Behavioral Issues Therapists in Candler, NC

Sometimes when life hands you lemons, it can be hard to transform it into lemonade. It's a process and maybe you don't have the utensils or a recipe to reference. When you are ready to make lemonade out of life, that's where I step in to help. My goal is to be present for you when you are contemplating making a change. Whether it is incorporating more self-care, balancing a busy lifestyle, making a career change, addressing mental health concerns, or processing past trauma, counseling can be a utensil in your kitchen to improve your life. I've been working with clients to address a variety of concerns.

Hi, My name is Jay and through personalized treatment, I help individuals access authentic emotional awareness and guide them towards true healing. I am a licensed clinical social worker and therapist who has been providing mental health services directly to people for over 20 years. I have worked successfully with clients of all ages who presented with a wide range of challenges, including depression, anxiety, behavioral disorders, stress, ADHD, relationship issues, struggles with parenting, substance use and abuse, career and job issues as well as survivors of trauma such as abuse and neglect.

Finding a therapist with whom you feel comfortable and safe can be a challenge. I listen attentively and non-judgmentally to carefully understand the difficulty you are experiencing, and help cultivate a deeper understanding of yourself and the origin of your depleting, recurring problems. Understanding how past experiences influence your current difficulties is an important aspect of psychotherapy. I strive to offer meaningful and practical suggestions for change, which can lead to freedom from feeling stuck, and a much deeper enjoyment of life and relationships. 

Are you overwhelmed with anxiety and you can't seem to stop overthinking things? Do you have anxiety in some areas, and then function just fine in others? Does it consume a significant part of your day and disrupt your work, or social functioning? Working with me, we will collaborate and explore not only the thoughts keeping you stuck but uncover the story that makes it so pervasive, and create a new narrative so that your anxiety will lessen and enjoyment of life will increase because the energy it takes to deal with the anxiety will decrease freeing up space for more meaningful aspects of life.

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Registered Play Therapist and have been providing therapy services to children and families in the Asheville area since 2005. My work with children is an integration of person-centered and strengths based perspectives. I use both non-directive and Cognitive Behavioral based play therapy as well as expressive arts to offer children a voice in their struggle to express themselves and identify and process their feelings in a safe space. I believe that "radical acceptance" and a strong trusting relationship are key in helping children and heal and grow.

I believe that authentic & supportive relationship is the catalyst for positive change! I help couples, families & individuals better understand themselves & each other. I have extensive experience with relationship repair & enrichment, supporting families & individuals adjusting to separation & divorce, as well as successfully treating mood & anxiety problems. I have specialized training in Gestalt Therapy, Brainspotting, Dynamic Attachment Repatterning Therapy, Addiction Recovery support, alternative/integrative processes including Emotional Kinesiology, Single's Coaching, Heartmath, and several other modes of assisting change!

It is natural for us to encounter bumps in the road every now and then. But sometimes, those bumps feel like mountains and it can feel like we’re stuck. I am here to walk with you and help you move forward in times like these. I believe deeply in the power of human connection in the path to healing and self-compassion. I understand the vulnerability that it can take to seek therapy. My goal in our work together is to create a safe space where you can bring your whole, authentic self. My work as a therapist is grounded in a client-centered approach, meaning that your goals will guide our work together.

As an art therapist and mental health counselor, my style of work is to focus on strengths, compassion, and coping skills. While I am trained in a diversity of methodologies including EMDR, my primary focus is to individualize my approach for each client. I have a specialty in trauma-informed practice, and I have worked with a wide range of populations, including at-risk adolescents, children, families, adults, trauma survivors, and active-duty military.

Adolescence to early adulthood can be a confusing and overwhelming time in a person’s development, but it’s a time with potential for powerful growth and healing. Your teen or young adult may be navigating sexual and gender preferences, peer relationships, and school responsibilities. They may be suffering from discrimination or bullying. Often these experiences can erupt in an array of struggles: anxiety, depression, gender dysphoria, anger, isolation, body image issues, or lack of focus. You want your kid to feel comfortable in their own skin; to learn ways to accept themselves and to thrive on whatever path they choose.

Accepting NEW clients! I know that finding a therapist can be an overwhelming process. I honor your courage and hope that I can provide a soft place for you to land. I aim to foster a safe, empowering, and collaborative space for my clients. Sometimes we find ourselves losing focus of our life's purpose. Together, we can help identify your values and incorporate them in your life. Through mindfulness practices and acceptance-based strategies, I can help you let go of what is no longer serving you. The ultimate goal for my clients is to decrease any areas of distress while pursuing your values and finding more meaning in your life.

To move through suffering and risk hope of something better takes such courage. My work finds its foundation in a deep respect for that choice. I meet my clients’ courage by welcoming all parts of them- their overwhelm, strengths, grief, hopes, and fears. That welcoming manifests in my curiosity, care, and genuine empathy for your experience. My grounded presence, calm yet playful demeanor, clarity of thought, and feedback-informed approach have helped folks safely share their inner world. That safety can be deeply healing, and through it I've witnessed my clients move from simply surviving to living a life of vitality and meaning.

My practice is not accepting new clients at this time. I commend you for being here. It takes courage and strength to ask for help. I believe as human beings we are resilient and often intuitively know what we need to do to heal. Unfortunately sometimes that healing can be thwarted by seemingly insurmountable barriers such as depression, anxiety, history of trauma, or substance abuse. Let's work together to create more effective coping skills so you may actually live, rather than just survive, your life. I find that the best results in treatment stem from focusing on people's strengths rather than their weaknesses.

Life Coaching Asheville, NC  offers children, parenting, co-parenting, relationships, and wellness life coaching including Emotional Regulation Child Coaching, Mind-Body, Ayurvedic Health, Kids' Life Coaching for anxiety, and Family Coaching. Our Family Coaching program supports diverse needs. It also offers parenting training to be skilled caregivers for their child, as well as support for stress, health challenges, and difficulties of raising kids in today's world. Whether you're facing anxiety, parenting, child, life transitions, relationship issues, family dynamics, or stress, I can help! Book a Free Life Coaching consultation!