Book a therapist or psychiatrist in Columbia, MO covered by Aetna

It takes a lot of courage to reach out for help! Showing up that first time may be the hardest part of the journey. Being someone who has sat in that chair, I have a good idea how you are feeling. Being someone who has done her own personal work of therapy and helped hundreds of others with theirs, I also know how much better life can be! The emotional wounds may be heavy and the burden of experiences may seem like there is nothing that can be done to make it better. Medication may help, but the feelings can make living feel like swimming with a shot put ball. As a therapist, I strive to come alongside those struggling with anxiety, depression, grief, and bereavement to provide support and understanding, education and encouragement. I have worked with clients from age 5 to 103, and what I have found to be most important is the connection (or the “fit”) of the therapist and client. You need a therapist you can bring your authentic self to. You are hiring me to do a job, to help you think, feel, and behave better. You will be best served if we have a good connection. I want that for you, even if it is not me, so never be afraid to interview a few therapists before deciding! After all, if it is me, I will be in your corner and I will challenge you, at the same time. You want to know you chose wisely for yourself.

I work with adults navigating anxiety, depression, substance use challenges, emotional overwhelm, and difficult life transitions. Many of the clients I support feel exhausted from carrying stress, self-doubt, unhealthy coping patterns, or the emotional weight of trying to manage everything on their own.

My goal is to provide a supportive, nonjudgmental space where you feel safe, heard, and respected. Together, we’ll work toward understanding what’s keeping you stuck, strengthening healthier coping skills, and creating meaningful, lasting change that supports your emotional wellbeing and everyday life.

Hi, I'm glad you're here. Reaching out for support isn't always easy, and I'm honored you're considering taking that step. I work with adults navigating anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, substance use, and life's many challenges and transitions. Whether you're feeling overwhelmed, stuck, disconnected, or simply exhausted from carrying too much on your own, therapy can provide a space to slow down, process what's happening, and begin moving forward. My goal is to help you gain insight, develop practical coping skills, and create meaningful, lasting change while feeling supported every step of the way.

I have 26 years of experience dealing with individuals, couples, families in therapy. We will work together to develop plans that are unique and right for you.

I get to know each client individually, so we can work collaboratively to come up with goals that we work toward at your pace, ebbing and flowing as your needs change. My clinical experience has included intensive in-home crisis stabilization therapy, complex trauma treatment, solution-focused brief therapy, and treatment of dual-diagnoses.

I moved to St. Louis, MO from Tampa, FL in 2019 to study Social Work at Washington University, and chose to make a home here with my husband, child, and pets. I spend most of my leisure time cooking, gardening, reading, hiking, and going on crafting sprees. I also love to travel away from home, in search of grand museums and new foods.

Hello and congratulations for taking the first and sometimes hardest step of looking for a therapist. I’m a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the states of IN, KY LA, MO, NV, TX, WA and WV. I have the great privilege of working with adolescents and adults seeking assistance in improving their overall mental health and associated challenges. I’ve been in the behavioral health arena for over 40 years and have held numerous direct care and clinical leadership roles in a variety of settings. My joy comes from helping people navigate life's challenges.

Brittany is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a master of social work degree from Walden University. With over seven years of experience in the field of social work, she brings a wide-ranging background that includes working with the Children’s Division, in hospital settings, with geriatrics, and school-based social work. This diverse experience has given her a deep understanding of individuals across the lifespan and the unique challenges they face. Helping others through therapy is more than just a career, it’s a calling. Brittany believes deeply in the power of trauma-informed care and support, and the healing that comes from having a safe, judgment-free space to process and grow. She also believes in the importance of identifying the root cause of symptoms, rather than just managing surface-level issues.

Would you like to learn how to surf through life's challenges rather than get pummeled by them? I can teach you as a Positive Intelligence coach, and Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). For over 30 years, in Missouri and Illinois I've helped people of all ages struggling with emotional regulation, the management of symptoms of depression or anxiety, stress, life transitions, anger management, parenting, and burnout to become the best versions of themselves. Together, we would focus on what is helpful and let go of judging what is right or wrong.

Dr. John has more than thirty years experience in counseling ministry, including fifteen years in military chaplaincy, in both Active Duty and Reserves, including combat tour of duty in Iraq; He holds a Masters of Arts in Theological Studies, a Masters of Divinity, specializing in Pastoral Counseling, and a Doctor of Ministry in Marriage and Family Counseling. John & Terri have been married 30+ years and have five children.

I want to join you in building a world full of connected, alive, brave people. With over 10 years experience as a therapist, and a constant curiosity about the world, I can support you in a way that honors your worldview, provides grounded support, and clears a path for unshakable healing. I will diligently advocate for open connection with the vital parts of yourself. I am here to help you feel fully connected.

Partner 1: “I reach for you, but it feels like you’re already gone.” I’m left wondering if I matter to you at all.” Partner 2: “When you come close, I feel the pressure to be perfect, so I pull back to protect us both.” These unspoken messages leave couples lonely and stuck. I help break this anxious–avoidant cycle so partners feel safe, seen, and deeply connected again.

“I don’t understand why I want closeness so badly, yet feel disappointed when I have it. Why do I feel lonelier than others, even when I’m not alone?” Or: “I care deeply, but people say I’m distant or hard to read. When emotions get intense, I shut down—not because I don’t feel, but because it feels like too much.”

These quiet tensions live beneath awareness for many people. Longing and self-protection pull in opposite directions. Needs feel confusing, emotions feel overwhelming or unsafe, and core beliefs quietly form—I’m too much, I’m not enough, connection costs me something.

I help people loosen these patterns, reconcile the Self with more truthful and adaptive beliefs, and move toward self-acceptance and interdependence—where connection no longer threatens safety, but deepens it.

After nine years serving in the U.S. Coast Guard, I realized my deepest fulfillment came not from fixing systems, but from walking with people. Leaving the military was not a departure from service—it was a continuation of it. I pursued social work and theological training to better support people in their most important relationships. Today, my practice is devoted to couples counseling and trauma-informed care. Drawing primarily from Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) and EMDR, I help couples slow conflict, understand what drives disconnection, and emotional safety. As a veteran and seminary-trained therapist, I bring structure, compassion, and steady hope—meeting clients with respect, grace, and a belief in lasting change.

As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 25 years experience in leadership and direct care positions in behavioral health and substance abuse facilities, I remain dedicated to helping individuals respond to and cope with the challenges of life. These include living with anxiety, depression, grief/loss, relationship issues, parenting, or other life's stressors, as well as, the challenges of alcohol or drug abuse disorders. I have frequently witnessed, and believe, recovery is possible and I appreciate the opportuity to assist you in finding the hope, joy and happiness you deserve.

I came to train and serve as a counselor after being helped by counseling in my 40s. Sometimes reaching out for help and making changes in life is scary and overwhelming. Sometimes we need support as we navigate these changes. I love to support my clients as they make life-giving changes.

I’m Dr. Pearson, and I draw on over 30 years of counseling experience helping individuals, couples, marriages, families, teens, children, and organizations work through life’s challenges. I support clients dealing with depression, anxiety, stress, anger, relationship issues, family conflict, addiction and alcohol concerns, military-related stress, and major life transitions. My background includes working with people across many stages of life, including active-duty military members, veterans, DoD staff, military families, couples preparing for marriage, families under stress, and individuals seeking healthier ways to live at home, at work, and in their relationships. I believe therapy should offer hope, practical support, and a clear path toward healthy change.

You've probably spent a lot of time pushing through — carrying the anxiety, the grief, the stress, or the weight of things you haven't quite said out loud yet. Maybe you've wondered if what you're feeling is "bad enough" to bring to therapy, or whether anyone would really understand your specific situation. It is. And they will. I'm Jenna Miller, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker supporting individuals across diverse backgrounds — offering a space where you can finally feel heard, not just managed.

With a career spanning nearly two decades in child welfare and clinical social work, Laura provides a specialized safe place for youth (ages 3–26) navigating life’s most difficult experiences. Her practice focuses on building inner coping and resilience by enhancing bodily awareness and active curiosity, ensuring that healing isn’t just a cognitive process, but a physical one.

Specialized Clinical Focus:

Childhood Trauma: Expert in childhood sexual abuse, abuse and neglect, grief, bullying, complex medical diagnosis/complications, and all the BAD, SAD, and SCARY things in-between.

Specialized Sexual Behavior Work: Extensive experience facilitating therapy for children and adolescents with inappropriate and illegal sexual behaviors.

Systemic Support: Navigating foster care, adoption, divorce, family and/or sibling dynamics, behavioral struggles, and school avoidance.

Therapy can be a powerful space for support, insight, and meaningful change. With more than 20 years of experience, I work with clients across the lifespan, including those in the "sandwich generation," older adults, caregivers, and people facing serious illness. I help individuals navigate complex family dynamics, work and health stressors, and major life transitions. A central focus of my work is helping clients communicate more effectively in the relationships that matter most-with partners, parents, adult children, and siblings-and break the patterns that keep important conversations stuck.