Bipolar disorder therapists & psychiatrists in Kansas City, MO

I’m an affirming, open-minded therapist who works with adults navigating trauma, anxiety, depression, panic, stress, relationship challenges, identity concerns, and major life changes. I also support clients dealing with maternal mental health concerns, including the emotional weight that can come with pregnancy, postpartum changes, infertility, and adjusting to a new season of life.

Since earning my master’s in 2021, I have worked in mental health with both children and adults in settings including crisis care, which has deepened my understanding of how overwhelming life can feel when symptoms start affecting your relationships, confidence, and daily routine. My goal is to offer a space that feels warm, approachable, compassionate, and real.

My ideal client is someone who feels overwhelmed, burned out, or stuck - whether from the pressures of work, family, trauma, or life transitions. They may be experiencing anxiety, depression, ADHD symptoms, or the lingering effects of trauma. Many are high functioning professionals, first responders, healthcare workers, or veterans who've spent years putting others first and are now realizing their own mental health needs attention. They're seeking a provider who listens, validates, and offers practical, stigma-free care to ease symptoms, improve focus and sleep, and regain balance with a collaborative, holistic plan.

Hi. I'm glad you found me!

I have been in the social work field for 30 years working with children and families. I have a BS in Psychology and a Masters in Social Work. I've been a social worker since 1995 and a licensed therapist since 2011. I believe it's important to have a safe and comfortable place to process how you are feeling.

I believe that everyone deserves a safe space to feel heard and supported. I pride myself on being a proactive advocate for my clients, ensuring that every strategy we implement is tailored to their unique long-term goals.

I work with high-functioning adults—often executives, entrepreneurs, and professionals—who have survived domestic violence, emotional abuse, or chronic trauma, and are ready to move beyond survival mode into real stability and direction. If you’re successful on the outside but exhausted, hypervigilant, or disconnected on the inside, this is where the real work begins.

Could you benefit from having a realistic, relaxed therapist who can help you achieve your goals to live your life to the fullest? Nice to meet you! I am an LCSW in the state of Missouri and I look forward to seeing what we can achieve together.

My name is Vanessa Cox. I'm the Founder and CEO of Extensive Prevention Intervention Counseling Services (EPICS) LLC, a professional counseling practice, and the Founder and Board Secretary of EPICS J. R. Foundation. The driving force behind my lifework has been a personal mission to live with integrity and make a difference in the lives of others. With over 30 years of clinical and administrative experience,

I am curious and validating, providing a nurturing environment to talk openly and honestly about your struggles, strengths, weaknesses, needs, likes, and dislikes. I love helping people explore their unique and particular powers as well as how these powers impact their world and their relationships. As a passionate supporter of those who have been through unjust or otherwise traumatic experiences--including those experiencing discrimination based upon race or gender identity or sexual orientation--I am particularly interested in helping people gain skills for dealing with, and making sense of, the remnants of their pasts.

Having completed Bessel Van der Kolk's Trauma Research Foundation's Certificate in Traumatic Stress Studies in early 2025, I have a strong foundational understanding of the most cutting edge approaches to treating trauma. I am also comfortable using a combination of approaches, including Psychodynamic, Gestalt, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. I received an MSW from the University of Pennsylvania, a psychodynamically focused program, after which I completed Bryn Mawr's certificate program in psychodynamic psychotherapy. I have also completed 1 year of Gestalt Therapy training and the Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Immersion Program.

As an LCSW, my training emphasized the role of social environment--from the family to society at large--in how we construct our narratives, enabling me to help you make sense of what in your life is yours to own and what is a product of your environment.

I have been provided therapy services since 2021. I was trained in EMDR in 2024 and have been practicing since then. I have worked with individuals of all ages, but prefer to work with ages 14 and up.