Kim Heiar has a passion for supporting those who have the courage to heal. As a former middle school teacher, she has a unique understanding of the challenges of being a teacher, raising young humans (aka parenting), and understanding how kids think. She’s even a self-professed “professional bleacher attendant” and enjoys watching her kids swim and perform in various music activities. As a mental health therapist, Kim specializes in working with adolescents and adults as well as families and couples.
Therapy is a Tool
People come to therapy because something isn’t working and they are limited from being the best version of themself. As a former educator, Kim loves to teach and explore the core of what isn’t working. Next, she works together with you create a strategy for change to optimize brain health. Having a safe place to challenge our own thoughts, can provide an avenue for change. It starts by changing how we relate to ourselves and others — fixing the things that aren’t working.
The goal in therapy is to explore how the body responds to certain triggers. Through that she’s able to help you find a personalized solution for calming the nervous system, increasing self-regulation skills, and grounding ourselves in the present. These skills lead to a healthier lifestyle. By gaining insight and practicing new skills, we are all able to become the best version of ourself.
Adversity Builds Empathy
Kim believes her own struggles in life — both as a child and as an adult — have shaped her view. She feels strongly that adversity is the road for becoming empathetically wise and realizing we are just all doing the best we can in each moment of life.
Life can be challenging. Sometimes it takes new ideas and perspectives to feel empowered to change. Falsely believing we are not good enough, feeling out of control, and the fear rejection are common causes of anxiety. We get caught up in a chain reaction of negative thoughts, feeling overwhelmed, and uncomfortable body sensations that cause us to overreact (anger) or underreact (avoidance).
Taking that first step to healing is a step you don’t have to take on your own. Whether the root of your anxiety is from a difficult event/life circumstance or “I’m not sure why I feel/act this way” you do not need to stay stuck.
Understanding the Why
Sometimes we can’t control what has happened to us, whether it be a traumatic childhood, abusive relationship, natural disaster, or another traumatic event. But, we do have the ability to change the way we respond, build resilience, and change our relationship to suffering. Kim has over 100 hours of specialized trauma training to help you to begin to unwrap the trauma of your past so that you can take the wheel driving into a happier, healthier future.
Are you ready to learn how to change your relationship with yourself or a loved one? First off, congrats for having the courage to do what you may have once thought was impossible! Please reach out to schedule an appointment with Kim and take that first step.
