Therapy in Traverse City, Michigan
Many people choose Traverse City intentionally.
They are drawn by the natural beauty, strong sense of community, entrepreneurial energy, outdoor lifestyle, and quality of life that make the region unique. For some, Traverse City represents an opportunity to build a different kind of life — one that feels more aligned with their values, priorities, and vision for the future.
Yet even when life reflects what matters most, challenges still arise.
Trauma, anxiety, grief, chronic illness, relationship difficulties, burnout, and major life transitions affect people in every community. A change in location can improve many things, but it does not automatically resolve the emotional burdens we carry with us.
At Heart and Mind Counseling, we provide specialized psychotherapy services to individuals in Traverse City and throughout Michigan. We help clients navigate trauma, chronic illness, anxiety, grief, relationship concerns, life transitions, and the challenges that can emerge even when life appears successful on the surface.
Now accepting new clients. Call or request an appointment to get started.
The Life You Chose
Traverse City is a community filled with people who have made intentional choices about how they want to live.
Many have prioritized family, lifestyle, personal fulfillment, entrepreneurship, professional independence, or a stronger connection to the outdoors and community. They have worked hard to build lives that reflect what matters most to them.
Yet people often discover that creating a life they value does not eliminate anxiety, trauma, grief, relationship struggles, or uncertainty about the future.
Therapy provides a space to explore those challenges while staying connected to the values and goals that brought you here in the first place.
When Success and Struggle Exist Together
One of the most common misconceptions about emotional well-being is that struggle only occurs when something is wrong.
In reality, many people seek therapy while living lives that are meaningful, successful, and deeply valued.
They may be navigating:
- Anxiety and chronic stress
- Trauma and difficult life experiences
- Relationship challenges
- Burnout and emotional exhaustion
- Chronic illness and medical concerns
- Grief and loss
- Life transitions and changing priorities
- Questions about identity, purpose, and fulfillment
Therapy helps create clarity, resilience, and support during those experiences.
Reasons People Seek Therapy
We work with individuals experiencing:
- Anxiety and chronic stress
- Trauma and difficult life experiences
- Depression and emotional exhaustion
- Relationship concerns
- Grief and loss
- Caregiver stress
- Major life transitions
- Chronic illness and complex medical conditions
- Medical trauma and challenging healthcare experiences
- Identity and self-esteem concerns
- Emotional patterns that continue to interfere with daily life
Specialized Care Available to Traverse City Residents
Heart and Mind Counseling specializes in clinical work that often goes beyond what general therapy practices offer. Our practice is built around individuals facing complex experiences — trauma, the emotional weight of serious illness, presentations that haven’t responded to traditional therapy, and the kinds of work that benefit from dedicated training and clinical depth.
Many of our Traverse City clients are receiving care through Munson Healthcare or other Michigan health systems and are looking for therapy that understands the emotional weight of managing serious health conditions.
We work extensively with complex PTSD and long-standing trauma, including experiences that have been carried for many years without a clear space to be addressed. The work is paced thoughtfully, and the deeper material is approached only as trust and readiness allow.
For individuals living with chronic and complex illness, we provide therapy that specifically addresses the emotional and identity dimensions of long-term health management — including cancer, transplantation, autoimmune and inflammatory conditions, congenital heart disease, neurological conditions, chronic pain, and the cumulative weight of multiple conditions at once. If your specific condition isn’t named here, reach out — we likely either work with it regularly or have clinicians experienced in similar presentations.
We also work with individuals navigating grief, life transitions, caregiver fatigue, and the emotional impact of medical experiences for both patients and the families around them, along with those managing ADHD, OCD, complex anxiety, dissociative experiences, and eating disorders.
Trauma work is one of our practice’s deepest specializations. Our team includes multiple clinicians trained in EMDR (led by a Certified EMDR practitioner), a Brainspotting-trained clinician, a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP), and a clinician certified in Trauma-Focused CBT (TF-CBT), with somatic approaches integrated throughout our trauma work.
Our clinical approaches include:
We welcome individuals across all relationship structures, backgrounds, and identities — including those in polyamorous relationships.
Therapy Throughout Traverse City and Northern Michigan
Whether you are facing a recent challenge, carrying the impact of past experiences, managing a chronic illness, or navigating a significant life transition, our clinicians are committed to providing thoughtful, specialized care that supports meaningful healing and growth.
Services are primarily provided through secure telehealth, making specialized care accessible without extensive travel. In-person appointments may be available on a limited basis within Michigan when clinically appropriate.
Because building the life you want and caring for your emotional well-being are not separate goals. They are part of the same journey.
Michigan Connection
We work with individuals throughout Michigan, allowing for continuity of care regardless of location.
Get Started
Now accepting new clients.
If you are located in Traverse City or elsewhere in Michigan and are looking for thoughtful, specialized support, we invite you to call or request an appointment online to get started.
When you reach out, you’ll speak directly with Deb Benoit, Practice Manager, who will help guide you through next steps and scheduling.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does telehealth therapy work?
Telehealth sessions happen over a secure, HIPAA-compliant video platform — much like a regular therapy session, just from wherever you feel most comfortable. You’ll get a private link before each appointment, and most clients tell us they actually prefer it: no commute, more privacy, and easier scheduling around real life.
Is therapy just as effective via telehealth as in person?
Yes. Research over the past decade has consistently shown that telehealth therapy is as effective as in-person care for most conditions, including depression, anxiety, PTSD, and complex trauma. For many people, it’s actually more sustainable long-term — easier to keep appointments, less disruption to daily life, and a sense of safety that comes from doing the work in your own space.
Can EMDR and Brainspotting be done via telehealth, and is it as effective as in person?
Yes — and this surprises a lot of people. Both EMDR and Brainspotting have been studied and adapted for telehealth delivery, and outcomes are comparable to in-person sessions when delivered by a trained clinician. Trauma work is one of our practice’s deepest specializations — our team includes multiple clinicians trained in EMDR (led by a Certified EMDR practitioner), a Brainspotting-trained clinician, a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP), and a clinician certified in Trauma-Focused CBT (TF-CBT), with somatic approaches integrated throughout our trauma work. This means we can match the right modality and clinician to what each person actually needs.
I’ve built the life I wanted here. Why am I still struggling?
Many of our clients have made intentional choices about where to live, what to prioritize, and how to spend their time — and still find themselves navigating anxiety, trauma, grief, or relationship challenges that don’t respond to their surroundings. A meaningful life doesn’t prevent difficult experiences from happening or from continuing to affect us. Therapy is not about second-guessing the life you’ve built. It’s about addressing what the setting alone can’t reach — trauma, grief, chronic stress, and long-standing patterns that need specialized tools. Reaching out is a way to fully invest in the life you’ve chosen.
Do you take Blue Cross Blue Shield and other Michigan insurance plans?
Yes. We’re in-network with Blue Cross Blue Shield, Priority Health, and many other major insurance plans common in Michigan, and our panel is continually expanding. Munson Healthcare staff and Northern Michigan professionals are often covered under plans we accept. When you reach out, our Practice Manager Deb Benoit can verify your specific plan and benefits before your first appointment, so there are no surprises. We also offer self-pay options for clients who prefer to keep therapy outside their insurance records.