Therapist and Fellow Human
Claycie Gerlt, MSW, LCSW (she/her/hers)
Therapists are people too, I promise!
Truth be told, I've sat right where you are, as the client on my own therapy journey. I know firsthand the deep work it takes to make sense of your past and create new patterns in your life.
I understand there are days when therapy feels like the last thing you want to do... and days when you can't wait to show up and share the changes you're starting to notice.
Wherever you are in the process, you're not alone.
I earned my Master of Social Work from the University of Missouri
(M-I-Z!) in 2009 and quickly developed a passion for community-based work. Early in my career, I provided supportive case management to families and youth, with much of my background focused on child welfare and adoption. I became a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in 2012.
After taking time away from the field when my children were young, I reflected on how I wanted to re-enter the profession. In the years following, I honed in on my true passion: helping individuals heal at the root and reclaim their sense of self.
After gaining valuable experience in group practice, I realized how much I loved working closely with clients in the therapy setting. This passion ultimately led me to open Shared Journey Therapy, a practice built on the belief that therapy is a collaborative journey.
Background and Path to Therapy
In my work with clients, I draw from a range of approaches to support your healing process. I am formally trained in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), a powerful, evidence-based method for processing trauma and distress. I also integrate nervous system-informed and mindfulness tools to support regulation and grounding, and weave in principles from Internal Family Systems (IFS) to help you build a compassionate relationship with different parts of yourself. While I am not formally certified in somatic therapy or IFS, these perspectives thoughtfully inform my work.
Each session is tailored to your unique needs, whether we’re working toward immediate coping strategies or diving deeper into the root causes of emotional pain.
My Approach
The Heart Behind the Work
At my core, I’m an introvert who loves nothing more than puttering around the house, listening to a good podcast, re-binging a favorite show, or getting lost in a new documentary.
I adore a good meal, summer sunshine, being by the water (a pool or beach (preferable) will do!)
I'm a mom of two and a proud dog mom to Dexter, my shih-tzu. He is the one family member you're most likely to spot making a cameo in our virtual sessions!
Most importantly, I’m a work in progress, too.
