Therapists Beginning With A in Missouri

Healing requires restoring trust in yourself and tapping into your strengths and inner wisdom. At A Balanced Life LLC we believe in each person's innate capacity for, and natural progression towards, healing. Our goal is to help you achieve relief, lasting change, and confidence. Trusting you as the expert, our therapeutic approaches follow your lead. A Balanced Life LLC offers therapy to people of all ages and stages of life, matching you to a therapist who provides effective therapy according to your needs and goals.

I have established my own private practice in order to provide people a place to discuss what is needed in order to feel better. Talking to a new person often adds a new stress to people's lives. My goal is to help you feel better before leaving the therapy session. I am open Monday -Thursday 10:00am to 6:00pm. Closed Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

You can take off the mask. You can break down the walls. You can blast through the barriers keeping you from being your best. Therapy is about becoming your true authentic self. Nobody wants to live sad, angry, scared. You want to be happy, confident, comfortable in your own skin. I want to help you get there.

My desire is to walk alongside you in your journey toward healing and restoration. I work with pre-teens, adolescents, and adults, helping you face the challenges of daily life as well as the dark parts of your past. Together we will discuss strategies that help create a life worth living and the ability to find hope. Our work is to help you find your own voice and your personal strengths that enable you to face the day well. There is every reason to have hope.

My aim is to help individuals and couples who are experiencing repetitive, entrenched patterns of problems or symptoms. These problems may appear in the realm of mood (emotions), behavior, or be physically lodged (psychosomatic). Disturbances such as these are often found to have their roots in templates formed earlier in life, but exert force upon present-day perceptions, emotions, cognitions, and interpersonal life. My role is to facilitate an in-depth understanding of the understructure of these mental and emotional constellations (usually out of awareness) which uphold and perpetuate the problems and patterns in need of modification or relief.

I like working with clients who want to heal from past hurts and live their best life.

Education and Training: I graduated with my Bachelors of Social Work in 2008 from Missouri Western State University, Saint Joseph, MO. My work with families and individuals inspired me to earn my Masters in Social Work from the CSWE accredited University of Missouri-KC in 2012. I joined the National Association of Social Workers in 2006. Through 2011 I continued my educational efforts and earned several certificates of training including The National Institute for Trauma and Loss; Levels 1 and 2 Advanced Structured Sensory Interventions, EAGALA Certified Equine Specialists, and the University of Denver Animal Assisted Therapy Certification.

Are you going through a major change in your life? Divorce, remarriage, blending a family, new job, new baby? Have you hit a road block in your career? Is anxiety keeping you from living an enriching lifestyle? Do you have unresolved trauma? Do you have a difficult to manage child? I can help you with these sudden roadblocks. During these transitional phases of life, we need a support system to help us gain strength, resilience and maintain a healthy living. I use EMDR, Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) in working with adult clients and play therapy with my child clients. I act as an advocate, sounding board and gentle challenger.

I was introduced to the world of psychology while going through a difficult time as a young college student and seeking the help of a therapist. The experience taught me so much about myself and how to manage my emotions during difficult times as well as throughout life that I decided to learn more about the field. One intro to psychology class turned into two more, and then just 12 short years later (with a few twists and turns along the way) I completed my PhD in counseling psychology!

I work with adults, adolescents, and children. Often, as adults, we find ourselves stuck. You keep trying, yet things aren’t getting better. Usually, this means you have developed a self-limiting belief. Let’s talk. Together we can identify the root of the issue, develop new core beliefs, and create a plan to develop a more fulfilling life. Children and adolescents need a safe space and a person that accepts them for who they truly are, so they can express themselves openly. I focus on helping them see their true worth to enhance their growth and development, while teaching them skills to express emotions and cope with stressors.

I believe that sometimes our greatest challenges can be a doorway to important change and growth. This can be true in our personal lives, romantic relationships, and families. I provide a safe and non-judgmental space for healing many issues, including grief, trauma, depression, anxiety, confusion, relationship issues, life transitions, and worry. When working with couples, I use Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT), which helps couples heal their core relationship wounds. I also enjoy working with Highly Sensitive People (HSPs), and I have a lot of empathy for those who feel deeply and have a more sensitive nervous system.

I understand that beginning therapy is not easy and takes many people out of their comfort zone. I believe in a warm and nurturing environment that allows clients to work at their own pace. Your journey is your own, and I offer a non-judgmental approach with each person I work with. I enjoy meeting with individuals, couples, and families. I have specialized training in Internal Family Systems (IFS). This model allows clients the opportunity to get to know each "part" of themselves and provides a way to regulate emotions and improve problem solving skills.

The focus of my work is helping men and women who are struggling with intimacy disorders and compulsive sexual/relationship behaviors (also known as sex, porn or love addiction) that have had negative impacts on a person's relationships, overall emotional well being, health, family, career and other aspects of life. Struggles with sexuality can involve a great deal of pain, guilt and shame. If this is your experience, finding a professional who can provide a safe and non-judgemental space is crucial. In addition, I work with individuals who experience difficulties creating and maintaining intimate connections in relationships.

People come to our office hurting and wanting change in their lives. We offer caring, experienced and professional psychological services.

Adversities can rob you of peace and affect your ability to stay on life’s course. The distress experienced in today’s world can be associated with toxic stress, cycles of trauma, depression, grief, fear or experiences of racial and social injustices. The way you respond to life’s difficulties matters. True healing occurs when you give yourself permission to explore and face frightening or limiting beliefs that may live beneath emotions causing discomfort and pain.

Greetings, my name is April Adams Edwards a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in the state of Missouri. I have over 15 years of experience providing direct care to youth, families, and communities. I established my private practice in 2012 and have been working with issues such as trauma, depression, anxiety relationships and family of origin conflicts.

Therapy can be embraced for a wide variety of life’s seasons, happenings and states. Whether you are struggling with a specific issue, feel stuck within the cycles of depression or anxiety, or are seeking greater fulfilment and authenticity in your life, therapy can empower you with tools, resources, support and a confiding, trusting relationship. I truly believe that a therapeutic relationship created with the purpose of self-healing and betterment is a necessary and powerful framework from which a person can transform their lives. I believe in therapy, and I love what I do! I specialize in working with women and mothers, not limited to Depression, Anxiety, Postpartum Depression/Postpartum Anxiety, the motherhood transition and identity, parenting, relationships, sexuality, and life changes. I also specialize in working with children and teens that struggle with Depression, Anxiety and identity development, including LGBTQIA and questioning/curious youth.

**I am currently on maternity leave until March 2022.** I love being creative and have a young spirit. I find that I can easily connect with kids and teens. I also really enjoy working with adults seeking insight and change. Using what I know from proven treatments in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, I will collaborate with you and/or your child to develop engaging, concrete tools that can be applied in the office and at home. Finding relief from emotional distress is possible and I will guide you and your family in how to achieve this in realistic and effective steps.

My ideal client is one who does not know why they need a therapeutic relationship (resistant) or how their problems got them to the place of discomfort (denial); a person that is no longer comfortable in their own skin and cannot live in that condition anymore. MRT Adult/ Juvenile Facilitator, MRT Domestic Violence Facilitator, EMDR trained, Gottman (Level 1), SMART/SMART Friends and Family Facilitator,Battling Shadows Facilitator.Certified Family Trauma Professional, Certified Autism Spectrum Disorder Specialist, SOTP (Sex Offender Treatment Provider).