Attachment-based Therapists in Chattanooga, TN

If you’re looking for support and a caring partner to help you navigate life’s challenges, I’m here for you. My approach is to walk alongside you as you work towards your personal growth, offering a safe and inviting space for you to explore and make meaningful changes.

Heidi Kilmer is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) with over 13 years of professional experience assisting children, teens, adults, and seniors with concerns and challenges related to divorce, family conflict, parenting challenges, dysfunctional relationships, low self-esteem, and more.

You are waking up to the realization that the one who is going to break the cycle of dysfunction in your family is you. There has to be more to life than just existing within the patterns that have come to feel normal; your heart yearns for a more meaningful existence. Still, you aren't sure how to break out of the cycle, set boundaries and figure out what you really want and need to do. I get it, taking full responsibility for your own well-being and creating a better future for yourself sounds like a daunting task, however, you don't have to do it alone.

Wanting to feel confident, content, and connected? It can feel so challenging and helpless when faced with anxiety, stress, and internal negative thoughts. If you are experiencing anxiety, depression, feeling stuck, or recovering from people-pleasing or co-dependent relationships, I would love to collaborate with you towards healing. Often our negative thoughts and beliefs about ourselves impact our relationships. If this describes your story and you are seeking a safe place to process, desire to be heard, and are willing to learn tools and skills to make change you're in the right place.

While life is always worth living, it doesn’t always feel that way. We are here to help you help yourself live the life you want — and need — to live. Not sure what that even means? We can help with that too. Our team offers a variety of solutions to a variety of problems/ troubles/sighs/ughs, etc. While each of our clients is literally unique (welcome to humanity!), at intake a lot describe themselves as lonely, dissatisfied, out of control, too up-tight, fine (forced smile), a mess, too much, not enough…perhaps some of that sounds familiar? Whether those fit exactly or not, if you are looking for answers, we're here to help.

Asking for help is a strength, not a weakness. That knowledge is what led me to become a therapist ... how effective and life-changing therapy can be. I start where you, the client, is and we make a treatment plan together to reach the goals you would like to achieve. We will develop a working hypothesis that may change over time as new information is obtained. Many mental health issues begin with an event and the mental health issue, be it anxiety, panic attacks, depression, anger, unrelated phobia, facial tic, chronic pain, avoidant behavior, dysfunctional relationship pattern, stress and/or insomnia is the resulting symptom.

You have found the courage to begin, and you want someone to walk with you. Maybe you are tired of feeling the crushing weight of anxiety or depression. Maybe you are the parent of a child with special needs, and you don't know what to do next, but you know you need to do something. Maybe you are finally admitting to yourself the truth about your sexuality, spirituality, or situation, and you are ready to grow into the person you are meant to be. I would be honored to join you on your journey.

Relationships are hard! The drama and emotional roller coaster are exhausting. After trying diligently to give all that you can, you end up dumped, rejected, or betrayed again. Beating yourself up, inevitably feeling unlovable. So you hide your emotions and stay busy to protect yourself. But inside, it's impossible to ignore that sadness and loneliness are growing. All you want is someone who cares and who can be there for you. But it's hard to attract the right person. Your friends are moving on with their lives, while you wonder if happiness just wasn't meant for you. You're so tired of trying that you feel resentful and empty.

Maybe you are grieving; feel anxious, depressed, and stuck in your head. Does it seem like the person you want to be and the life you want to live is out of reach? Learning new skills to respond more effectively to those challenging thoughts and feelings may be all that you need to continue moving forward in the direction of your values. As a therapist, I hope to cultivate a relationship that facilitates change, wholeness, and health wherever you are in your journey.

Accepting Clients: As an EMDR-trained trauma therapist, I help teens, adults, and couples explore pain, expose fear, and experience healing in a real and lasting way. You're probably thinking that something has got to change. You feel stuck, empty, hurt, angry, or just altogether lost in a sea of overwhelming feelings, thoughts, and behaviors. You've been nervous to ask for help, let alone discuss, the difficulties of navigating life and trying to "keep it all together" when things don't feel right at all. Pehaps it's time to try something new.

The therapy process should be viewed as a partnership in which we work together in developing a sense of balance, peace, and stability for your life. Together, you and I will identify the therapeutic options best suited for your needs. I value diversity and respect you as a unique individual. My goal is to create a safe, relaxing, and judgment free space for you throughout your journey.

As a counselor, I am passionate about creating a safe space for adolescents, college students, and other individuals in various stages of life to work through issues such as anxiety, depression, relationship issues, boundaries, grief, life transitions, and other places where we experience pain and brokenness. I consider it an honor to walk alongside you and offer you support towards growth and healing.

I come to the therapy field by way of the legal field. My time in the legal field cultivated a deep appreciation of peoples’ stories - including their conflicts, struggles, and desire for healing and connection. Exploring our story in a safe and nurturing environment allows us to more deeply connect with ourselves and navigate the many difficulties of life. I hope our work together will help you better understand the many parts that make up your story so that you feel empowered as you journey through life. I am honored to have the opportunity to walk alongside people as they work toward contentment and wholeness.

Our mission is to increase accessibility to quality mental health and wellness services to the LGBTQ+ population. Maybe you just realized that you are gay or trans and you don’t know what to do next. Maybe you’re one of the many LGBTQ+ persons who have faced abuse, depression, anxiety, or other mental health struggles and are simply trying to exist. Maybe you're in a polyamorous/ENM relationship struggling with communication hangups, parenting, mismatched sexual desire or infidelity. Or maybe you spent your whole life shaming yourself for being "lazy," or "irresponsible," but you just can't seem to make your brain work with you.

Patricia received her Master of Science from Lee University in 2016. She is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) in the State of Tennessee. Patricia's counseling services are available via telehealth. Patricia is trained and experienced in trauma, grief, depression, anxiety and simply adjusting to life. Her treatment model is trauma-informed and integrative psychotherapy including clinical training in TF-CBT (Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) and Level 1 Complex Trauma Treatment Professional Training, current training telehealth trauma certification.

I am passionate about walking alongside individuals who feel beat down and weary from life’s burdens. Life is not easy, but having someone with an outside view can really help provide the clarity and insight we need. If you are hurting, struggling to stay hopeful, or having trouble finding direction, I would be honored to hear your story and walk with you towards hope and healing.

Clients I see are typically wrestling with experiences that have impacted the way they view themselves, relationships, and the world around them. These experiences often leave us feeling wounded, unable to reconnect with ourselves or others. If this resonates with you, we might be a good fit for each other. As a wounded healer myself I seek to support you on your road to healing in a way that honors your unique set of values, beliefs, and cultural identity. I strive to take the time to get to know you, helping you to feel seen, heard, and understood. Who you want to be is possible. Your story, as it is, doesn't have to define you.

As a secular therapist committed to social justice, I specialize in working with the LGBTQ+ community, especially polyamorous or ethically non-monogamous relationships. I enjoy working with couples, families, and alternative relationship structures who might be struggling with a range of issues, from communication hangups to parenting to mismatched sexual desire or infidelity.

I have always wanted to support others in meeting their full potential. To me this means supporting others in seeing themselves as whole and beautifully flawed. When we can acknowledge and love all parts of ourselves we are so much closer to that potential. I often hear from clients that they know what they should do to heal, but find themselves stuck in old patterns. With my training in whole body healing such as EMDR and Brainspotting, we can learn new ways of being. I also provide animal assisted therapy with my co- therapist Koda Bear.