Book a therapist or psychiatrist in Kansas City, MO covered by Aetna

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.

Sometimes life changes in ways you never expected. Whether you're navigating anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, the transition into parenthood, or the emotional demands of caring for others, it's easy to lose sight of yourself while trying to keep everything together. You don't have to face those challenges alone. For more than 20 years, I've partnered with individuals experiencing anxiety, depression, grief and loss, women's issues, and trauma, helping them build resilience, strengthen relationships, and rediscover hope during life's most difficult seasons. Working with children, adolescents, and adults, I strive to create a compassionate, supportive space where you feel genuinely heard, respected, and empowered to move toward lasting healing.

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.

If you are moving through a major life transition, especially one you did not choose, you may notice that old ways of coping no longer work. Many people I see are adapting to a new chapter, trying to build skills for what is next while caring about how change will affect the people they love. Some arrive unsure about trying therapy again after a difficult experience. Together, we explore how your family of origin and earliest relationships echo in what you face today.

Your story has made you who you are. I offer a judgement free space for you to share that story.

Hello!

I proudly bring lived experience to the table, so I know a different life than comes in textbooks. It increases my odds of understanding you better and of being able to develop unique strategies for you in a shorter amount of time. I've wanted to work in mental health since I was a child, and bring that enthusiasm to my work. Hope to see you soon.

If you're dealing with anxiety that won't let up, a life change that's left you off-balance, or relationship tension that keeps getting in the way — I can help. After 10 years as a school social worker in St. Louis, I know what it looks like when people are overwhelmed, and what it actually takes to move through it. Today I work with adults navigating similar territory: the pressure that builds quietly, the transitions that feel harder than expected, the moments in relationships that leave you stuck. My focus is on making therapy practical, grounded, and worth your time.