Therapists in Ankeny, IA

Seeking therapy can feel daunting, but you don't have to walk alone. As a Middle Eastern therapist, I create a warm and welcoming space where you can be understood and supported on your unique journey of healing and growth. My approach to therapy is inclusive and collaborative. I believe in ditching the "one-size-fits-all" model to craft a personalized roadmap with you, while also being mindful of your cultural and spiritual background

Having been a clinical mental health therapist for 25 years, I recognize the decision to seek help can be difficult and challenging. My practice endeavors to create a comfortable and safe environment exploring your concerns in a collaborative and professional manner. I am committed in working to provide real solutions empowering individuals, couples, and families to achieve their personal and professional goals. I welcome the opportunity to meet with you and discuss how therapy may be helpful with your needs.

As a therapist, I specialize in providing support to individuals who are motivated to deeply explore and understand themselves, with a strong emphasis on ongoing personal growth. My expertise lies in addressing concerns anxiety, depression, ADHD, and life transitions. While these are my areas of specialization, I am also here to discuss any other concerns that bring you to therapy.

I know that the choice to begin counseling can often be a difficult one. Congratulations on taking the first step toward having the kind of life you want for yourself! I look forward to the opportunity to be of assistance to you on that journey. My areas of interest/specialty include all aspects of mental health counseling for adults, adolescents, and families in the areas of depression, anxiety, addictions, co-occuring disorders, codependency and spirituality. I draw upon diverse resources to approach the counseling process from the perspective of your strengths and your place in life.

Are you struggling with LGBT+ related concerns? Are you struggling to come terms with your LGBT+ identity and/or struggling to find a way to move forward as an LGBT+ person? As a member of the LGBT+ community I am passionate about serving the LGBT+ community. Is a loved one of yours an LGBT+ member and you are struggling to move forward? accept? and/or want to reconcile with your LGBT+ loved one? Being LGBT+ can be hard in our society and it can help to talk about these experiences. Being fearful of our LGBT+ loved one's safety and well being can be stressful as well. If you feel like I can be of service I would be happy to help.

I take into account the whole person (mind/body/spirit) and provide a non-judgmental approach to therapy. Together we will focus on finding and resolving the factors that are at the root of your mental health symptoms. These symptoms are often natural responses/adaptations to stressful life circumstances and traumatic experiences. From this perspective, these psychological parts become imbalanced over time and can get stuck in the past. Once they are properly integrated in the here-and-now, we can begin to live a life that is true to our purpose and in alignment with our highest selves.

As humans we all have complex lives and due to this complexity, we all experience stressful events, but if these have started to impact daily life functioning and your quality of life, it is time to look at your options. The idea of therapy can be intimidating, but in reality it is an opportunity to self-reflect, promote healing, and improve one's quality of life.

I focus on marginalized populations and am versed in multicultural counseling. It's been a rough couple of years, and this one harder than most. So many of us are feeling exhausted, overwhelmed and cast out. Suddenly, you might have noticed those bottles of wine going faster, your temper growing shorter, and the stress piling up. Everyone needs something from you, but you've given so much already and aren't sure where to refill yourself. Trans and LGBQ+ clients are my primary focus. Or/and perhaps you are a member of additional marginalized identities and facing additional stresses or obstacles in our society. Self-care IS activism.

If you have ever asked yourself if you are living as well as you could then counseling may be for you. I find most people (including my clients) can get by just fine on their own. I am here to help them do more than "just get by." My goal is to help you live the life you want and enjoy it more fully. How to better manage anxiety, improve mood, improve coping skills, and better your interpersonal relationships are something I enjoy helping people with. I also address people's history of trauma and how that may be affecting their life and/or relationships.

Shanthi is a tele-mental health practice based in Iowa City, IA, that uses a HIPAA compliant video-based system. I work with all mental health issues, but I focus a lot of my practice working with trauma, vicarious trauma, and working with medical professionals experiencing compassion fatigue or imposter syndrome. I only provide individual counseling for adults. All sessions are conducted through audio/video. I don't provide in-person sessions. You can expect that all sessions will be conducted over video and not through worksheets and text messages.

Modern life is not easy. Everything has become more and more complicated: managing relationships, meeting your professional goals, balancing your time, and pursuing your interests. We all experience these demands, and each of us has a limit. When we reach our capacity, we often feel overwhelmed, angry, depressed, and even anxious. We loose joy, and even purpose; we concede to despair and are filled with worries. Even the strongest and most capable people among us need a little help sometimes to work through some of life’s more challenging problems. Our private practice specializes in helping people who are struggling with anxiety, depression, problematic substance use, pornography and sex addiction, relationship enhancement, or stress management. If you are feeling lost and struggling with these worries, let us help you rediscover what brings happiness to your life.

I enjoy working with clients from a variety of backgrounds and concerns, and a variety of ages from 5 to 45, and a variety of concerns. I practice from the ideal of therapeutic rapport and trust building as the most important factor.

My goal is to help you discover how you can overcome your personal struggles and resolve the issues that are keeping you stuck so that you can live the life you envision for yourself. It's your time now! It's your time to live the life that you are destined to live. It would honor me to serve you now.

I have extensive experience in school and community settings working with children, teens, and adults. I believe that you are the expert on your life and see my role as walking alongside you to help gain a different perspective and learn skills to navigate life more effectively.