LMHC, 9 years of experience
New to Grow
Hi, I’m Tamara McKenzie, a Licensed Mental Health Counselor dedicated to helping individuals navigate life transitions, heal from trauma, and build meaningful lives rooted in balance and self-compassion. I take a holistic and person-centered approach, blending evidence-based therapies with practical tools to support emotional well-being. My goal is to provide a safe, supportive space where you feel empowered to grow, heal, and thrive.
In our first session, we’ll spend time getting to know each other and creating a safe space for you to share what brings you to therapy. I’ll ask questions about your goals, background, and current challenges so we can begin building a clear picture of your needs. Together, we’ll outline a plan for moving forward at a pace that feels comfortable, with the focus always on supporting your growth and well-being.
My greatest strengths as a therapist are my ability to create a warm, nonjudgmental space and to blend evidence-based approaches with a holistic perspective. I draw from CBT, EMDR, ACT, and IFS while also honoring the mind-body-spirit connection, which helps clients feel both supported and empowered. Clients often share that they appreciate my balance of compassion and practical tools that lead to meaningful, lasting change.
My ideal clients are individuals who are navigating life transitions, coping with anxiety, depression, or identity-based trauma, and seeking to build healthier relationships with themselves and others. I am especially passionate about supporting those who feel overwhelmed, stuck, or disconnected and are ready to explore new ways of healing and growth. My clients are often motivated by the desire to gain clarity, strengthen resilience, and create a more fulfilling and balanced life.
I use CBT to help clients identify unhelpful thought patterns, reframe them into healthier perspectives, and build coping strategies they can use in daily life.
I use EMDR to help clients safely process distressing memories and reduce the emotional charge connected to them. This approach supports healing from trauma, decreases triggers, and helps clients feel more balanced and in control.
I use Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to help clients build mindfulness skills, accept difficult emotions, and clarify their personal values. Together, we focus on taking committed actions aligned with those values, so clients can create more meaningful and fulfilling lives.
In my practice, I use racial trauma treatment as a therapeutic modality to help clients process the emotional, cognitive, and physical impact of race-based stress and discrimination. I integrate evidence-based approaches such as EMDR, CBT, ACT, and somatic interventions with culturally responsive care to address the deep wounds of racial trauma.
I use faith-based therapy by integrating clients’ spiritual beliefs and values into the therapeutic process. This may involve exploring how faith provides meaning, strength, and resilience while addressing life’s challenges, as well as incorporating prayer, scripture, or spiritual practices if aligned with the client’s preferences.