Emily Tucker

Welcome and thank you for stopping by my profile. I have worked in the field of mental health and wellness for nearly 20 years. I began my personal journey as a teen. As I grew and experienced challenges and opportunities, my fascination with "self-help" grew as did my interest in learning about human nature and behavior. Self-guided and traditional therapy have allowed the development of a deep appreciation for the connectedness of holistic wellness-based approaches. Natural, Spiritual, Mind-Body, Integrative, Energy Work, Dream Work, Physical and Emotional Transformation, all offer important aspects of self-discovery and personal growth. Traditional or Nontraditional, there are generally similarities that we can find among many healing modalities. When we experience challenges in life, often we appreciate our own gifts within that support us as we grow and adapt to changing circumstances and environments. Most of us however, have run into situations in which we feel our best efforts just aren't working. What has helped in the past, may not apply to new situations. Sometimes we form habits in our thoughts and actions that initially were created to help us manage and even protect ourselves. What happens when we outgrow these practices? We can feel stuck, lost, confused or overwhelmed. This can further add to our stress and anxiety. Some might call this a crisis, a breaking point, or simply a feeling that we are missing out on something that others seem to get. The idea that "we don't know what we don't know" has always fascinated and yet still surprises me. I continue to witness within myself and clients the discovery of hidden resources, wisdom, strength and compassion. According to Internal Family Systems, Self-energy described here exists in all of us. We all enter this world with this calm, creative, connected compassionate Self. The Self contains qualities that connect us with the Universe, forces of nature, a higher power, or a higher wisdom. This energy within us presents as calm, connected, curious, creative, compassionate, courage and clarity. Because we also each have unique parts of ourselves to work with and support us, we sometimes lose sight of our true Self energy. Our wonderful managing, protecting and playful parts of us are affected by the trauma we see around us in the world. This becomes even more pronounced when we begin life in an abusive home, experience traumatic loss or injury or experience traumatic and life changing events without our adult development intact to help us process and work through what we experienced. Our parts work hard constantly to protect us. Sometimes working so hard, they lose touch with the core Self energy and feel that all the responsibility of living and being in the world. The parts of us that feel responsible can also feel burdened by this responsibility. Without the Self energy presence, this can look and feel like chaos. In order to survive our parts may grow in ways that we don't understand. Embracing Internal Family Systems model allows us to work with ourselves in a multidimension way. The Self-led Internal Family Systems model can also benefit those seeking support in their relationships. Identifying how our defenses can trigger miscommunication and conflict within relationships allows us to consider changing the way we communicate with partners and family members. The Gottman Sound Relationship House Model views relationships as a foundation of love, trust, and understanding. As the relationship grows, we learn more about ourselves. After observing couple interactions for over 30 years, the Gottman's have identified the behaviors of healthy "successful" relationships. They have also determined which behaviors predict divorce or relationship "disasters." As a graduate of several Gottman trainings including the Level 2 for working with Couples and Bringing Baby Home, I rely heavily on the Gottman Model when working with couples. Other therapeutic approaches and models that most influence my practice approach and philosophy include Person Centered, Internal Family Systems, and Jungian based concepts. I also frequently utilize Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Solution Focused Brief (SFBT), Somatic, Strength-Based and Trauma Focused approaches and other strategies. I also have extensive training in hypnotherapy, guided meditation, and crisis intervention. The Client leads the counseling process while I provide any helpful tools or information that may help the client process their thoughts and feelings. Sometimes while exploring our present experience, we find a trailhead directing us to revisit the past and process unresolved feelings or problems. Ultimately, the counseling process is led by the client and I am present to provide reflection, feedback, support and to suggest resources. If you are looking for extra support and guidance through a challenging situation or you're just ready to move in a new direction in your life, I look forward to working with you as you achieve your goals.