Chronic Illness Therapists in Memphis, TN

Rachel Held Evans wrote that "we live inside an unfinished story." Are you lacking clarity about what you want to do with your life? Did you have a difficult or confusing childhood, and now struggle with connection to others? Did you experience a traumatic event or relationship that has been difficult to overcome on your own? Do you struggle in relationships and wonder why you have the same problems time and time again? Do you have a chronic illness and experience the emotional pain, disappointment, and despair it can bring? If any of this resonates with you, I can help you write the rest of your story.

The way you tell your story to yourself matters. - Amy Cuddy We each have a story to tell and that story creates how we see ourselves, how we interact with the world around us, and how we manage the challenges life places in front of us. I approach therapy from the viewpoint that our personal story matters and we can change and shape our story through the therapeutic process. I utilize narrative therapy techniques to increase people's ability to have insight and self-awareness. I am also trained in expressive art therapies using Archetype imagery such as tarot and oracle cards. I am Pagan and alternative spirituality friendly.

I enjoy working with clients who want to feel better emotionally and grow personally.

Each of us is an individual with many thoughts, feelings and responses. You don't always know where your emotions come from or what to do with them. Sometimes thinking "I don't need to deal with this" emotion or situation it'll all just go away. Yes, you may be able to ignore those thoughts and emotions for a period of time but then all of a sudden you are ready to explode with emotions hurt, sadness, frustration, guilt, shame, anger. Being able to reach out even though may be uncomfortable talking to sort out your thoughts & feelings can help to provide you with skills to develop a happier more desirable life.

Seeking support is a courageous step towards healing and growth. If you're struggling with life's challenge, feeling weighed down by past traumas, or finding it hard to navigate through difficult emotions, know that you're not alone. I offer a safe space for individuals, couples, families, and teens to explore their feelings and experiences.

Relationships and chronic health issues are unique areas that we attach deep emotions to. The emotion allows us to label our level of satisfaction. Its hard to be happy when you just had the same conversation with your mate again without resolution. Its hard to have hope when you are struggling to find the strength for another fertility treatment. Increased fatigue, depression and anxiety begin to take over. They impact your self esteem, increase guilt and resentment and make every day a battle. If relationships, life transitions or chronic health issues are hindering you then I can help you establish control of your life again.

This loss knocked the wind out of you. You tell the world “I’m fine” but there is a part of you that knows you’re not. Intense sorrow invades everything you do. The stress to get through, to be strong, to not let others down, is immense—you're exhausted. Just last week you felt some relief for a brief moment, a flash of hope. Just as quickly it dissolved and you’re preoccupied with searing bleakness—again. It’s not too much to want a break from this unwanted & relentless heartache, and find a place of emotional rest. It’s not too much to really know that this will end & that there is a way in and through. Trust that you can do this.

Leigh brings years of education and experience to help clients work through various issues. She is passionate about providing a safe space where clients can learn, grow, and make changes in order to live well in a broken world. Life can be difficult; however, her hope is that every client feels seen, heard, and understood. Recognizing that suffering is inevitable and that life brings challenges, Leigh welcomes clients who long to bring healing and redemption to their narrative. She would be honored to walk alongside you in whatever season in which you find yourself.

Being seen and heard are gifts that a lot of us have not consistently received throughout our lives. Our humanity requires these gifts to experience fullness, wholeness, and a steady sense of self. Ruptures and traumas with society, with others, and with ourselves can be experienced as a result of not being experienced as our full selves or when we are reduced to attributes, parts, or fragments rather than as fully human. At times, we can even begin to believe that this is all we are worth or engage in scrambling to live a life of scarcity not believing we deserve a life of abundance. Our life force, though, knows that we need more.

Connecting with a therapist is one of be biggest struggles when seeking counseling. I come with more than 15 years of experience working with families, couples/relationships, and individuals.

There is no substitute for compassion in the counseling relationship. I believe in a whole-person approach. This means that everything is relevant: family of origin, unwanted life events, current relationships, physical health and well being, and everyday coping challenges. I assist my clients with life transitions, grief, early childhood trauma, anxiety, depression, eating disorders, chronic pain, relationship challenges, and spiritual issues. I endorse and have expertise in mindfulness-based practices and 12+ years of Hospice experience. Strengths: trusting relationships with my clients.

Take this in - you are having trouble sleeping, the stress is piling on, you are struggling to find your sense of purpose, all while waiting for the next curve ball to come your way. Rather than taking an aimless approach, why don't you take the first step and discover your own meaning and consider tackling a specific difficulty or taking one step at a time.

I have worked with people of all ages ranging from children to the elderly, with more focus devoted to those in their late teen s - mid - life stages . I specialize in working with anxiety, anger management, ADHD, stress management, improving relationships and communication, navigating life transitions, and parenting challenges. I have considerable experience supporting LGBTQIA individuals and helping them to navigate the challenges they may encounter with family, friends, or community. I also have worked extensively with parents on navigating challenging childhood behaviors and teenage puberty.

I enjoy working with individuals who are at a crossroads in life. Whose goal is to move through life’s challenges. My ideal clients are those who are dealing with anxiety, adverse childhood experiences, codependency, communication, depression, life transitions, relationship stress, self-defeating beliefs, stress & traumatic experiences. Who are currently desiring support, balance & peace, but certain blocks have gotten in the way of finding enjoyment in life. Overtime, these blocks have disrupted your state of balance. Calming the nervous system is the foundation for this process. Choosing to invest in yourself is where you begin.

You may be wondering if you would benefit from outside help navigating life’s challenges. Maybe you struggle to get through the day without getting stuck in a cycle of worry, snapping at your loved ones, or feeling weighed down by a sense of sadness. There may be a clear transition or challenge that you’re facing, like trouble growing your family or a new medical diagnosis. Or, perhaps you’re struggling with something more chronic like navigating the demands of being a working parent. Whatever the source of your stress, your experience is valid, and you deserve and have the capacity to feel better.

Making the decision to seek counseling can be a tough one for many. Therapy is a process where you can learn, grow, and heal in ways you did not expect. Do you feel you struggle to be your true authentic self in the spaces that you occupy? Finding it hard to create and maintain boundaries with those closest to you? Maybe your own thoughts and feelings of stress and anxiety are hindering you from reaching what you feel is your full potential? My goal, as your therapist, is to help guide you through this process of self-discovery and healing.

With a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology and over 20 years of counseling experience, I can help you get through life's trials and tribulations. I am a licensed clinical social worker specializing in stress, grief, depression, anxiety, suicide prevention, chronic management illness, crises management, as well as in coping skills in both adolescents and adults. My expertise is a combination of professional and personal skills that can help any person tackle unexpected life crisis. I have experience in couples counseling, family counseling, group counseling, and career counseling.

Do you feel stressed and overwhelmed? Are you walking around suffering in silence? Do you keep everything that's bothering you bottled up on the inside? Does your exterior self-appear to be strong but your interior self-feel weak? Are you showing up for everyone else but struggle to show up for yourself? Are you a worrier? Do you feel like you’re in this world alone? Are you ready to Exhale? If so, put yourself first and give yourself permission to unlearn some things that you have learned, get familiar with the unfamiliar, and get uncomfortable with being comfortable.

Welcome, I'm happy to share a little about my clinical practice with you. I have 20 yrs of clinical experience utilizing evidence-based modalities that include EMDR, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT and CBT-I), solution focused brief therapy (SFBT), ACT, CPT, psychodynamic, relapse and crisis prevention. In the span of my career, I've worked with numerous populations that include individuals in acute and outpatient psychiatry, as well as perinatology, and active duty special operations service members.