Laura Nhate, psychologist specialized in trauma and addictions

Hello, I am Laura. I see clients in Málaga, in Spanish and in English. On this page I tell you who I am and how I work, so you can decide calmly whether I am the right person to support you.

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Portrait of Laura Nhate, psychologist at PsicoDiversa

The first 15-minute call to get to know each other is free and with no obligation.

Who I am

My name is Laura Nhate Intchanhe Mendes. Together with María Zuleica Guerra Godoy I founded PsicoDiversa, the center where I see clients, in the Carretera de Cádiz area of Málaga.

I have worked with people facing addictions, anxiety, depression and the aftermath of trauma. That path has led me to a particular way of understanding distress: anxiety, pain that never quite goes away or addictive behaviors do not turn up for no reason. They are usually responses to deep experiences, sometimes very old ones. That is why my work focuses on the root of the symptom: stopping a behavior without understanding what part it played rarely lasts long.

Training and background

Laura Nhate Intchanhe Mendes

Psychologist · Co-founder of PsicoDiversa · registered with the Colegio Oficial de Psicología de Andalucía Oriental, membership no. AO12783

I graduated in Psychology from the University of Málaga and specialized in Health Psychology at the International University of La Rioja. After that I trained in depth in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) and in IFS (Internal Family Systems), the two models I work on trauma with.

I keep training every year: the models I work with are reviewed and updated, and I want what you get in session to match what the research says today, not what it said when I graduated.

Professional profile on LinkedIn.

How I work: EMDR and IFS

I have trained in depth in two models I use often when there is trauma involved. Both go by acronyms and sound more complicated than they are.

EMDR helps process traumatic memories that continue to cause distress in the present. We work with bilateral stimulation (guided eye movements, among other forms) while we revisit the memory in a safe, controlled environment. It is a technique backed by scientific evidence for working with trauma.

IFS starts from an idea almost everyone recognizes the moment they hear it: different “parts” live inside each person, and sometimes they come into conflict. One part wants to leave a relationship; another cannot imagine life without it. In therapy we give a voice to the parts that are wounded or have been silenced, without fighting with any of them.

Neither of them is a magic wand. I apply them without closed recipes: each person needs an approach tailored to their own history and needs. If you want to see the full map of the center’s models, it is in how we work.

Laura Nhate, psychologist at PsicoDiversa, writing in a notebook beside the table in her practice

How I can support you

My practice is a space to work on, among other processes:

Emotional dependency and bonds that do harm. It is our center’s specialty ; there is a whole page on therapy for emotional dependency .
Addictions: phone and social media, shopping, sex or pornography, work, food. We explain it on the page about therapy for addictions.
Psychological trauma: wounds from the past that still shape your present.
Anxiety and depression, in individual therapy.
Support for people who have been through an addiction and want to work on the emotional side underneath it. We tell you about it in our services.
Personal growth: getting to know yourself better in order to live more authentically.

I offer sessions in both Spanish and English, with the international community of the Costa del Sol particularly in mind. If you express yourself better in English, you can write to me in that language from your very first message.

What working with me is like

In session you will find non-judgmental listening and full confidentiality. I know how much it costs to say some things out loud; my first job is that you have somewhere to do it without fear.

Reducing symptoms matters, and I work for that. But what comes afterward matters to me just as much: that you build a meaningful life and learn to treat yourself with greater self-compassion. Self-demand and guilt usually reach the session before the person does; part of the process is turning their volume down.

If you feel that yours goes more toward working in a group, the center also has group therapy. And if you are not sure, write to us anyway: pointing you in the right direction is part of our job too. In Who are We? you have the overview of the people who make up the center.

Outside the practice

The social side of PsicoDiversa is our doing too. We founded the PsicoDiversa Association, a non-profit organization that organizes free talks in schools in the province of Málaga, and together we host the “En Modo Psi” podcast, where we talk about mental health with guests.

Would you like to work with me?

You do not have to arrive with your thoughts in order. Write to us and tell us what is going on. From there, you decide.

Message us on WhatsApp Fill in the form

You can also call us at 600 21 57 83.

Frequently asked questions

Do you see clients in English?

Yes, the whole session if you prefer. I see clients in Spanish and in English, with the international community of the Costa del Sol particularly in mind. You can write your first message straight in English and we carry on that way through the whole process.

Can I have sessions with you online?

Yes. In online sessions I support the same processes as at the in-person practice — emotional dependency and addictions — for people all over Spain; asking commits you to nothing.

EMDR or IFS? Which one would be mine?

You do not have to be the one to choose, and often they are combined. In the first assessment interview I listen to your case and suggest a plan; that is where I explain which model I would use with you and why. The proposal is decided with you, not imposed.

Do you work with substance addictions?

I offer psychological support and guidance, which is not the same as medical treatment for addiction. I support people who have not yet decided to stop and people who have already finished a medical treatment and notice that the emotional side is still pending. If your situation calls for medical care, I will tell you so clearly and without judging you. There is more detail in our services.

How do I book an appointment?

Message us on WhatsApp, call us at 600 21 57 83 or fill in the form on this page. Tell us what brings you here and we will confirm availability.

Write to us

Book a free 15-minute introductory call. We explain how we work and you decide, with no obligation.

Tell us what brings you here. We get in touch however you prefer.

Or if you prefer, book your call on WhatsApp or by phone.

Message us on WhatsApp Call 600 21 57 83

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