Therapists in Clayton, MO

Oftentimes a therapist needs a therapist, and I specialize in working with therapists. I am intimately familiar with the burnout and fatigue that accompanies a therapists’ job. Every therapist I have worked with is a deeply compassionate, selfless, and idealistic person, who is dedicated to their clients. I work to help therapists care for themselves so that they can continue to feel healthy as they work with their clients. While we can often successfully support our clients, this does not always extend to feeling supported in our own lives.

Clinical Psychologist: KNOWLEDGEABLE, COMPASSIONATE, POSITIVE, HELPFUL...Working at Hawthorn Children's Psychiatric Hospital and in private practice more than 20 years, my diagnostic and treatment services for youth, adults, couples and families are enriched by the knowledge, skills, judgment and wisdom cultivated and honed through experience (10,000 hours- four times over). Clinical supervision of Pre-doctoral Psychology Interns (http://www.umsl.edu/slpic/) helps keep me current. As a clinician, in addition to therapist and diagnostician, I may function as educator, consultant, coach and sometimes-- cheerleader. Schedule a consultation; let's find out how I may be helpful to you.

I have over thirty-five years of experience treating individuals, couples, and families dealing with depression, anxiety disorders, marital discord, and family dysfunction. Changing oneself, therefore changing others around you, can lead to happier relationships. Understanding and insight can raise self-esteem. I provide a safe, confidential, and trusting environment to explore one's feelings and consider options to produce different and improved results. Video and telehealth sessions have been added to accommodate the COVID-19 safety protocols.

I provide a safe, comfortable, and supportive enviornment where I guide individuals and couples to help them overcome mental health and emotional issues to bring about a new level of awareness and change. This is done by identifying and understanding the underlying causes, changing destructive thought patterns, and behaviors. I am also a certified Thai Yoga therapist. I keep both practices separate in that I do not do psychotherapy with Thai Yoga clients or vice versa.

Any St. Louis rehabilitation center can provide treatment; MIA provides the difference. There are many drug rehab centers, but few of these rehab centers compare to Midwest Institute for Addiction's programs. This differentiation goes beyond our comprehensive, individualized, and evidence based treatment model and focuses on the quality of services that we offer. There is a lack of separation in the minds of professional service providers when considering the difference between a product offered and the service that coincides with that product. The MIA difference is the ability to offer quality services that coincide with our quality treatment.

In my practice I work with families and children who have experienced trauma and are having attachment difficulties. Many children I see have pre-verbal trauma from parental stress during pregnancy, adoption, neglect, or abuse. Some of the children I see are experiencing traumatic stress due to gender fluidity or gender dysphoria. Because trauma is the result of feeling helpless in a situation, many of the families I see have never thought of their child's behavior as a symptom of a life trauma. This shift in perspective is often the beginning of the healing process.

People seek therapy for variety of reasons, ranging from difficulties with a specific life event or a general pursuit for greater purpose and connectedness. Psychotherapy offers an arena for self exploration unlike any other and can prove to be a profoundly moving experience. I work with individuals affected by trauma, difficulties in relationships, depression/post-partum depression, infertility, adoption, parenting, struggles in cultural adaptation and immigration, identity, self-esteem, sexuality, etc. Often I find that the most meaningful change comes from those who are open and willing to engage in the journey. The change you seek comes from you and will be our guiding force.

About a decade ago I attended a conference at the Omega Institute and was reawakened to the immense suffering in the world and I realized there was no more time to waste. I needed to change careers in order to be of service. All of my life I wanted to be a healer and pursued a Masters degree in Clinical Mental Health. My approach is mindful, practical, respectful and always hopeful. I believe each of us holds the key to our own healing within our highest sense of Self. My role is to help support that discovery process through thoughtful exploration, creativity and a little humor.

When the challenges of life and relationship present you with complex dilemmas and create painful or uncomfortable symptoms, therapy offers an opportunity for healing and long-lasting psychological change. The power of therapy is in the way it expands your choice in behaviors or ways of seeing others, yourself and your life circumstances. Through a compassionate journey of self-exploration I will help you work toward a fuller understanding of yourself which will lead to greater choice in how you live, love, work and play. It is a privilege to join you on your journey of self-discovery and healing.

Over half of my work is with couples. Through training and supervision in Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT), I can see and hear needs and feelings long hidden for fear of being hurt again. I empathize and acknowledge real wrongs and real emotional damage to trust and respect. I hear both sides. I also offer hope. I can see when marital conflict itself offers evidence that partners still desire and need each other. I know how difficult a process forgiveness and then trust building really are. Slowly, when even one is ready to love again, I equip both to express their hearts with a gentle strength, and to hear with compassion.

My practice provides treatment and resources for adolescents and adults who are struggling with mood, anxiety, and trauma-related disorders while engaging in self-injury (cutting, burning, scratching, picking and trichotillomania), disordered eating, sexual promiscuity, substance abuse and other risky, impulsive behaviors. In addition we have programs available for families looking to support a loved one struggling with self-destructive behavior. We offer individual, family and group psychotherapy and, family/friends educational classes.

Our patients are individuals, couples or groups who have been struggling with depression, anxiety, mood disorder and other behavioral challenges that have made ordinary day to day functioning impossible or extremely difficult. Through evidence-based clinical mental health therapy that includes EMDR, CBT, DBT, and SFBT, we assess, and diagnose individuals, couples and groups providing evidenced-based treatment plans.

We thrive as humans when we understand ourselves. I work creatively and compassionately with adults and adolescents to deepen and broaden self-understanding. Emotional pain - like physical pain - is a signal that help is needed and that something must change. Psychotherapy can be that powerful catalyst for healing. I believe in meeting people where they are, listening intently, and co-creating a safe and brave space where my clients can grow.

Dr. Helen Friedman is a compassionate and interactive clinical psychologist with 10 years of additional formal training after her Ph.D. and 41 years in practice. She works with anxiety, stress, depression, grief, divorce, sexual and relationship issues. Specialty areas are child sexual abuse (children, adults, victims and perpetrators), compulsive sexual behavior (including porn addiction and partners), dissociative identity disorder, and gender identity. Trained in a variety of therapeutic modalities (family systems, psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral, gestalt, etc.), she tailors her approach to the individual, couple, or family.

Helping clients, whether we meet individually, as couples or in groups, is my highest priority. As a compassionate active listener, I provide a safe, warm, non-judgmental space. Our close relationships within our lives can give us strength but can also create conflict, anxiety, and/or depression. The result may be physical discomfort, low self-esteem, even PTSD, as well as thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that can get in the way of making positive decisions. Working as a team, my clients and I identify behavioral patterns, set goals, and begin a plan to achieve resolution and healing.

Many people experience injuries in life that do not subside with the passage of time. The residue of these injuries can result in depression, intrusive thoughts and desperate ways of coping. We can fall into patterns of being that feel too hard to change. All of this then interferes with connection to others and intimacy. One does not have to live this way. It can be different.

Professional Counseling and Clinical Hypnotherapi Sessions,Regression Therapist: Go Back to past to Heal the present symptom. Energy Psychotherapy:Body,Mind Spirit & Aura.Depression,Anxiety,Relationships,Couples Therapy, Addictive Relationships:Are you Addicted to someone? Specializing in Women's Issues,etc. Counseling Sessions Internal Family Systems (IFS)Parts Therapy,Inner Child Work,Clinical Hypnosis,Regression Therapy: Go back to past,Spiritual Healing,Reiki Master,Intuitive. Couples Counseling in my Office or by Internet, Counseling sessions and Hypnosis sessions for Grief Loss,Spiritual Healing,Intuitive,Energy Psych.

I believe "the right" therapeutic relationship is the key to successful therapy. Working collaboratively, the client and I create a safe and supportive environment in which the client may address issues and behaviors, explore difficult emotions, cope with life events, resolve conflict, and identify relational patterns. My passion lies in facilitating clients in their journey toward personal growth and self-discovery. My goal is to help others gain control of their lives and inner strength by better understanding the relationship between their thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors.

Are you overwhelmed with life, depressed, feeling "not good enough" or facing a difficult life transition? I will help you understand the thoughts and feelings that keep you stuck in unhealthy, non-productive patterns. Together we will focus on working through challenging emotions, in order for you to let go and move forward with life. I will support your process in a nurturing, non-judgmental manner.