Dawn Balkcom

Hi, I'm Dawn Brown-Balkcom, a Licensed Professional Counselor and the owner and Clinical Director of Amani Counseling Services. I work with adults navigating anxiety, depression, trauma and PTSD, relationship and boundary struggles, low self-worth, life transitions, and the work of rebuilding self-trust. Many of the people I see feel overwhelmed or stuck, holding everything together on the outside while running on empty inside. Therapy with me is a space to slow down, think clearly, and feel supported without judgment—no need to have the right words or a plan when you arrive.

I practice from a person-centered, collaborative, and trauma-informed foundation, grounded in the belief that you are the expert on your own life. Rather than telling you what to do, I work alongside you to understand your thoughts, emotions, behaviors, and patterns. I draw on CBT to shift unhelpful thinking, ACT to build psychological flexibility and act on your values, mindfulness to manage stress and overwhelm, and solution-focused therapy to build on your strengths—tailoring each to what you need. Sessions may focus on processing painful experiences, developing practical coping tools, strengthening boundaries, or rebuilding confidence. Above all, I create a safe, judgment-free space where you can be honest, feel understood, and move toward meaningful change.

Our first session is a chance to get to know each other and understand what brought you to therapy—what you've been experiencing, what feels most pressing, and what you hope to gain. I'll ask about your history and current circumstances to see the bigger picture, and together we'll set initial goals and begin shaping a treatment approach built around you. You can expect a conversational, judgment-free environment where you don't need to have everything figured out. Over time, clients tend to leave sessions feeling more grounded, with practical tools to manage anxiety and stress, clearer boundaries, and renewed confidence to move forward with clarity and purpose.