The Pragmatic Therapist

Bios

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  Michael Lieberman

  Owner/Therapist

  MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELOR, CERTIFIED THERAPIST IN EMDR, AND IFS TRAINED Your relationship with your therapist is unlike any other relationship. The typical expectation is that you drive to an office, talk, and divulge personal information with a stranger. As a therapist (and a client of therapy), I know what it’s like to step into a therapist’s office to explore a problem and feel shame, embarrassment, or frustration. My name is Michael, creator of The Pragmatic Therapist. My practice is, well, pragmatic: a simple, sensible, and realistic approach to therapy. I love working with people who want to learn how their past affects the present because I have been there myself. I know how exhausting it is when you try every trick in the book to feel better but get no results. Often, this can be a cycle that’s hard to break because you have a collection of memories that support a negative point of view. But, that moment when a client proclaims, “I never thought the past impacted my present so much…” reminds me how important addressing the past is and how much I enjoy the field of counseling.

  Services:

  Link: Michael Lieberman

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  Hope Stanley

  Mental Health Therapist

  I too have stepped into the office of a therapist as a client, myself, and I know what it’s like to be exposed, vulnerable, and surprised by being open. My name is Hope, and I believe counseling should be: simple, sensible, and realistic. I love working with people who are ready to commit to therapy because committing to all the other things has fallen short. I, myself, know the feeling of trying to educate myself with lots of readings and seminars, dedicating my routine to prioritize exercise, trying diet, trying boundaries with toxic people and realizing that while all these things are so wonderful for the fulfilling life that I want, they are not enough to heal my nervous system, not the way EMDR can.

  Services:

  Link: Hope Stanley

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  Alexandra Keirstead

  Mental Health Therapist

  Starting therapy is an act of courage, hope, and will. It takes guts to open up, examine yourself, and work toward positive change. Even if you feel desperate and alone, in therapy you can find encouragement and support. My name is Alexandra, and I am a cheerful trauma therapist. Why cheerful? Because, as a therapist and as a client, I have seen change, healing, and peace. When someone is overwhelmed by thoughts, emotions, and physical stress, I see the body and brain working overtime to heal. Therapy supports that healing process as the counselor and client work together to clean out old trauma and develop the life the client wants to lead. The therapeutic relationship is different than other relationships. Can you trust this person? Ask your counselor questions, listen, and pay attention to your gut feeling. Finding the right therapist is about finding the right fit. My experience as a teacher, administrator, salesperson, volunteer, and family member has allowed me to gain understanding and empathy for a variety of life challenges. My training as a counselor helps me listen to my clients with openness and compassion as I seek to understand their life experience.

  Services:

  Link: Alexandra Keirstead

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  Whitney Harris

  Mental Health Therapist

  An effective therapy experience is built on relationships—with your therapist and with yourself. I know what it’s like to lay bare the most sensitive and vulnerable parts of one’s life, and I appreciate the significance of entrusting another person to bear witness to the sacred process of self-exploration and transformation that takes place in therapy. My name is Whitney, and I’m grateful you’re here! I recognize that you’ve taken the steps that have led you to this page because something truly matters to you, and you’re ready to make a change. I have been in a space of noticing that what worked for me in the past had become less and less helpful or healthy, or that I had outgrown my go-to patterns of thinking and relating. I’ve also felt a sense of stuck-ness, leaving me wondering whether doing the hard work to achieve a more balanced, connected, purposeful, and fulfilling life was worth it (or even possible). I am interested in working in partnership with you to uncover and mobilize your own capacity for resiliency, strength, and self-healing, and supporting you in taking action on what you value most so you can finally savor all that you are doing and working for instead of letting anxiety, stress, fear, shame, or other insecurities call the shots.

  Services:

  Link: Whitney Harris

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  Stephanie Beguin-Howard

  Mental Health Therapy

  Therapy can be difficult to start and I am here to help make it feel as safe and welcoming for you as possible. It’s not easy being vulnerable, examining ourselves, and talking about distressing life events. However, I am a strong believer as a therapist (and someone who also receives therapy) that you can find hope, encouragement, and support with a therapeutic partner. My name is Stephanie and I am a warm, nonjudgmental, and empowering trauma therapist. I start where the client is and provide tools to increase insight, healing, and peace so that that the charge in your trauma-related triggers are minimized/eliminated and reprocessed into more productive and positive patterns of thinking & behaviors. Finding the right therapist is about finding the right fit. My extensive experiences and training as a social worker for the last 25+ years with many different populations, as well as travel all over the world, have allowed me to learn from so many different perspectives and life experiences. I look forward to working you as a collaborative partner in your journey towards growth and healing!

  Link: Stephanie Beguin-Howard