Alison Ballou

Could you use some additional support right now?

Life is full of both beauty and really hard stuff, and we all find ourselves needing some additional support from time to time. Maybe you have walked through difficult situations or traumatic events, and you are continuing to feel their effects and are not sure how to move forward. Maybe you have received a mental health diagnosis or wonder if you might qualify for one and would like some professional support. Maybe you are coming to a new understanding of your sexuality or you want to live your life more fully as your authentic self and are exploring what that might mean. Maybe you are facing role transitions, beginning life as a college student or a recent graduate and living increasingly independently. Maybe you are becoming a parent or adjusting to life as your children enter new stages of development. Maybe you are not sure where you are heading in life or are asking questions about your spirituality. Maybe you are overwhelmed and know that something needs to change. Maybe you want to understand yourself and your story more fully and be empowered to make wise, healthy choices. I would love to offer you the support you need.

From childhood, I have always had a passion for helping others. I am relatively new to the professional counseling field, having recently graduated with my Master's Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling through Bradley University. I completed my internship with Aspire Counseling, working under the supervision of Kristi Sveum, and I am now continuing as a Counselor-in-Training, under the supervision of Megan Pruett. However, I have spent years working through the challenges I have faced in my own life (I have been in every single one of the situations I described above) and supporting others more informally through the ups and downs of their paths. Though I have not been in your shoes and obviously do not know exactly what you are going through, I can draw on my own wide range of life experiences and my education and training as I seek to understand and empathize with you.

In counseling…

When we work together, I am fully and completely on your team. My focus is on you and on making sure you feel seen and heard. I will walk with you through whatever challenges you are facing. Sometimes that may mean offering a listening ear. It may occasionally mean providing a loving challenge. It will also include using evidence-based counseling practices that have been shown to be effective in helping others who have struggled with a similar challenge to what you are facing right now. I practice from a person-centered perspective, showing up authentically with empathy and without judgment. I have completed trainings for several evidence-based treatment modalities for working with people who have experienced trauma, including Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). I have also studied attachment theory, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) techniques, the intersection of neuroscience and counseling, and narrative therapy.

On a Personal Note

I love my work as a counselor-in-training, offering people support and care and seeing them grow and succeed. When I am not in the office, though, I enjoy spending time with my family, including my four children; reading and learning; and riding horses.

Begin Counseling with Alison

I look forward to meeting you and supporting you on your healing journey! Please reach out to Aspire Counseling by phone or e-mail to schedule a free 30-minute consultation.