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Our gokc Team Brenton Guice Brittany Purrington Christin Trott Gary Wolf Aaron Shore
Kansas City Mental Health Counseling and Nature Therapy Private Practice

gokc

welcomes you to

be courageous

 

we will help

 

Are you stuck in life, love or your career?

Sometimes we are stuck moving in a meaningful direction.

If you’re running in circles or just not making progress - We Can Help.

Our compassionate team of 6 therapists is here to Help You Get Moving Again. We are happy you’re here. Let us know how we can help you today. gokc is a leading mental health therapy practice who is here for you!

Have You lost trust in yourself or others?

Trust - ugh - why is this always the toughest?!

We’ve been there and have climbed out of our own skepticism, doubt and fears. Together we will create an affirming, safe & validating environment to build your trust back - you will find your courage!

Learn more about our Services that Support rebuilding belief in yourself and others. We know how difficult rebuilding lost trust can be. And we know you can do it - with the help of our gokc team.

Is meaningful connection hard to find? Is purpose gone?

Does traumatic loss & grief keep you numb? Or maybe depression has crept up on you in ways you never thought possible. Sometimes we can’t put our fingers on it - but we know we’ve lost our purpose.

You Will Find Meaning and Connection - We Will Be There when you do. Ready to put faces to the empathy? Click to Meet Our Stellar Team – because we're more than therapists, we're your well-being allies.

You are not alone - we can help

Depression & anxiety continue to wreak havoc on thousands throughout the KC metro. In fact, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) reports that 1 in 5 of all Americans suffer from mental illness. With nearly 5 percent managing severe & persistent mental illness. The good news is YOU are NOT ALONE & there are effective strategies for all sorts of problems, personalities & styles.

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Featured
Embracing Nature in DBT: How the Outdoors Support Emotional Regulation
Embracing Nature in DBT: How the Outdoors Support Emotional Regulation

Emotional Regulation is not an easy task. Especially for those receiving DBT treatment. The blessing & curse of DBT is that it's heavily skills-based. If you find difficulty sticking to your plan of skills, homework from a full DBT Program or being so activated that you can't even practice skills then consider the benefits of walking out your door. Nature will always be accessible & welcoming to you. I'd strongly encourage you to utilize Mother Nature's availability to your advantage during all times of the year. Even during our bitter mid-western winters. With the right layers & mindset, a little time outside in all seasons is wonderful for you. You will be able to thrive in your wise mind. Keep going!

Nature Therapy: How Nature Heals Us
Nature Therapy: How Nature Heals Us

Nature therapy is a wonderfully accessible & broad practice. Gardening, walking through a park, landscaping, mowing - maybe that’s a stretch! Regardless, nature therapy is completely accessible to you wherever you live!

We’ll be digging into nature therapy throughout this entry. Take a breathe and settle in, as we’ll be jumping into several components:

  • Defining Nature Therapy

  • Ways to Practice Nature Therapy

  • Dietary and Health Practices

  • Benefits of Connection to Nature

  • Local Community Agencies to Get You Into Nature

Keep going to learn more about how our connection to and within nature is wonderful for us. And keep an eye out for a couple of personal stories that have impacted me along the way.

The Calming Effects of Nature on Trauma Survivors & PTSD
The Calming Effects of Nature on Trauma Survivors & PTSD

Okay, just breathe!

C'mon, you can do it. This happened a lifetime ago. What's my calming plan?!? Count backward slowly - that didn't work. Somatic breathwork?! Yeah right! What's next? I'm not calling Katie again...I can do this. Oh yeah - get outside! 

If you have ever noticed the fantastic difference it makes being outside versus in our home, office or car? If so, you are NOT alone! Maybe you've forgotten the impact of the warmth of the sun, the gentle touch of a spring breeze, songbirds calling out to one another or the touch of your plants as you stroll through your backyard native garden. Spending time in our natural world offers tremendous opportunity for calm. Nature provides significant effects on our bodies, minds and psyche. This post will examine nature's calming effects on our lives. Specifically, we're going to learn about how outdoor activities give us the most positive effects for healing from our traumas.

Love or Codependency: How to Know the Difference?
Love or Codependency: How to Know the Difference?

I love this topic! Wait, maybe I'm codependent on this topic. Oh no. Oh God. I am. Whether you have a love addiction, find yourself in a healthy or codependent relationship, finally had a promising swipe right or are trying to rebuild yourself after being in love addicts anonymous, you will be alright! You have everything already within you to make the first step in placing your own needs above your partner. Every. Single. Time. 

Today we're going to dig into foundational components of healthy relationships; signs of codependency & a whole lot in between to help you practice healthy love within yourself and romantic relationships. We are also going to cover some red flags of codependency which may be difficult for those of us with personal experiences including abusive relationships or alcohol addiction. 

 

our values 

 

Get to Nature

Nature therapy is really simple: outdoor activities with a little guidance & structure from a health professional or nature guide. Farming, gardening, landscaping, nature walks, shinrin-yoku (or forest bathing for those of us with minimal Japanese language skills) & so much more! Do you garden? That’s Nature Therapy! Do you hike? Backpack? Stroll around the block? All these things can be forms of Nature Therapy if practicing these helpful skills. Sometimes we need to get out of our little boxes and adventure outdoors.

Intentional Movement

Purposeful exercise is a wonderful healer & can be implemented at many levels for most. Some of us are managing chronic pain or fatigue, chromosomal dysfunction, injury recovery or hormonal changes that limit our ability to exercise in all ways. Thankfully, we believe there are purposeful movements we can all practice to increase our moods & decrease anxiety…all while maintaining safety for our bodies.

Connection

In December of 2015, I began writing year-end tangible goals with clear, reachable objectives. A re-occurring theme in that process was my strong need for connection. With myself. With nature. With others. And then it hit me like a brick: backpacking! Outside: check. No screens: check. Meaningful quality time with close friends: check. Then the planning & gear acquisition phase took off. And before you know it, I was taking off into the Ozark woods on a weekend adventure to rejuvenate & re-connect.

 

Explore KC Nature

Kansas City is gleaming with the opportunity to connect with nature through our awesome parks system, conservation areas & diverse ecosystems. Our rivers, creeks & woodland options are waiting for you to explore.