Elaine Bender

I take an active approach in working with teens and young adults who feel stuck in lives that no longer feel like what they wanted. I understand how difficult it is to make sustainable changes in our lives, and my experience in trauma-informed therapies enables me to help you find relief from the issues that impact your relationships, self-esteem, and work.

I will listen to and support you and, at times, challenge the unhelpful thoughts and beliefs that are no longer serving you. Together, we’ll work to figure out what behaviors, feelings, and beliefs that are leading to anxiety and unhappiness, and develop real, practical skills to manage your emotions and actions better.

I provide active support, clear feedback, and therapy that actually works. From a recent public review: "Elaine is very skilled at quickly establishing a great rapport while remaining professional...Elaine makes me feel heard and validated...In a relatively short time frame, I feel I’ve learned and achieved so much."

...keep finding themselves behaving in ways they don't want to, but no matter what they try, can’t seem to stop. Maybe this happens because of trauma. You might have even tried therapy for a long time, but it felt like you were just sitting around talking and nothing really changed. You think, "This is definitely not how I want the rest of my life to go."

When my mom died when I was 19, I declined therapy, believing it was for "people with real problems" and I wasn't struggling "that bad." After failing several classes because I couldn't motivate myself to care after such a loss, I finally gave therapy a try and felt a lot better. Now I help others to cope with deep pains and find reasons to keep going.

It is my honor to walk alongside clients in their journeys toward emotional and relational health and wholeness. Sound like a good fit? I encourage you to reach out to me to connect!