Duygu Balan, LPCC, LMHC is an author and dual-licensed psychotherapist in New York and California. She developed her expertise in intergenerational trauma while working as a clinical counselor in New York City, treating individuals on the margins of society.

She has authored Re-Write: A Trauma Workbook of Creative Writing and Recovery in Our New Normal (Routledge, 2023), Confidently Chill: An Anxiety Workbook for New Adults (Routledge, 2024), the forthcoming graphic novel Kader’s Quest (Routledge, 2025), and Body Business: Maintaining Mental Health and Autonomy for Athletes, Actors, and Models (Routledge, 2026).

A regular contributor to Psychology Today, her column Un-Numb features articles on identity, relationships, and character analyses of beloved figures in books and television, exploring the stigmas they reveal and how mental health is portrayed in pop culture.

In addition to her nonfiction work, she writes stories about how people become who they are, how they are hurt in relationships, and how they heal in them too. Duygu is also an author, consultant, and speaker, helping writers and creative professionals craft complex character arcs through psychological insight while exploring the healing power of storytelling.

Duygu was born in Germany and spent her formative years between Hannover, New Jersey, and Istanbul before settling in New York City. Her multicultural background has given her a nuanced understanding of identity, belonging, and cultural tension. She now divides her time between New York City and the San Francisco Bay Area.