Carla Cheatham

I’m a Licensed Professional Counselor in Texas with 18 years of experience working in foster care, school settings, private practice, and horse partnered counseling. I specialize in trauma, attachment wounds, and supporting clients who are ready to move from survival mode into a more grounded, intentional, and emotionally secure way of living.

My work is grounded in safety, attunement, and deep respect for your story. I am EMDR trained and incorporate trauma-informed approaches that help clients process painful experiences rather than just talk about them.

Therapy with me is collaborative, steady, and compassionate. Whether we’re working through trauma, relationship patterns, anxiety, or burnout, my goal is to help you feel grounded, empowered, and fully yourself again.

In addition to traditional talk therapy, I also offer equine-assisted therapy through my practice, A Hoof Beat Away, for clients who are interested in experiential healing.

I believe therapy should feel both safe and transformative. My approach is grounded, relational, and trauma-informed. Before we work on change, we build safety — because real healing happens when your nervous system feels supported, not rushed.

I integrate EMDR, attachment-based work, and practical tools to help you move beyond insight and into lasting change. We don’t just talk about what happened — we help your body and mind process it so it no longer holds the same weight.

I pay close attention to patterns — especially the ones that developed as protection earlier in life but may now be limiting growth or connection. Together, we identify what’s no longer serving you and create space for something more intentional.

My style is steady, direct, and compassionate. I will validate your experience, but I will also gently challenge you when needed. Therapy with me is collaborative — you are not broken, and you are not alone in the process.

Your first session is a chance for us to get to know each other and begin building a foundation of safety and trust. You don’t need to prepare anything special, and you won’t be expected to share everything all at once.

We’ll talk about what’s bringing you to therapy, what feels most important right now, and what you hope might feel different in your life. I’ll ask some questions about your history to better understand your experiences, but we’ll go at a pace that feels manageable.

You can also expect space for your questions. Therapy works best when it feels collaborative, so I want you to feel comfortable asking about the process and sharing what you need.

Most clients leave the first session feeling relieved — not because everything is solved, but because they no longer have to hold it alone.