Hello and Welcome!
Hi, I’m Tanya. I am a psychotherapist, but you can call me a loving, curious, exploratory, and playful cat or a heart-soul coach. Life is hard, and I learned to be playful and not take myself too seriously. I wholeheartedly believe in the importance of the healing journey.
Who I see:
I work with clients who dream of feeling both secure and confident in their bodies and connections with others but wrestling with self-doubt, intense worry, feeling overwhelmed with taking care of others and feeling exhausted. My clients are the one that says to everyone else, “I got this,” but on the inside, she wishes they felt that confident.
What I do:
I help clients make sense of their emotions and pain to build confidence, self-esteem, set healthy boundaries in their relationships, and ultimately feel alive and authentically engage in the world.
I know from sitting with my clients that opening up and trusting a stranger is hard, especially if you felt like you had to ‘keep’ shit together for the sake of someone else. Many of my clients had people close to them disappoint them throughout their lives. But, I also know that my clients sitting across from me are brave, but they do not know it. It takes courage to seek a more filling and happier life, and to take the first steps towards change can evoke some anxiety. I truly commend you for considering therapy. If you are ready to take that first step, I am here to support, guide, and empower you along the way.
Why I do it:
I believe that emotional healing, spiritual transformation, respect, self-care, and unconditional support can (will) change our world.
Also, I am good at what I do, plus I LOVE it!
Tanya's Credentials:
I received my Masters's in Transpersonal Counseling-expressive arts therapy from John F. Kennedy University in Berkeley, CA. I have worked with clients with various concerns, including anxiety, depression, relationship issues, career problems, PTSD, trauma, self-esteem, significant life changes, creative blocks, sexual issues, and spiritual crises’. I also have helped high school students in schools settings who struggle with challenging home environments and in a hospital setting assisting clients in managing health crises’.
I am an interactive bi-cultural/lingual therapist who brings genuine sincerity to the work you and I engage in. My counseling style is warm, direct, kind, interactive, and dynamic. I see therapy as a journey in the woods. We both take a flashlight, you are in charge, and I help shine a light on the things that might be blocking you from living the life you want. I believe that you are wise, smart, and have the answers inside. I am your compassionate guide/listener to help you see your resiliency and power in the face of adversity. Creating safety and trust is very important as you start to address the life challenges you face. I offer a unique blend of humanistic, transpersonal-oriented, trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy, solution-focused therapy, EMDR, and somatic-based, Expressive Arts therapy in Afrikaans and English. I welcome a variety of clients across cultures, ages, and sexual orientations.
Additional areas of focus: Trauma and abuse, Grief, Coping with life changes, Compassion fatigue, Attachment issues, BDSM, Kink, Alternative Sex Culture, Communication problems, Expats, Family of Origin Issues, Forgiveness, Guilt and shame, Life purpose, Money and financial issues, Post-traumatic stress, Self-love, Sexuality, Women's issues, Workplace issues
Clinical approaches: Attachment-Based Therapy, Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Imago Relationship Therapy, Jungian Therapy, Mindfulness Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Psychodynamic Therapy, Somatic Therapy, Trauma-Focused Therapy
IL LMFT 166.001453
WI LMFT 1086-124
These quotes represent just a few of the many positive reviews that we have received for Tanya Kavicky-Mels. We don't pay anyone to provide their review and they are all made voluntarily. Some people's experience receiving therapy with BetterHelp might be different.
She is a great listener and I feel very confident talking to her
Written on Mar 07, 2022 after therapy with Tanya for 2 weeks on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, lgbt, sleeping disorders, self esteem, career difficulties, and compassion fatigue
Tanya is smart, insightful, patient, respectful, and most of all she is contagiously hopeful. I cannot imagine a better partner on this journey.
Written on Mar 02, 2022 after therapy with Tanya for 3 weeks on issues concerning relationship issues
She has been extremely supportive, understanding, and kind. She has helped me open up and think critically about who I am.
Written on Feb 16, 2022 after therapy with Tanya for 2 weeks on issues concerning coping with life changes, and lgbt