Therapists in Peculiar, MO

I am a specialist who works with adults and teens ages 14+ on intense anxiety, trauma and complex trauma, dissociation, and personality disorders. My clients come in saying they feel numb and irritable or outright angry at the world. Many wonder if they have ADHD or are on the spectrum. On their worst days, they feel like they are in constant fight or flight mode and teetering on collapse. They want to be able to authentically connect with others and to feel peace and contentment, but are not sure how. Most importantly, my clients want to solve their problems, stop repetitive patterns, and move on with with their lives.

Now accepting new clients! I'm Kimberly and I am a licensed marriage and family therapist located in Downtown Lee's Summit. I work with teens (17+), individual adults, and couples. I often work with clients that are struggling with depression, anxiety, difficult relationship dynamics, grief & loss, stress & burnout, or life transitions such as high school seniors, college students, young professionals, pre-marital couples, expecting and new parents. I am trained in EMDR, which may be helpful in healing from trauma and other experiences that have been difficult to move past.

For 30yrs, I have had the distinct privilege of working with hundreds of traumatized clients, couples, & fellow mental health professionals. Though many are shattered by grave emotional injuries, they find a way to rise up, face themselves and others, heal bravely, and transform their lives. With my clients, I hope to forge a close, safe, & collaborative relationship where clients may achieve significant emotional growth. To do so, clients & I identify treatment strategies that heal wounds, resolve symptoms, change behaviors, cultivate a strong voice, revive joy, engage authenticity, & support courageous, wholehearted living.

I believe we all have the right to our own belief systems but often times sharing those with someone who is a complete stranger can be intimidating. I offer you a safe space to be YOU. I am a spiritual being that is open to embracing dialogue around non-traditional ways of thinking and believing. Because the client-therapist is an important relationship, my goal is to provide a high-quality service to you that includes quick and responsive communication as well as a huge library of resources to give you the tools you need for an action based and humanistic therapy process. I enjoy working with women and couples!

Our practice focuses on sexual addiction - for the person with addiction, the partner and the couple. If you struggle with sex addiction (including pornography) you want someone who understands this addiction and has a plan for your recovery. We do. If you are the partner of a sex addict, it's important to take care of yourself and seek counsel from a compassionate therapist who understands your situation. Both the addict and the betrayed partner get better faster with a highly trained, highly focused supportive therapy team. Men and women have regained and even improved relationships through their work with us.

Every person has a unique path to walk in life. Sometimes you need someone to walk with you to guide, support, validate and encourage . I would see it as a privilege to walk beside you on your journey. It's difficult to reach out and it takes courage to seek positive change. I'm here to help you navigate life transitions, trauma, anxiety, depression, grief, relationship conflict and more.

I have seen both professionally and personally how transformative the therapeutic process can be when seeking change, growth, and healing. I focus on individuals and couples whose concerns may include anxiety, depression, trauma, or relationship problems. My goal is to provide clients a safe and nonjudgmental space to explore and process their pain and help them reflect on how their experiences influence their perception of themselves, others, and the world. With empathy, understanding, acceptance, and encouragement, I work with clients on integrating changes so that they have the tools they need to live a happy and healthy life.

Feeling stuck, chaotic, overwhelmed, purposeless, anxious? Do you ever find yourself doing the same things over and over wishing you would have a different outcome? Do you feel consumed by your thoughts? Do you feel like you and your partner just don’t get each other? Often time asking for help and finding help is overwhelming. You want to make a change, make things better, but you don’t know how. You want to feel like you again - not to just keep surviving, but start living intentionally and passionately. You want the anxiety, the intrusive thoughts and the sleepless nights to end - to be present with yourself and your loved ones.

Life presents challenges that are difficult to face alone, and trusting someone to hold your thoughts and emotions as sacred takes courage. I consider it an honor to walk with you, side by side, through your journey of transformation, healing and restoration. I seek to connect the body and the brain to dig deeper, at your pace. Creating and being a safe, inviting, warm and connected space is a passion of mine. It is such a privilege to bear witness to people reclaiming themselves and finding freedom from trauma!

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.

During times of change or stress, you are left feeling isolated, uncertain, and even fearful. You may be experiencing symptoms of anxiety, depression, or overwhelmed by grief. Whatever you may be experiencing, I prioritize providing a compassionate, warm, and safe environment for you to process these intense feelings and experiences. I also have specialized training for working with women during their fertility journey, motherhood, and pregnancy/infant loss.

If you are someone who is struggling with understanding the reason why behind certain behaviors & are wanting to learn how to heal, overcome, and succeed, you are in the right place. Many of the individuals who I work with are driven to feel better and have a growth mindset. You know that life is meant to be more fulfilling. Many of the individuals I see struggle with anxiety, trauma, and/or self-esteem issues. (Coaching! I specialize in working with moms to help them overcome anxiety, perfectionism and self-doubt so they can launch a profitable & fulfilling business/side-hustle; allowing them to have more freedom, flexibility)

Welcome! Sometimes we find ourselves in "survival mode," where we are doing what we can to get by. And with so many stressors, there's no time to reflect on how we are really doing. Thoughts and emotions can sneak up at random, often leaving one confused. Many of my clients have experienced multiple traumas and choose to process these memories. Some prefer to focus on getting coping skills, tailored to each individual, to relieve symptoms. Trauma has a lasting impact on our lives which makes adjusting to a new life more difficult, I'm here to help.

Therapy can truly be life changing! I believe that a warm, accepting, non-judgemental, safe place to express one's true self is invaluable. That is my approach as a therapist. I have found that each session may be a bit different. We may focus on current life circumstances, process childhood trauma, or make goals for the future. What you can expect from each therapy session is to be heard, seen, validated and sometimes gently challenged.

When survival becomes the focus of our childhood, we miss pertinent opportunities to develop life skills that are necessary for meaningful relationships and our own personal well-being. Joy considers counseling as an amazing opportunity to rediscover and learn new life skills so that we can embark on a journey of wellness and leave dysfunctional coping behind.

Choosing a therapist is sometimes the most overwhelming part of getting help! Relationship is very important to the process, and I am happy to schedule a free phone consultation to discuss your goals for therapy and find out if we are a good match. I believe in an individualized approach that will help you get out of therapy what YOU want to achieve.

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.

Life is a journey full of ups and downs, twists and turns, dry valleys, and scenic mountaintops. At times, it can be difficult to navigate. We may resist going in a direction that feels unknown because it is uncomfortable to do things we've never done before; however, it is in the places of discomfort that we can create the most growth and discover our most authentic selves. Maybe you feel stuck, hurt, or abandoned. Maybe you feel stressed, alone, or tired. Maybe you feel disconnected from yourself or the people in your life. No matter where you find yourself on your journey, there is hope.