Allison Lindsey Durant
Licensed Professional Counselor
Founder, New Orleans Grief Center

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    Allison Lindsey Durant, LPC, CGP

    I developed a passion for helping others on their grief journey after a personal loss resulted in feelings of aloneness and confusion for many years. It was not until after I dealt with the emotions that I was able to see how denying them was impacting my life.  Picking up the broken pieces and repairing them, one by one, allowed me to put my heart back together and live a full life.
    Grief is a life event we all face eventually. Our society has gotten away from mourning openly so people are more and more likely to suppress their emotions when it comes to grief.  There is no way to get OVER grief, you have to get THROUGH it.  It is a process.
    I founded the New Orleans Grief Center to provide that space where you can take the broken pieces of your heart, examine them, nurture them, and put them back together, leaving seams and scars that represent the work you are doing to heal.
    In addition to the New Orleans Grief Center, I have a private practice supporting adolescents and adults with depression, anxiety and substance use disorder.
    Education – University of New Orleans                                     

    • Master of Education, Counseling, December, 2017
    • Bachelor of Science, Business Administration, 1988

    Certification

    • Licensed Professional Counselor – #7288
    • Certified Grief Informed Professional – Evergreen Certifications, 2022

    Professional Experience

    • Bridge House/Grace House – Program Counselor
    • Jewish Family Service (JFS) – Counselor Intern
    • Addiction Counseling Education Resources (ACER)– Counselor Intern
    • Founder of Motherless Daughters of New Orleans, a support group of girls and women who have experienced the loss of their mother prior to the age of twenty-five

    Allison is also a trained in Crisis Intervention, C.P.R. and is a Certified Public Accountant.

    Katherine "Kat" Velie

    Katherine “Kat” Velie Licensed Professional Counselor, New Orleans Grief Center

    Katherine “Kat” Velie, PLPC, NCC

    Grief is messy. I found that out firsthand. And yet, at its worst, there is also beauty, love and an opportunity for learning and growth. Whether you’re grieving the end of a relationship, challenged by life transitions, or mourning a loved one, there is no recipe, no right way, and — most importantly, no wrong way to heal. My personal journey led me back to school to pursue my master’s in counseling to help others along their own ‘way.’ Part of what makes any loss difficult is the isolation, often due to the discomfort others feel around someone else’s sadness. Friends and family want you to be ok. Maybe you’re not right now. So, I try to skip the platitudes. My job is less about making you feel better and more about helping you navigate what may feel overwhelming. And sometimes that can be scary to do alone. That’s why I’m here.

    My background in communications, writing, painting, and teaching yoga, help inform my style of therapy, which remains grounded in mindfulness, compassion, embodiment, and creativity. I’ve also been trained in Accelerated Resolution Therapy which works to reduce the physiological impact of a painful event or memory. While I have enjoyed working with clients with a range of presenting issues, my other niche interest lies in supporting parents doing the work of parenting, as well as individuals suffering perinatal loss, infertility, and reproductive trauma. Outside of work, I enjoy laughing and spending time with family and friends, bike riding, painting, and taking my dog on nature walks by the Mississippi River.

    Education:

    • University of Virginia, Bachelor of Arts in History, 1998
    • LSU, Manship School of Mass Communications, Post-Grad Assistantship, 1999-2000
    • Loyola University New Orleans, Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health, 2023

    Some Additional Trainings:

    • Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART)
    • American Society of Reproductive Medicine, Mental Health Professional Training
    • 200-hr Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT)
    • 95-hour Registered Children’s Yoga Teacher (RCYT)
    • Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)