shape present relationships and how greater awareness can open possibilities for choice, connection, and change.

My own grounding comes through fire tending, backpacking, climbing, long days paddling on the water, and the slow rituals of community building. Years of teaching and guiding youth and families in wilderness settings continue to inform my passion for queer resilience, rites of passage, and embodied connection.