Therapists in Polk County, MO

We all have strengths to build on and opportunities for growth and change. Counseling can be a helpful tool to work toward whatever goals you have or obstacles you may be facing. I am passionate about working with children and families. My goal is for children to feel confident in who they are and what they can do. I also work to build up families to grow closer and stronger together. I have seen how counseling can be a powerful tool in creating positive change for anyone.

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.

I specialize in High-performance individuals that live under a constant state of performance pressure, Parents who want to understand what their child needs in education (gifted or learning difficulties), and Attorneys that want fair and honest data to decide what needs to happen in complex child custody cases. As someone who has lived in these scenarios, I've developed tools and techniques to help you find the answers you need. Whether you are worried about your child, feeling burned out, or need an accurate assessment for court, I'll strive to give you the care and attention I'd want for my own family.

I specialize in attachment dynamics, relationships, trauma, stress, burnout, depression and anxiety, and for over 25 years have worked with children, adolescents, adults, couples, and families.

Hello and welcome to therapy! It's time to start your journey into yourself, invest in yourself, and to write your own story. I will be happy to guide you or just be someone to bounce ideas off of. I have a holistic approach matching treatment and strategy to what you want and need. Let's collaborate and take this journey together.

Drawing from my own experience that includes an unexpected teen pregnancy and experiencing single parenthood, I bring a unique perspective and deep empathy to my practice. Now, as a seasoned counselor in Branson, MO, I leverage this personal understanding to guide clients through their struggles with relationships, self-growth, and overcoming life's unexpected turns. With expertise in adolescent and adult therapy, as well as marriage counseling, Nikki helps clients restore and improve their emotional health and relationships.

First year social work students are always asked what their preferred population or job is when they graduate. Although most therapist do not know what they want to do for years, I knew right away that I wanted to work with children and their families. I am specifically passionate about children and families that have been affected by the foster care system. Research proves that what happens in childhood affects us all as adults. Although therapy does not magically make trauma go away, I want to help reduce the level of disturbance that trauma causes children so that they can be the best version of themselves as an adult.

My ideal client is an individual who is dealing with low self-esteem, past trauma affecting current goals, coping skills, setting boundaries, family conflict, parental issues, anger management, etc. Some struggle with managing stress and expressing their feelings to others because of fear of judgment. They grew up in a household that strived for perfectionism, felt like a failure, and felt like they let people down. They have difficulty expressing their feelings to others because they fear judgment.

Are you struggling with difficult life challenges which result in feeling alone and misunderstood? Before my own personal counseling journey, I felt this way, too. As a counselor, it’s my primary goal to walk along side my clients so each one will not feel alone or misunderstood. I commit to safely processing emotional pain with the ultimate goal of helping clients discover their own best resolutions. I always want to place myself within the unique world of each client to provide unconditional understanding and support. I welcome anyone who is ready to share and process in a safe and comfortable place.

I believe counseling is a partnership in which we work together in developing and implementing a plan to reach the clients treatment goals. Each client is unique and different, and I adjust according to the clients needs. I work well with clients who are ready to do the work to heal and grow. The client and I are active throughout the counseling process. I have found that this process is a journey towards healing and thriving in all areas of life.

I specialize in helping children and families heal from trauma, sexual abuse, physical abuse or neglect. Untreated trauma can lead to depression, anxiety, PTSD, and substance use.

Do you find yourself running on empty, constantly overthinking and worrying? Do you struggle with past wounds or find yourself trying to navigate through a traumatic experience? Maybe you are feeling alone or disconnected, struggling to communicate, and wondering if there is any hope. Whether you are wrestling with the weight of anxiety and depression, navigating a challenging experience, or experiencing difficulty in your marriage, you are not alone. My passion is to help my clients move towards freedom from past hurt and pain so they can feel equipped to experience safe, connected, healthy relationships with themselves and others.

CURRENTLY I AM NOT ACCEPTING NEW CLIENTS. My approach to therapy is customized based on the needs of the individual client(s) and draws upon a broad and diverse base of clinical approaches and well-established techniques while incorporating Holistic Modalities including Nutrition, Exercise, and Mindfulness. I frequently utilize Animal Assisted Therapy, so Don’t Be Surprised to see my two certified therapy dogs present at sessions! I am a Certified Master Trainer, with specialty training in Nutrition, DNA Based Wellness & Weight Management, Exercise Recovery Therapy; Life Span Wellness and Health Transformation Exercise.

Sometimes we have an idea of what our life should look like, or what we would like it to look like. However, situations outside of our control occur and can knock us off of our feet. Whether it be from past familial trauma, current familial issues, work burnout, chronic diagnoses or terminal illness, issues within the relationship, the struggles of parenting (especially special needs children), traumatic birth experiences, or life transitions, I am here to help you navigate through all of this and more.

I believe that our past experiences and relationships play a major role in how we experience our lives in the present. Sometimes these experiences were painful or left our bodies feeling unsafe and hold us back from living the life we want. As a therapist at Beyond Healing, I hope to be present with my clients in a way that allows them to explore the deep parts of themselves they might have lost or forgotten. I believe that through the work and the healing, we can build a life for ourselves we are excited for.

Do you find yourself feeling lost or confused about who you are? Maybe you're struggling to thrive or even to cope as the world changes around you. Identity struggles, grief, relational challenges, traumatic experiences, health changes, spiritual crises, and other naturally occurring stressors are all potential sources of anxiety that can alter the way we think and feel about ourselves and others in our present moment and moving forward. As a trauma-informed practitioner, I approach each relationship with a person-centered focus, operating holistically through the lens of trauma-informed care, recognizing you as a unique individual.

Maybe you are about to get married. Maybe you are in a relationship and haven't yet considered marriage. Maybe you've been married for 5, 13, even 35 years. Every relationship at some point experiences hardship and difficulty. It takes a lot of effort and energy to make a relationship succeed and stay close connected and intimate. Sometimes, it can be very difficult to find the energy, the will, or the motivation to truly give your heart to your partner. Whenever there is brokenness, my goal is to take those broken parts and bring them back together to make a whole relationship again.

There is no universal blueprint for getting through life without a scratch. Life gets hard and sometimes it can feel like your entire world is spinning out of control. As your fellow human, I too, know feelings of pain, suffering, and disconnection. The heartache and confusion that often comes with broken relationships, addiction, and life transitions. The sense of emptiness, and lack of identity and direction that ebbs and flows as we move through our existence. None of us are exempt, but I’m here to tell you that you are not alone and that there is hope.