Solstice East is excited to welcome Edward Narea to the expanding clinical team. Edward has been providing trauma-informed therapy to families, adolescents, and adults for nearly 10 years. He received his master’s degree in social work from Tulane University in New Orleans and is currently registered as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) for both North Carolina and Illinois. Throughout his time as a professional clinician serving his community, Edward developed a passion for serving individuals, children, and their families working through experiences of trauma, loss, depression, anxiety, and healing from incidents of violence.

“We are delighted to have Edward join our team,” says Executive Director Carla Shorts. “He brings a wealth of experience and knowledge, and his focus on family systems and healing relationships lends itself well to our goals and methods of treatment at Solstice East. We look forward to his contributions to our clinical team.” 

After receiving his graduate degree, Edward worked for a community mental health agency, primarily providing services in the domestic violence intervention program and the Orleans Parish Drug Court Program. During his time there, he facilitated individual and group therapy services and blended his relational approach with psychoeducation to address the health and well-being of his clients. When he later moved to Chicago, he continued to work in the field of domestic violence, providing trauma-informed therapy to individuals and families impacted by physical, financial, sexual, and emotional abuse. There he began to hone his clinical focus on family systems and healing relationships through clarifying accountability, communication, and boundaries.

It is his belief that the body holds wisdom and an innate capacity to move toward healing. Through traditional talk therapy, somatic modalities, and incorporating mindfulness practices, he encourages clients to listen to their own inner guidance. He gently supports clients to explore and understand how trauma lives in their bodies while safely co-creating a path where pain can be processed and integrated in a healthy way. While Edward tailors a specific approach to each individual client and family, he primarily uses Trauma-Informed Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Relational Cultural Therapy (RCT), and mindfulness and yoga modalities in his practice. 

He builds relationships with clients from the very beginning, helping to identify their life values so that they can collaboratively develop goals that are in line with those values. Rooted in empathy and a desire to accompany clients through the therapeutic process, Edward empowers individuals and families to make meaningful changes in their lives.

About Solstice East

Solstice East is a residential treatment center serving adolescents (Female, Transmale, Non-binary) ages 14–18 struggling with depression, anxiety, mood disorders, substance abuse, and trauma and its associated symptoms. This program focuses on relationship-based treatment—emphasizing high levels of family intervention, emotional safety, and healthy boundaries.