Stacey Steinmiller, LCSW- R

What you really want to know is, can I help you? I get it. It’s the biggest fear that my clients come in with, especially those who are in their 50s and 60s. “You could be my child, can you understand me?” Well, if you’re still reading I must have said something that is perking up your ears, or maybe a trusted person gave you my name and you landed here and doing your research (which is great!).

I believe in the universal experience among us as human beings. Even though we don’t all have OCD, we have all experienced intrusive thoughts. Even though we don’t all have psychosis we know what it’s like to “see” something and be quite certain it existed, when it really didn’t. The spectrum of human experience isn’t as vast as people think it is. We pretend it is in order to ensure that we are “OK” or “normal” but really we aren’t all THAT different. But it’s scary to go to these dark places and admit they’re there, and even scarier to say them out loud to someone else, because of fear self annihilation.

Luckily I LIKE going there. I enter the darkness with curiosity and compassion. I understand these experiences are universal, so they are not judged as negative, but rather normal…. just the normal that no one admits to… the normal that keeps us going, even though we don’t like it. There is something about being the youngest in the family, the youngest of a generation, that gave me a unique observer experience. I continued to observe not only my family, but also my friends, my community, and the world. I learned about the lasting suffering that happens from devastating loss. The impacts of addiction and emotional neglect on a family. The ease and comfort that food provides. The prison of anxiety. The detachment of anger. The wounds of disappointment. I never realized how much space I held for those that were near to me. How much empathy was given; how much I felt alongside others. I needed to know what to do with all of this pain, all of this suffering, all of these things that couldn’t be tangibly fixed, or even spoken about, because it just isn’t something that is done.

I have the honor of holding space for, and facilitating healing, for even the most tragic moments that life gives us. Prior to therapy my clients feel like healing is comparable to climbing Mt. Everest. It is too high and comes with too much risk of harm that it is safer to not bother trying at all. No one should have to feel that way. I can help you to get to a place where you can climb (although scary) that mountain and it is my job to safely guide you to the top, without sending you off the mountain. I want everyone to be able to reach their highest potential, despite the risk, because you deserve it. Life isn’t about surviving, it’s about living.

Because of my trauma specialization, I have found that the things I used to think were unsurvivable, and unhealable are actually survivable and healable. I owe so much of my own growth to my beloved clients who have shown me strength in this world, that I never could have imagined. Knowing that devastating situations can be overcome, makes me feel like a warrior; I too overcame the battle that I had the privileged to witness. I’ve learned that anything is possible and greatness is in each and every one of us.

The Boring But Necessary Stuff:

• I received my Bachelors of Arts at Nazareth College with a major in psychology and minors in business and music. I then went to Roberts Wesleyan College where I completed my Master’s in Social Work (MSW). I then worked at Unity Behavioral Health for 5 years in an outpatient therapy setting and have also worked at Healthy Mom’s conducting intakes and also as a therapist at Roberts Wesleyan College Counseling Center.
• I am fully licensed as an LCSW-R in New York State. My License number is #081805
• I’m not going to list every training that I’ve ever been to because I don’t remember and the list is long. I will, however, tell you about my EMDR basic and advanced training and specialization in trauma and dissociation. I began that journey in 2013 and when I do go to training they are usually advanced training in that category or I do other things I find interesting and that would be helpful to my clients. I value education and am always reading and learning and like to stay afloat of effective practices so that I can ensure I’m giving the best, quality treatment that I can give! I’ve done my EMDR and dissociation training under Kathleen Martin who you can check out here.

Now What?

If you’re still reading I’m guessing you’re interested in possibly taking the next step in our relationship. (What? When did we start dating?!) Anyways, the next step would be to call me or text or e-mail me if that’s more comfortable for you. If you’re super ambitious you can even go ahead and schedule an appointment on my client portal (warning I will call you after you do this to connect with you). I invite you to contact me to ask any other questions you have for me before we meet. I also do have an FAQ page where I address some other common questions and this is where my rates are posted as well. Are you ready to feel better?