Elif Balin

I entered the counseling field with a passion for walking alongside people as they navigate life’s turning points. My own journey — from studying and working in Turkey (Türkiye) to building my career and a new life in the U.S. — has shown me the importance of feeling supported, understood, and empowered, especially during times of change. In this increasingly unpredictable and chaotic world, we need deeper support to align our life and work vision to stay adaptable, resilient, and well. Over the past 20 years, I’ve worked as a school counselor, career counselor, and now as a licensed professional counselor and associate professor of counseling. These experiences have shaped the way I help clients explore life transitions, career decisions, cross-cultural adjustments, and the impact of stressful or traumatic work or educational experiences (including unpaid work such as caregiving roles) on overall wellbeing. Alongside traditional approaches, I often integrate holistic and creative methods — such as narrative and movement-based techniques — to help clients reconnect with their inner strengths and sense of purpose, as well as existing resources to use them more effectively (such as family/friends, community spaces, cultural rituals). Clients often come to me when they feel uncertain about their path, overwhelmed by change, or in need of a safe and compassionate space to process life’s challenges. My role is to provide deep listening, mirror your feelings and thoughts, and offer practical guidance based on mutually agreed-upon goals. Together, we can co-create tools to strengthen resilience, enhance your resources, explore new possibilities, uncover what matters most to you, and take steps toward meaningful and fulfilling change in this increasingly unpredictable and chaotic work. If you want to explore more how we may work together and how my areas of expertise can benefit you, please schedule a free consultation session. I look forward to connecting!