Strength-Based Therapists in Asheville, NC

I enjoy working with women, teens, and first responders in the areas of anxiety, stress, self-esteem, depression, relationship difficulties, parenting challenges, trauma, and life transitions. It is within the context of our relationship with self and others that we find or lose balance. It can be hard communicating our feelings and needs with others in an effective way. I offer a whole person, mind-body approach to treatment within the context of a safe and trustworthy therapeutic relationship.

A common misconception of counseling is that it is meant to "fix" an individual. More accurately, it is a catalyst for emotional stability, successful relationships, and satisfaction in life. Counseling is meant to build upon one's existing strengths resulting in the ability to manage stress in a healthier way. Often one's innate resiliency is overlooked and problems are approached with the assumption of a deficiency or "illness." A more positive, strength based, approach leads to a more intentional life with a grounded presence.

I am passionate about creating a space for marginalized communities such as BIPOC and LGBTQIA+. As a woman of color, my own experiences of growing up in rural Western North Carolina as a child of immigrant parents heavily inform my practice and passion for advocating for minority communities. I have experience working alongside clients as they explore identity and believe we all deserve a safe, judgment-free space to foster self-exploration. My work is based on a holistic, person-centered, and strength-based perspective.

You feel more alive when you are open and less closed off, but you are growing less and less connected to your life. A part of you is drowning in worry, memory, thought, and the unrealistic expectations of others. You might be ready to open up and experience a new way of being, but you're also unsure. You can't stand the idea of sitting across from a snooty therapist who doesn't "get you", coldly taking notes and blindly asking how you feel. Screw that! You want a real connection with a real person who is offering more than a distant, clinical approach. Maybe you've finally found a therapist as unique and quirky as you are!

I enjoy working with people who are experiencing life transitions, stress, anxiety, mild to moderate depression, relational difficulties, and adolescents that may be having issues in school who are on the middle to upper spectrum of autism, or struggle with anxiety, adjustment difficulties or learning disabilities, mens issues, veterans, single mothers. People who want to succeed and move forward in their life in whatever area of struggle they may have. I offer 10 minute consultation so we can both determine if moving forward would be beneficial.

Trying to manage daily life is hard work. If you have come here for relief and guidance, then I commend you. I have over 30 years of experience working with children, adolescents and families in need. My specialty is in working with youth of all ages, as well as providing support to parents who wake up every morning and take on the toughest job in the world, which is raising kids. You are not alone. I am incredibly skilled at connecting with young people of all ages and I know how to build rapport quickly. Together we will find solutions that will help restore peace in your home and sanity in your life.

Welcome! My name is Zoë and I look forward to learning more about you and your family’s story. I support the therapeutic growth of children and adolescents (ages 4-13), and families, addressing concerns related to anxiety, emotional and behavioral dysregulation, self-esteem, interpersonal conflict, and life transitions. I believe in the importance of integrating the family unit by providing individualized therapeutic support for caregivers, addressing concerns related to parenting and family dynamics.

I work with frustrated parents to find freedom from the spiral of exquisite guilt, shame, and pain of yelling, and battling with their child. The tantrums, steely interactions, yelling and tears are getting in the way of what you had imagined would be a joyful and connected relationship with your child. After a tiny stressor your child explodes or melts down, and you are left baffled and asking “what just happened?”. You find yourself yelling and reacting in ways you never imagined you would. The pain of this tumultuous cycle can be debilitating and your deserve to feel relief from this pain!

Life comes with challenges, stressors and big emotions that can feel unmanageable. Therapy can provide support and empowerment for you to overcome these life challenges. As a clinical social worker, I have experience working with ages ranging from toddler to adult, LGBTQ+ and substance use. I believe in a person centered, strength-based approach with focus on modalities such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Mindfulness, and emotional regulation.

Are you seeking counseling because you have been trying to make some changes in your life and self-limiting beliefs are getting in the way? Perhaps you want more from your relationships. Have you been wanting to discover your life's purpose and don't know where to start? You will find that the space I create is safe and non-judgmental. I bring to my practice lived experience of freeing myself from years of feeling stuck in heavy emotional pain and low self-esteem. We will work together to help you create the life you want.

I believe that clarity regarding who you are, what you believe, and why you believe it are among the greatest predictors a good and joyful life. I also know that a "joyful life" can sound absurd when you're struggling with depression and anxiety. My clients and I talk about their ideals and underlying beliefs and joys as context for their struggles. Together we examine the presumptions and expectations that--when left unchecked--lead to *so* much heartache. We work together to create a narrative of what could and might be instead, along with a solid plan for how to bring new realities into being.

My work is trauma informed and incorporates a holistic approach, one in which we seek to not only honor your individual needs and strengths but find acceptance and compassion for the struggling and unlikable parts. I utilize strength-based and trauma informed methods as well as therapeutic yoga and mindfulness strategies. Recently, I have begun facilitating EMDR and IFS ("IFS Informed" via the IFS Institute). Counseling is part of your healing process, but it's not all of it. I will help you identify what aspects of your wellness need nurturing and how you can find your balance.

Let’s face it – being a human can be tough. Life transitions happen and can be scary, sometimes shaking us to our core. Helping you work through your past, present, and planning for a brighter future is where I come in. Even if it doesn’t always feel like it, you're in the driver’s seat of your own life. With that realization comes responsibility but also power. It's my life’s joy to empower others to create the life that they've always envisioned for themselves. Trauma has a way of repeating itself across generations, sometimes despite our best efforts. By reaching out, you're about to make the first step in ending negative cycles.

I work with adults facing a variety of obstacles including anxiety, depression, trauma, and work/life stress. Therapy is a collaborative process, meaning that together, we will work on developing and achieving the goals that are important to you, in whatever season you may be in. Whether your goal is to improve your relationships, manage stress, or uncover and work through the source(s) of your trauma, we will bring your story to light and ensure you have the tools to write the rest of it in the way that best serves you.

If you found my site you may just be in the right place! I believe our most challenging times can also be our greatest opportunity for change. With the right perspective and proper non - judgmental support, difficult times can often assist in the transition to build a stronger, more resilient you. I can provide you with a safe and nurturing environment to address these challenging times. If your goal is to move forward, I focus on helping and challenging people, not treating a diagnosis. I see people creating relationships that work, finding direction, making changes and thriving in life-stage transitions.

Our experiences in this world, often based on identities or trauma, can leave us feeling stressed and uncertain. It's confusing to have your worries get in the way of making the connections with people that you long for; or to be so convinced you will fail that it's hard to take the first step in doing the next thing you want to do; or to be suddenly totally overwhelmed in the middle of this exciting new experience you'd been waiting for. Sometimes people need some help slowing down, reconnecting with themselves, and finding new ways to respond so that they can move forward with hope, self-compassion, and empowerment.

I help people who’ve discovered that they have outgrown their lives find the most authentic versions of themselves. You may have become aware that something important in your life feels inauthentic, small or suffocating. This can manifest as symptoms of depression and anxiety, making you feel both overwhelmed and underwhelmed simultaneously. These life transitions can make you feel as if everything around you is falling away. This is fertile ground for growth and an ideal time to seek counseling. These experiences will break you, but can also be used as a catalyst to elevate you to create something more whole from the broken pieces.

My areas of focus include: mindfulness, trauma, adolescence, family systems, parenting and co-parenting relationships, ADHD, anxiety, depression, grief, life changes, stress management, existential matters, and personal growth.

Anxiety, Addiction, or Depression might have you feeling like you've lost touch with the life you really want. You might feel alone in all this, but I promise you're not. I help people just like you learn concrete tools and strategies to achieve the life you want. It's ok if you aren't sure what you want. We can figure it out together and build a roadmap for how to get there. The most important thing that a client needs is a therapist who is nonjudgmental, compassionate, relatable, and down to earth - so I work hard to embody these qualities.