Narrative Therapists in Tallahassee, FL

“It’s always best to believe in one’s self, but a little help from others can be a great blessing!” I view each person as the main character in their book of life. Each book contains stories of joy, sadness, exploration, struggle, and most importantly, hope. My goal to assist in exploring these stories, whether you encounter depression, anxiety, life transitions, relationship issues, intersectional struggles, or self-esteem issues. I am especially sensitive to those impacted by LGBTQ issues, religious minorities, activists, uniformed public servants, and those experiencing depression.

My name is Velma Penermon Stevens, licensed clinical social worker. With over 26 years experience as a social worker and 8 years in pastoral care, I bring a unique perspective to our sessions. This can be instrumental in helping you find resolution in your season of need. You'll get a compassionate and judgement free approach to therapy. Feeling depressed anxious, stressed and/or overwhelmed, struggling with substance use/abuse, grief & loss, domestic violence, and/or marriage/family/relationship issues? Let me help. Together we'll get you back to your balanced state by developing a treatment plan with your specific needs.

My ideal client is ready to see an improvement in their mood, self confidence and acceptance, self care, interpersonal relationships, family system, social skills and ability to adjust to life changes. They are ready to break free from the bond of an eating disorder, anxiety, depression or any other mental, emotional and/or spiritual stronghold they may be up against. They are looking for ways to increase healthy, effective coping strategies. They are ready to increase their self awareness and learn ways to effectively manage and regulate their emotions. My ideal client is ready to be honest, vulnerable and work hard in therapy.

I believe in creating a safe place for clients where they feel free to express life struggles, primarily regarding mental, emotional, and social health issues. In therapy, clients are provided with excellent opportunities to explore different coping mechanisms to better themselves. I work collaboratively with clients on treatment plans that best meet their needs.

“It’s always best to believe in one’s self, but a little help from others can be a great blessing!” I view each person as the main character in their book of life. Each book contains stories of joy, sadness, exploration, struggle, and most importantly, HOPE. My goal to assist in exploring these stories, whether you encounter depression, anxiety, life transitions, relationship issues, intersectional struggles, or self-esteem issues. I am especially sensitive to those impacted by LGBTQ issues, religious minorities, activists, uniformed public servants, and those experiencing depression.

Are you feeling misunderstood in your relationships? Are you worried about how you are going to get through the day? If the answers are yes, let's start working on you today. Discover your belief system, learn how to enforce your boundaries, and learn how to use assertiveness to advocate for yourself. In couples therapy learn what is preventing the emotional connection you long for and practice vulnerability. In family counseling, tear down the walls of isolation by engaging in meaningful dialogues to speak your truth and mend family bonds with empathy for your family members.

Everyone has a story with ups and downs, twists and turns, hopes and disappointments. Being alive is about doing what you care about, in service of your values, while accepting and thriving through your story’s plot twists. I enjoy helping people make sense of their story and to set free their free will, so as to live in the freedom of your chosen values. In addition to my Masters in Social Work, I also have a Master of Arts in Theology. While I will honor every client’s personal/spiritual beliefs as valid and their own, clients that wish to include their Catholic/Christian values will find the support they are looking for.

Are you ready to heal, elevate, and evolve into the new version of you? If so, this is your season to step into your true authentic self. My holistic approach will offer you tools to transform your thinking, manage your emotions, and release behaviors that no longer serve you. With over a decade of experience working with adults and families, I understand how life’s stressors create mental and emotional chaos which can lead to anxiety, depression, and self-defeating behaviors. Let’s work together and turn your stressors into strengths!

Stress and trauma patterns often represent themselves as disruptive, repetitive cycles of thoughts, emotions, and/or relational behaviors that an individual endures, These cycles may look like a thought loop that keeps you awake at night or prevents you from engaging socially. Perhaps it is instead, or also, a rush of overwhelming emotion (sadness, anger) at a social encounter that seems like it should not have carried that much weight. These patterns may also be experienced as repeating dynamics in friendships or partnerships (for example, "I keep dating people who do not seem to see my needs in the relational space").

My work begins with a very person-centered approach, recognizing my role as one to listen and empower a client as they create the life they want to live. I often incorporate techniques from solution-focused, narrative, cognitive behavioral, and dialectical behavioral approaches. After 10 years in the fitness/wellness industry, I’ve worked with those struggling with unhealthy relationships with food and their bodies. Working with these clients often utilizes elements of mindfulness and self-compassion toward a life of more self-love.

Tired of therapists who just listen but provide no feedback? I offer a different approach. If you're feeling overwhelmed, struggling with typical coping methods, and seeking positive results, it’s time for a change. Specializing in individual and couples therapy, trauma, life challenges and transitions, gender dysphoria, sexually related struggles, identity issues, anxiety, depression, or just seeking a safe space to vent, you can count on holistic care where I integrate mind, body, nutrition, movement, and spirituality to provide the support you, or you and your partner, deserve.

Happy New Year! We are the product of all of our collective experiences - the great, the difficult, and the parts of ourselves we like to shy away from. All of our experiences, especially those during our developmental years, shape our sense of self, the lens in which we view the world, and our place in it. My practice is rooted in social work principles and aspects of positive psychology to help guide you on the healing of the entire individual. I am currently accepting clients for night/weekend sessions.

Family Resources has been in business and serving clients for over a decade. During that time it has been our privilege to serve hundreds of individuals, couples, and families dealing with a wide range of issues. Just as everyone needs a physician from time to time, everyone can also benefit from the help of a psychotherapist. It does not indicate weakness or poor spirituality. It simply means that one is suffering from an emotional or mental problem. Everyone grieves, stresses, and anyone can become depressed which is why we will provide services in a professional, confidential, and non-judgmental fashion.

Life can take us to places we don't want to go, and give us an education for which we did not want to pay. I understand this and can help you navigate life's uncertainties. I have assisted clients learn to love themselves, find the resources they need, and heal from the situations life brings to us. I offer a compassionate and non-judgmental safe place to explore, process, and heal. You might not feel like it, but you are stronger than you know. I will be your biggest cheerleader, your advocate, your support in times of stress. I will also challenge the old ways of thinking and doing things.

I believe in a strength based approach which means every client has a natural strength that can be used to improve upon any situation. My goal is to help clients identify and utilize the skills they already possess. Therapy approaches I often use to achieve this goal are EMDR, CBT, motivational interviewing, etc. I enjoy working with clients who are seeking to process through trauma. We have all experienced it at least once in our lives, and I love working with clients seeking to process and overcome these experiences. I practice a judgement free environment and enjoy learning as much from my clients as they learn from me.

If you are feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or depressed, I believe there is hope for you to feel better by learning strategies to cope with these difficult feelings. I will work with you to help you understand yourself better and to learn tools you can use to make positive changes in your life and relationships. I offer a non-judgmental, objective and confidential environment to explore thoughts and feelings and uncover patterns that may be preventing you from being where you want to be in your life. I enjoy working with all populations, focusing on a variety of issues including relationship/family issues, anxiety, depression, trauma.

Relationships are hard. What shouldn't be hard is finding someone you can talk about your problems with. I am passionate about helping my clients to heal and move on from difficult parts of their lives. I can provide you with support during difficulties with your partner, trouble at work, or daily stressors.

Suffering in silence, loneliness, internal pain, unresolved emotions, etc., and the list goes on. Are you tired and ready to share with someone to help navigate you through life’s endless challenges? If so, I am here to be your mental health trainer by educating and equipping you with the mental health tools for success. Together we will build a solid foundation that will strengthen your mental health. Every day will become easier by taking steps towards the healing process through mental health wellness.

Sometimes, life challenges can make us feel isolated, overwhelmed, and like no one could possibly understand. If you're experiencing these feelings and finding it harder to cope, I'd love to partner with you in exploring and improving your situation. I'd like to show you that someone can, in fact, understand. My training – in both Counseling (MS & EdS) and Marriage & Family Therapy (PhD) – makes me uniquely qualified to address a myriad of individual and relational issues using evidence-based methods that increase insight and help bring about your desired changes.