Stephanie Messerly, M.A., LMFT, LPC
Clinical Specialties: Couples & Families, Teenagers, Attachment-Related Issues, Trauma (EMDR), Premarital (SYMBIS), Parenting the Love & Logic Way™, Student & Residency Supervision
Stephanie Messerly is dual licensed as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Licensed Professional Counselor. Stephanie has been very active in serving our community in many ways: in-home services with kids with autism, internships with women and children at a domestic violence shelter, a community food pantry, and a suicide prevention screening program for middle and high school youth. Early in her undergraduate studies, Stephanie recognized a desire to provide care to people who are hurting and lonely. This desire brought opportunities to serve children, adolescents, and their families through group and family counseling at Virginia Baptist Hospital’s psychiatric unit, and experience with adults and geriatric patients on the inpatient psychiatric units. In addition to the hospital, Stephanie has had the privilege of counseling individuals, couples, and families through three local outpatient counseling centers, including here at Hill City Counseling.
Stephanie is passionate about walking alongside clients through the process of counseling to help restore marriages, families, and other interpersonal relationships. She desires to be a therapist who connects with clients by leaning into their hurts, fears, and uncertainties, while also celebrating their victories, strengths, and passions (and she loves to have a little fun in the process). Stephanie has experience working with clients struggling with depression, anxiety, thoughts of suicide, traumatic events, marital strain, relationships/friendships, and family stressors. She is a certified facilitator in SYMBIS, Prepare/Enrich, and Gottman Level I, which are effective programs to prepare and improve relationship skills. Stephanie is trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), a highly effective trauma protocol. She is also an AAMFT Approved Supervisor and loves working with counselors in training who are learning to be therapists themselves.
When she is not sitting in the counselor’s seat, Stephanie enjoys finding new places to hike, taking pictures, reading, watching her plants grow, and time with friends and family. She also enjoys being involved in a young adult life group with her husband where they help cultivate community, intimacy, and spiritual growth.