The Therapy Path

w/ Licensed Professional Counselor M. Claire Keeler

Trauma-Informed, Embodied & Nature-Based Counseling

that's relevant and resonant with the world we share

What to expect from sessions with Claire

I offer an eclectic approach to counseling that integrates traditional person-centered and compassionate "talk" therapy with an enlivened awareness. Sessions tend to explore both the internal landscape (self, feeling, sense, body) and the external landscape (nature, socio-cultural environment), as well as the movement of influence and impact between these two spheres.

As a cultural trauma counselor and eco-therapist, I also recognize and help others notice and more deeply connect with the interrelated layers of history, culture, story, and nature that impact their daily experiences, wellness, and choices.

I am highly dedicated to working in a spirit of collaboration and respect that welcomes your expertise and perceptions regarding your own life experiences, as well as your participation and choice in all therapeutic processes.

Common Issues Addressed in Therapy Include:

Anxiety/Depression
ADHD and Neurodivergent Minds
Acute & Complicated Trauma
Body/Gender Concerns
Experiences of Trauma from Societal Prejudices

Climate Shift Anxiety & Grief
Grief from expected and/or traumatic losses
Grief from historical, cultural, and ancestral losses
Major Life Adjustments (work, school, marriage, divorce, etc)
Identifying & Setting Boundaries with Abuse/Oppression
Internalized Shame
Experiences of Abandonment and Insecure Attachment

Additionally, sessions can occur via telehealth only, in-person on nature trails (eco-therapy), or with a mixture of both (depending on preference and, occasionally, on the weather).

In-person, office options are currently very limited and one to three telehealth sessions can be expected by all clients every two to three months when professional growth obligations require me to travel.

(racism, sexism, homo/transphobia, ableism, classism, etc)

What is Cultural Trauma?

Cultural Trauma refers to harmful systemic influences we cannot individually control. Well-known examples include racism, sexism, anti-trans/homophobia, classism, poverty, religious hatred, and nationalism, etc. Essentially it is any ideology or social narrative that grants privilege to one group over another.

In society, we call this oppression. In the microcosm of our interpersonal interactions, it becomes abuse. Abuse and oppression create trauma.

Cultural trauma impacts all aspects of our society and world (that's what systemic means). It is a collective act, happening between countless individuals, institutions, and societies.

Healing is also a collective act and not something that focuses solely on the efforts of an individual, but also on the socio-cultural, historical, and natural contexts in which life has to occur.

Like a tree in a forest, every aspect of opportunity, harm, healing, and growth arises from and depends upon both the nature of the individual and the nurture of the environment--the health of the relationships between the roots, the soil, the mycelial threads and organisms connecting the roots to nutrients, as well as the world above the ground. It's diverse and complex.

For a human, it is no different. What comes from within and what happens above ground matter.

Culturally informed trauma recognizes that wellness and healing are personal, interpersonal, and informed and influenced by our surrounding world.

What is Eco-therapy?

Eco-therapy involves all the same practices, guidelines, and agreements as traditional therapy, but with one big difference. It takes place in nature.

Eco-therapy places a greater emphasis on the ways in which our surrounding environment influences our awareness, attention, and wellness. At this point in time, there is a very wide body of research that demonstrates simply spending time outdoors has many of the same benefits as meditation. Interacting with the natural world also enhances our sense of connectedness to a world of diverse others and expands our awareness of how that community relates to our senses and our sense of self. This often has the impact of easing personal stress and offering a diversity of perceptions and perspectives we may not otherwise encounter or consider regarding our sense of identity, experience, and life.

Additionally, for any folks who have trouble noticing their emotions or who feel overwhelmed at times by the experience of being in their body or by sensations like touch, sounds, etc, the natural world offers a much gentler approach to learning to notice and inhabit ourselves.

Coverage & Session Rates

Therapy Rates are out of pocket or dependent upon your insurance plan.

I accept Anthem/Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, United Health Care (and its subsidiaries).

My out-of-pocket hourly rate is $90 and I offer sliding scales for those who cannot afford this amount.

I ask and trust folks to pay what they can truly afford.