About

My name is Stephanie Banning and I am a licensed LMFT. I have spent the last 15y+ working with individuals struggling with addiction/recovery in a variety of capacities, including substance abuse and eating disorders. Due to the nature of my specialties I have developed expertise in working with mood disorders and OCD. I believe in meeting an individual where they are at and that trauma looks differently to everyone because you cannot see someone's mental health. My approach I work within a psychodynamic and narrative approach; however, I also find great value in attachment therapy and believe object relations can be very useful to some. It is often helpful to incorporate artistic expression into session as some individuals are more expressive when therapy is parried with a tangible/kinesthetic experience. My focus I have spent my career working with individuals who have experienced trauma that has resulted in a maladaptive coping mechanism, such as addiction or codependency in relationships. Individuals who struggle with mood disorders, intrusive thinking patterns and difficulty managing emotional regulation or self-control are all individuals who I have found to be both motivated and resilient regarding therapy and it has been my honor to work with individuals who value education/intervention in a therapeutic relationship. My communication style I am very relaxed as a therapist, while professional I believe it is crucial for the client to feel seen and heard as a whole person. I valued discussion and education in therapy but I am also believe in building real relationships with individuals and learning about who they are to support the development of who they are hoping to be. My journey to mental healthcare I have wanted to be a therapist since I was 13yr old and my best friend began struggling with self-harm due to severe (untreated) depression. I developed a deep compassion and empathy for individuals who are hurting deeply, but go unseen due to masking.