Do you feel like you have a million moving pieces in your life and you are just trying to figure out how to manage it all and continue to function? Are you finding that the demands of life have been taking a toll on your relationships and more importantly, yourself? Sometimes it can feel like life has just become too much, and having some additional support can help you see through all that is weighing you down. I take an individualized approach to counseling, meeting each person where they are with their needs and their strengths to help navigate through those feelings of being overwhelmed to build confidence in yourself and recognize the strength within. I provide a safe space for conversation and exploration, with gentle guidance in helping you determine what has been making you feel stuck, while together we uncover a path where that burden is reduced and you feel like you can breathe again. I have extensive experience working individually with clients in managing anxiety, depression, and relationship concerns, as well as with parents and caregivers who are trying to navigate circumstances with children coping with medical, behavioral, and emotional needs. Sometimes life can feel like too much, and you do not have to navigate it alone.

What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?

In our first session, we will start out with an overview of your present concerns and then dive deeper into how you feel they are impacting your everyday functioning and what it would look like if a better outcome were to exist that created an environment with more acceptance and ability to see the strengths that are possessed and utilized. Collaboratively will will come up with a manageable goal that you would like to see in your future, and each week, we will review the progress and small changes that can be implemented that fit well into your current lifestyle so that they can be easily implemented and managed. This will be a journey that we walk together, with your goals and drive at the forefront.

What treatment methods and tools do you utilize?

I take a client-centered approach with an emphasis on an emotional state and how those emotions and thoughts impact our daily lives and relationships. All of our behavior is a form of communicating our needs and it is a matter of seeing if a change or understanding could better help us accomplish what we ultimately need to feel safe and heard. I work collaboratively and value the input of each client I am working with. Together we will explore your thoughts, emotions, needs, and how we can reframe those experiences to get to the desired solutions.

Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.

While I work with adults individually navigating their anxieties, depression, and relationship concerns, I have extensive experience in early intervention and with families navigating the burdens and grief associated with medical trauma.

Describe the client(s) you are best positioned to serve.

I love working with a variety of individuals but truly enjoy working with a motivated client, that is willing to take those first steps towards a journey that makes them feel more fulfilled. Starting counseling can feel intimidating and overwhelming, and recognizing that, but being willing to show up and take those initial steps to overcome show such a strength that I often feel goes overlooked.

About Heather Elder