Contemplative Psychotherapy Therapists in Columbus, GA

Something in you knows that what you're carrying runs deeper than the presenting problem. Many of the people I work with are thoughtful, capable, and outwardly composed-yet internally they live with anxiety, depression, chronic tension or pain, relentless self-criticism, or a sense that something essential is blocked, muted, or just out of reach. These struggles may surface in mood, in the body, in behavior, or in relationships-including sexuality and intimacy-but they are rarely contained to any one area. They tend to reflect deeper emotional and relational patterns formed early in life, often before language, that continue to shape how a person approaches closeness, vulnerability, agency, pleasure, and self-expression. My work centers on how early experience shapes the capacity for self-regulation, desire, connection, and meaning throughout life-and particularly on how people come to know what they need and want, how they learn to express or inhibit those impulses, and what happens when these capacities become conflicted, constricted, or difficult to sustain. I integrate psychoanalytic hypnotherapy, somatic awareness, and clinical sexology within a reflective, depth-oriented process. Hypnosis functions as a central clinical tool-creating conditions for deeper internal contact with emotional, bodily, and unconscious experience that can be difficult to reach through conversation alone. The aim is not only relief from symptoms, but the development of a more coherent and compassionate relationship with one's inner life: sensations, emotions, impulses, and desires. This work is oriented toward lasting psychological change-and toward greater freedom in how one relates to oneself, one's body, and one's capacity for connection, authenticity, and vitality. It is best suited to those ready to move beyond symptom management toward something more fundamental.

Do you consider yourself spiritual, empathic, intuitive, creative, deep-thinking, or highly sensitive (HSP)? Do you sometimes struggle with emotional overwhelm, anxiety or depression? If you sense you have wounded inner child defense patterns from the past that block you from moving forward into the authentic self-expression of your needs and aspirations, I invite you into a therapy space where your originality, inner imagery, thoughts, and feelings can lead you towards greater wholeness, strength, and maturity.

I specialize in helping women feel more secure within themselves and more authentically connected with others. What makes my practice unique is my compassionate and experiential approach to therapy.

I can help you get to the heart of your issues and make the lasting changes you’re longing for. Old patterns dissolve and new possibilities open up. My style is heartful, compassionate, down to earth and perceptive. When sitting with a client, I see ‘myself’ in them, and can feel what it’s like to be in your shoes. I’m then able to clearly sense exactly what is the most effective way to support you, in each moment. Having been in practice over 40 years, I'm a seasoned therapist and have the tools and experience to help resolve whatever is 'up' for you. In addition to talk, I use Brainspotting; EMDR; Body Centered therapy; Meditative approaches and Hypnotherapy.

My clinical experience is wide and deep. I estimate I have conducted about 90,000 hours of psychotherapy sessions, including many hours training and supervising other therapists. This experience covers many modes: individual therapy, as well as family, couple and group therapy. My basic orientation is existential and psychodynamic, but I have added much training and experience in other approaches on top of that over the years. I am Board Certified in Clinical Psychology, ABPP, have served 2 terms as a board director and secretary for the American Academy of Psychotherapy, and previously trained young clinical psychologists and psychiatric residents at the University of North Carolina. We keep learning more about how to be effective therapists, and I have aggressively added to my clinical wisdom. I stand ready to work to understand you deeply, and help you profoundly, whatever your current dilemmas.

Columbus, Georgia is home to Fort Benning — one of the US Army's largest installations and the home of the Army Infantry — creating a therapy community substantially shaped by the needs of soldiers, veterans, and military families dealing with combat trauma, moral injury, PTSD, and the emotional complexity of service life. The city's African American population comprises the largest share of the civilian community, and culturally affirming therapists who work with racial identity and intergenerational resilience alongside the predominantly military therapy demand are an important part of the local landscape. Martin Army Community Hospital serves the military population, while Piedmont Columbus Regional provides civilian institutional mental health resources. Columbus shares some of its therapy ecosystem with Phenix City, Alabama directly across the Chattahoochee River, giving the metro a bi-state character.

Gender ID

	62%	Female
	38%	Male

Session Type

	77%	Online Only
	23%	In Person and Online

Top Specialties

92%	Anxiety or Fears
77%	Depression
54%	Relationship and Marriage Counseling
54%	Self Esteem
54%	Stress
46%	Divorce
46%	Loss or Grief

Ages Served

100%	Adult
62%	Young Adult
46%	Senior
38%	Teen

Client Focus

62%	Women
38%	LGBTQ+
31%	Men
23%	Buddhist
23%	Jewish

Contemplative Psychotherapy therapists in Columbus, GA

Dr. Stéphanie Gamache, PhD

Shelley Klammer

Lauren Pifer | Present Way Counseling

Elinor Nygren Szapiro

James C. Carpenter, PhD, ABPP