Divorce Therapists in Springfield, MO

Hello, I'm Rita, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, and I hold a master's degree in social work from the University of Missouri-Columbia. With over three decades of experience in the field, I have had the privilege of providing individual, couples, family, group, and substance abuse counseling. I enjoy providing play therapy, and I have developed a specialization in women's mental health care. Throughout my career, I've had the honor of assisting clients facing various challenges such as depression, anxiety, trauma, job stress, relationship issues, grief, codependency, and major life changes, including divorce.

Struggling with grief, caring for aging parents, anxiety or chronic illness? If so, you're in the right place. Living with grief, being a caregiver, or fighting chronic illness are some of the most difficult things we can experience. I have been there and can offer support while helping you navigate this difficult journey. I can also help if you're a teen, feeling the strain of the economy, stressed, anxious or depressed, wondering what you are going to do to make ends meet, facing divorce, struggling with co-parenting, are the survivor of narcissistic abuse, need help reaching goals, anger mgt, or life in general.

Through one-on-one counseling or group sessions, I utilize take-home tools and day-to-day life applications to help my clients experience the freedom associated with self awareness and self acceptance. I am passionate about creating a guilt free environment and open forum for any and all discussions.

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.

The Authentic Men’s Group (AMG) — a non profit organization devoted to making men’s mental health and personal growth a priority. AMG is passionate about creating a guilt free environment for all men. Through group coaching and by promoting 100% authenticity and self acceptance men get to know and experience that they are not alone, a good man and enough. Each coach and group is devoted to listening to not only what is said— but the truths rooted beneath those words. Those truths are then explored and applied to every day life and circumstances.

Many of my clients enter therapy to address the feeling of groundlessness that can occur when things fall apart. It may be an episode of significant depression or anxiety, unresolved trauma, a life changing loss such as divorce or death, or a crisis of awakening and challenging previously held understandings of the self in the world. There are many paths that take us into therapy, and I walk that path with my clients to develop a better understanding and integration to adapt to life when we find ourselves at these challenging points.

You have a story. A very important and unique story. Sometimes your story keeps you stuck. It keeps you from being the best version of yourself. If your story involves trauma whether from sexual abuse, divorce as an adult or child, physical or verbal abuse, loss, relationship conflict, boundary confusion, religious confusion, natural disasters, accidents, etc, I can help you reprocess these memories and the negative things that you tell yourself. It takes a lot of strength to reach out and ask for help however, I will provide you a safe space to do just that.

I provide Individual, Couples, and Family Counseling to children, adolescents, and adults. I have a specific interest in working with women who may be experiencing depression and/or anxiety from various life stressors, including postpartum needs, divorce, grief, and other relational issues.

My primary goal for therapy is to make each client feel safe to share their life story in order to begin healing. I view the therapeutic process as a joint effort in which I collaborate with my client to find the best approach to resolve any current struggles.

Most of my clients are facing relational challenges due to areas that are out of balance in their lives. At the present time, I have about 100 clients. I spend much time working with people with high levels of stress, anxiety and depression. My greatest strengths are in Marriage & Family and Youth Counseling due to the fact that I look for root problems in the lives of people and find ways to retrain them so that they can be much more functional. I am also very effective with self-esteem issues. With additional counselors we can address substance abuse, weight management, child custody issues, divorce mediation, etc.

Life presents a multitude of challenges, including pain, uncertainty, and constant work. While I cannot change these inevitable parts of the human experience, I hope to offer a place where you can process these difficulties and develop new skills to better face them in the future. I believe women face unique challenges in society and within themselves that deserve time and space to be addressed. From infertility to postpartum struggles to divorce and anxiety, my goal is to support you on your journey to becoming your most fulfilled version of yourself.

My ideal client is one who is aware that they need to do something different but aren't quite sure what the next step is. This could be a life transition from adolescence to adulthood, or a couple who struggles with communication. It could be more intense like a couple who is in the middle of despair or broken trust, or an individual or child who has experienced something traumatic that has changed their whole world. All these individuals are looking for ways to regain their life and become who they believe themselves to be.

I'm a small town girl who has gone through life with divorce, caring for a child with special needs, loss, and love. I love to connect with REAL people who have REAL problems & are looking for not only help but big changes in their lives. Let's connect with you on what is happening in your life today & how I can help you get past the hurdles that are stopping you from moving on! When I am not working with my clients I am speaking all over the world motivating the masses, listening to way too many podcasts & sneaking M&M's in bed! Let me come with you along this journey we call life. It is my passion helping you find true pure joy!

The vast majority people who seek therapy have, through no fault of their own, suffered loss and trauma which has caused painful consequences for their lives. The best way to heal from those losses is to first have them accurately identified and then to be gradually helped to express one's thoughts and feelings about them to a supportive listener. With such support one's experiences are validated as real and one begins to recognize one's strength and courage under the most challenging of circumstances. The opportunity to speak the truth about the painful facts of one's life to a supportive therapist is what heals.

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.

Having a hard time picking out a therapist that might fit? It's definitely one of the most challenging first steps on your journey. Let me help you out! Give me a call and see if I've got the right personality to match yours! If I don't, I've been in this profession long enough to connect you with someone that might be better suited for your needs. If I am not exactly the right therapist for you, I'm confident we can work together and find someone who is.

I specialize in a few types of clients - Couples hanging on by a thread, men who are less than thrilled at the idea of attending therapy, and individuals that live under a constant state of frustration in life. As someone who has lived and survived all of these scenarios personally, I've have a ton of empathy and a box of tools ready for people motivated to achieve change. Whether you are picking up the pieces from infidelity, exhausted from fighting about the same tired topics, or struggling to escape the things that beat you down, I am honored to pull up a chair and begin sorting through the mess in your first session.

Change takes courage. I understand the courage it takes to reach out and ask for support when we feel our most stuck. As your therapist, I will remain fully dedicated to strengthening the resiliency needed within to reclaim yourself through connection, self-compassion, and self-love. I specialize in helping adults, couples, and children especially as it relates to trauma. Come see me and begin to live a more meaningful, balanced life. I am licensed in Missouri, Kansas, and Virginia.

If you are an adult or teenager struggling with anxiety, relationship issues, trauma issues, self-esteem, or setting boundaries, I would love to help you. Couples who are struggling with relationship issues are also welcome as I have a passion and experience in marital/couples therapy and helping relationships succeed. I have also been trained in EMDR which assists clients in rapid reduction of trauma-related symptoms resulting in overall healing. I have had specialized training in DBT and have assisted clients in learning and implementing these skills as well.