Body Positivity Therapists in Brentwood, MO

Are you struggling with anxiety, processing trauma, disordered eating, a life transition, depression, or changes in your mood? Do you or your child experience your emotions through your body's felt sense? Are you or your child struggling to adjust to new life circumstances and experiencing emotional dysregulation? Life brings challenges and with those challenges comes opportunity for growth. If you are ready or your loved one is ready to embark on a new path towards self-discovery, I am here to offer support, guidance and strategies to facilitate healthy change.

I am honored to help my clients see through the messiness of life and grieve what should have been. Clients often come to me after losing a loved one, struggling with body image or disordered eating, or trying to cope with a traumatic event. I also am a part of a foundation of therapists that work with reality tv stars before, during, and after they are cast on unscripted reality tv shows.

Kudos to you for considering counseling and researching your options. Whether you are returning to counseling or just getting started, it can be a daunting task, especially since counselors are not "one size fits all." Taking time to find a counselor that you "click with" can take your session from "okay" to meaningful and fulfilling. Many of my clients report feeling "stuck" in their situations and "tired of pretending to be okay". Some experience dark thoughts that they don't understand or know how to talk about, while others are ready for a change but don't know where to start. I often say, "being human is a messy experience."

Hello! I am glad you are here. I am a Counselor-in-Training at Upaya Counseling, LLC. At the core of my practice is a belief in collaboration and positivity. I am committed to working together to discover and build on your strengths. By creating a safe and judgment-free environment, my goal is to help you on your journey toward overall well-being.

Do you experience chronic trust issues, worry, irrational fears or a profound sense of loneliness? Do you have unexplainable triggers that cause feelings of panic, fear, or anger? Do you continue to feel stuck in the same patterns of thinking and reacting? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may be experiencing the effects from unresolved trauma.

I specialize in helping freethinking women, sexual and gender minorities, and nontraditional couples who have already overcome so much, but find that something keeps holding them back. I help people decidedly outside the mainstream, who aren't looking for a professional to fit them back into conformity. I work best with individuals and couples who already have some practice with self-reflection but you now need a fresh perspective and stronger support. I enjoy helping diverse people, in terms of relationship style, abilities, brain type, or cultural identities. I also specialize in recovery from cults or narcissistic abuse.

Change takes time and hard work, and frequently also requires compassion, perspectives, and ideas from outside our own minds. Therapy is one way to help make the changes you want in your life. Using compassion-focused therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, and solution-focused models, I help adolescents and adults practice ways to move away from self-defeating behaviors into more peace.

I am licensed in Missouri with 10 years of professional work experience. I have experience in helping clients with stress and anxiety, trauma and abuse, & motivation, self esteem, and confidence. I believe in treating everyone with respect, sensitivity, and compassion. I will tailor our dialog and treatment plan to meet your unique and specific needs. Taking the first step to seeking a more fulfilling and happier life takes courage. I am here to support you in that process.

Striving for mental health and wellness in a society with as many issues as ours is hard. Finding a therapist to support you in that, can sometimes feel even harder. What criteria do you base your decision on? Degrees, years in practice, areas of expertise, whether they still meet people in person... But what a profile and your research cannot tell you, happens to be the most important criteria: if the two of you will "fit.” The best and quickest way to know for certain is to schedule the appointment.

We all experience difficulties at some point in our lives. At times, these difficulties can become overwhelming, and we struggle to cope. This can be from one incident or many over several years. Sometimes these events make us feel stuck and can even impact us many years later. Wherever you are in your journey, I am here to assist you through the healing process and ultimately help you get unstuck.

Life can be messy. It’s full of change and transitions that can lead to feelings of uncertainty or anxiety. You may seem OK on the outside, but inside you're stressed, feeling stuck, and full of self-doubt. You don't have to figure this out on your own. My passion is helping individuals identify their strengths and reach their full potential. With a combination of counseling and coaching techniques, I'll help you create strategies to overcome life's obstacles. Whatever season of life you're in, and whatever you need to work through, I'm here to offer support and help you to become your best self.

Life’s challenges often feel overwhelming. Whether these challenges are encountered in pursuit of a healthier lifestyle, in trying to connect with your dearest loved ones, or in coping with a variety of big and small setbacks, there exists a pathway to success and happiness within you that is yet untapped. With all of the outside pressures coming from our school/job, family, romantic and friend relationships it can be difficult to establish our own needs. Let me help you build a healthy relationship with yourself by unraveling those things that tie you down and re-creating a life of intention and connection.

What's not working with your health and life goals? Do you suffer from pain and can't get a clear answer why? Do you find the motivation to stay healthy an impossible task with your busy schedule? Do difficult relationships or trauma make it hard to manage stress? It's time to do the deeper work.

Showing up as your authentic self in the world can be scary. Will I be accepted? Why am I the way that I am? What are these feelings I’m experiencing, and can I trust them? I provide a safe, non-judgmental space for you to explore and process all of these questions and more.

I offer short-term & long-term therapy focusing on depression, anxiety, relationship difficulties, LGBT and gender identity exploration, adoption and parenting issues, PTSD, complex stress and trauma, & substance use. As a clinician, I approach my work from a holistic, trauma-informed lens. An individual's mental health and overall happiness are based on a number of different factors that are unique to that individual. Therapy is a collaborative effort that takes compassion, reflection, & creativity. Therapy is a financial commitment, but it's also an investment in your emotional well-being, relationships, and quality of life.