PERSONAL GROWTH TEAM
|
Mario Duran, LCP 1499, MS in Substance Abuse Treatment.
|
Mario has a lot of experience, having served as clinical coordinator at Villa San Jose, a drug and alcohol treatment center. Prior to that, he was the Executive Director of the Vida y Sociedad Foundation , a non-profit foundation dedicated to providing substance abuse prevention programs to elementary and secondary schools throughout Costa Rica. He has consulted for mental health and educational institutions, NGO’s and international organization and has published several articles and research reports on behavioral health, best practices and addiction. Prior to NSA, Mario was the Clinical Director at Coronado Academy a therapeutic boarding school serving adolescent boys and girls.
Mario invests himself in building healthy relationships with students by interacting with them in our milieu, creating opportunities to model patience, sensitivity and empathy. He also believes in helping adolescents boys become respectful, tolerant and responsible young men by providing mentorship and constant support. Mario uses a strength based approach in therapy and believes in finding opportunities instead of threats when it comes to family dynamics and change.
Mario has lived in Costa Rica most of his life and has had the opportunity to also live in the United States and France. He is a proud husband and father, and he enjoys mountain biking, nature, and indoor soccer.
Mario invests himself in building healthy relationships with students by interacting with them in our milieu, creating opportunities to model patience, sensitivity and empathy. He also believes in helping adolescents boys become respectful, tolerant and responsible young men by providing mentorship and constant support. Mario uses a strength based approach in therapy and believes in finding opportunities instead of threats when it comes to family dynamics and change.
Mario has lived in Costa Rica most of his life and has had the opportunity to also live in the United States and France. He is a proud husband and father, and he enjoys mountain biking, nature, and indoor soccer.
|
Dr. Danny Recio, PhD
|
He has an astounding well of patience and passion for working with and engaging everyone he meets. In his personal life, he tries to take in all the shades of color life has to offer and to seize the precious opportunity of being alive. Being a kid again when playing with his children, sharing a life’s mission with his wife, spending time in nature, sharing with people from other cultural worlds, and trying to radiate as much passion with the least amount of fear are some of ways in which he feels the most alive.
|
Caleb Cortes, BA, LCP.
|
|
Ignacio Vasquez, Licensed Therapist / Case ManagerIgnacio grew up in a small Costa Rican town called Palmares. He earned his Bachelors degree and Licensure in Psychology in 2015 and he is currently incorporated in the Colegio Profesional de Psicólogos de Costa Rica. In 2017, Ignacio completed a technical certificate in Human Resources in the Universidad de Costa Rica to improve his knowledge of organizational psychology.
He has been part of the NSA team since 2016 -first as an Experiential Education mentor who facilitated cultural activities, Student Council, Aventuras, and served as the Experiential Education/Personal Growth liaison. After learning all the ins and outs of NSA life, Ignacio joined the Personal Growth team full time as a case manager. Ignacio enjoys playing the guitar, exercising, gardening, traveling and spending time with his friends and family. |
|
Daniel Acuna, BA Psychologist, License in Progress.
|
|
Gerardo Marin, LCP, PhD (ABD)Gerardo is a licensed clinical psychologist who is currently completing his doctorate ABD (all but dissertation). For many years, he has worked as a clinical psychologist and professor at multiple universities in Costa Rica. He has taught various university courses about developmental psychology, diagnostic evaluation, psychotherapies and psychopathologies. During his free time, Gerardo likes to play sports such as running, swimming, basketball and soccer. He also enjoys reading, writing, and spending time with his family.
|
|
Adriana Araya, BA Psychologist, License in Progress.
|
|
Elizabeth Corrales, MSW, Licensed Therapist & Personal Growth AdvisorElizabeth grew up in a small town called Monteverde. She had the privilege to study in an environmental school called the Cloud Forest School, surrounded by protected forest and beautiful nature. In 2002, she moved to Santa Barbara, California, for one year and graduated from middle school. By 2017 she had completed both her bachelor and licensure degree in Psychology in Costa Rica. In 2018 she was awarded the Erasmus Mundus Scholarship to earn a Master’s degree in Social Work with Families and Children. The academic program took place in Portugal, Norway and Sweden, where she had the opportunity to work with young people from different parts of the world.
In her free time, she enjoys baking, playing the ukulele, traveling, singing and training. |
|
Dr. Steven Kogel, MD Psychiatrist, Medication ManagerDr. Steven Kogel has his MD in Psychiatry from the University of Costa Rica and has been in private practice for about 30 years. Dr. Kogel worked as the General Director of the National Institute of Alcoholism & Substance Abuse in the 1990’s, and has worked with American adolescents at-risk for the last 9 years.
He is a native English speaker with over 40 years of speaking Spanish. Dr. Kogel also brings unique interests to his practice, including composition of music and the juxtaposition of psychiatry & spirituality. |
Estrella
Estrella moved in around 2018 to join our four legged posse, and her cute underbite wins everyone over. She's definitely the feistiest of all of our pups, and she hasn't fully committed to NSA either! When her favorite staff (Diana or Catalina) are not around, we often find her roaming the streets outside, looking for new doggie friends... until it's time for dinner and curling up in her doggie bed. :)
|
Luna
From an NSA Graduate who helped to choose and adopt Luna: Luna is the newest edition to the NSA pet family. We adopted her from a local shelter with the help of two students. She instantly connected with the community as a quirky, loving and fun friend for everyone. She loves to run around with Estrella and play with the students. Among the numerous activities that she partakes in, her favorite by far is sleeping. You can find her taking a nap in various locations around campus during the day. Luna is an equal-opportunity buddy, and a fun and loving member of the NSA community who instantly connects with anyone who she interacts with.
|
