Elaine Evans, MS, Licensed Professional Counselor

Many of the clients I work with tell me that life looks good on paper, but it doesn’t feel that way on the inside. They’re successful and hardworking, but often feel worn out or disconnected, especially in their relationships. They’re tired of trying so hard to feel happy. Often, they wonder if their past is still shaping how they feel today, and sometimes, they start to lose hope that things can really change. But deep down, they know they’re ready for relief, to feel more confident in themselves, and to connect more meaningfully with the people in their lives. If this resonates, I'm glad you found me! I specialize in working with hard-working adults who struggle with relationships, trauma, or grief. They come to me looking for a therapist who empowers their ability to create change. Sessions with me are focused on your needs and your pace. Together, we explore the impact of the past and heal while learning ways to navigate the present, often with eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR). As an experienced therapist and past yoga instructor, I believe that you already have what you need to heal deep within you. You don’t have to continue feeling overwhelmed and unsatisfied, and you don’t have to do it alone. I'm currently accepting new clients! I'd love to chat with you. Click "email me" to schedule a free 15-minute consultation call!

I’m sure you remember a time when that nagging voice of the inner critic, the constant stream of anxious thoughts, and your feelings of persistent loneliness weren’t your normal, but now those days feel like a distant memory, and you wish you had the tools to get back to feeling at ease with yourself and your life. If you’re looking for a trauma therapist in Phoenix, AZ, you’ve come to the right place. I’m Elaine, and I help people who are feeling just like you—those who have it within themselves to be healthy and thriving again, but just need the support and guidance to get there. I help my clients find peace, confidence, and joy by equipping them with the tools they need to uncover and heal from the pain of the past, tune in to emotions, and engage meaningfully in relationships while navigating change and transition. Many of today’s solutions for emotional and relational distress, or life transition, involve the assumption that the therapist is the guru and holds all of the answers for their clients. This often leads to clients feeling more disconnected from themselves and dependent on their therapist. I believe you are the expert on you, and that you already hold the wisdom and intuition you need to heal. In our work together, I help you to reconnect with that inner self and access healing and growth that’s aligned with the unique person you are. Rather than handing you over-simplified strategies for thinking differently or choosing new coping skills, I help you first identify past experiences that impact the pain and unhelpful patterns of the present. Then, we explore ways to heal that past pain in a manner most effective for you. Through our work together, you’ll feel less bothered by past painful events, more grounded in yourself, and able to navigate relationships with greater ease.

I am dedicated to helping people heal from the past and live free and fulfilled in the present. My training in trauma-informed therapy, such as EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing) and IFS (Internal Family Systems), means I have the expertise you need and deserve when healing from past experiences. But at the end of the day, you want to know you are working with someone who ?gets? what it means to be an adult struggling to feel connected and confident in yourself and your relationships, right? I get it because I?ve experienced past painful experiences that I didn?t even realize impacted my present-day anxieties, worries, feelings of discontent, and emotional overwhelm. These events taught me unhelpful ways to view myself and the world - those lessons held me back from the confidence and freedom I craved. I know that sometimes it just feels like there?s something wrong inside that could never be fixed. So, when we work together, you won?t just get a trained therapist. You?ll get someone who truly understands what you?re going through.

WHAT IS A ?THIRD PLACE?? In therapy, a ?third place? is created between the client and therapist in which the client can see and experience themselves in a new way that is uniquely safe because of its distinction from other places and relationships in life. COMPASSION We are complex beings with unique stories and experiences. When we are the recipient of a compassionate presence, we?re able to see ourselves in a new light which paves the way to curiosity and insight. SAFETY It?s my life?s greatest honor to be witness to the stories of healing in my clients. This is only made possible when the space is emotionally safe, without judgement or assumption. This includes upholding the confidential nature of our work together. AUTONOMY Because I believe my clients are the expert on themselves, I follow my client?s intuition about what they need, and what is working. We pivot approaches where necessary and I continuously point clients back to themselves, building their sense of trust in self.