Stacey Donovan, LCSWA
**Now accepting new clients
I look forward to meeting you and hearing about your life and your story, and I want to hear what you have to say. As a therapist, I can help bring ideas and techniques from my experiences and my education in healing modalities so that, together, we can build a safe space for you to set and meet your goals. I believe that your everyday life can be filled with more happiness and calm and play and joy.
I provide mental health counseling services to children, adolescents, and adults. I believe in taking a strengths-based approach using a blend of modalities with a foundation in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) using trauma-informed principles. I have experience integrating approaches from other modalities in my work, including Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Internal Family Systems (IFS) principles. I am also trained/training in Theraplay, one of the seminal psychotherapies for children, designed to build connection and understanding between children and parents. I like to take a tailored approach to every client, including children and their families, in order to achieve the best results. Every individual is unique and deserves a unique perspective from their therapist.
As a therapist, I provide assessments, treatment planning, and ongoing care and counseling for a variety of clients. My special strength is connecting with children and adolescents grappling with big challenges in life. In addition, I’m trained and passionate about helping adults deal with depression, anxiety, ADHD struggles, life transitions, relationship challenges and other mental health issues that may trouble them. I am particularly passionate about working with pre- and post-natal people, and offering support to the perinatal community during some of the most important, and often challenging, times of life. My deepest belief is that I can offer compassionate care and unconditional positive regard to all of my clients, in support of their goals in seeking therapy.
When we meet, I will be a positive and open listener who is friendly to people from diverse communities and backgrounds. I am LGBTQ friendly, open to working with individuals from all faiths and belief systems, and promise to take your physical wellness, social support systems, and economic wellness into consideration as we work toward greater emotional and psychological wellness.
Before beginning my work as a therapist, I gained experience working in retail merchandising and management with products ranging from chocolate to fashion, electronics to pet services and many more in-between. In 2009, I decided to pursue my Master’s in Business Administration from Georgia Tech with a concentration in organizational behavior. I took that education and experience to the world of banking for many years before deciding to pursue my passion for helping others through mental health care and counseling. I returned for a second graduate degree in 2023 at Western Carolina University, gaining my Master’s in Social Work, and finding my calling in working in clinical settings.
Over the years, I’ve been able to collaborate with amazing, interesting people around the country, learning their stories and their lives. As a friend and colleague, I’ve learned strategies and practices to improve personal communication and build long lasting, healthy relationships and community. As a therapist, I bring the life lessons and values to my clients that have shaped me as an individual, in addition to my training and experience in practice.
In addition to work, some of the activities I enjoy are spending time with my family here in western North Carolina, including my wife and three dogs. I am passionate about all animals and especially enjoy the horses that live on the property behind ours, the critters that invade our garden and all the animals that make Asheville such a special place. I’m a voracious reader of fiction and non-fiction, an enthusiast about all arts and crafts, and a daring home cook. I love to eat out with friends and laugh. I love to see smiles on others’ faces. I like making connections and I look forward to talking with you and learning what makes you light up.
I am always open to a consultation conversation or email to determine goals and our fit as a team. Please reach out with questions.