Trish Varnell

Do you ever find yourself struggling to find connection with others, the world around you, or even yourself? Does happiness feel temporary and fleeting? Are you struggling to find emotional balance and feel as though you are at the mercy of an ever-changing and overwhelming sea of feelings? Are you feeling anxious, depressed, or generally overwhelmed? Are you unsure of who you are or what it is you want in life? Or perhaps you struggle to achieve what it is you want? Are your relationships not what you’d like them to be despite your best attempts?

Life is a journey. It can be challenging and, at times, even a struggle. If you do find yourself struggling, know that you are not alone. There is healing and relief to be found. If you feel ready to move towards change and healing, it would be my honor to join and support you. I believe we all have within us tremendous capacity to handle and heal from the most difficult and distressing feelings and experiences. However, sometimes we become disconnected from our inner capacity through life experiences and it affects our ability to relate well to ourselves, the world, and others.

Connecting with our internal capacity and improving our relationships have tremendous healing potential and they all begin with developing a healthy relationship with yourself. I am here to support, guide, and join you in exploring and befriending your internal world and help you understand the connection between your internal experiences and your external environments and relationships in a way that fosters positive change, growth, and healing.

As we journey together we can work to help you find and connect with your inner strength, resources, and resilience and develop skills that will empower you to change the things you can and find acceptance for the things you cannot. Depending on what feels best for you, my approach includes mindfulness, self-compassion, internal family systems work, emotion regulation skills, somatic work, resilience building, and relational life skills development.

Taking the leap to connect with someone on the journey can be a great step toward healing and lasting change. However, I am also mindful that entering a therapeutic setting can be intimidating. With this in mind, I work hard to create a safe and nurturing environment in which you to feel seen, heard, and supported wherever you are in your journey.

My Education & Experience

I have worked with children and families in a caregiving capacity for over a decade. My work has allowed me to understand just how important our experiences, particularly our relationships, are in shaping the way that we see ourselves and relate to the world. Additionally, my own experience with anxiety and depression and the healing I’ve receive through therapeutic relationships have all contributed to my desire to provide more holistic care in a counseling capacity. Since graduating in 2023 with my Master's in Social Work at UGA with a certificate in marriage and family therapy, I have had the privilege of working with individuals experiencing depression, anxiety, trauma, relationship and marriage difficulties, identity issues, parenting issues, life transitions, illness adjustment, as well as grief and loss. I am currently seeking certification in Relational Life Therapy and pursuing training in Internal Family Systems to further deepen the support and resources I can provide to individuals, couples, and families.

What to Expect from Me

I embrace a client-centered and holistic perspective that respects the whole person: mind, body, and spirit. However, I see my role as a fellow human and collaborator, not the expert. You are the expert on you and your lived experience. I am here to provide a safe and supportive environment to explore whatever challenges you face and the changes you want to make to create a life that is most meaningful and fulfilling to you. You can expect me to meet you where you are with nonjudgment and a collaborative spirit to provide evidenced based support, resources, education, and skills that best meet your needs and offer hope, healing, and lasting change. It would be my honor to join you on your journey. I am available Tuesday-Thursday for 50 minute sessions.