My name is Emily Westerholm (she/her/hers). I am a nature/plant lover, a mother, co-parent, and a Registered Mental Health Counselor Intern. I am an advocate of unconditional positive regard but with an edge. Think Ted Lasso meets Mr. “T” but in the body of a cisgender, middle-aged woman.
I have worked in the Human Services field for two decades. In that time, I have focused on individuals in the following settings: prisons and jails, community mental health, transitional housing programs, schools, and health care clinics. I use evidence-based interventions and a client-centered approach that carves out space for strengths and empowerment.
I have lived in many places, from Texas to Alaska and several in between, but I fought hard to land in Gainesville and am ecstatic to live somewhere with such an ideal balance of beauty and grit. Living in Florida for all its glory comes with many obstacles; historical and current oppressions, mosquitos, limited housing, and a political climate that can jeopardize ones sense of internal and external safety.
My Bachelor’s Degree was obtained in Human Services with a concentration in chemical dependency. For the last several years, I worked as a certified substance abuse counselor in Virginia, specializing in opioid use and harm reduction. In 2023 I graduated with my Master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling with an emphasis on substance use disorders. After completing my clinical internship at Alachua County Crisis Center, I started a small local nonprofit named Released that supports those that have been incarcerated. As someone dedicated to the impact of trauma, I received my Trauma Counseling Certification from the University of Milwaukee and was certified in core competencies as an advocate with the Florida CoalitionAgainst Domestic Violence.
Many of us feel overwhelmed and isolated. As a counselor, I strive to hold a space of compassion to address your unique journey and process what you bring into the room using humor, silence, or gentle encouragement. I integrate mindfulness, cultural and community integration, art, and storytelling, usingFeminist, Gestalt, and Systems theories in my counseling practice.
I look forward to meeting you and building a genuine therapeutic relationship that allows for laughter, tears, and, most importantly, all the in-between moments of nuanced growth.
