Christian Counseling Therapists in Grand Rapids, MI

Are you exhausted from trying to cope with your mental health challenges, or feeling hopeless as you watch your child struggling? I primarily work with people wrestling with mental-health challenges such as depression/anxiety, relationship issues, parenting challenges or difficulties coping with cycles of self-harm. I specialize in working with people diagnosed with BPD (Borderline Personality Disorder) as well as parents of children with BPD or other mental health challenges. I am a LGBTQIA+ welcoming counselor, antiracism educator, and offer Christian counseling if desired. I'm not licensed to provide substance abuse treatment.

Life comes with difficulties and we shouldn't face them alone. Do you want to feel more connected with your spouse, have a better relationship with your children, or find more meaning in life? Therapy can help you achieve these goals and many others as well. My role as you therapist is to work alongside you, and through our therapeutic relationship, help you identify your goals and uncover what barriers have been holding you back from reaching these goals. I work with individuals, couples, and families to explore and manage marital/couple conflict, relationship issues, depression, anxiety, stress, PTSD/Trauma and finding meaning.

I believe that all clients come to counseling with a personal story that includes important relationships, significant events, and beliefs about themselves and the world. Counseling involves understanding how our stories shape the way we view ourselves, approach challenges, and relate to others. I feel privileged to listen to clients’ stories and help them work towards their own goals for wellness and change.

Christian Counselor: Victimization, Trauma, Individual, Family & Relationship Conflicts. Life throws everyone a curb, unexpected or recurring, that will shake the very core of what one believes in, even their spirituality & faith in God. Curbs, Setbacks or bumps in the road can be opportunities to face ones weaknesses, build on strengths. These experiences can be traumatic, but they don't have to dictate who you are or debilitate you & who you become. With incorporation of years of clinical & spiritual experience in Christian Counseling , you can be well on your way to grasping the building blocks of clinical emphathetic counseling & your faith to keep your life together.

If you are in the state of Michigan, I can help. Are you looking for courage, hope, and advancement? Do you just need some relief from the pain? You have purpose and influence and will always be treated with respect and dignity here. There is beauty in life and we will work through the brokenness until you see it in yourself. Together, through self-insight and intentional living, we will find you and your path to become healthier, less anxious and more fulfilled. Trust isn't easy, yet through Christian counseling we will find peace and joy for your life. You will find yourself walking with new confidence and hope.

You might be thinking that if you can’t figure it out, then how could a complete stranger? That you have exhausted all possible options and maybe you just need to stop trying and learn to live with it. Whether it’s your job, your home, or any other part of your life, you’re trying to find ways to live with what you have but you just aren’t satisfied. You want hope. Not just the bullshit “it’ll get better someday” kind of hope. But the kind of hope that shows you how things can change. That shows you what you’re capable of. The kind of hope that lets you believe in yourself and your abilities. You are ready for change. I can help.

Life can be overwhelming and at times, unbelievably hard! I believe that no matter what we go through, all of us are created with a potential for incredible resilience and that with the right kind of compassionate support and guidance, people can bounce back from the worst of circumstances. I am passionate about helping people find healing, growth and freedom no matter what difficulties they are going through. My approach includes forming a trusting relationship through empathy and compassion, clear goal setting, and creating a roadmap together with the client to achieve these goals in a reasonable time frame.

Are you looking for insight? You want to know what’s going on with you and how to move forward. Maybe you’ve had some sort of trauma that left you feeling lost and insecure. You find yourself overwhelmed with so much anxiety you just want to cry. Or maybe your feel sad about your relationships and unsure how to fix them. Let’s sort it out together.

Through my years of experience working within the mental health field, I have learned the effectiveness of evidence-based practices and seen that change is possible in even the toughest situations. I commit to being fully present with each of my clients as we work on their desired futures together.

Each client is unique in their own way. Most clients who have endured trauma, grief, anxiety and PTSD are my ideal clients. Their issues stem from abandonment, neglect, social/emotional/psychological and sexual abuse. Clients ultimately need validation to feel secure and have the ability to trust others and have the ability to discuss their wants, needs and desires.

In my practice, I recognize that as people we have many different emotions and experiences that drive us. Sometimes we do not understand what we are feeling, why we are feeling it, and why we are responding the way that we are. That is why I am passionate about helping my clients create a better understanding of themselves that creates a positive change to bring healing.

Are you a young professional who feels stuck in life, held back by anxiety, or lack of motivation because you don’t know where you want to go? Are you an athlete and know you could perform better if you were just more calm and in control of your emotions? Or maybe you have a child who is struggling with emotional regulation, flexibility and anxiety. I work with each of these populations to help the young professional thrive, the athlete maintain mental and emotional stability while performing and the child who’s anxious to calm fear and hyper vigilance.

My main areas of focus are trauma, anxiety, first responder challenges, PTSD and compassion fatigue. I also offer EMDR as well. I believe every person is unique and ultimately the expert in their own life. The body and mind are intricately connected and need to be examined together, to accurately assess and reach a resolution for life's demands.

There isn’t a one size “fix” all package for mental health. What works for one; may not work for another. I will be the first one to tell you that I am not the expert in your pain, your life, or your journey. You are. I am simply here to walk alongside you and be a resource for your growth. I believe one of the hardest and bravest things you can do for yourself, is to not only understand your story, but to continue growing from it.

See VickiNelsonSmeby.com website. My clients set weekly goals to achieve their optimum mental health a little at a time. I highly recommend EMDR to desensitize strong emotions around adverse events and to build or rebuild self worth. We will make this an enjoyable process that you feel engaged in and look forward to. My clients amaze me with their determination and willingness to be vulnerable and to go the distance to grow, mature and experience full healing.

OPEN availability next week! Struggling to find a sense of belonging, worth or purpose? Struggling with feelings of anxiety? Therapy is not a quick fix, it takes time, patience and strength to do the hard work. If you want to make changes in your life, you've come to the right spot. I am a Christian woman offering faith-based counseling that is rooted in scripture & Jesus. Alongside evidence-based practices for not only life, but heart change. I imagine a world someday where we can be confident in who we were created to be. I desire to walk alongside others as they face daily struggles and work towards being their best self yet.

Relationship, occupational and parenting stressors can feel incredibly overwhelming. You're sick of always feeling drained and emotionally depleted. It affects your quality of life and overall well-being. Having the tools to effectively cope with life and all it's complexity is worth every hour you spend in therapy. If you're not sure where to start and are looking for a new perspective on how to rebalance the emotional load you're carrying, we can work together to identify barriers, and increase your joy, purpose and peace. Specializing in life transition, anxiety/depression, parenting/step-parenting, relationship issues and grief.