Object Relations Therapists in Des Moines, IA

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.

Despite being a good listener, I don't see myself as a "talk" therapist. I am interested in how you, your nervous system, and the environment are getting along with each other. We will DO things in our work just as much as talk and reflect. I provide ways to reduce overwhelming emotions that impact effectiveness, break unhelpful reactions/patterns, and enhance internal resources for navigating the world as it is. My personal style is a combination of a little irreverent spice and humor while deeply honoring your concerns and goals.

My practice is grounded in one central idea: that family, in all of its forms, deserves to be understood, supported, and thoughtfully nurtured. I have the privilege of working with individuals, couples, and families at some of the most meaningful—and often most vulnerable—moments in their lives. Whether someone is building a family, navigating challenges within one, or redefining what family means to them, my goal is always to create a space that feels both safe and genuinely supportive. A significant part of my work focuses on family building, including comprehensive evaluations for adoption, assisted reproduction, and other non-traditional pathways to parenthood. I have extensive experience working with adoptive parents, intended parents, and families formed through surrogacy, donation, and other modern family-building processes. These evaluations are not just procedural—they are an opportunity to reflect, prepare, and enter parenthood with clarity and confidence. In addition to evaluation work, I provide therapy for individuals, couples, and families. I approach this work with warmth, directness, and deep respect for each person’s experience. Whether addressing relationship strain, life transitions, trauma, or the complexities of parenting, I aim to help people better understand themselves and each other, and to move forward with intention. I have a particular passion for working with non-traditional families—those whose paths may fall outside of conventional expectations but are no less meaningful or deserving of support. My practice is inclusive, affirming, and grounded in the belief that there is no single “right” way to build or be a family. Above all, I strive to offer a space where people feel seen, understood, and guided—not judged. This is deeply personal work, and I consider it an honor to be part of my clients’ journeys.

My therapy is informed by my education, training, personal therapy, and life experiences. My experience doing psychotherapy and being in therapy myself has tauht me that it is important for us to understand how our past history affects our current lives. I am also a cancer-survivor and I have empathy, understanding, and guidance for people going through difficult life circumstances.

Des Moines is Iowa's state capital and the center of America's insurance industry — home to Principal Financial Group, Wellmark, and dozens of other major insurers — creating a therapy demand shaped by the particular stresses of financial services careers alongside the concerns of a growing and increasingly diverse urban population. The city has experienced dramatic demographic change through refugee resettlement and immigration, with growing communities from Myanmar, Congo, and Latin America making it one of the most rapidly diversifying mid-size cities in the Midwest. UnityPoint Health — Iowa Methodist Medical Center and MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center provide institutional mental health resources, with a private practice community concentrated in the West Des Moines and Urbandale corridors. Iowa's relative shortage of mental health providers makes Des Moines an important access point for the broader state, and many therapists here serve clients from smaller surrounding communities.

Gender ID

	50%	Male
	50%	Female

Session Type

	75%	Online Only
	25%	In Person and Online

Top Specialties

100%	Depression
75%	Relationship and Marriage Counseling
75%	Self Esteem
75%	Social Anxiety
75%	Men’s Issues
75%	Anxiety or Fears
75%	Stress

Ages Served

100%	Adult
50%	Teen
50%	Senior
50%	Young Adult

Client Focus

75%	LGBTQ+
75%	Women
75%	Men
50%	Asian
50%	Hispanic / Latino

Object Relations therapists in Des Moines, Iowa IA

Dr. Stéphanie Gamache, PhD

Phillip Thomas Stepka, PsyD.

Dr. Amy Hecht

Dr. George Lough

Object Relations Therapy therapists in Des Moines, Iowa Statistics

Average years in practice

Average cost per session

Offer sliding scale