Therapists in Missouri

There are many presenting issues that might bring you to counseling. Finding a therapist that you can connect with and build an alliance with is important to your success in therapy. I work very hard to create a relationship that will provide you the safety and warmth that you need to explore your experiences; I am very comfortable earning your trust. I use different treatment modalities, depending upon which is appropriate for you personally. Empathy is the primary tool used to give you the safety you need to explore your inner world while we begin to understand your experiences together.

Since 2012 I have been working with adolescents and young adults navigating various different struggles of their life. Together, with their families (when appropriate) we work to develop a plan and a path towards health and healing. It isn't always easy, in fact it’s often counterintuitive and confusing. Healing isn't linear, but what I can offer is a chance to communicate better, connect, and return your home to a peaceful place. Whether you are struggling with relationships, yourself, school or work, I am ready to help you navigate whatever it is that is going on in your mind, and move you towards a more meaningful life.

Sometimes life is hard. We experience stress, difficult experiences, wounding in relationships, and trauma along with many other experiences. We carry these with us and they show up in our daily lives - in our thoughts, emotions, physical body, relationships with others, relationship with our self. Maybe you've noticed feeling stuck and overwhelmed. Weighed down. Maybe anxious. Maybe you've noticed patterns in your relationships. Maybe physical discomfort and pain. Tension in your body. Maybe you're curious about what you're noticing. Or maybe you’re curious about who YOU are – the authentic you.

I believe people are more than their diagnosis. Yes, a diagnosis is a tool but it is not the big picture. I come from a place of curiosity and wonder, wanting to know my clients on a deeper level so that I can help them navigate this world. For example, PTSD is a big diagnosis that is thrown around; yet, it doesn't paint the full picture. It doesn't reflect someone's experiences, triggers, how this is impacting their relationships, family history, the strengths they possess etc. Adolescents are my passion however, I also enjoy and work closely with families and adults.

Knowing we can be loved exactly as we are gives us the best opportunity to grow into the healthiest people. I believe relational psychotherapy helps to restore hope and connection, even during seasons of immense pain and suffering. Having a place where you can be heard and feel known is essential while working through heavy feelings, emotions, thoughts, and processing difficult experiences. As therapy deepens, individuals I work with gain insight into presenting symptoms and patterns of behavior that initially brought them to see me.

Now accepting online clients! I am a board certified telemental health counselor providing online counseling for residents of Missouri. I currently offer online sessions for individuals, couples, and families. I have worked for several large community mental health agencies, a local college counseling center, provided psychotherapy for the University system and numerous co-occurring substance facilities. It is through these experiences that I continue to be passionate about helping all clients improve their lives, relationships and their mental health.

I help my clients find their strengths and utilize them to improve their difficulties. I focus on your experiences and preferences in therapy and rely on your feedback to provide you with the service you need. I have experience with treating interpersonal and personal difficulties. I also have experience treating anxiety, depression, and other mental disorders. I look forward to working with you to meet your goals!

Samantha Graham-Douglas, LPC and Life Restoration Center have been a part of the community since 2011. We have a mission of providing comfort, safety, and respect to those coming from hopeless situations - including trauma, sexual abuse, substance abuse, sexual addictions, criminal activity, delinquency, behavioral issues, parenting issues, and marital problems. Samantha and other team members have been trained in several trauma theories such as TF-CBT and EMDR and have experience working with substance abuse, addictions, mental health, family systems and focus on the whole family- children, adolescents, adults and families.

Many people experience injuries in life that do not subside with the passage of time. The residue of these injuries can result in depression, intrusive thoughts and desperate ways of coping. We can fall into patterns of being that feel too hard to change. All of this then interferes with connection to others and intimacy. One does not have to live this way. It can be different.

Each of us has a unique history that shapes how we make sense of our inner and outer world. I have over 15 years of experience working in mental health with diverse clients who have a variety of concerns they bring to our relationship. Some of the typical issues that I have helped clients address include depression, anxiety, mania, trauma histories, and substance use. In addition, I have a personal passion working with clients who are exploring their gender identity and/or sexuality. Often because of the concerns that my clients bring up, I help people with life changes, career questions, self-esteem, and relationship issues.

Most people are doing the best they can in life with the skills they have available. When life becomes overwhelming, unbearable, or unfulfilling, counseling can help you find & experience the joy & love you desire - even in the face of adversity. Counseling can be helpful when you are ready to make changes in your life and when you desire someone to journey with you to realize your best self. In our work together, we will collaborate to set goals that you want to achieve. For some, this may be a change in how you are thinking and feeling. For others, you might be ready to work to find deeper healing through processing your trauma.

The relationship between therapist and client is instrumental in helping a person achieve their goals. In the therapeutic relationship, clients have the opportunity to feel their full range of feelings and become understood in deep and meaningful ways. When someone matches with the right therapist, therapy can be a life-changing experience. Transgenerational patterns, attachment experiences, and core beliefs formed in early childhood play a major role in current mental health. I pay close attention to emotional language, thoughts, and somatic symptoms.

People start to heal the moment they feel heard. I believe that hope and healing can be found, even in places of great pain. Life can become stressful and feel overwhelming at times. Having someone to walk beside you through those times helps ease the burden. As we develop a relationship with each other, I have found that people develop insight into what brought them in to see me. I focus on the whole person and try to understand what is being communicated through the behaviors, not just focusing on the symptoms.

Over half of my work is with couples. Through training and supervision in Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT), I can see and hear needs and feelings long hidden for fear of being hurt again. I empathize and acknowledge real wrongs and real emotional damage to trust and respect. I hear both sides. I also offer hope. I can see when marital conflict itself offers evidence that partners still desire and need each other. I know how difficult a process forgiveness and then trust building really are. Slowly, when even one is ready to love again, I equip both to express their hearts with a gentle strength, and to hear with compassion.

I have been in practice for 20 years. I do not "fit" my clients into a particular therapy. I use what treatment helps each of my clients. The therapy sessions belong to my clients, not to me. My clients know themselves better than I or anyone else wil know them. My "job" is to help my clients learn to help themselves and apply what they have gained in therapy to the rest of their lives.

Hi, I'm so glad you found your way here. If this is your first time reaching out for help, congratulations! You're making a bold statement to yourself that you're worth it! My primary goal as a therapist is to help facilitate healing and transformational growth in a caring and compassionate way. I have over 14 years of experience, specializing in addictions of all kinds, trauma, chronic pain/illness, autoimmune disease, infertility and anxiety. I utilize a holistic approach in counseling that includes conventional and non-conventional therapeutic methods such as CBT, biofeedback, mindfulness, EMDR and Audio-Visual Entrainment.

At Osage Valley Counseling, our mission is to provide compassionate and effective trauma-informed therapy, guided by evidence based practices. Through our specialized approach, we empower individuals to reclaim their lives, restore resilience, and embrace their future. We uphold the highest standards of integrity and hold a deep commitment to the quality of knowledge, and its application within the field of mental health. Our guiding values encompass integrity, expertise, and collaboration built on a foundation of accountability and confidentiality.

Hello! Here you are with the imagination to find a different way of doing life using therapy as a guide, how amazing. Maybe I could be that guide. I am Licensed in Missouri, Kansas & Indiana for virtual services and in person at my office in Lees Summit, MO. It is my mission to remind you who you really are- joyful, abundant, whole, sacred, creative, and wise. And use that knowing to reclaim your magic, intuition, power and belonging. Together we will uncover the parts of you that feel too unclear to name, much less learn from. That is where the magic happens. I am here to help you feel like your life is unapologetically yours.

Welcome! If you are reading this profile, you are likely in the process of making a very important decision – choosing a therapist. I believe the client-therapist relationship is an essential component of growth and change, and I am happy to share more with you about myself and my approach to therapy. First, while I strive to create a safe, supportive, and affirming space for everyone, I recognize that safety is something that must be felt and not simply declared. I will meet you where you are at and work to build the trust necessary for vulnerability, growth, and change.