Relational Psychotherapy therapists in Mills River, North Carolina NC
Relational Psychotherapy
Stegall Counseling PLLC
Licensed Professional Counselor, LCMHC, NCC, LRT, CTRS
I’m different than most therapists out there. What makes therapy with me different?
Well in order to understand that, let me tell you the quick story of why I became a therapist.
After graduating from college, I felt lost. I bounced from job to job, but struggled to find my true passion in life. I was scared I would never find what I was supposed to do in life and this caused me intense anxiety.
I didn’t feel like myself.
My family and friends were really concerned about me because I stopped laughing all the time and instead I wanted to stay home and avoid people.
I kept trying to keep my thoughts positive, but I found that when working in a toxic work environment it was hard to keep my thoughts positive. Instead I would find myself checking my heart rate, having feelings like I want to pass out, and wanting to RUN to my car to get home ASAP. These emotions were exhausting and draining.
My mom was the one who told me that I really needed to go see a counselor to talk about what was going on with me, since I was constantly irritable and never happy.
I struggled with the idea of having to call to set up an appointment.
I thought to myself… “A therapist won’t understand me and she will just judge me!”
After struggling for a couple more weeks with complete misery, I could no longer live with so much anxiety anymore and I made the call to set up my initial appointment.
On my way to the appointment, I almost had a panic attack in the car. I was crying the whole way there so scared of what she might think or say.
Once I arrived, I sat in my car for a few minutes, but decided I needed to go into the office.
I was breathing so hard that I was afraid I was about to have a panic attack.
After checking in with the front desk, I had to get some water and sit down while trying to make myself relax.
Once I sat down in her office, she was the most genuine person I have ever met.
Therapy was nothing like I had expected.
She helped to make me feel accepted and to understand that my emotions are important. She helped me to understand that my emotions help to guide me in life, but when they become so intense they become ineffective.
The more I understood what emotions I was feeling such as sadness, upset, frustrated, angry, irritated, mad, resentful, and embarrassed, the more I realized there were so many things I didn’t know about MYSELF or really didn’t want to admit to myself.
I attended therapy weekly for several months and began to identifying that the job I was working was NOT what I wanted to do for a living AND not where my TRUE PASSION was in life.
I decided that I could no longer continue to live in this state of HIGH INTENSE ANXIETY. I knew that my mental health was first priority.
I found the experience to be the complete OPPOSITE of what I expected it to be. I expected judgement but instead she gave grace, compassion, and empathy. She helped to ask me questions which caused me to be real with myself in what I truly wanted from life – HAPPINESS, COMPASSION, PEACE, LAUGHTER, AND EMPATHY FOR OTHERS.
I realized that by going to counseling personally, I wanted to become a counselor so that I could help others in their personal struggles and for them to know someone is there to walk with them through this thing called life.
7 Years Experience
Relational Psychotherapy
Karen Baumstark, Ph.D.
Psychologist, Ph.D., CMHIMP, CTACC
In searching for a therapist, you are taking the first step in what could be the most important journey of your life. It is definitely possible to make important, lasting improvements in your life and levels of happiness, satisfaction, and success. Therapy is often an effective way to attain these goals. With almost 40 years of experience working as a counselor and then a psychologist, I am well-qualified to help you identify what is standing in the way of increased life satisfaction, and help you effectively work towards your goals. People often get stuck in old patterns that make them unhappy, want to change them, but don't know how. I work together with my clients to understand how old patterns in thought, feeling, and behavior got established, and then explore how best to change those patterns. I enjoy doing longer term, deeper work with clients, to create significant, meaningful, and lasting change. I often employ a holistic approach, exploring personal history, thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and relationship history and issues, as well as issues including medical history, self-care habits, and experiences of spirituality. I view the therapy relationship as a partnership, respecting the pace and timing that the client requires.
34 Years Experience
Relational Psychotherapy
Vanessa Roddenberry
Psychologist, Ph.D.
I'm a doctoral-level clinical psychologist offering cutting-edge cognitive behavioral therapy to individuals and couples in the Raleigh region of NC. I specialize in helping clients overcome overwhelming life events like trauma, divorce, loss or medical problems like chronic pain or insomnia.
12 Years Experience
Relational Psychotherapy
Kathryn Ziemer
Psychologist, PhD
I specialize in depression, anxiety, relationship issues, sleep issues, stress, infertility, and life coaching. What can you expect out of therapy? 1) Reducing your symptoms: We’ll work together to help you feel better as soon as possible by reducing your symptoms, whether it be feeling anxious or sleep problems. 2) Figuring out the root of your challenges: We’ll explore what caused you to feel this way in the first place so you can anticipate and prevent these challenges in the future. 3) Building your confidence going forward: You will learn and practice new skills that will help you feel confident overcoming future challenges.
16 Years Experience
Relational Psychotherapy
David A. Heilman
Psychologist, Psy.D.
When deciding to see a therapist, it can be extremely challenging to choose someone to work with. I hope to be there with you in therapy as you work to discover new levels self-understanding, compassion, and insight. Most individuals decide to start therapy after encountering emotional distress that has left them overwhelmed, and as though they have lost control of their life. I work collaboratively with my clients to find ways in which they are able to regain a sense of control, empowerment, and purpose in their lives.
Important to our work will be the concept that our relationship, and the exploration of that relationship, will help you make discoveries about other important relationships in your life. Although this work can be challenging at times, it can lead to improvements in your social interactions, mood, and anxiety.
While I have enjoyed working with a wide variety of individuals, I specialize in LGBTQIA+ affirmative therapy, ADHD, anxiety, depression, chronic shame, couples/relationship challenges, and non-traditional relationships. I am currently seeing new clients in my Dupont Circle office, and I look forward to answering any of your questions.
6 Years Experience