Stephanie Bealer, CMHC, Intern
Clinical Mental Health Counselor - Intern
Cedar Rapids IA
I work with clients through a compassionate, collaborative, and trauma-informed lens. I aim to create a safe, affirming space where clients—particularly neurodivergent adults, LGBTQ+ individuals, and survivors of trauma—can explore their identities, emotions, and lived experiences without fear of judgment. Grounded in humanistic values and unconditional positive regard, I build strong therapeutic relationships rooted in trust, empathy, and respect.
I integrate psychodynamic exploration, attachment theory, Internal Family Systems (IFS), and narrative therapy to help clients understand the origins of their struggles and reclaim their personal narratives. I also incorporate bottom-up approaches, including nervous system regulation and body-based awareness, to support trauma recovery at a physiological level. Tools like Compassionate Inquiry and Motivational Interviewing help deepen insight, foster self-compassion, and encourage meaningful change.
Whether working through anxiety, depression, identity development, or the impact of systemic oppression, I tailor my approach to each client’s unique needs—and, when appropriate, in the future, may integrate psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy to complement and deepen the healing process.
I am a current graduate student pursuing my MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. I have successfully completed the academic course requirements and am currently completing my field experience (practicum and internship) at Insight Therapy Group in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. With personal experience navigating depression, anxiety, complex trauma, and a late-in-life ADHD diagnosis, I bring empathy, compassion, and insight to my work with neurodivergent adults, domestic violence survivors, LGBTQ+ individuals, and those facing complex mental health challenges. I have personal experience as the recipient of Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP), as well as firsthand knowledge about the recreational and therapeutic uses of psychedelic substances. I believe psychedelics offer an intriguing, evidence-based complementary modality that has the potential to expand the therapeutic benefits and progress of clients in the psychotherapeutic setting. I am passionate about the neuroscience of trauma and healing trauma via regulation of the nervous system and have an appreciation for various modalities, including Somatic Experiencing, Transforming the Experience-Based Brain, Internal Family Systems (IFS), Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, Brain Spotting, EMDR, Mindful Movement, etc. I am also passionate about dismantling stigma, providing psychoeducational support, and creating inclusive, trauma-informed spaces.
In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my husband, daughter, dogs, and friends. I also enjoy reading, writing, engaging in meaningful conversations, listening to music, playing the piano, being outdoors in nature, and investigating anything that interests me. I enjoy the rare moments of alone time and the silence it affords, a good cup of coffee, humor, and pursuing new adventures and experiences.
Beyond being a practitioner, I am passionate about advocacy. I advocate for systemic change, aiming to increase access and affordability to mental health care services, improve insurance reimbursement rates, standardize workplace accommodations for neurodivergent individuals, and push for policy reforms, including student loan forgiveness for mental health practitioners. My mission is to help individuals feel seen, supported, and empowered, and to bring forward and strengthen their inherent resilience, problem-solving skills, and internal resources that will equip them to cope more effectively in the future, even after therapy ends.