Psychodynamic Therapists in Saint Louis, MO

From the very beginning, with sensitivity and compassion, I strive to create a safe and nonjudgmental space in which you can express thoughts, feelings, dreams, and desires that you may feel unable to share elsewhere. I believe that constructive change occurs when we work collaboratively to develop insight into your current struggles; only then can we find ways to help you move forward. I have experience and interest in working with adults and older adolescents with anxiety, trauma histories, creative people, and those who wish to explore various aspects of their identities, including people who are LGBTQ+.

I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. I provide individual, couple, and family therapy for a variety of clinical issues from psychodynamic and family systems perspectives. I specialize in anxiety, depression, grief, eating disorders, abuse recovery (sexual, physical and emotional), relationship problems, adults and adolescents. I have a passion to work with hurting people and find it an honor to be part of the healing process that can occur through psychotherapy. I value and prioritize developing a strong and authentic relationship with my clients.

I imagine you are searching for help or answers to some pretty serious questions about yourself, your relationship(s), and/or your symptoms. As a therapist I work to help people, not only with their symptoms, but with seeking to better understand themselves, their relationships, and how they came to be who they are and who they hope to become.

Hellooo! Thanks for making time to be here today. If you're here, I'm wondering if you've asked yourself important questions such as: When was the last time you were asked what you needed? What does acceptance look like in your life? How can you live your most authentic self? What does it look like creating an environment for yourself to be successful? If you find yourself resonating with these questions, then you're more than likely seeking a provider who can help you achieve your goals, and maybe that's me! I encourage you to make an appointment today to find out.

Making a decision to enter therapy is often a step taken after much thought and consideration. Evelyn's professional experience is framed by a philosophy of trust and respect in the collaborative relationship. Clients may enter treatment at a period of life that is marked by stress, strain and pain. While this may be the presenting problem, the journey of therapy allows one to develop an understanding of the strengths as well as limitations that help or hinder life at different stages. Evelyn helps clients recognize patterns of interaction in the present that may shed insight on difficult recurring issues.

I have 25+ years experience working with individual adults, and couples, on a wide range of issues including depression, anxiety, trauma, relationship issues, grief and loss, self esteem and other challenges to well being. My desire as a therapist is to provide a place of safety in which these issues can be addressed. I utilize a combination of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy and Psychodynamic Psychotherapy.

Interested in understanding how past challenges impact life today? Curious about what is getting in the way of your ability to genuinely enjoy a life worth celebrating? We can work together to understand what is happening for you today and open possibilities for your future. Together we identify the best way to address your long or short-term goals.

I enjoy helping people to empower themselves and find their own skills to return to their optimal mental health functioning. I enjoy working with teens, adolescents, couples and older adults. We can achieve your goals one step at a time!

Do you feel as though something intangible is missing from your life, despite having met many of the metrics by which our culture defines "success"? I accompany those who are grappling with feeling stuck, inhibited, stymied by self-sabotage, or simply need a witness for their present moment. My ideal client holds the hope that psychotherapy can enrich, illuminate, and deepen the lives we already have. If you identify as "sensitive", an "overthinker", or just have had an enduring hunch that there is more to life than what is visible on the surface, our work together just might be the slow cure you need.

Life can be demanding, exhausting, and overwhelming. You may feel frustration, hopelessness, and shame when focusing on yourself. Or maybe, this isn't what you had hoped for in life, and you aren't sure what to do. It's time for something to change. Our work will focus on allowing for all sides of you to have a voice, to be understood, and to have the space to grow. Together we get to work through old patterns of being with yourself, and others, that are keeping you stuck. We will explore your interpersonal relationships, bring words to the feelings inside, and examine how you avoid distressing thoughts, emotions, and fantasies.

I work with young adults and adults who struggle with a variety of issues. Whether you are experiencing personal or interpersonal difficulties, sometimes you can find yourself caught in troublesome patterns of thinking and behaving. You become bogged down with distorted beliefs about yourself and the world, trapped in unfulfilling circumstances, relationships and careers, or fixated on the past. A wide range of problematic symptoms (from anxiety and depression to damaged self-esteem, emotional disorders and self-destructive behaviors) can impact your quality of life. You need help to feel positive, confident and hopeful.

Dr. Helen Friedman is a compassionate and interactive clinical psychologist with 10 years of additional formal training after her Ph.D. and 41 years in practice. She works with anxiety, stress, depression, grief, divorce, sexual and relationship issues. Specialty areas are child sexual abuse (children, adults, victims and perpetrators), compulsive sexual behavior (including porn addiction and partners), dissociative identity disorder, and gender identity. Trained in a variety of therapeutic modalities (family systems, psychodynamic , cognitive-behavioral, gestalt, etc.), she tailors her approach to the individual, couple, or family.

Are you interested in learning to truly love and accept all of who you are? As a psychotherapist, I have cultivated a safe space for patients to tap into their passion, inner power, and purpose. I provide a validating and non-judgmental sounding board for patients to be as honest with themselves as possible in the therapeutic process. Why? Because we cannot heal that which is not revealed. You can choose to courageously face your thoughts, emotions, and actions. This is what I like to call "leaning in" also known as embodiment. Embodiment can reduce anxiety, promote a sense of calm and foster unstoppable empowerment.

When the challenges of life and relationship present you with complex dilemmas and create painful or uncomfortable symptoms, therapy offers an opportunity for healing and long-lasting psychological change. The power of therapy is in the way it expands your choice in behaviors or ways of seeing others, yourself and your life circumstances. Through a compassionate journey of self-exploration I will help you work toward a fuller understanding of yourself which will lead to greater choice in how you live, love, work and play. It is a privilege to join you on your journey of self-discovery and healing.

I'm passionate about helping adolescents and adults find healing, empowerment, growth, and meaning in their lives. I have experience working with anxiety, depression, trauma, identity development, relationship and attachment issues, life transitions, and grief. I'm especially dedicated to working with LGBTQIA+ and nonmonogamous clients. I practice from a humanistic standpoint, integrating psychodynamic , behavioral, and mindfulness-based strategies drawn from a variety of modalities in order to personalize therapy to the individual client’s values, goals, and strengths.

We thrive as humans when we understand ourselves. I work creatively and compassionately with children, adolescents and adults of all ages to deepen and broaden self-understanding. Emotional pain - like physical pain - is a signal that help is needed and that something must change. Psychotherapy can be that powerful catalyst for healing. I believe in meeting people where they are, listening intently, and co-creating a safe and brave space where my clients can grow.

I specialize in working with people experiencing anxiety, depression, grief and loss, life transitions, concerns related to identity, and difficulty in relationships. That said, I am open to working with people with a range of concerns who want to be more comfortable with themselves and in their lives. To me, what is most important is that I practice openly, without judgment, and with ongoing curiosity about you. I work with people across the gender and sexuality spectrums, as well as those in monogamous and poly relationships.