Allow Therapy Partners

10/04/2022

Allow is so happy to welcome Elise Waugh, LLMSW!

Just as we sometimes need help caring for physical aches and pains, sometimes we need help improving our mental health. I am passionate about helping others look inward to learn more about themselves and connect with their inner voice through the power of therapy. At its heart, therapy is as powerful as what you put into it. Being vulnerable can often feel daunting, but by working together, my goal is to help you build the confidence you need to bravely take the reins when you feel like the life you want is just out of reach.

I earned my Master of Social Work from the University of Southern California and am trained in evidence-based interventions like CBT, Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction, and Emotionally Focused Therapy. I have a special passion for working with couples, folks with ADHD, and those in the LGBTQIA community. My clients include adults and couples looking to work on communication skills, self-worth issues, and coping strategies for executive dysfunction, career challenges, and anxiety and depression.

06/08/2022

Great Blog Post from our team consultant, Dr. Lawrence Wentworth, Ph. D.

Written by Lawrence T. Wentworth, Ph.D. The list of celebrities who have died by su***de seems to be never ending:  Robin Williams, Kate Spade, Anthony Bourdain, Miss USA, Chellie Kryst and most recently, Naomi Judd and Toddlers and Tiara’ star Kailila Posey.   My clients ask me

05/24/2022

Laurie Eldred, LMSW, CAADC will is accepting new clients and will be starting full time June 6!

As a licensed clinical Master of Social Work and Certified Advanced Addiction Drug Counselor who has been in the social worker field since 2004, I seek to support people struggling with boundaries, self-care, and understanding difficult early life experiences.

I work with adult members of the LQBTQI+ group and communities of color to provide a safe space to be yourself, as well as process radicalized and homophobic trauma embedded in our current culture. I want you to feel seen, heard, and affirmed for the amazing person you are becoming.

I have worked in a variety of social work positions including within the criminal justice system, child protective services, community mental health in both Ionia and Kent County as front line staff and a supervisor, substance abuse treatment, and medical social work. I provide trainings for social workers in the area of self care, substance use, and secondary trauma for front line staff just to name a few. Additionally, I host groups using EMDR-IGTP to address traumatic community incidents. In addition, I provide supervision for interns, new clinical social workers and seasoned social workers. I’m also a delegate for NASW Michigan, and volunteer to address criminal justice reform.

During my free time, I like to spend time with my family, listen to true crime podcasts, hike, practice yoga, meditate and read a good book.

04/07/2022

11/08/2021

Allow Therapy is happy to welcome
Jordan Stephenson, LMSW to our team!

She is currently accepting new clients in person and via telehalth and is participating with BCBS, United Healthcare, and ASR. Contact allow with any additional questions or to get scheduled!

As we walk on the journey through life, the load we carry can get heavy. Anxiety, depression, emotional dysregulation, trauma, and life stressors can weigh us down. As your therapist, my aim is to help you prioritize your goals, recover from traumatic experiences, and implement coping skills, so that you can reduce your burden on the path to wellness.

In 2017, I received my Master of Social work from the University of Illinois Chicago, with a mental health concentration. I am a trauma informed clinician, and my specialties include adults with anxiety, depression, trauma, and Borderline Personality Disorder. I have experience providing case management and therapy services to patients with severe, persistent mental illness and/or substance use disorders. I utilize evidence based practices of DBT, mindfulness, emotion regulation, Seeking Safety, motivational interviewing, and harm reduction in my practice.

04/12/2021

So excited about this group offering for EMDR on the collective trauma of COVID 19 led by Laurie Eldred. Check out our blog for more info and e-mail Scott@allowtherapy.com to sign up!

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) can be one of the most powerful treatment methods for people with trauma experiences, and can help process our most painful and hurtful memories. Typically, EMDR is done within a one-to-one therapy setting between a trained therapist and client, b

12/01/2020

We are so excited to share that our own, Whitney Davis-Simmons will now be working with clients via telehealth as an MSW intern! Please share and reach out if you would like to schedule an appointment with her!

I made the choice to become a therapist in the hopes of being able to work with those individuals seeking guidance through the uncertainties of life. It can be nerve racking to reach out for help but my goal is to create an environment as well as a relationship that allows people to feel safe to open up about what they are looking to work on or overcome. I enjoy working with all ages but have a strong desire to work with children, teens and young adults, who have or currently are experiencing depression, anxiety and other forms of mental health difficulties. I feel it is important to teach people however young or old, that it’s okay, to not be okay and to provide them with the appropriate tools to tackle life’s obstacles as they come.

I graduated with my Bachelor’s degree in Communication from the University of North Dakota in 2012 and am currently working towards my Master’s degree in Social Work from Western Michigan University. My current background includes, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Motivational Interviewing (MI), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR).

08/24/2020

Allow Therapy welcomes Bre Keller, LLMSW!

In our lives, we are given experiences- some we choose for ourselves, and some we do not. Some of these experiences create hurt, stress, or even trauma that may feel overwhelming, even unbearable at times. I want you to know that, if you are there, that is not where you have to stay. As a therapist, my desire is to partner with my clients in their journey towards healing wounds so they can become a healthy, integrated self, and prevent their pain from becoming someone else's hurt. We all possess wisdom and strength, and it is my honor to give my clients the room to access these inner resources and, with permission, guide them towards integrating it into their future thoughts and choices. I have had the opportunity to work with people from all walks of life, and I enjoy creating a space where all feel safe and accepted in the midst of life's messiness.

As an undergraduate, I earned a BA in Psychology and a BA in Religion, and moved on to earn my Masters in Social Work from Grand Valley State University a few years later. I have experience working with the foster care system, co-occurring disorders, substance use disorders and addiction, as well as addressing mental health concerns of depression, anxiety, and ADHD. My training and experience has enabled me to integrate therapeutic techniques specifically addressing the needs of each client, including cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, mindfulness, harm reduction and motivational interviewing. I am also earning my certification as a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor, and I am fully trained in EMDR. It is my hope that therapy will offer opportunities for healing, growth, and a thriving life. If you are interested in inviting me to be a part of your journey, you are invited to reach out at any time.