Elizabeth Spanburgh LCMHC, LCAS-A, NCC

“I exist as I am, that is enough.”

~ Walt Whitman

My Approach & Philosophy

Several years ago, I was living most of my life on the couch. I would wake up and get up to have a Zebra Cake and a Cherry Coke but I would quickly end up back on the couch. It wasn’t an anchor. It wasn’t my safe place. I was shackled there. I was trapped.

I had struggled with anxiety and depression since I was 14, but this time was different.

I had an amazing husband and a family who loved me but I couldn’t seem to see any life for me outside of 16 hours of sleep, Cherry Coke and Zebra Cakes. I didn’t know exactly how I ended up in that space.

I suspected then, and I’m sure of it now, that it wasn’t just one thing that lead me to that place. It’s never just one thing. For me. For you. For any of us. Therapy is about finding those threads of discontent in our lives and tracing them backward to seek a better understanding of ourselves.

In retrospect, I can see clearly how low my self-esteem was then and how little I valued myself. Not because I had no value, but because I couldn’t see the value I had and I couldn’t glimpse my own potential.

How did I get through it? How did I come out the other side?

To be honest, I eventually realized that life could be better for me and, more importantly,  I realized that I deserved it. I deserved to feel content and I deserved to see the value in myself and to embrace it. I did not come to this realization on my own. It took a combination of finding the right medication, implementing various lifestyle changes (weightlifting was big for me) and, of course, counseling.

When I was depressed, I started going to therapy. Sparingly, at first. With the aid and guided reflection of my therapist,  I reflected on my life choices and I eventually found purpose: I wanted to help people. I was considering going back to school to become a counselor, but I asked my therapist about it first. You know what she gave me? Reassurance and a boost of confidence. I stood there without an ounce of self-worth and in that moment she gave me exactly what I needed.

What does my story have to do with yours? Perhaps a lot, perhaps a little, but I hope it gives you a glimpse of a life beyond your current struggles. Your current shackles.

We as human beings are stronger than we think and most of all: WE ARE VALUABLE. Let me say this again, for emphasis: YOU ARE VALUABLE. And sometimes we need the support of someone who can see it us when we cannot see it in ourselves.

My therapeutic approach is person-centered, which means that we are going to have genuine conversations informed by my belief in your own internal resiliency. Resiliency that you may not see at first. I’m going to ask you to be vulnerable, and I know that can be really frightening. But I know you can do it. We can do hard things.

I also provide EMDR, which can be incredibly powerful and life changing.

I decided to become trained in EMDR in part because it was helpful for me. Through EMDR, I was able to re-process events in my life that were still affecting me. EMDR is useful for any life event that may be causing you to suffer currently. I am now able to recall traumatic events without re-living them and experiencing the negative impacts of them all over again. I not only feel that my brain has healed, I also see that I have adapted and feel better. I have seen EMDR work for so many and if you feel it’s something you’d like to try, we can absolutely have that conversation!

When I am not providing therapy, I enjoy lifting weights or re-watching The Office or Parks and Rec. I also love spending time at the beach. My favorite thing to do is swim in the ocean, sharks and all.

I would be remiss not to mention my 3 fur babies: my two pups, Apollo and Rollo, and my kitty cat, Torvi. They are my world.

Specialities

I provide mental health counseling and therapy to help with:

• EMDR
• Trauma
• Religious Trauma
• Eating disorders
• Depression
• Anxiety
• LGBTQIA+
• Low self-esteem

You Deserve to Feel Great.
I’m Here to Help.