You know when you are in high school and they pretend that you have a choice in picking your classes? Well, Natalie took advantage of that small window and picked Psychology for her first ever elective. Thus, began her fascination into human behavior and how it relates to the brain. She was always Ms. Reliable in her sphere. The one everyone turned to for help and a listening ear – the fixer. Who knew then that it would lead here! Dr. Natalie sees herself as a “story keeper,” a journey companion and best of all, as a hope dealer. What does she like most about her job? Natalie feels honored to be used by God in this way – to be a safe place for her clients. This shows up in her personal mantras which are – “God knows, there are no surprises for Him” and “His ways are better and higher.” When asked if there are ever any awkward moments that have happened in her therapist role she said, “It’s when you realize the 7 degrees of Kevin Bacon moment. As in, when you figure out that there is some random, distant-path overlap with a new client.” She is proud of her perseverance in going all the way to completing her doctorate – but she says her greatest achievement is being a mom. How does she do it all, you ask? Coffee.
Natalie and her husband Kyle came to Colorado by way of Michigan (booooo Red Wings!) to plant a church. Unfortunately, no amount of their green thumb gardening helped the plant grow. But, with Colorado being Colorado, they stayed and live here happily with their two kiddos. When Dr. Natalie is not at work, she is probably in the school pickup/drop-off line or on the way to soccer or one of several flag football league events or swim team…or, or, or. Fun fact – Dr. Natalie was a competitive swimmer in high school and college. The Van Dusen family recently added two adorable kitties to the family (pictured below). Chewie and Threep are settling in well. Ok, now for the good stuff – what does Dr. Natalie do for herself?? She loves coffee dates with her girlfriends and the guilty pleasure of social media scrolling. She is also known to stash the cookie dough ice cream out of the eyesight of her children. No interview is complete without the favorite quotes finisher…enjoy!
“It’s just a flesh wound!” – The Black Knight, Monty Python and The Holy Grail
“Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!” – Monty Python’s Flying Circus
