Female Therapists in Brentwood, MO

My ideal clients are children, adolescents, and young adults seeking a supportive and understanding environment to navigate emotional challenges such as anxiety, depression, family concerns, grief, self-esteem issues, coping skills, school challenges, and life transitions. They need a safe space, empathy, personalized approaches, and practical strategies. Together, we'll work towards emotional well-being, resilience, self-understanding, improved relationships, and academic and life success. Clients seek relief from symptoms, support, personal growth, and practical solutions for stress management.

If you're hoping to get unstuck from the past, move out of survival mode, and figure out how to thrive, please reach out! I'll help assess what's stuck, work with you to get unstuck, and collaborate with you to change and grow. I also really enjoy working with people who are ready to try EMDR (either as a primary approach or in conjunction with talk therapy, depending on your needs).

If you’re looking for a therapist who is willing to be just as vulnerable and open as you are, I’m your gal. I’m the therapist that’s willing to laugh, and sometimes even shed a tear with you. My goal as a therapist is not to lead the way, but to give you a map that will help you along your journey. As a clinical social worker, my framework and ethical values differ from other providers. My framework allows me to see strength in everyone, and offer them unconditional support on their path. I consider it an honor to walk this path with you. While I might not have all the answers, we can find the best answers together.

Living in a constant state of threat, insecurity, and anxiety does not need to be your normal. Together we will explore the root of your concerns and address them so that you’re no longer living in survival mode. My hope is that you walk away from therapy having gained an understanding of yourself and a sense of harmony with your mind, body, and spirit.

There’s a voice in your head that constantly berates you. It endlessly echos the phrase “not good enough”, no matter how hard you try. You’re a grown adult and yet some people and situations make you feel like an anxious child. Perhaps you feel guilty even though you can’t recall doing anything wrong, which leads you to walk on eggshells in the face of conflict. Or maybe you feel like you're constantly self-sabotaging by pushing others away because you’re afraid of being abandoned. It seems like your body has two settings, you’re either on-edge or completely shut down. Life like this is exhausting, but you can't seem to get unstuck.

Sarah Lopez, PLPC (she/her) is a part of a group practice at Upaya Counseling LLC. She works with clients with a broad range of cultural backgrounds and clinical concerns. Sarah sees children and adolescents age 8 and older, adults, and older adults and specialized in trauma/PTSD, depression, anxiety, ADHD, mood disorders, LGBTQIA+ concerns, BIPOC concerns, couples, family therapy, and addictions.

Our identities and experiences shape us, influencing how we move through the world and relate to ourselves and others. I believe in the transformative power of a therapeutic space that fosters safety, support, respect, and empowerment for positive change. My commitment to working with LGBTQIA individuals and ensuring an inclusive and affirming environment for all clients is a personal tenant. I have a holistic approach, utilizing modalities including EMDR, Ego State, CBT, mindfulness, and somatic work. When I’m with you in a session, I’m fully present, attuned, and ready to support and help navigate whatever may arise.

Have you experienced life as chaotic and painful? Do you struggle with day to day coping in the midst of memories, strong feelings, or dissociation? Is it difficult to feel like you can live fully after what you have experienced? Does growth, healing, and freedom feel next to impossible? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may be suffering from unresolved trauma. I know firsthand how intense and challenging a process of finding freedom from trauma can be.

My ideal client is anyone who is ready to enter into their stages of change. This can be anyone reasy to make shifts and changes as well as adopt new habits that can be reinforced or improved by initiating healing and working on their mental health.

Are you struggling to handle stress and anxiety? Do you find yourself turning to food or other substances to comfort yourself? Do you feel like you have lost control? Did a difficult period or event in your life cause you to feel depressed, anxious, or unlike yourself? Many people struggle with emotional eating and/or substance abuse when they are stressed, unhappy, or have an imbalance in their life. We can help you get control of your life again and come to a place of peace and contentment.

Kudos to you for considering counseling and researching your options. Whether you are returning to counseling or just getting started, it can be a daunting task, especially since counselors are not "one size fits all." Taking time to find a counselor that you "click with" can take your session from "okay" to meaningful and fulfilling. Many of my clients report feeling "stuck" in their situations and "tired of pretending to be okay". Some experience dark thoughts that they don't understand or know how to talk about, while others are ready for a change but don't know where to start. I often say, "being human is a messy experience."

I specialize in helping freethinking women, sexual and gender minorities, and nontraditional couples who have already overcome so much, but find that something keeps holding them back. I help people decidedly outside the mainstream, who aren't looking for a professional to fit them back into conformity. I work best with individuals and couples who already have some practice with self-reflection but you now need a fresh perspective and stronger support. I enjoy helping diverse people, in terms of relationship style, abilities, brain type, or cultural identities. I also specialize in recovery from cults or narcissistic abuse.

Each of us has a unique history that shapes how we make sense of our inner and outer world. I have over 15 years of experience working in mental health with diverse clients who have a variety of concerns they bring to our relationship. Some of the typical issues that I have helped clients address include depression, anxiety, mania, trauma histories, and substance use. In addition, I have a personal passion working with clients who are exploring their gender identity and/or sexuality. Often because of the concerns that my clients bring up, I help people with life changes, career questions, self-esteem, and relationship issues.

Congratulations! By seeking support you are already exhibiting emotional strength and taking steps to increase it! Does it seem like your mind is your worst enemy? Do you want to learn how to challenge the way you think? Strong Mind Counseling & Wellness (SMCW) will help you build a personal toolbox to get your mind back on your side and improve your overall well-being.

Are you struggling with anxiety, processing trauma, disordered eating, a life transition, depression, or changes in your mood? Do you or your child experience your emotions through your body's felt sense? Are you or your child struggling to adjust to new life circumstances and experiencing emotional dysregulation? Life brings challenges and with those challenges comes opportunity for growth. If you are ready or your loved one is ready to embark on a new path towards self-discovery, I am here to offer support, guidance and strategies to facilitate healthy change.

My focus is to help youth and teens uncover what they already possess--highlighting their strengths, resilience, and ability to cope with life. Together, your child, your family, and I will work to make sense of troubling experiences and identify and learn coping strategies that allow my clients to realize the power they have in themselves. Using play based interventions, children can communicate their inner world in a way that is natural and feels comfortable to them. Using sand tray, expressive arts, and games, play provides a concrete, action-oriented way for children to work through what they are going through.

We have all experienced adversities at some point in our life; sometimes these adversities leave us defeated, wondering how we can gather our strengths to move pass these falls. The journey seems unpredictable at times and we forget that we have what it takes within us to recover from those adversities. As your counselor, my goal is to be alongside you in this journey of searching for the strength that is within you to not only overcome these adversities but also to help you understand how you’ve come to develop these patterns of behaviors that no longer serve you well.

My ideal client needs a compassionate, client-centered approach to build trust and foster healing. Their goals include enhancing emotion regulation, fortifying parent-child connections, and developing effective communication skills. They seek my expertise in CBT, DBT, Play Therapy, DDP, and ARC to achieve resilience, personal growth, and positive transformation. Driven by a desire for stability and well-being, they find a safe, supportive space to overcome challenges and embrace change under my guidance.

Do you experience chronic trust issues, worry, irrational fears or a profound sense of loneliness? Do you have unexplainable triggers that cause feelings of panic, fear, or anger? Do you continue to feel stuck in the same patterns of thinking and reacting? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may be experiencing the effects from unresolved trauma.