Mackenzie Felder

I’m Mackenzie, a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) with a master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from the University of Dayton and a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from The Ohio State University. I’ve worked with adults and young adults in both college counseling and private practice settings, supporting clients through anxiety, stress, trauma, relationship concerns, life transitions, self-esteem, and challenges with boundaries.

I especially enjoy working with people who feel like they’re constantly taking care of everyone else, struggle to understand or express their emotions, or are trying to break patterns that developed in difficult or unpredictable family environments. I’m passionate about creating a therapy space where clients feel comfortable being themselves and don’t feel like they have to have the “right” things to say. I welcome clients from diverse backgrounds and identities, including LGBTQIA+ clients, and believe that your experiences and perspective should be respected and understood within the context of your therapy.

My approach is warm, collaborative, and trauma-informed. I don’t believe therapy should be a one-size-fits-all experience. Instead, I work with you to understand what you’re experiencing, where it may come from, and what will be most helpful for you moving forward. I use evidence-based approaches and tailor treatment to each client’s needs and goals. I have Level II training in EMDR and incorporate EMDR when appropriate, particularly when past experiences continue to affect how you feel, think, or respond in the present. I also draw from approaches that help clients better understand their emotions, relationships, thought patterns, and coping strategies.

I believe that many of the patterns we develop serve a purpose—they helped us get through something at some point, even if they aren’t serving us anymore. Therapy can be an opportunity to understand those patterns with curiosity rather than judgment and begin developing new ways of responding. Most importantly, I see therapy as something we do together. You are the expert on your own experience, and my role is to help you make sense of it, feel more connected to yourself, and move toward the life and relationships you want.

Your first session is an opportunity for us to get to know each other and begin understanding what brought you to therapy. We’ll talk about what you’ve been experiencing, what you would like to be different, and what you’re hoping to get from therapy. I’ll also ask questions about your background and experiences so I can better understand the bigger picture. You don’t need to prepare anything or know exactly what to say. It’s completely okay to come in and say, “I’m not really sure where to start.” We can figure it out together. We’ll also talk about what therapy might look like moving forward and begin identifying goals that feel meaningful to you. My goal is for you to leave the first session feeling heard, understood, and with a clearer sense of how we can work together. And if you’re nervous about starting therapy, that’s okay too—starting something new with a stranger can feel uncomfortable, and we can take the process at a pace that feels manageable for you.