About me:

Mailae Halstead, LPC, NCC - She/her

Aletu! (Hello!) I’m Mailae (pronounced: may-lee)! I’m a nationally certified, licensed therapist and clinical supervisor. I strive to bring warmth, depth, and nuance to every therapeutic relationship. Clients working with me can expect a grounded and personalized approach that integrates evidence-based practices with a strong focus on connection, trust, and individual empowerment. Evidenced-based to me means a balance of scientific rigor and appreciation for indigenous knowledge.

I value an eclectic approach to care and tend to mix a variety of orientations into my therapy work. Rooted in a trauma-informed, person-centered philosophy, I’m guided by therapy models that emphasize cultural attunement, liberation, and a strengths-based approaches to the therapeutic relationship. My approach to therapy is also shaped by an understanding of how broader social and systemic factors impact mental health and wellbeing, oftentimes across generations.

I specialize in exposure-based treatments to support those navigating anxiety, phobias, and trauma. I use Exposure and Ritual/Response Prevention (ERP) to treat obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and anxiety disorders, and Prolonged Exposure therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). I am part of the International OCD Foundation’s Training Institute Faculty where I train others who are learning how to provide ERP.

 I also have 7 years of experience working with psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy. I received training in ketamine-assisted psychotherapy to support clients with depression, PTSD, and anxiety, and MDMA-assisted psychotherapy through Lykos (formerly MAPS PBC). With a deep commitment to education and access, I have contributed as a speaker, facilitator, and consultant across various psychedelic-assisted therapy training programs and conferences. My work is driven by a vision of equitable, destigmatized access to psychedelic healing for all communities.

Expanding beyond my work self--I was born in Houma, Louisiana, and am proud member of the United Houma (Uma’) Nation—a small Native American tribe indigenous to the southern Louisiana swamplands. While I deeply embrace my Creole-Native heritage, the roots of my name honor my father’s Japanese-Hawaiian background. Mailae, comes from a wildflower traditionally used to make Hawaiian leis—a symbol of peace, friendship, and love.

Outside the therapy room, I find joy in live music, spending time in nature, and cooking for loved ones. I strive to bring that same spirit of creativity, care, and presence to my clinical work.