Compassion Focused Therapists in Warren County, MO

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.

Searching for a therapist, filling out paperwork, finding time and making sure the therapist is a good fit can often feel like A LOT. I know this and I am here to provide any support that I can when taking the difficult steps to ask for help. My goal is to make the process as painless as possible, putting my clients and their needs first. Whether those needs include help for anxiety, depression, an eating disorder, substance use struggles, panic disorder, impulse control struggles or trauma processing, I am here to help. My clients will gain a better understanding of themselves and learn how take an active role in their healing.

I am an individual therapist with 20 years of experience working with survivors of childhood abuse, trauma, and intimate partner violence. More recently, my practice has expanded to focus on anxiety disorders, depression, and perfectionism. I am a trained teacher of Kristen Neff's Mindful Self-Compassion, a former DBT skills group facilitator, and have trained in RO-DBT. Over the past twenty years I have served as a teacher and trainer in settings ranging from elementary to graduate level classrooms and post-graduate continuing education workshops.

Are you seeking an answer to your problems? Is anger controlling the way you want to live life? Are you dissatisfied with life and don't know why? If so, I am interested in helping you. I believe that through exploring one's life experiences, both past and present, people find the solutions to their most difficult challenges.

Hello! Often our life transitions challenge our former identities; a new work role, changing relationship dynamics, or parenthood. Feeling overwhelmed or exhausted by the demands of the day to day is real. We often feel inadequate and powerless in new roles.

My ideal clients are ages 13 and up. I thoroughly enjoy working with pre-teens and teenagers, as well as members of the LGBTQIA+ community. The life-changing events associated with growing up in today's world are often stressful, and my purpose is to bring peace and clarity to those otherwise troubling moments.

What would it look like to feel safe in your body? What would it look like to be whole? What might it feel like to love yourself authentically and wholeheartedly? These simple but profound questions call out to us and point us toward possibility and hope. Nobody has life 100% down, but healing and ongoing well-being are genuinely possible. Let’s do this together! I have special interest and experience working with adolescents and adults surrounding perinatal mental health, depression, anxiety, relationships, and life transitions, as well as trauma and PTSD related to issues of race, and community violence.

Are you often told that you "need to relax," that you're "Type A," or that "you should slow down"? Do you feel stuck in an endless cycle of worry, stress, or depression? Are you ready to make your mental health a priority but don't know where or how to start? If being able to just relax seems unachievable and hopeless; I want you to know that change is possible. Together we can help you develop healthier coping skills, establish appropriate boundaries, and gain new insights about yourself and your life situation.

I offer compassionate, effective professional counseling that is goal oriented, and solution focused, using well-established, evidence-supported practices to help you move toward your goals on your unique journey. I have 16 years of experience as a mental health and substance abuse therapist. My interventions are adjusted to meet the needs and goals of the individual. My clients have reported tangible results.

Sometimes life doesn't go as planned, and our minds adapt the best way they know how. These adaptations are brilliant, but there comes a point in time when they no longer serve us well. Perfectionism, over-analyzing, people-pleasing, mental exhaustion, feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness, low self-esteem, conflicting thoughts and feelings, and even unexplained physical symptoms are all good reasons to reach out to a professional.

The core of my practice is assisting individuals and families to navigate the challenges and uncertainties of life with success and purpose. To provide guidance on supporting those with mental health symptoms, behavioral and emotional disorders and trauma to be able to thrive. To help identify negative communication patterns and strengthen communication with others. I provide an assortment of parenting ideas to help families live together with a better understanding and appreciation of each other. I draw from Dr. Garry Landreth, Child-Parent Relationship Therapy, Dr. Fay & Dr. Cline, Love & Logic, and Dr. Phelan with 1-2-3 Magic.

Does your life feel like a performance? Like you're constantly striving to "do it all and have it all" all while making it look effortless? If people knew how you felt, they'd find you stressed, worried, burned out, overwhelmed, irritable, disconnected, or depressed. Has the grind of life left your feeling defeated and disappointment but you life with the pressure that “the show must go on?" I say: “Eff. That!”. When you work with me we prioritize purpose, meaning, and intentional living . I believe you can HAVE it all without DOING it all.

It’s so common to find ourselves feeling overwhelmed, self-critical, anxious, or lonely. When we do, it’s all the more common to want to avoid looking at what’s transpiring for us out of fear for what we might find. However, not looking tends to mean that we’re bound to misunderstand our experiences, and over time, adding more layers of distress, disconnection, and dissatisfaction — we are suffering and by refusing to look at our suffering, we suffer more. I can help! Together, we’ll create an honest, non-judgmental space in which you can begin to look inward, to listen to the deep strength and internal wisdom you already posses.

The Center for Cognitive Therapy, St. Louis, provides treatment for those suffering from a variety of emotional issues, including depression, anxiety, family, marital, aging, and childhood problems. CBT has been found by research to be one of the most effective treatment modalities. The Center's director, Donald F. Sloane, LCSW, has over 44 years of clinical experience, and has taught at Washington University in the graduate school for 17 years from 1990 through 2006. Don has given many seminars and keynote addresses at major conferences. He has also provided trainings at a number of Fortune 500 companies.

Do you feel overwhelmed, anxious, or depressed? Do you feel like there is no one to talk to that would possibly understand your unique situation? I provide a judgement-free zone for clients to learn and try new skills, as well as processing things that they have been through. I genuinely enjoy seeing clients make progress and am there to encourage them through successes and hardships.

Do you get tired of carrying the burden of your past on your shoulders? Do you wish for a future in which you can breathe freely and have a heart full of hope? My name is Melissa, and I'd want to be your guiding light on your journey to healing and empowerment. We'll not only heal your scars, but also rekindle the light within you, allowing you to step into a better, happier tomorrow. Your path to a better life begins here, and I'm here to accompany you every step of the way. Clients often walk away from our sessions with renewed hope, increased resilience, and actionable strategies to tackle life's challenges.

Starting with a new therapist can be overwhelming, especially if you have never taken the giant step to start therapy before, and I promise to always meet my clients where they are in the moment. Everyone is at a different point in their lives, and needs varying amounts of help, and I look forward to meeting you without judgement and on your terms.