Out of Network Therapists in Asheville, NC

I am an experienced psychotherapist who provides therapy to individuals, couples & families in North Carolina and Florida with a variety of struggles. I am a Social Justice Oriented & LGBTQ+ Affirming Therapist & practice anti-racist principles. I specialize working with clients struggling with anxiety, depression, trauma, addiction & relationship distress. My services encourage increased personal happiness & health & emotional connection. I believe that as people become more accepting of themselves, & more aware of their thoughts, emotions & actions, they are more capable of making decisions which lead to happiness & fulfillment.

I'm glad you're here. I deeply respect your courage to engage in this process, and I want to know you and your story. To help you get grounded in your body, perspective, and self. I strive to create a warm space of acceptance, meeting you with care, insight, empathy, humor and playful challenge. Through this, I hope to help you create an experience of self compassion that leads to deep changes in perspective that offer new possibilities for you. I believe therapy is a balance of support and challenge, and you grow at your own pace. I help my clients find meaning in their experiences and move forward to create new stories.

Currently accepting new clients for remote sessions only "What's past is prologue" PROLOGUE, which means your past is not the whole story! You are the author of your future. You can grow, learn, and heal. You can "dwell in possibility." I believe that you possess the raw materials for growth, I believe you possess strengths and skills to heal, and I believe you have a unique story to tell and a right to be heard. I will strive to provide a safe and sacred space for you to share your story. I believe that mutual respect and trust between counselor and client makes all the difference.

No matter the circumstance, I believe everyone deserves a space to process, heal, and grow. My therapeutic approach is rooted in collaboration, resiliency, and compassion. I believe healing is a nonlinear process and unique to each individual. I am passionate about facilitating a safe environment in which individuals can explore their own path of self-discovery. I use experiential, expressive arts, body-based, cognitive, and behavioral approaches in my work with clients. I work with teens and adults who have experienced trauma, loss, and eating disorders.

Dr. Elder trained at the Albert Ellis Institute in Manhattan where she gained expertise treating anxiety and depression in adults using Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT). More recently, her interests have focused on the treatment of adults with obsessive-compulsive spectrum and other anxiety disorders at the Bio-Behavioral Institute in Long Island, NY, as well as the CBT Counseling Centers in Asheville, NC using CBT and exposure and response prevention (ERP) frameworks. She is currently the clinical director at the CBT Counseling Centers in Asheville, North Carolina, having relocated there from New York in 2014.

I believe that each individual already possesses the solutions to the challenges they face. My role as a counselor and a healer is to be a companion in the discovery of those solutions. I am a reliable guide with over 25 years of experience working with people of all ages. I specialize in helping people during major life transitions, times of grief & loss, and with trauma recovery. During my 11 years in Hospice, I learned how to help people navigate the many challenges that come with grief and loss. ​ As a long time meditation instructor, one of the hallmarks of my practice is the use of meditation as a tool for healing.

We all struggle in life, and some challenges are harder than others. Whether you experience chronic feelings of emptiness and hopelessness – or whether you struggle to accomplish seemingly simple tasks because of crippling anxiety – I am here to support you. Pain, whether past or present, can make you feel isolated and misunderstood. My goal as a therapist is to bond with you, human-to-human. Together, we will work to address depression, anxiety, and any other concerns that may be holding you back so you can find a path to joy, healing, and wholeness.

Have you noticed yourself looking around at your life and wondering, “how the hell did I end up here?” Things may feel chaotic, misaligned, or imbalanced right now. You might feel like you are at the end of your rope and desperately need something to change. It might feel like a lot is changing right now, and it’s happening all at once. You have stronger feelings about things than you once did. You want to spend your time differently. It feels like there is an itch; a drive for something more, different, better. You want things to feel more easeful, more balanced, and more aligned with who you are NOW, not who you have been.

All of us have been wounded by life in different ways, personally and in and through our relationships. We need healing and find it painful to examine our wounds. The poet, Rumi, wrote: "Don't turn away. Keep your gaze on the bandaged place. That's where the light enters you." I went back to graduate school so that I could sit with others willing to do this courageous work. Maybe you are ready for such a journey. I work primarily with adults, but I have worked with children for over 30 years as well.

Adults with ADHD tend to have challenges that keep them from attaining their personal life dreams and career success goals. Some of these challenges are distractibility, impulsivity, poor time management, procrastination, overwhelm, disorganization and clutter. Adults with ADHD also have a tendency to struggle more than others in their careers, in their love and family relationships and with friends and financially. The good news is there is hope and resources available to create a more successful, happy and prosperous life.

It takes a lot of courage to ask for help when struggling. Be it stress, emotional, mental or behavioral difficulties, there are people to support you. I believe in the ability and potential of all persons to live happy and fulfilling lives. I promote holistic health and wellness through the components of both mind and body. I work to aid you in fostering hope and meaning in your life now and for the future. I encourage clients to set attainable goals and work closely with my clients to find value and meaning in life and gain greater life satisfaction and happiness through addressing cognitive, emotional and behavioral factors.

I believe that most people have the answers within themselves to work through their own problems - my role is to guide you. I have experience helping people who are struggling with anxiety and depression, or who are numbing out through substance use. My clients are often working through life transitions and other challenging situations, such as relationship issues, grief, or chronic pain. Perhaps you have not been handling your emotions very well. You may even feel hopeless, or unsure how to articulate what you are feeling. Therapy is a collaborative journey to a more healthy state of mind.

Are you harder on yourself than anyone else? If you've lost your zest for life through overthinking, perfectionism, and self-criticism, there's a way out. In your attempts to get back on track, you may also be driven to distraction, developing unhealthy habits, and feeling overwhelmed. You don't need to do this alone. Let's work together to unhook from destructive patterns, explore your own natural rhythms, cultivate your creativity, and be more compassionate toward yourself. Everyone has an innate capacity for growth; sometimes we just get lost.

Humans are pretty cool. We can watch and rewatch our favorite movies and dye our hair whatever color we choose. But we can also sometimes get stuck in our heads, make decisions in the heat of the moment, or even hurt our friends and family emotionally. These things make us us uniquely human, too. I work with a diverse group of adolescents and adults experiencing a myriad of presenting concerns, including depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, relationship problems, trauma history, suicidal ideation, identity development, and LGBTQIA. I provide school-based therapeutic services within Asheville High/SILSA and to adults in Asheville.

When life becomes overwhelming, whether from a specific event or exhaustion over time, we can begin our healing journey right where the difficulty began, in relationship. The client-counselor relationship is the foundation of our work together. In addition, therapy is an opportunity to give focused attention to the various parts and pieces of ourselves that have been hurting, and offer them truth and care, so we can step further toward our truest selves. If we engage our story, lifestyle, and bodily sensations with curiosity, and a desire to heal, then we can open up to breathtaking transformation.

You notice yourself trying to manage heightened anxiety or panic associated with uncertainty. Changes in your environment, social interactions, and other people’s moods feel overwhelming. You tune in quickly to other people's needs while navigating the experience of feeling sensitive, shy, or struggling with self-esteem. When too much is going on at once you recharge by withdrawing to a quiet place to have a sense of relief. You may identify as a highly creative and innovative person wondering, “How can I get above my self-doubt?”