Individual Therapy

Learn to fall in love with yourself for the first time or all over again.

Reach Out

Your pain is valid and nothing about you is too much for me.

“It is in my client’s most vulnerable moments that I see their true beauty, and the warmth and compassion in my heart explodes for them.”

-Josie Leonard, MA, LPC

Which one sounds like you?

  • Growing up you were strong and confident. You had it all together and were bound for success. But somewhere along the way you’ve gotten buried and lost yourself as you try to keep up with all the demands resting on your shoulders. It’s a struggle to define who you are, even in those rare, quiet moments alone. Your every move seems to be dictated by the expectations of others. Yet, even though you’re excelling in those areas, you’re exhausted, unfulfilled  and don’t even recognize yourself anymore. 

    At this moment in time, you find yourself yearning to move forward with things that are life giving and don’t leave you feeling like a doormat. There is an intense longing to reconnect with that strong, confident and accomplished version of yourself. 

    In our work together we uncover what is driving you, yet leaving you in a place of longing. We will identify areas where you matter and where you get to experience more autonomy and authenticity. Our work will be slow, tender and far below the surface. Imagine leaving with self understanding and true transformation, not just stabilization.

    My hope is that when you sit across from me you feel like you’re talking to a trusted and caring friend that sees you and all you carry day in and day out. You find that safety and comfort to explore the vulnerable parts of yourself that are screaming to be seen and understood. 

  • You exhaust yourself making sure everyone else around you is comfortable to know you’re okay and accepted. You struggle to say no without that sense of guilt moving in. So you find yourself constantly adapting to fit other’s expectations. Somewhere along the way you have become disconnected from your own needs and wants, leaving you feeling invisible and like you don’t matter. 

    Can you imagine for a moment that through deeper level exploration we are able to find your authentic self, identify your own needs and empower them? Can you picture yourself still deeply caring for others, but without the cost of losing yourself?

    That is where I come in. Slowly, gently and intentionally we will look below the surface and explore the long held stories that have shaped you and the patterns that are no longer working for you. We will make space for and reconnect with the parts of yourself you’ve pushed aside that are screaming for a voice or have been too afraid to surface. 

    My hope is that you leave with the confidence and self-understanding to show up authentically and without the fear of losing connection with others, all while getting your own needs met.

  • You perform. You achieve. You deliver. From the outside your life looks totally put together, but now you’re in a place where you’re not sure how to keep it all going at this level. And yet, you can’t turn it off. With all the responsibilities you carry on your shoulders and this need to excel at all of them, you are depleted even when you’re succeeding and you’re unable to slow down for fear of falling behind.

    Imagine if I told you that there are stories you hold, and maybe even pinpointed moments in your life, that have created this need and pattern of perfectionism and high achievement. In our work, we slow these stories down and deeply explore them to understand how they impact you and the patterns they have created within you. We work to redefine success, on your terms, that allows space for rest, creation of boundaries and a sense of satisfaction in a job done well enough. I want you to feel like you’re sitting across from someone that can gently hold all the parts of you and sees you as someone that is enough, even when you aren’t perfect. 

    My hope is that through what we discover in our deep work together you develop the ability to self-validate and have the mental tools to live a life that actually feels good to be in. That you, at your core, feel like enough especially when you’re not giving 110%.

No two therapeutic journeys look the same. Together we will explore these phases.

We will explore your past and how you relate to your own emotions and others. I’ll slow down the difficult moments so you can see yourself in them. Together we learn what choices you have in those moments that were previously invisible. 

01 Safety

We will hold space for and grieve the parts of yourself you’ve had to quiet and dismiss. I will help you give those parts a voice so you can recognize them and let them show up for you, allowing a more authentic version of yourself to appear.

02 Truth

With your new found self awareness, we rebuild your relationship with yourself that can then extend to other important people in your life.

03 Connection

Recognizing your needs and authentic self gives you the power to be in relationships with others and with yourself that fosters growth and fulfillment, leaving you at peace, energized and understood.

04 Versatility

Clarity at your Core. Confidence in your life.

Talk with me

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Choosing the right therapist to reveal your biggest insecurities to can feel daunting and extremely vulnerable. Part of the reason I offer a complimentary discovery call to you is to give you the opportunity to ask me any questions you have and get an idea of what I am like. Undoubtedly, the foundation to a successful therapeutic relationship is trust and honesty where core safety can emerge. If, for whatever reason, either one of us doesn’t feel like I am the best person to support you, I am happy to provide trusted referrals.

  • Ultimately you’re in charge of how long you are in therapy. We will know you’re ready when you feel deeply connected to yourself, your needs and you trust yourself. From my experience, this can take weekly sessions for 1-3 years. 

  • My approach to therapy is relational because I firmly believe we are formed, broken and healed in and through relationship with others. My hope is that while sitting across from me you feel like you’re talking with a trusted friend and we find the safety you need to vulnerably explore. Our work will uncover the core parts of you and go way beyond surface level change.

  • I request you submit your intake paperwork at least one day before your first session. I will reach out with any questions I have before we meet in person for the first time. Then, you will come to my Prairie Village office at your session time and we will begin getting to know one another as we explore what is bringing you to counseling. We then continue meeting weekly for 45 minute sessions to begin our deeper work. After our first 4-5 sessions we will assess how things are going together to be sure we are a good fit for one another. If we determine we are not, I am happy to provide trusted referrals

  • Individual sessions are 45 minutes long and cost $160 a session.

    I require a credit card on file for your initial and ongoing session that is stored in Simple Practice, a HIPPAA compliant and secure platform. Major credit, debit and HSA cards are all accepted forms of payment.

    Therapy also costs time. The cost of willingness to come weekly for 45 minutes to explore the hidden parts of yourself is uncomfortable, vulnerable and can be taxing. But it is also a gift each week you give yourself for a better life.

  • Core Counseling KC does not currently accept insurance. 

    I am able to provide superbills through your client portal on a monthly basis if desired. This is not a guarantee that your insurance will accept these, so please inquire with them if this is an important determination for your therapeutic care. I am happy to provide my license and national provider numbers if that is helpful information for your inquiry. It is important to note that some insurance companies may be permitted access to your patient records to include any appropriately assigned diagnoses if reimbursement is requested on your behalf.

  • Feel free to call me at (913) 733-1024. I will be happy to take your call if I am not in session and we can schedule something then. Or, if I am unavailable, please leave a voicemail and I will return your call soon. Additionally, you’re welcome to click the Reach Out button above and fill out your information there to receive a call, text or email to get a session scheduled.

  • I see clients who are willing to come weekly for treatment. Weekly sessions allow for more rapid healing and a deeper connection between us to develop. Your session is your designated time and will not be given to anyone else. This means that you will pay for your session, for the duration of the therapeutic relationship, regardless of whether or not you choose to come. 

    However, we are all human and things come up. Core Counseling KC allots one free cancellation per year for each time that you attend therapy per week. For example, if you attend therapy twice per week, you are given two free cancellations per calendar year. For other times when you may need to miss or adjust your normally scheduled session time, I will do my best to schedule you the week before, the week of or the week after your normal session time if our schedules align. I will make every effort to find a time for you. However, if nothing aligns, you are financially obligated to pay for your missed session. You are not required to pay for sessions that I cancel. I will make every effort to alert you of any interruptions to your therapy on my behalf in advance.