Somer Welch, Mpsa, Msw, Lcsw

You may be the person everyone depends on. You handle what needs to be handled and appear capable from the outside. Inside, you may be exhausted from overthinking, preparing for what could go wrong, carrying other people’s needs, or holding together parts of your life that no longer feel manageable.

Maybe you understand where your patterns came from, yet you still cannot stop repeating them. You know why you shut down, become anxious, keep people at a distance, take responsibility for everything, or stay in situations longer than you should. You have insight. What you need now is help turning it into actual change.

I work with adults navigating trauma, anxiety, depression, difficult relationships, caregiver burnout, and life-changing experiences. Many of my clients are used to being strong. They want more than someone who listens and nods. They want a therapist who pays attention, recognizes patterns, asks meaningful questions, and helps them figure out what to do differently.

My approach is warm, direct, practical, and collaborative. I will not expect you to carry the entire conversation or leave you wondering what therapy is supposed to accomplish. We will talk honestly about what happened, how you adapted, and whether the patterns that once protected you are now keeping you stuck.

I use evidence-based approaches, including Cognitive Processing Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, while adapting our work to your history, strengths, and goals. Expect thoughtful questions, honest feedback, humor when it fits, and practical work beyond the session.

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, veteran, veteran’s spouse, and mom, with extensive experience treating trauma and complex mental health concerns, particularly among veterans, military families, and caregivers.

You do not need the right words or a perfect explanation. You only need to know that something is not working and be willing to look at it honestly.

My approach to therapy is active, collaborative, practical, and genuinely human. Insight matters, but understanding why you feel stuck does not automatically change what keeps happening. Together, we will look at the experiences that shaped how you learned to respond, identify the patterns that continue to show up across your life, and decide what you want to do differently now.

I use evidence-based approaches, including Cognitive Processing Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, while adapting treatment to your needs, strengths, personality, and goals. I will not assume I understand your life better than you do or force you into a predetermined formula. We will build the work together and regularly pay attention to whether it is helping.

I bring warmth, honesty, directness, and humor into the therapy room. You can expect me to listen closely, notice connections, ask thoughtful questions, offer honest feedback, and actively participate in the work with you. Therapy should feel like a real conversation with a clear purpose, not like you are talking to a houseplant.

Your first session will be structured, but it will still feel like a genuine conversation. We will talk about what brought you to therapy now, how it is affecting your life, what you have already tried, and what you hope will be different. I will also ask about your history, relationships, strengths, previous experiences with therapy, and other factors that may help me understand the full picture.

I tend to ask more questions during the first session than I will in a typical therapy session. That does not mean you need to tell your entire life story in one hour or describe painful experiences before you are ready. We are beginning to understand what is happening, not racing through everything that has ever happened to you.

By the end of the session, we will begin identifying the patterns that may be keeping you stuck, discuss your initial goals, and talk about what moving forward could look like. We will also continue assessing whether my approach feels like the right fit for you.

You do not need the right words, a perfectly defined goal, or everything figured out. Come as you are. Casual is welcome because that is exactly how I will show up too.