Vickey Simmons-Hart

I'm Vickey Simmons-Hart, a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC-S) and Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC) based in Arizona, with licensure across Arizona, Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, and Ohio. But more than my credentials, I'm someone who believes in showing up with heart, humor, and deep respect for your lived experience. I'm a mother, a survivor, and a lifelong advocate for folks who've had to carry more than their share.

My clinical background centers on trauma-focused care, with advanced training in EMDR, Brainspotting, and Internal Family Systems (IFS)-informed work, alongside CBT, DBT, EFT, and Solution-Focused Brief Therapy. I work with adults navigating trauma and complex trauma (including PTSD/C-PTSD), anxiety, depression, ADHD, burnout, life transitions, relationship concerns, and identity development.

I'm especially passionate about creating an affirming space for LGBTQIA+ folks, Black, Brown, and BIPOC communities, neurodivergent individuals, immigrants and multicultural communities, and women navigating identity and relationships — as well as those exploring kink/BDSM or ethically non-monogamous relationships.

You don't need to explain or justify who you are here.

Clients often describe me as nurturing but direct, emotionally present, and grounded in real-life wisdom. Therapy with me isn't about fixing you — it's about helping you reconnect to the parts of yourself that already know how to heal.

My approach is trauma-informed, culturally attuned, and collaborative — you're never just a diagnosis to me, you're a whole person with context. I integrate evidence-based tools like EMDR, Brainspotting, and IFS-informed work, alongside CBT, DBT, and solution-focused strategies, choosing what fits you rather than forcing you into one modality.

In session, that might look like slowing down to notice what's happening in your body, gently exploring the parts of you that developed to protect you, or building concrete skills for the week ahead — depending on what you need in that moment. I specialize in supporting adults navigating trauma, anxiety, life transitions, identity development, relationship ruptures, and burnout, with particular attention to those from historically excluded communities who've often had to minimize themselves to be believed.

You don't have to have the right words yet. That's part of what we build together.

Your first session with me is mostly about getting to know each other — no pressure to have it all figured out, and nothing you need to prepare in advance. We'll talk through what's bringing you to therapy right now, a bit of your history and what's felt supportive (or not) in the past, and what you're hoping this space can hold for you. I'll ask questions, but this isn't an interrogation — it's a conversation, and you're always in control of what you share and when.

Whether you're feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or simply ready for something different, I create a space where you can be fully seen without performance or pretense. By the end of our first session, my goal is for you to leave with a clearer sense of how we'll work together and whether this feels like the right fit — because that matters just as much to me as it does to you.

Therapy doesn't have to be sterile or stiff — it can be sacred, transformative, and even a little bit liberating. Let's get to work.