ADHD therapists and psychiatrists in Springfield, MO

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.

I’m a licensed therapist with a background in Marriage and Family Therapy. I work with individuals, couples and families who are navigating depression, anxiety, relationship challenges, or just feeling stuck. My approach is collaborative, supportive, and grounded in research—I’m here to help you make sense of what you’re going through and find a path forward. Whether you're facing a tough transition or looking to strengthen your emotional well-being, we’ll work together to create meaningful change.

I have over 20 years of experience in healthcare. My career began as a pharmacy technician, then as an emergency room nurse, and later supervising behavioral health units at Mercy St. Louis before becoming a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner.This background allows me to understand mental health from both medical and psychiatric perspectives.

Katie Gerwel has spent over a decade supporting children and their mental health needs in the school setting. Katie is a person-centered therapist who meets the needs of the child and family to help them grow and thrive. She has experience and training in cognitive behavioral therapy and trauma-focused techniques.