Therapists in Jefferson City, MO

Need help, support, or just feeling stuck? Let's talk. Clients often report they have found me to be warm and genuine, while also being committed to offering effective, research supported treatments. While my experience has spanned across a diversity of people, various settings, and presenting issues I have a specialty and passion for working with the LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer) population. My work and relationship with each client is unique and guided by their needs. I view therapy as a collaboration used to facilitate growth, change, and create a more fulfilling life.

Sexuality should be celebrated! Society often makes it difficult for people to express themselves in this way, and therefore I try to offer a space for clients to freely explore all aspects of their sexuality without judgement. In my practice, I work collaboratively with clients to develop sexual communication skills, process shame associated with sexuality, and learn how to practice safer (more pleasurable) sex. I have experience with many types of clients, including LGBTQ+ people, femme-people, sex workers, and people discovering themselves later in life.

If you're struggling and needing some help, you've already made the first important step. I work with clients who have problems in everyday living, including difficulties with anxiety, depression, panic and bipolar disorder. I've also worked with people who experience more serious problems like suicidal and self-harm thoughts and actions and impulsivity. I have 15 years of experience treating adults, adolescents and families, parents of adolescents and young adults, people struggling with grief and loss, and members of the LGBTQ+ population. Visit my web site at www.riegertherapy.com and please feel free to reach out.

I work with adults and teens experiencing issues related to depression, anxiety, self-esteem, anger, shame, grief, fear and a range of other symptoms. I join with individuals and couples who struggle with overwhelming stress; have difficulty understanding their emotions and feelings; feel loneliness and isolation; who question their relationship, career or overall life choices; who struggle to find meaning in their lives. We all want to find peace and clarity, and to escape the stream of negative self-talk and self-criticism that churns inside of us. All of us have a fundamental human need to feel connected, accepted and understood.

I am passionate about helping others to realize their full potential by mentoring them to improve emotionally, physically, socially and spiritually. I'm a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) with a concentration working with individuals and families. I've maintained credentials and specialized in the treatment of alcohol and substance abuse since 2008. I understand the insidious nature of the disease of addiction and have successfully assisted individuals and families to identify their strengths, gain awareness of their needs and foster their journey of healthy self-care and recovery.

Therapy acts as a catalyst for growth and speeds up the process of maturing into the best version of ourselves. I believe that everyone can benefit from this, not just people who have concerns regarding their mental health. I see depression, anxiety, and other challenges as opportunities for deep growth. Adversity helps forge character! For some this can be overwhelming and if this is the case, my first objective is to help relieve these symptoms. From there we can continue discovering you, master the challenges at hand, and keep peeling back the layers of your best self.

Do you get caught in a rollercoaster of thoughts about what you “should” be doing with your life? Do you need help meeting deadlines for work projects? When your alarm blares in the morning, do you grumble, put your head under the covers, and wish you could sleep all day? If so, you are not alone. Life is increasingly more complicated, which makes it difficult to complete everyday tasks, not to mention trying to achieve your more aspirational goals. Therapy is a safe, non-judgmental space to be open about your past and present challenges. Therapy is about being willing to take action to create positive changes in your life.

Are you feeling overwhelmed, frustrated or sad? I understand how tough that can be. After a 23-year marketing career, I made a mid-life career change; deciding what I really felt called to do was helping people with their most significant life challenges. I am ready to assist individuals, couples or families with issues including: stress, anxiety, depression, trauma, abuse and relationship challenges. I am particularly interested in helping people through life transition challenges including: divorce, marriage, job loss, death of a loved one, chronic illness, or challenges related to aging.

My clients come from many walks of life and may be going through several challenges in this thing we call life. My goal is to make therapy a safe space for my clients to process their presenting problems and not feel judged. Only evidence-based therapy approaches will be used to help my clients reach their therapy goals including Person Centered, Solution Focused Brief Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Trauma Informed Care. I help my clients feel validated, empowered, and capable to overcome life challenges.

If you feel overcome by depression, anxiety or grief or if there has been a great change or the absence of meaning in your life, I can assist you. I have experience with all of these things and know that there is a path out of that place and into a place of peace and happiness. I can show you this path.

You lay awake staring at the ceiling; wondering how you can feel so alone next to the person you love. When things are great - they're great! Lately, however, the good days are few and far between. Communication is at a standstill, widening the space that is growing between you. Silence is the theme that looms over the house. You're simply coexisting, longing for intimacy, but unable to navigate the chasm that separates you. You ask, “Is this what our future looks like?” Throwing yourself into hobbies, sneaking glances at one another behind your phone screen from across the room. You both need more than this, but where do you begin?

I have experience treating all ages with an in-depth approach, beginning with meeting you and working to understand the difficulties you are facing. I offer a space that fosters fuller experiencing and understanding of your inner emotional life, including feelings, thoughts, dreams and fantasies. In connection with me, your symptoms and problematic patterns can become understood in new ways, leading to emotional growth and a greater capacity to make meaningful changes in your life. I provide dynamic therapy in-office and by videoconference to people whose location or commitments make it difficult to attend in-person meetings.

I have a passion to assist you in overcoming adversity and facing your mental health concerns. Empathy, open-mindedness, and communication are my core values. My path to counseling began very young through my own personal experience with loss of life, which lead me to the path to helping others. I understand that missing our loved ones and being depressed is normal, and the key to grieving is to find a way to form a new relationship with the one we lost. In addition, through my collegiate student-athlete experience I understand the delicate balance of being a student-athlete, including the pressures that come along with it.

I understand how challenging being an adolescent can be. I have worked with adolescents for over 25 years. I can offer a private, confidential and safe environment to be able to work through those challenges. I can help with: anxiety, depression, school issues, being bullied, resolving conflicts, Asperger's Syndrome, social skills, identity struggles, drugs and alcohol issues, and a stressful home life. I am ready to take on those challenges with you and show you that you can overcome them.