Stephen Hanmer D'Elía JD, LCSW | Stephen Hanmer D'Elía,JD,LCSW | Substack

Trauma, Attachment, and Power

I write about how trauma, attachment, and power move through bodies, relationships, and institutions.

I’m a Yale and Columbia trained therapist (LCSW) with an international human rights background (JD). I grew up moving between Colombia, Spain, Uruguay, and Ecuador. I hold Uruguayan, American, and British citizenships and speak Spanish and English natively, with French as a third language.

For more than 25 years, I’ve worked across five continents at every scale of care—from therapy to refugee camps, conflict zones, child welfare systems, city agencies, and global institutions including UNICEF. I’ve designed policy, led programs, and provided direct clinical support.

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