Life Transitions Therapists in Nashville

Melissa Rabell, MS, LMHC, CCTP is a licensed mental health counselor, trauma therapist, and founder of Reinventing Hope Counseling. She works with individuals navigating anxiety, depression, self-worth struggles, grief, relationship challenges, and the lasting impact of childhood and complex trauma. Melissa’s work is rooted in an integrative, trauma-informed, mind-body approach that emphasizes nervous system regulation, somatic awareness, and compassionate self-understanding. She believes healing begins when people feel safe enough to slow down, listen inward, and honor the patterns that once helped them survive while gently learning new ways to live, connect, and choose themselves. With experience in both inpatient and outpatient settings, Melissa brings both clinical expertise and deep attunement into her work. Clients often describe her presence as grounding, warm, and steady. She creates space for people to feel seen without being rushed, fixed, or judged, and supports them in building trust with themselves and their bodies. Melissa is also the host of the Reinventing Hope podcast, where she offers accessible mental health education, trauma-informed insight, and honest conversations about healing and growth. She serves clients in Florida and Tennessee and leads Reinventing Hope Counseling with the belief that healing is not about changing who you are, but about returning to yourself and learning what you need to live a more fulfilling, connected life.

I Am Well Consulting is a boutique group therapy practice dedicated to fostering healing, resilience, and personal evolution. We believe that mental wellness is not merely the absence of struggle, but the presence of empowerment and a deeply rooted sense of self. Our practice serves as a sanctuary for those navigating the complexities of trauma, identity, and life transitions, providing a space where your lived experience is honored and your growth is prioritized.

I'm a psychotherapist with over 30 years of clinical experience. My interest in this work began early, shaped by growing up in a codependent and emotionally complex family system. From a young age, I was drawn to understanding human behavior, emotional regulation, and the way people adapt to survive. Later, my professional path was deepen by my own lived experience of addiction and long-term recovery. With 38 years in recovery, I bring a grounded, compassionate, and non-patholigizing lens to the therapy process. This experience informed my deep respect for the nervous system, attachment patterns, and the intelligence of adaptive responses. My approach is relational, somatic, and experiential. I integrate nervous system based and parts – informed modalities to support healing that unfolds through safety, pacing, and attuned presence. I am particularly interested in helping people move beyond insight, alone toward embodied, change, integration, and renewed agency. I believe therapy works best when it honors both resilience and vulnerability, and when healing is approached as a collaborative process rather than something imposed.

I believe my purpose is to help you find yours. After getting sober from addiction in my early 20's, I realized there was so much information that I was unaware even existed. My most important goal at that point was to learn as much as possible to help others avoid the pain and suffering that comes with not knowing, while maximizing their full potential.

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the State of Tennessee and also registered to provide telehealth services in the State of Florida. I am from Ohio originally and earned my Bachelors of Social Work at Bowling Green State University in Ohio. Then I went on to earn my Masters of Social Work at the University of Michigan. I have worked in diverse fields from schools, community mental health, an inpatient psychiatric hospital and outpatient therapy. I am a parent of adult children and can relate to raising children and balancing aging and ill parents.

Originally from central Indiana, but I’ve made Nashville my home over the past 10 years. Prior to my work as a therapist, I spent several years working in a non-profit setting with kids and young families. Additionally, I have experience working with families who have experienced foster care, adoption, separation, divorce, and blended families. With a desire to be equipped to do more in-depth and meaningful work with families, I went on to pursue my Masters of Marriage and Family Therapy at Lipscomb University. In my free time I enjoy long runs, playing pickle ball, spending time with family and friends, and finding any reason to get outside.

I am a Licensed Professional Counselor-Mental Health Service Provider (LPC-MHSP) in the state of Tennessee. I received my bachelor degree in Psychology from Tennessee Technological University in 2017 and went on to complete my Masters program in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Lipscomb University in 2019. I have experience working in the clinical setting with adult individuals and couples. I began working as a crisis counselor in 2019 but worked in the crisis field as a resident counselor, facilitating group therapy before this. I transitioned to clinical counseling, seeing individuals and couples, in 2022 and have loved it since. My work has been with those who are struggling with any form of trauma, anxiety and mood disorders, attachment issues, emotional wounds, addiction, self-worth issues, and adult children of dysfunctional family systems.

With almost twenty years as a therapist, and having completed training in attachment science, addiction and trauma, I offer clients a safe and judgment free space to work on their concerns. My undergraduate degree is in Social Work and Psychology. My graduate degree is a Master of Marriage and Family Therapy. I also value my life experiences as a human, woman, wife, mother and grandmother, in no particular order.

My goal is to walk alongside you as you explore your story, heal from past wounds, and create new patterns for the future. I take a holistic approach to care, supporting the mind, body, and spirit, while working collaboratively with you at your pace. Whether you’re navigating a life transition, processing trauma, or seeking healthier relationships, I strive to provide a safe and supportive space where you can begin writing the next chapter of your life. I graduated from LeTourneau University in East Texas with a dual Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy and Professional Counseling. After graduation, my husband and I moved to Middle Tennessee to start our new chapter. I desire to stand in the gap between hard places and life with my clients who may be struggling with trauma, anxiety, postpartum transition, or other mental health issues. I believe that our life experiences are not wasted and can be used for the good of ourselves and others.

We all have a desire for a fulfilling and joyful life. Oftentimes obstacles come in the way of achieving that, whether that be loss, relationship issues, anxiety, trauma, addiction, depression, struggles with purpose and identity, life transitions, difficulty processing emotion etc. My goal is to provide a safe and nonjudgemental space where people can explore these significant experiences. I am passionate about helping others pursue growth and healing that can lead to wholeness - mentally, emotionally and in relationships. I look forward to supporting and encouraging you on your journey to a truly fulfilled life.

I’m Richard Yadon, a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and founder of MindCare Health in Franklin, Tennessee. I work primarily with driven professionals—executives, entrepreneurs, attorneys, and high-capacity adults—who appear successful outwardly but feel mentally overloaded internally. With years of nursing experience and advanced psychiatric training, I combine evidence-based medication management with practical, holistic strategies. My focus goes beyond symptom relief. I evaluate sleep, stress, executive function, lifestyle patterns, and performance demands—because high achievers don’t just want to feel “less anxious.” They want clarity, focus, steadiness, and sustained energy. Many patients seek care for adult ADHD, anxiety, burnout, mood instability, or complex medication questions. They value thorough assessment, clear explanations, and a structured plan tailored to real-world responsibilities—career, leadership, and family. Working with me is collaborative and direct. You can expect careful listening, thoughtful clinical judgment, measurable goals, and ongoing refinement. My aim is simple: help you think clearly, regulate effectively, and perform at your highest level without sacrificing your health or your values.

If a part of you is feeling intimidated by therapy and another part is trying to talk yourself out of needing it, you’re in good company. Before becoming a therapist, I sat in the client’s chair—both in individual and couples therapy. I’ve experienced firsthand the courage it takes to find the right therapist, to risk vulnerability with a stranger, and to start an unfamiliar process. But the reality is, when you have the right clinician, therapy should be the place where you finally feel safe enough to meet yourself.

I'm Adam, a trauma-informed therapist, and I help people who suffer from worries, nagging thoughts, religious fears, or the lingering effects of past traumas. I specialize in helping individuals who are struggling with OCD, anxiety, and trauma. I also help couples work through challenges and rediscover connection in their relationships.

I received my Master's in Marriage and Family Therapy from Lipscomb University. I have a passion for helping those facing challenges on their parenting journey, and I’m interested in working with clients struggling with stress management, identity issues, relationship conflict, and processing life events. I have completed Gottman Method Couples Therapy Level 1 and am a certified Prepare/Enrich Facilitator. I also have experience leading our New Moms Group, and I have loved getting to hear moms’ stories through the experience. I am devoted to creating a space where her clients feel heard and understood by her, as she and her clients work together to implement practical steps toward their therapeutic goals. I understand that parents are often an overlooked population in the mental health world. I am committed to sitting with my clients through the difficult trials life may bring, and empowering them to make the changes they want to see.

I have been working in the mental health field for over ten years in multiple settings. I obtain licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor with Mental Health Service Provider designation in the state of Tennessee, along with being an out-of-state Telehealth Licensed Mental Health Counselor for the state of Florida. I also hold a Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling with a specialty in play therapy and expressive arts, along with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. I have completed numerous specialized trainings, including EMDR, Brainspotting, Trauma Professional training, Anxiety-Informed Professional training, and Perinatal Mental Health training through Postpartum Support International. My journey of work through the mental health field has guided me to various opportunities throughout the years. I founded and direct a non-profit that works with children with different abilities and their families that utilizes equine, art, theatre, and music therapies and activities. I have experience as a Behavior Therapist for children on the spectrum, have worked at a psychiatric rehabilitation home for adults recovering from severe mental illness, and have volunteered my skills in numerous healthcare settings, on top of providing individual therapy for a variety of ages in the Nashville area. I also have a heart for and heightened experience working within the entertainment business and with those that are involved in the entertainment business.

If you've been through something painful — whether it's a single traumatic event or years of experiences that have shaped how you see yourself and the world — you already know it affects more than just your emotions. Trauma shows up in your relationships, your body, and the way you move through daily life. You don't have to keep pushing through it alone. I'm Rob Fitzpatrick, a Licensed Professional Counselor with over a decade of experience helping people heal from trauma and reclaim their lives. I've worked across inpatient treatment, community mental health, and private practice settings. I believe healing isn't about forgetting what happened — it's about no longer being controlled by it.

I’m Robert, a Marriage and Family Therapist based in Middle Tennessee. I believe therapy works best when it feels human—warm, honest, and grounded in real life. My work is shaped by years of sitting with individuals, couples, teens, and families as they navigate anxiety, disconnection, faith questions, transitions, and the quiet pressures that build over time. I don’t see people as problems to be fixed, but as stories that deserve understanding, dignity, and care.

I’m Melinda but feel free to call me Mindy. I’m a therapist who KNOWS there is hope. How do I know there's hope? When my children were very young, years of past trauma brought me to my knees. I couldn’t function any longer. I was no longer the loving wife and mom that I wanted to be. I couldn’t work, and people told me I was beyond help. But I beat the odds. I didn’t beat them through talking. I beat them through brain-based therapy that reached into my injuries and healed them. I know you can do it, too.

A Nashville native, aka unicorn, I identify as she-who-seeks-to-shine-light, as a holder-of-space, a gentle ear/shoulder and a supportive hand. I am also a mother to 4 movers and shakers, spouse to a man I believe to be equally yoked, and I enjoy nature, travel (not vacations!), reading, hiking and thrifting.

Before becoming a therapist, I spent many years in music publishing —working closely with songwriters eager to share their stories with the world. That chapter of my life taught me how deeply people want to be seen and heard, and how easy it is to lose yourself while meeting expectations, chasing success, or caring for others. My path into therapy grew from that realization. Today, I bring both my clinical training and real-world experience into the therapy room. I work with individuals navigating anxiety, relationship challenges, major life transitions, and grief/loss. My approach is collaborative, compassionate, and practical. I believe therapy works best when it’s a space where you don’t have to perform—where you can slow down, get curious, and reconnect with your own internal rhythm. Together, we explore patterns, build emotional insight, and develop tools that support meaningful, sustainable change.

Molly Miller is a licensed marriage and family therapist who specializes in client-centered therapy with a focus on anxiety, depression, coping skills, stress management, trauma, and life transitions in teens, and young adults. People are not meant to be put in a box so neither should your therapy session. Each session is created for you with the freedom to move towards your goals in your own unique way.

Drea Cook is a relational trauma therapist based in Tennessee who specializes in complex PTSD, attachment wounds, and identity development. She works with adults and couples who are ready to do deeper healing work, shift long-held self-beliefs, and cultivate more connected and authentic relationships. Drea has over a decade of clinical experience across college counseling, recovery-focused care, and private practice.

April Riddick is dedicated to empowering her clients by emphasizing their inherent strengths and abilities through a strengths-based approach. April helps individuals across Alaska, Alabama, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Virginia navigate challenges related to anxiety, depression, trauma, and grief, offering a path to spiritual, mental, physical, and emotional wellness. Her clinical approach helps clients achieve balance and well-being, tailored to the unique needs of each person. April is particularly passionate about addressing women’s issues, including postpartum depression and anxiety, which she approaches with empathy and a deep understanding of the emotional complexities involved. Her extensive experience enables her to guide her clients through a variety of life’s hurdles, always with a deep commitment to their personal growth and well-being. Her direct communication style and shared decision-making approach with her clients is important to the therapeutic process.

I strive to become the best I can be in and out of the therapy room. I enjoy reading, singing, listening to music, working out at the gym, and exploring new ideas. Water sports, running/walking, and hiking are my outdoor activities of choice. Playing a board or strategy game with my friends and family are ways I stay connected and are what I look forward to after some time with myself. I am grateful to worship at St. Elizabeth Orthodox Christian Church in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. On our journey, I want to help you gain more self-knowledge and channel your thoughts, emotions, and desires in a way that helps bring you to a place of greater wholeness and connection.

Hello! I’m Gwen Pontikes, the dedicated therapist behind Therapy with Gwen, specializing in trauma and addiction. With experience in supporting clients facing mental health challenges and substance use disorders in residential settings, I bring a wealth of life experience to my therapy practice. My own journey through a childhood marked by addiction and codependence has shaped my approach to therapy. Having navigated my struggles with anxiety and depression, I’ve gained valuable insights into managing childhood dysfunction and overcoming unhealthy coping mechanisms. I also understand the complexities of supporting a loved one through addiction recovery, which inspired me to transition into a second career in counseling. Throughout my life, I have cared for my parents during their declining health and end-of-life issues, striving to balance my responsibilities to them, my spouse, my children, and myself in a healthy manner. The grief I faced from losing my parents has deepened my understanding of life’s emotional challenges, allowing me to offer compassionate support to my clients. I prioritize my own wellbeing as a therapist by seeking supervision and consultation, and I invest in my personal growth through therapy. This commitment helps me be the best therapist I can for my clients.

I believe that each individual is special and unique. Therefore my therapeutic technique is tailored to best serve my client's personal needs. I utilize a holistic approach to therapy, which considers the entire human being and collective life experiences. This method includes physical and spiritual contexts as well as mental well being. I am licensed in the states of TN and IL, and offer both in person and virtual therapy sessions. I’ve been practicing since 2011 and my areas of specialty are grief, trauma and loss, depression and anxiety, substance abuse, women’s issues, and helping those in a transitional phase of life. I would be honored to walk alongside you on your personal journey.

Aside from being a therapist, I'm also a mom, an immigrant daughter and an avid reader. I completed my Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Trevecca Nazarene University in 2021. Having grown up in the heart of the diverse immigrant community, I've also spent over 10 years volunteering and serving immigrant and refugee families through various organizations. Since entering the mental health field, my passion has only grown to close the gap in access to mental health care for individuals and families. In an effort to help close that gap, I offer reduced rates for those clients that need it. Therapy should be accessible to everyone!

I’m a therapist, mother, and amateur baker. I became a therapist for people who are feeling anxious and disconnected from themselves because I know how unfulfilling it can be to live your life in that way. Sometimes, it can feel as if you’re on autopilot. Or you feel persistently on edge and tense. Maybe you’re constantly doing things for other people and you’re noticing just how burnt out you are. You’ve lost sight of who you really are and what you really need. But, you feel stuck and you’re not sure where to start. I’m here to help. I’m compassionate, nonjudgmental, and real. We’ll talk honestly about what you’re going through and work together to build strategies that help.

My professional background includes community health, rural health, pediatrics, private practice, and now independent practice; after completing the Vanderbilt PMHNP program in 2012. I am a Behaviorist at heart, learning techniques through years of equestrian competition and as a BCBA assistant for 1-on-1 behavioral therapy with nonverbal to inconsistently verbal autistic children in-home, in the schools, and at day-camps. Communication and authenticity are foundational inspirations. My life is currently blossoming with playing in the garden, socializing with treasured friends, centering in yoga, international and domestic mountain and beach travel, learning to ride a motorcycle, taking aerial arts classes, Latin dancing, and bringing found object art back into my life. Creating a lovely life for myself and my baby boy is my primary motivator.

Ashley Shelley, lpc-mhsp, founder of Melanin and Mindfulness, LLC., a private psychotherapy practice in Nashville, Tn. I work to consistently provide quality and effective therapeutic services that encourage mindful living, meaningful, and sustainably progressive outcomes. Promoting engagement in mental health practices within minority communities is one of her primary professional objectives. I am also a certified yoga instructor and provides services to support spiritual connectedness. Individual/group yoga sessions and guided meditation are additional therapeutic services offered. Along with being a therapist, I enjoy community involvement, blogging, social engagements, and traveling. Connect with her via IG @meandmi_wellness LinkedIn Ashley Shelley

I earned my B.A. in Psychology at the University of Southern California and my M.A. in Marital and Family Therapy at the University of San Diego. Born and raised in Nashville, I moved back to my hometown after completing my undergraduate and graduate degrees. My clinical experience includes family therapy, group therapy, and individual therapy with adults and teens. I've worked in residential, partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient, and outpatient levels of care.

Kate Moyer is not a traditional therapist but practices under her Yoga Therapy licensure as a Somatic Practitioner. She has been in the mind-body world for over 15 years, teaching groups and individuals in-person and online. Inviting others to live mindfully and showing them how to is Kate’s great passion and calling. Witnessing the profound effects of Mindful Living in her own life, Kate has found that there is a way not to be plagued by stress and for the body and mind to heal. Combining trauma-informed yoga, mindfulness, and somatic practices with the simplicity of slowing down and supporting the nervous system, Kate helps others experience how to be in the present moment, where true healing happens. In individual sessions, whether you are coming for mental, physical, or emotional support, Kate will suggest and perform the practices she feels would be most beneficial for your mind/body.

Aspen received a Master's in Marriage and Family Therapy from Lipscomb University and brings a wealth of experience and training to her practice. She has completed Gottman Level One Method Couples Therapy training and Prepare and Enrich Facilitator Training, equipping her with valuable tools to support couples. Aspen has also completed specialized training in Postpartum Depression and Related Disorders. Aspen has also facilitated the New Moms' groups and Mommy mixers, offering compassionate support to the group attendees as they navigate their transition into motherhood. Aspen is strongly interested in helping individuals and couples process their trauma and reclaim their narratives. ​ “It is such an honor and joy to see clients and help them make meaning from all the different pieces of their stories. I love facilitating individuals, couples, and families in exploring new roles and experiences in their lives to create a deeper sense of purpose and happiness.”

I am a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) in Nashville, TN. I see Couples, Families, and Individuals remotely and in person at my private practice located in Maryland Farms, Brentwood. I am a Nashville native who received my bachelor’s degree from Stanford University and my Master’s Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Trevecca Nazarene University. I work with Couples and Families using my advanced training in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT). I also work as a trauma therapist trained in Level II EMDR. Having been a licensed, practicing attorney in Nashville for over 25 years, I bring a unique perspective to the counseling work. I do with clients.

Many people come to therapy feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or emotionally worn down by life circumstances that don’t let up. Chronic stress, caregiving responsibilities, major life changes, illness, loss, and unresolved trauma can quietly build over time, leaving you feeling stuck, disconnected, or unsure how to move forward. I work with adults who are navigating anxiety, depression, stress, and life transitions, especially when those struggles are connected to caregiving, medical experiences, grief, or trauma. My approach is grounded, compassionate, and practical, helping clients make sense of their emotional responses while learning ways to regulate stress, process difficult experiences, and regain a sense of stability and direction. I have specialized training in trauma-informed care and EMDR, and I frequently support clients dealing with caregiver burnout, anticipatory grief, complicated loss, and the emotional impact of serious illness. At the same time, many of the people I work with are simply feeling overwhelmed by life, relationships, or ongoing stress and want support in feeling more like themselves again. Therapy with me is collaborative and paced to your needs. Whether you are facing a specific loss, navigating ongoing stress or anxiety, or trying to adjust to a major change, my goal is to provide a supportive space where you can feel understood, build resilience, and move forward with greater clarity and confidence.

I’m a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner based in Nashville, Tennessee. I’m originally from Montgomery, Alabama, and I’ve called Nashville home since 2018. I earned my undergraduate degree from the University of Mississippi and later completed Belmont University’s accelerated nursing program. After graduating from Belmont, I worked as a registered nurse at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where I cared for patients with complex medical and psychiatric needs. I went on to complete my Doctor of Nursing Practice degree at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, specializing in psychiatric mental health, and now practice as a PMHNP. Outside of work, I’m a mother who loves spending time with my family, traveling, and expressing my creativity through hand embroidery.

Specializing in career related issues, such as stress, motivation, career path discovery. Also provide individual in couples therapy for issues such as anxiety and relationship dynamics.

Hi! My name is Andrea and I specialize in helping those with self esteem issues, anxiety, relationship issues and trauma. I am a firm believer that anyone can benefit from counseling. Whether you're in crisis or needing a place to vent and process, I'm happy to hold space for whatever comes up. You are worthy and valuable, no matter what you've been through and deserve a safe space to talk through it. Even therapists need therapy and that is why I too have been in therapy throughout my life. I am a firm believer that it works if we put in the work. Outside of being a therapist, I enjoy listening to Taylor Swift, being outside, spending time with my dogs and pet bunny, and taking road trips with my husband. If you want to learn more about how I can help, shoot me a message.

Life can feel overwhelming, and sometimes old patterns keep us stuck in places we don’t want to be. I help individuals, couples, and families untangle those patterns and create healthier ways of living and relating. My style is empathetic, intuitive, and a little playful. I’ll listen deeply, but I’ll also challenge you and bring creativity into the process. Whether you’re navigating anxiety, relationship struggles, parenting challenges, or family conflict, therapy with me is a safe place to plant new seeds of change, mend what’s been broken, and begin to bloom. Taking the first step toward therapy can feel overwhelming, but you don’t have to do it alone. If you’re feeling stuck or weighed down, I’d be honored to walk alongside you. Together, we can plant seeds of healing and growth so you can move toward the life and relationships you long for.

I have worked as a counselor in the Nashville area for 20 years with individuals struggling with the effects of trauma, couples in crisis, and families struggling to connect. One of my favorite things about working with clients is the gift of watching the tragedies of life become resilience, character, and hope. I consider it an honor and a privilege to help you find your way out of that dark place and journey to a place of hope.

I am a licensed clinical psychologist dedicated to helping individuals reach their potential via offering evidenced based psychotherapy techniques as well as comprehensive psychological testing for diagnostic certainty. I use client-centered approaches based on each individual's needs and offer a supportive and non-judgmental space for you to express yourself and grow.