"All parents want their children to succeed and be happy. Every child has his/her own unique gifts to bring to the world. Sometimes what we want for our children and what they imagine themselves to be are not the same. Sometimes children need a space to explore their own unique selves; sometimes children need help overcoming a challenge that puts their unique expression of who they are at risk. Often a child's ability to emotionally regulate has been affected by issues such as divorce, grief, exposure to violence, bullying, or other environmental factors. These experiences can have long-lasting impacts on a child's development."

"I am a Licenced Clinical Social Worker and Certified Employee Assistance Professional. I have been in active practice since completing graduate school at The University of Tennessee in 1989, in a varity of settings. I specialize in relationship issues, co-occuring disorders, anxiety disorders, trauma related issues and issues that occur within families. I have been trained intensively in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (see below) In addition, I work with short term, solution oriented therapy, especially related to work related issues."

"When you are hurting you need someone to talk to who will help you figure out what to do. There are always changes we can make to be less miserable. I particularly enjoy working with couples having marital problems, with teenagers, and with people dealing with grief and loss."

"Welcome! I have been a licensed Clinical Psychologist in Tennessee for over 25 years. I graduated from Fuller Theological Seminary with a PhD in Clinical Psychology and a Master's in Theology. I am the Senior Clinical Consultant for Focus Integrative Centers in Knoxville, as well as Focus Treatment Centers in Chattanooga. I work with depression, anxiety, mood disorders, eating disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, trichotillomania, addictions of all types, marital difficulties, and work-related issues and conflicts."

"People deserve to be heard and understood. My goal is to work with my clients toward a shared vision of better health and wellness. My clients and I work to develop tools, insights, and understanding they need to help them cope with, contain and move through issues of concern toward healing and enhanced well-being. My hope for each of my clients is that the time and effort spent in therapy will enhance their quality of life."

"My ideal client is one who is curious about his/her emotional life. My treatment philosophy is to engage a person in an exploration of their problems in ways that can lead to better relationships, feelings about themselves, and overall day-to-day functioning. My patients should find relief from their symptoms - whatever they may be - while making changes that will help them stay emotionally healthy and symptom-free in the long-term. It is my belief that therapy is a growth process that can only happen by collaboration and genuine trust between patient and therapist."

"I believe psychotherapy is a process leading to understanding one's self and one's struggles. Once things begin to "make sense", it becomes easier to know how to tackle one's problems and improve one's life. No one's depression, relationship issues, anxiety or self-esteem difficulties are exactly like anyone else's. Therefore, it is important to understand yourself and your unique life. This is what therapy is about. Often current problems are influenced by our past and assumptions we have made about how people are. It is important to recognize these patterns of thoughts and behaviors."

"As a licensed counselor, I am committed to providing quality counseling services to the East Tennessee community. I received my Master's in Mental Health Counseling from Argosy University in 2012 and have been licensed in Tennessee since 2015. I have worked in mental health since 2008. I have been blessed since 2012 to work through a church in a Christian environment providing guidance and support through a Christ-centered, holistic approach. But, I only provide Christian counseling when asked to do so. I accept people from all walks of life and believe that everyone deserves dignity and respect."

"Many people have tried traditional approaches to health care and they are now ready for alternatives. Whether you are exploring therapy for the first time or looking for a unique approach, I can provide you with some workable options to finding your own creative solution for problems like anxiety, depression and the pain we all face when loss occurs. Sessions are longer than most on offer elsewhere and are 1 hour and 15 minutes in length so that we have time to center and fully explore the material you bring."

"Maybe you have waited a long time to seek help and suffered in silence. Perhaps you've become accustomed to this discomfort or a pain. Or maybe you desire change through seeking understanding and want a greater sense of wellbeing. Therapy may help you with this process of personal growth and healing. Whether you have a crisis, traumatic experience, significant life challenge or are wanting to experience greater fulfillment therapy may be for you."

"Psychotherapy is a collaborative process; the therapist must be serious and respectful and possess a solid reservoir of knowledge about the human condition. The therapy-seeker must, in addition to wanting symptom relief, bring to the process his or her curiosity and some desire for increased self awareness. People come to psychotherapy in emotional turmoil and/or pain. While this is usually the first focus, quickly it will become important to try to understand one's personality style, one's relationship patterns and the roots of these patterns, one's thinking style and the characteristic way one goes about managing, deflecting or enacting emotional storms."

"One of the things life has taught me is to not believe everything you think because our mind can really play tricks on us. There is hope even when you think there is none. There are solutions even when you cannot see them, because you have more power than you know."

"I began my career working in inpatient substance abuse facilities attached to hospitals. I am well-versed in groups for addiction and prefer individual counseling for issues in later recovery or dual diagnosis. I see adults and motivated adolescents in my practice. Both men and women are welcome as are couples and families. Other specialty areas are sexual abuse and mood disorders."

"My approach is based on theory and research on development, personality, relationships, and psychotherapy. It involves helping you analyze yourself--how "blind spots" in your self-awareness lead to the symptoms and difficulties you are experiencing. Therapy fills in the missing pieces of your emotional life, increasing your self-knowledge, to understand how you "work" mentally and emotionally. Making sense of your struggles will not only reduce your symptoms, but will allow you to live closer to your potential, and with more satisfaction. For more in-depth work, sessions are more than once a week. My work with children is similar, but includes helping parents understand hidden aspects of their child's emotional lives, as well as the role relationships are playing in their difficulties."

"I am a Restoration Therapist, which guides my approach in working with clients of all ages and issues. Restoration Therapy is all about helping people escape the cycle of conflict that can easily turn them into their worst selves when painful feelings arise. Restoration therapists will help you map your pain cycle and map a way out, so you can regulate those difficult emotions and stay on track. In working with me, you can expect to identify longstanding patterns of interaction that may hinder current relationships and begin to reshape those patterns into a more healthy and whole self."

"Melissa (Missy) Cohen completed her Master's Degree in Social Work from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. Missy has been licensed for 21 years and has 25 years of experience working with children, adolescents, and their families. Missy also treats adults and couples for individual and relational issues."

"Finding the right therapist for YOU and the therapeutic relationship is one of the most important factors associated with positive therapy results. I place primary importance on our relationship providing an atmosphere of safety, warmth and understanding. While I have a wealth of professional and personal knowledge and expertise in individual and family recovery from addictions/compulsive behaviors, family of origin issues and life patterns that prevent authentic living, I do not approach the relationship as an "expert" but rather as a supportive guide who joins you on the journey."

"It may be that when we no longer know what to do we have come to our real work, and that when we no longer know which way to go we have begun our real journey. - Wendell Berry"