Life can get overwhelming sometimes, and everyone has an opinion on how you should manage it. No matter what you’re dealing with, someone always suggests a quick fix— anxiety: “just calm down;” depression: “just be happy;” or disordered eating: “just eat.” The reality is, if it were that simple, we would all be perfect people and never struggle with anything in our entire lives. That’s just not human nature. So if that’s not the answer, how do we grow and change? How do we resolve the deepest, most wounded parts of ourselves?

There’s a quote by Christine Langley-Obaugh that I love, which says, “We repeat what we don’t repair.” We have to sit with those uncomfortable parts of ourselves—our anxiety, depression, disordered eating, grief—and figure out when and why it showed up. What is it trying to tell us about ourselves and our experience?

That’s what the therapeutic space is for. We put other pieces of our lives on hold for an hour, to sit and listen and process. From there, we can establish a different way for the brain and body to communicate with one another; a way that allows for expression without overwhelm. It’s a process that can take some time, but it is oh so worth it.

Starting therapy can be scary, overwhelming, frustrating, and/or exhausting. There are so much options.. and if you're not a therapist yourself, many of the terms and specialties are new for you and probably don't mean anything yet. If you're not sure what exactly you're looking for, but know you want help and support, you're in the right place. I'll explain the process, walk through what next steps are and work with you along the way to answer questions and make sure what we are doing continues to feel supportive of your needs.

I offer my clients a safe space to explore questions and thoughts that they may not feel comfortable sharing with others. We will look at the feelings that come up for you in difficult situations and also share the wins together. We can keep things in the moment and focus on what's currently happening, or explore how past experiences have shaped you.

Everyone's needs are different, and there is not a one size fits all to therapy. I believe the relationship is the most important part of this process, and with a strong connection to your therapist (hopefully me!) real change and understanding can happen. If you're ready to start, please reach out and we can walk through this together.

Marquita is a Licensed Psychotherapist serving residents of Colorado, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and Maine in her virtual practice, Whole Heart Counseling. She serves individuals who desire healing from anxiety, depression, relationship conflict, life transitions, trauma, and work-life concerns.

Sheri is an Licensed Professional Counselor who has focused on working primarily with individual adults, who are seeking help with relationships, self-esteem, trauma, chronic illness, anxiety or depression. She also works with spouses experiencing the demands of intense executive life styles and also C Suite women. Sheri completed a Masters in Professional Counseling from Richmont Graduate School in Atlanta, with specialized course work in the application of Christian Spirituality in Counseling.

Sheri’s approach in counseling is to partner with the client in a collaborative way to help them grow in self-leadership of mind, body, and spirit. She works with common obstacles which prevent us from growing into wholeness, some examples are traumas of the past, boundary conflicts, negative self-talk, emotional burdens, health issues, and difficult in patterns of relationship. Deep listening and empathy, together with sound clinical knowledge are the tools Sheri uses to provide a safe haven to explore issues interfering with the client’s goals and desires for life.

Believing that each client is a unique individual, Sheri collaborates with them to determine what specific plan and techniques are best suited for them. She pulls from mindfulness techniques, cognitive behavioral therapy, and emotional regulation practices. Attachment and family systems theories are foundational to her work since identities and experiences largely result from our early influences. At the request of the client, Sheri integrates prayer and Biblical principles in the therapy room.

Sheri has been trained and certified with Christian Healing Ministries, has interned with the Amen Clinic, and has assisted at Cancer Treatment Centers of America. She also serves as a facilitator with the CEO Forum's Spiritual Leadership Institute for CEO women.

I have 10 years of experience working with individuals. I first started working at the school systems doing Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) to kids struggling with different diagnosis. (More on ABA later!) I also worked at an agency working with high crisis behavior such as self-injury and high magnitude aggression for children 2 to 18 years old. Later on, I got to manage two Adult Family Homes for people with developmental disabilities (autism, down syndrome, etc). I got my masters at Gonzaga University and continue to grow my experience as an intern at Frontier Behavioral Health where I got to see clients with Borderline Personality Disorder, PTSD, anxiety, depression and more. I have seen and counseled many different people with different diagnosis and various challenges. I highly enjoy working with autistic adults as well as anybody going through any life transition.

Disclaimer: I am a neurodivergent affirmative therapist. I do not run under ABA practices and I am here to help talk about healing from any form of therapy that did not suit your unique needs.

If you're feeling overwhelmed scrolling through profiles or wondering if you are even ready to go to therapy anyway, you're not alone. I know from experience both as the therapist and as the client that making the decision to go to therapy & setting up that first appointment is often the hardest part. I hope that you're proud of yourself for taking that step & making it here. My goal is to connect personally with each client so that we can work collaboratively to identify problems and goals and create a plan for treatment.
You're the expert on your life and goals—it’s my job to provide the help, insight, and encouragement you need to get there. I work with clients to identify the negative thought patterns and the underlying beliefs causing difficult emotional experiences such as anxiety or depression, replacing them with more adaptive and functional thoughts and coping skills.
A large component of success in therapy comes from the counseling relationship—in finding the right fit. If you think I might be a good fit for you, feel free to reach out and we can set up a free phone consultation. I look forward to hearing from you!!

Joy Fortanbary completed a Masters of Arts in Clinical and Mental Health Counseling from Richmont Graduate University and also holds a B.A. in Public Relations Journalism from the University of South Carolina. She is an Associate Professional Counselor by the Composite Board of Professional Counselors, Social Workers, And Marriage and Family Therapists. She is also a National Certified Counselor by the National Board of Certified Counselors and an ASAT-Candidate from the International Institute of Trauma and Addictions Specialists. Additionally, Joy has specialized training in EMDR, a therapeutic technique designed to help people struggling to process trauma.

Joy is passionate about partnering with individuals on the journey towards interpersonal healing that leads to generational change. She believes the most powerful growth happens in the context of relationship, which leads to her commitment to provide a genuine space marked by curiosity and collaboration.

Joy enjoys working with individuals navigating various challenges such as trauma, sex and love addictions, life transitions, anxiety, depression, and relationship conflict. Joy utilizes an integrative and holistic approach in the process of helping clients reach their personalized goals and lead a life more by design and not by default.

Joy gained valuable experience working with both individuals and groups in private practice and treatment center settings. Prior to counseling, she worked with leaders to establish national and global organizational partnerships at a large nonprofit in the Atlanta area. In her free time, Joy enjoys traveling, yoga, and spending time with her family.

Emily specializes in working with individual adults and teens (15yo+). She has extensive experience working with young adults and college students having difficulty with anxiety, depression, life stage transitions (moving, graduation or career change), suicidal thoughts, self-esteem, relationship concerns, and dating. Having assisted collegiate student athletes as well as working with athletes at the professional level, Emily understands the unique pressures of being an athlete and the impact on mental health. She has a passion for helping her clients maximize their quality of life and perform to their greatest potential in every area of their lives.

Emily is also a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC). This certification equips Emily to assist clients with mental health concerns affected by disabilities, traumatic brain injury and chronic health conditions. It allows Emily to address both the mental and physical components of wellness, thus improving clients’ daily functioning and their overall quality of life.

I have been supporting parents in every job or role I’ve had in adulthood whether I knew it at the time or not. My clinical work began working with teenagers in the inpatient setting. I noticed that there would be times where patients would become stable while in the hospital and then we would discharge them, only for them to return a short time later. I realized we needed to be working with the family as a whole. Then I began working with younger children, thinking if I intercepted my clients at a younger age, I could potentially prevent the struggles I saw on the inpatient unit. I slowly worked my way down in age, working in the infant and early childhood realm in mental health care. One day, I had a lightbulb moment. I noticed a trend in all of these settings: the most important and impactful work is done with parents. Most mental health difficulties in children (and even many adults!) can be traced back to early childhood. Those experiences either tend to help or hinder our roles as parents.

Do you find yourself spiraling with anxiety? If you're grappling with excessive worry about your health, experiencing panic attacks, or struggling with uncontrollable thoughts about everyday things, you're not alone. These challenges can be incredibly overwhelming and often lead to seeking constant reassurance from loved ones or compulsively searching for answers online. Maybe you’ve tried distracting yourself or avoiding situations, but nothing seems to provide lasting relief. It’s understandable to feel frustrated and exhausted by these cycles of anxiety.

I’m here to help. As a licensed therapist with a focus on anxiety disorders, I understand the complexities of these experiences. I use evidence-based approaches that are the gold standard of treatment.

If you're ready to break free from the cycle of anxiety and find meaningful relief, let's work together. My goal is to support you in building resilience and developing strategies tailored to your unique needs. Take the first step towards a more balanced life. Reach out today to schedule a consultation. You deserve to find peace and relief.