New to Grow
Hello, my name is Dr. Steven Loader, and I am a Clinical Mental Health Counselor dedicated to helping individuals and couples navigate anxiety, trauma, depression, stress, relationship challenges, and life transitions. I strive to create a supportive, nonjudgmental environment where clients feel safe, heard, and empowered throughout the counseling process. My approach is collaborative and goal-oriented, integrating evidence-based methods such as CBT, DBT-informed skills, EMDR-informed approaches, mindfulness, and person-centered therapy. I believe therapy should be both compassionate and practical, helping clients develop healthier coping strategies, improve emotional well-being, and create meaningful long-term change.
During the first session, we will spend time getting to know each other, discussing your current concerns, and exploring what has brought you to therapy. I will ask questions about your background, emotional experiences, relationships, stressors, and goals so I can better understand how to support you moving forward. My goal is to create a comfortable and nonjudgmental space where you feel heard and supported. Together, we will begin identifying your goals for therapy and discuss possible approaches and strategies that may help you work toward meaningful progress and healing at a pace that feels appropriate for you.
My greatest strengths as a therapist include creating a supportive and nonjudgmental environment where clients feel comfortable being open and authentic while also providing practical tools for growth and healing. I strive to balance compassion with evidence-based strategies so clients feel both emotionally supported and empowered to make meaningful changes in their lives. I integrate approaches such as CBT, DBT-informed skills, EMDR-informed trauma work, mindfulness, and person-centered therapy to tailor treatment to each client’s unique needs and goals. I am especially passionate about helping clients improve emotional regulation, process difficult experiences, strengthen relationships, build healthier coping strategies, and develop greater self-understanding and resilience over time.
I am best positioned to work with adults and couples who are experiencing anxiety, depression, trauma-related concerns, relationship difficulties, emotional overwhelm, grief, stress, or life transitions. Many of the clients I work with are seeking healthier coping strategies, improved communication, emotional healing, and a stronger sense of balance and self-understanding. I especially enjoy helping individuals who feel stuck, emotionally exhausted, disconnected, or overwhelmed by persistent negative thoughts or stressful life experiences. My approach is supportive, collaborative, and goal-oriented, combining evidence-based techniques such as CBT, DBT-informed skills, EMDR-informed trauma processing approaches, mindfulness, and person-centered therapy to help clients build resilience and create meaningful change. I strive to create a safe and nonjudgmental environment where clients feel heard, respected, and supported while working toward improved emotional well-being, healthier relationships, greater emotional regulation, and long-term healing.
Other specialties
I identify as
EMDR
I utilize EMDR-informed approaches to help clients process traumatic experiences, reduce emotional distress, and develop healthier coping patterns. My work often incorporates stabilization, grounding skills, emotional regulation, cognitive restructuring, and trauma-processing techniques tailored to each client’s needs and readiness. I commonly integrate EMDR principles alongside CBT, mindfulness, and person-centered approaches when working with anxiety, trauma, grief, depression, and stress-related concerns. My focus is on creating a safe, supportive environment where clients can build resilience, improve emotional functioning, and work toward long-term healing.
Dialectical Behavior (DBT)
I incorporate Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills to help clients improve emotional regulation, distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness, and mindfulness. DBT-informed techniques can be especially helpful for individuals experiencing anxiety, depression, intense emotions, relationship difficulties, stress, or feeling overwhelmed by life circumstances. In my practice, I integrate DBT skills with CBT, mindfulness, and person-centered approaches to support clients in building healthier coping strategies, improving self-awareness, and creating meaningful behavioral change.
Couples Counseling
I utilize Gottman-informed couples counseling techniques to help partners improve communication, strengthen emotional connection, increase trust, and navigate conflict in healthier ways. My approach focuses on helping couples better understand relationship patterns, develop effective communication and conflict-resolution skills, and build greater emotional support and intimacy. I work collaboratively with couples to create a safe and balanced environment where both individuals feel heard, respected, and supported while working toward healthier relationship dynamics and long-term growth.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
I utilize Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help clients identify and challenge unhelpful thought patterns, improve emotional regulation, and develop healthier coping strategies. CBT can be effective for concerns such as anxiety, depression, stress, trauma-related symptoms, low self-esteem, and negative self-talk. In my practice, I work collaboratively with clients to increase self-awareness, build practical coping skills, and create meaningful behavioral changes that support improved mental health and overall functioning.
Cognitive Processing (CPT)
I utilize Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) to help clients process traumatic experiences and address unhelpful beliefs that may develop following trauma. CPT can assist individuals in reducing trauma-related distress, improving emotional functioning, and developing healthier ways of understanding themselves, others, and the world around them. In my practice, I provide a supportive and structured environment where clients can safely explore trauma-related thoughts and emotions while building coping skills, resilience, and greater emotional stability.