Teletherapy for Louisiana

Hi, I’m Ledora Yerks-Birdlow. I am the Executive Director/CEO of Motivate Wellness Behavioral and Relationship Health Services. I’m a Licensed Professional Counselor, and Clinical Sexologist. More specifically our agency is made up of a group of therapists who sparks change in people’s lives and relationships. Our mission is to provide individuals, couples, and families the tools they need to create healthy, meaningful relationships with those around them.

If you are on this page, a powerful change in your life has already begun. By making the courageous choice to commit to therapy, you are embarking on a journey that has the potential to help you heal from past trauma, effectively cope with present challenges, and cultivate a joyful, fully embodied life. I work with a range of clients experiencing anxiety, depression, vocational stress, burnout, grief, and relationship challenges. Using Emotionally Focused Therapy, I can help you examine patterns in your most intimate relationships. I also support clients navigating questions of gender identity, sexual and relational orientation.

Living life is challenging for us all. We are all trying to balance work, family, children, and more. Trying to do all of this and still maintain, can be overwhelming, frustrating, intimating and more. We can all benefit from having someone to help and support us on this journey. I am a New Orleans native born and raised, and I know the culture we live in doesn't always allow us to carve out the necessary time for these type of services. Let me help you with sorting out how to balance this all. I accept individuals and families specializing in Family Dynamics, Relationships, and Prompting Ones personal journey to Wellness.

I provide individual, marriage, and family counseling services. I also create health and wellness programs . Whether you want to quit smoking, lose weight, manage stress, or improve your relationships, I can help. I also offer a number of complementary therapies: Reiki , hypnotherapy, (EFT) Emotional Freedom Techniques, the Sedona Method,and Psych-k . For clients experiencing a lack of direction, purpose, or meaning in their life, I offer psycho-spiritual counseling, utilizing the Akashic Records and Wisdom Teachings from the Bible and other spiritual tradition.

* Accepting New Clients / All Locations & Virtual - 26 years experience in Individual, Marriage & Relationship Counseling. Regardless of how difficult things may be, our agency is equipped to handle the most complex emotional and psychological issues. Initially trained as a USN Psychiatric Corpsman, I have been working in psychiatric-trauma for over 25 years. In the past 3 years I have successfully worked more than 100 Corporate Critical Crisis Incidents & provided Mental Health & Marriage Counseling to over 10,000 individuals.

I work well with individuals ages 10 & up, couples and families. I am trained in the treatment of eating disorders and reIated concerns. I have also worked with many couples with marital and other relationship concerns, and I have worked with many families dealing with divorce, substance abuse and parenting concerns. I have also worked with individuals on a variety of issues including but not limited to anxiety, depression and other mood disorders, emotional and behavioral concerns, academic concerns, relationship concerns, anger management and codependency.

It takes courage to ask for help, especially from someone you don't know. As a Licensed Professional Counselor, Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist and clinical pastoral counselor, I work with individuals, couples and families to resolve common human problems. I believe you will benefit from the clinical competence, experience and maturity gained from more than thirty years in practice, and will quickly realize I sincerely care about you. When you reach out to me, I will do my best to respond promptly, without your waiting too long for an appointment. Don't be surprised if I personally answer the phone.

From the time I was young, I knew I cared. I cared about people and wanted to help others experience more fulfilling lives and relationships. I didn’t realize at the time that I wanted those experiences for myself as well. My experience growing up in a family where addiction caused great pain led me to my own problematic relationships with people, food, money and religion. Now I care about myself in ways that I never imagined possible before taking those first scary steps into my therapist’s office and asking for help. I experience life and relationships in more rewarding ways than was previously possible for me.

Transition is a natural part of life whether a transition from high school to college, getting married or divorced, or changing careers. Both positive and negative transition can bring stress into the family. I work with Adults & Children 7 years and above. As a military combat veteran, I have interacted with cultures around the globe. Assisting active military, veterans, and their families is a passion of mine. Conversely, I have great experience in settings where the average client has not had military experience. I take a direct approach when working with people where you meeting your goals is the focus for the sessions.

Aiming to thrive and not solely survive? Despite our adverse experiences or current circumstances, we can find ourselves wanting to find more meaning in life. We help our clients slow down to closely examine the obstacles that are interfering with their ability to live the life they envision. Our approach to counseling is to learn to love yourself as you are while working on your areas of growth. We are all worthy of self-love and self-compassion, but all too often this is absent in our lives. Our hope is that through this process you find your true self and are courageous enough to embrace and live out your most authentic life!

Hello and welcome to your journey in becoming your best self. I am a caring, compassionate and professional therapist. I believe therapist are the change agents that guide the therapeutic process while the clients make decisions that will benefit their lives by using their own best judgement. I am here to facilitate the process and witness the growth that will transform your life forever. Thank yourself for the courage to be better.

Counseling provides the opportunity to step out of the routine of everyday life to focus on the bigger picture and long-term growth. I am both humbled and inspired by the opportunity to walk with people through their most challenging life situations. I believe a healthy counseling relationship is built on unconditional trust and respect. It involves authenticity and an ongoing journey of humility and self-improvement for counselor and client. I utilize a wholistic approach to counseling, believing counseling should address emotional, psychological, and spiritual needs.

Do you feel like you are in a relationship with a stranger? Does a basic discussion turn into an all day argument? Relationships, regardless of what kind, are the responsibility of both parties involved and there is no better time than now to take charge of your relationship's success. Each relationship has its own fingerprints and no two are the same. The client is the expert. Our therapeutic relationship will help put the pieces of your puzzle together in a meaningful way. I believe therapy goes beyond crisis intervention. Let’s bring happiness back to your relationship as I emphasize healthy behaviors over unhealthy behaviors.

I am able to help and support individuals, couples and families with a broad range of difficulties. If you are struggling with mental health, substance abuse or situational problems, I can help. Get the desire and motivation to reach goals, make changes, and have health in your life.

Have you ever felt like you were stuck on a dark hole and could not see the light? Maybe you can see a shimmer of light but are not sure how to navigate through the darkness. I am here to assist you in navigating through those difficult moments in your life. You are not alone in this journey; I believe that my life experiences have given me the compassion needed to help all. I am experienced in working with those struggling with depression, anxiety, relationship concerns, trauma and so much more.

As you face relationship troubles, depression, anxiety, trauma, grief, or loss, you're looking for hope. I invite you to experience the deep healing, growth, and confidence my clients enjoy as they increase their self-awareness, overcome blocks caused by trauma, and build resilience during challenges. Your growth will result in expanded joy and satisfaction in life. If you need tools to enhance your well-being or revive relationships under stress, let's work together- individually, as a family or couple. I will impart proven strategies to help you move towards healing and more loving relationships.

Life can be overwhelming, especially right now. Whether you're facing a recent loss, trying to recover from Hurricane Laura, facing challenges in relationships, finances, family or career; or maybe you just need a little encouragement, Lake Area Counseling is here for you. We don't believe in band-aids, cover-ups, denial of problems, or making excuses for ourselves or others. We shoot straight, focus on creative problem solving, and finding real solutions. We know the pain of past trauma, but we don't stay there. We believe in moving forward.

Clients of all ages know that authenticity is essential to the therapy process. This is why I strive to create and maintain a space where they can come to be truly and empathically understood in a world suffering from reactive misunderstanding. The goals that come with seeking a satisfied state of being are daily for all of us. In my clients I see unique whole persons with stories worth listening to and knowing with a healer's intention. Together we find balance between the extremes and learn to repair and renew the powerful interactions between mind, body, and emotional experience. Self-care is essential for a well-loved existence.

Do your past trauma experiences leave you feeling exhausted, overwhelmed and disconnected? Are you feeling the pressure to be perfect all the time or struggle to maintain focus and presence of mind? You’re someone who wants more out of life but still find yourself stuck in the past, feeling anxious and disconnected from others and your own sense of self. You crave healthy relationships but fear being hurt. But you’re ready to make a change. You’re ready to recover from your past and explore inner resources. You’re ready to live in the moment. Most of all, you’re ready to discover how to transform difficulty into growth and vitality.