Hayley Hornfeck

I have worked in the mental health field for the past seven years and am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a Master's degree in Social Work. Throughout my career, I've had the opportunity to support individuals across a wide range of settings, including crisis intervention through a suicide hotline, a domestic violence shelter, juvenile detention, school-based mental health in both elementary and middle schools, an at-risk youth program, a college mental health program, and outpatient therapy. These experiences have allowed me to work with children, adolescents, adults, and older adults while gaining a deep appreciation for how our environments, relationships, and life experiences shape our well-being.

Today, I primarily provide outpatient psychotherapy for adolescents, adults, and older adults. I specialize in working with trauma, anxiety, chronic stress, emotional regulation, relationship concerns, attachment wounds, and the lasting effects of difficult or overwhelming life experiences. I have a particular passion for helping individuals understand the patterns they've developed to survive and supporting them as they build healthier, more sustainable ways of coping.

Above all, I strive to create a therapeutic relationship built on trust, authenticity, and collaboration. I believe meaningful change happens when people feel understood rather than judged, and I consider it a privilege to walk alongside clients as they move toward the life they want to create.

My approach to therapy is warm, honest, collaborative, and trauma-informed. I believe many of the ways we struggle today once helped us survive. Anxiety, people-pleasing, perfectionism, emotional shutdown, intense emotions, overthinking, or difficulty trusting others often make sense when we understand what someone has been through. Therapy is not about judging those patterns. It is about understanding them, building compassion for why they developed, and learning new ways to respond when they are no longer serving you.

My work integrates EMDR, IFS-informed therapy, somatic techniques, mindfulness, ACT, and attachment-based approaches. I tailor therapy to each client rather than using a one-size-fits-all model. Sometimes therapy is about processing the past. Sometimes it is about learning how to get through the week. Often, it is both.

I value therapy that feels human, compassionate, and real. My goal is to create a space where you can be honest about what you are experiencing, better understand yourself, and begin making changes that feel meaningful and sustainable.

The first session is really an opportunity for us to get to know one another and determine whether we're a good fit. Choosing a therapist is an important decision, and I want you to feel comfortable asking questions, sharing what's bringing you to therapy, and getting a sense of how I work.

We'll talk about what has led you to seek therapy now, what you're hoping to gain from the process, and whether you're looking for shorter-term, goal-focused work or longer-term therapy focused on deeper healing, such as complex trauma or longstanding patterns. We'll also discuss any previous therapy experiences, approaches you've found helpful (or unhelpful), and whether there are particular modalities you're interested in exploring.

Most importantly, there's no expectation that you have to tell your whole life story in the first session. We'll move at a pace that feels manageable and begin building a foundation for our work together. And, fair warning, you may catch one of my cats making a guest appearance in the background during telehealth sessions