Welcome to the Mountain State of Mind. I know that if you are here, life has not been kind recently. Unfortunately, it has a tendency to do that. So whether you are pregnant or a new parent grappling with some significant decisions and lifestyle changes; a young person figuring out who you are or what it means to be on your own; a trauma survivor trying to piece together a new normal; or just a person who feels stuck with no way forward, I can tell you that you’ve come to the right place and that better is just around the corner. I believe that while life throws us curves, it also provides the roadmap for a way forward in that addressing what’s going on now will leave you more resilient and better prepared for what’s next.

I work with a variety of clients and concerns, although I specialize in the many issues of new parenthood (e.g., infertility, miscarriage, birth trauma, postpartum mood and anxiety disorders) and those predominantly impacting young people (e.g., substance use, body image, self-esteem, disordered eating, sexual or gender exploration, social anxiety). I use a variety of cognitive-behavioral and mindfulness-based approaches to identify unhealthy patterns and guide you towards healthier options through thought exercises and behavioral challenges to practice outside of session.

So am I right for you? Well, that depends. Are up for the challenge of thinking differently and stepping outside of your comfort zone? Can you commit to putting one foot in front of the other, even when you stumble? Do you have the space and time to address what’s wrong now and better prepare for what’s to come? Life is like a long, winding, mountainous trail. Each curve leads to another, but we are higher up at each bend with a clearer view and sense of direction. And if we can take time to recover as needed, we’ll be stronger the higher we climb. So right now, your lungs are screaming and your legs are on fire. You’re tired and what you’re doing isn’t working. Are you ready to take that pause to climb higher?

Jackie Belhumeur Wayne is a licensed psychological associate practicing in the high country. She has degrees in psychology from James Madison University and Appalachian State University (ASU). She loves working with young people and new parents and has worked across university health services, high schools, and medical settings before opening her therapy practice in 2016. She has a fondness for metaphors as a way of introducing new thinking to both her clients and the students she teaches at nearby ASU. She loves the mountains for their beauty, thrills, and new perspectives and currently lives in beautiful Boone, North Carolina with her husband, daughter, and dog, Goose.