Trauma and PTSD Therapists in Nashville, TN

“ Something needs to change. I just want to feel better.” You find life’s challenges overwhelming. Sometimes sadness overcomes you. You need a good support system, but navigating relationships can be difficult and frustrating. The effects of past trauma continue to impact your life. Making day-to-day decisions and finding the motivation to follow through feels insurmountable. You don’t really know who you are or what you want out of life. Learning to cope with life’s obstacles, connect well with others, make wise and confident decisions, heal past wounds, and live into your authentic self are hard work but worth the effort.

(COVID-19 NOTICE: Online Sessions Now Offered) It takes a lot of courage to enter into psychotherapy. If you are looking at this website, you may be suffering anxiety, emotional or relational pain, and wondering where to get relief. Choosing a therapist can be overwhelming. I work with couples and individual clients, many who have suffered anxiety and depression, grief, trauma, addiction, painful relationships, and eating disorders. Because of life experience as well as extensive training, I can offer practical tools that can help relieve you now as well as long after you leave my office. I am glad to answer any of your questions

As a somatic psychotherapist, I use a combination of body-based and traditional talk therapies to help clients live more fully. My passion is working with clients who are struggling with the effects of trauma including anxiety, addictions, eating disorders, and relationship difficulties. Somatic Experiencing (SE) is my foundational lens while utilizing other evidenced based treatments including Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT), Experiential, Dream Analysis and Adjunct to 12-Step. I view therapy as a collaborative process and see myself as a guide in helping my clients find their unique ability to address their struggles.

My clients often refer to what I call 'blurry trauma,' early attachment experiences that were less than affirming but so ingrained, the client often doesn't recall outstanding events. They may not even remember much about their childhood at all. That kind of trauma leads to addiction, confusing, disorganized or unfulfilling relationships, and difficulty harnessing the resources needed to navigate change so the client can create their most authentic life and relationships. I use present moment, present location resources such as the client's own strengths, passions, and ability to make creative decisions to facilitate safe change.

Many times life throws us unexpected curve balls, and if we can catch them, we find that with a little help we come out much stronger, wiser, and ready to embrace life for a better future. I want to help you do that very thing. I have been a therapist for 30 years and I enjoy helping people find new dreams out what they believe to be lost possibilities. I have also raised four wonderful children and am personally familiar with life's seeming messiness that can evolve in ways we could not have predicted.

Life is a gift that brings many joyful opportunities AND it also brings times of pain, suffering and added pressure. Perhaps you've found it harder to enjoy the blessings of life lately because of a hard transition, a difficult relationship or a traumatic event. Perhaps you've found yourself using destructive habits to cope with the stress such as dysfunctional eating, excessive alcohol use, perfectionism or isolation. Perhaps you're very hard on yourself and have a very loud inner critic in your head, and part of the struggle is negative body image. And perhaps you also want support from a spiritual perspective.

I’m passionate about working with adults and couples who have experienced trauma, battled depression, faced difficult life transitions, and struggled with compulsive sexuality or other addictions. With couples, I'm deeply committed to helping them rebuild their relationships into something solid, navigate through challenging times, and reconnect. Through my training and experience, I use EMDR, Brainspotting, part’s work, mindfulness, attachment work, and other evidence based approaches in my practice. Each approach is used to process difficult experiences and develop skills to handle life’s challenges and live authentically.

By curiously hearing and understanding your life story through our professional relationship, I hope to unburden you of your pain and help you remove road blocks which might be keeping you from experiencing greater pleasure. I work with adults ranging in age from 18 through post retirement years and specialize in treating life transitions, relationship concerns, depression, anxiety, trauma, infertility, adoption, postpartum depression, grief, loss, and divorce. I'm sensitive to issues of diversity and inclusion, am interested in working with people from various cultural backgrounds, and am a LGBTQ ally.

You’re tired of being haunted by past experiences. No matter what you do, you feel like you stay stuck in the same cycles as before. Maybe you experienced overt trauma, such as abuse or an accident. Or maybe you have a hard time identifying why you react the way you do. Often, you have thoughts like “I’m too sensitive” or “I’m not good enough.” Even when you want to enjoy the good things in life, you feel unable to be present. The good news is that you don't have to be alone in this. My job as your therapist is to develop a trusting relationship where you can show up authentically, in all of life’s messiness.

A major thread in Ashley’s work has been care for families. Having worked in volunteer and professional capacities with children and families for more than 17 years and as a mother of three young children, Ashley has found herself with a deep care for helping people find their own healing to stop cycles of toxic stress. When children or teens feel out of control or parents feel overwhelmed, working through issues that require learning how to emotionally regulate (i.e. trauma, stress, anxiety, depression, ADD, or OCD) can lead to healing that improves one’s ability to securely connect in relationships.

My goal as a therapist is to guide you in finding your innate capacity for healing so that you can work through the things getting in the way of being the fullest, most authentic version of yourself. Whether that’s trauma, a complicated relationship with food/body image, sexual challenges, creative blocks, navigating neurodivergence, relational challenges, navigating LGBTQ+ related issues, or navigating the stress of working in the creative/entertainment/music industries, I’m here to support you in building a life you can truly enjoy and thrive in, not just survive.

Most of the folks I work with have experienced relational trauma (abuse/neglect), dysfunctional family systems, and/or social marginalization. Our brains and nervous systems are incredibly resilient and creative in adapting to these challenges. Ironically, sometimes the very adaptations that once helped us survive keep us stuck in painful patterns. My clients often struggle with chronic anxiety, panic attacks, overwhelming emotions, or numbness and disconnection. They may feel intense self-doubt or internal criticism. They may long for close connections but also feel terrified of relationships.

In all my relationships, including and especially with my clients in therapy, I seek to operate from a place of curiosity and compassion. As vulnerable and painful as it can be to dismantle old patterns, it is even more rewarding to see clients establish new, more functional ways of being (relationally, emotionally, cognitively, physically, and spiritually). My goal is to provide a safe space to collaborate and walk alongside clients as they seek to heal, grow, and change into more of the person they want to be.

So often do I hear women and girls searching for a new or more active approach to therapy, where they can learn skills and effectively meet their goals. My approach to therapy is just that. I help women and girls unlock their true potential in therapy by providing a space that is filled with energy, authenticity, and hands-on work. The work I do is dynamic and active, as I believe tangible resources are key to effective therapeutic work. My goal is to create a relatable and modern approach to therapy as we work to break negative patterns, gain self-awareness, and learn new ways to cope with past events and current stresses.

I am available to work with individuals experiencing distress, especially anxiety and depression, women with mood disorders surrounding infertility and pregnancy, infant loss, and miscarriage as well as couples with relational conflict. Contemporary life is full of loneliness, stress, trauma and many faces of grief. Whether it be through setting long or short term therapeutic goals, I can help you create a new spirit of resilience.

Life is MESSY. It's serving chaos, stress, and curveballs left and right. And unfortunately… the messiness is probably more common than “everything going like it should.” Still, you don’t have to navigate the mess alone. If you feel lost, overwhelmed, or have no idea what to do next— let me be a partner on your path. We can work on cultivating and increasing your access to the strengths you already have inside, but may not always know how to tap into right now. I do this work because I feel passionate about supporting people as they navigate challenging life circumstances and create a life that is authentically meaningful.

At the core of everything I do in therapy is the belief that true healing happens through empowerment and love, not fear. Therapy encompasses a bit of art, science, intuition, and loving kindness. What works in therapy is a real person connecting to a real person and I believe the best therapists are those who show you where to look, but don't tell you what to see. My approach is based on a model of healing and empowerment to help you reconnect with that whole, thoughtful, creative, fearless human being you are and to trust your inner wisdom.

Hi, my name is Melissa Buchanan and I would love the chance to hear your story and walk alongside you on your journey. As a therapist, I aim to be in your corner, creating a safe, dependable place to help you process, think outside the box, and feel supported through life's tough moments. I believe many factors impact who you are today (trauma, upbringing, culture, relationship influences, etc), but they do not have to determine your future. While counseling with me, we can get through your concerns together by identifying patterns and focusing more on your goals, in lieu of the things weighing you down and causing you pain.

Two values I strive for in the therapy room are understanding and security. When you walk through my door, I want you to feel the kind of safety that allows you to get cozy on the sofa and take a deep breath before diving into what matters most to you. Throughout the process, my hope is that all parts of you - those you love and know well and those that you struggle with or push away in your daily life - feel welcome, seen, appreciated, and understood. My clients are primarily adult individuals who hope to find healing and connection within themselves and with others.