ABOUT

Real talk: I don’t love telling people I’m a psychotherapist.

Most people hear that and imagine a couch-sitting, beard-stroking head-nodder who murmurs, “umhm” and “that sounds hard” and doles out one insight per 50-minute session.

I grew up on the East Coast, where that kind of therapy was all the rage. So I sat on someone’s couch off and on for ten years, spilling my thoughts.

Talk therapy: been there. Done that. Found something that goes way deeper.

Sure, venting to someone is nice, gaining insight is cool, and this approach helps some people. But I didn’t see real change in myself until I:

  1. Studied holistic nutrition and learned about the profound effect our diet and supplements have on our mood, clarity, sleep, and beyond
  2. Did some tough, deep, and sometimes dark work with a series of healers who worked more with the body, energy, and nutrition than the mind.

These two things helped me more than ten years of traditional talk therapy. They showed me an utterly fresh, far deeper approach to healing.

I’m not saying talk therapy is bad. It just keeps us circling in our heads. And that’s a problem because our emotions, trauma, and intuition all live in the body. That’s why body-based healing is so powerful — and why I’ve devoted my life to it.

My work is a unique blend of nutritional, somatic, and intuitive practices. In short: I offer what’s been extremely effective for my clients and myself.

My unofficial job title: boss witch coach showing people how to heal themselves so they can go forth and kick butt in the world.

I literally can’t think of anything more important than helping people heal and grow in this way … and emancipate themselves from mental slavery (thanks, Bob Marley).

A big part of my work is showing people how to access and heal the wounded parts of themselves. You know: those babydoll gremlins that have been running the show and driving you to anxiety, addiction, bulimia, or plan old stuckness.

We’ve all got these misguided parts, but most people don’t know how to actually work with them. I teach people how to cultivate true compassion towards them — and show them YOU’RE the boss.

We put you back in charge, so those wounded gremlins can’t run the show anymore. Bonus: you’ve learned to navigate your emotions without numbing or exploding or going sideways. >>Major upgrade.<<

I work best with sensitive rebels:

  • People who are fired up and ready to do this
  • “Refugees” from conventional eating disorder treatment who are ready to finally get to the root of the issue
  • Folks with some sass, fire, and rebelliousness (with a soft and sensitive core)
  • Quirky go-getters, nerds and misfits, and outsiders with undercover witchy tendencies
  • People who want better relationships, emotional resiliency skills, and a healthier relationship with food and their body
  • People who’ve tried talk therapy and have an inkling there’s something more: a deeper, more soulful connection to themselves and all their inner parts.

*I welcome folks of all identities and sizes

Less therapist. More wellness + transformation consultant.

Ultimately, you lead your own process — especially after we’ve worked together for a spell and I’ve helped you to understand your basic road map for healing.

But we all get stuck or confused sometimes. Or hit a new level of depth that we’re not quite ready for. This is when we can use some guidance. This is where I come in.

I’ll offer you tools and support along your journey — but ultimately, you’re the guide.

The official bits

Stephanie Small is a licensed clinical social worker and nutritionist. She received her BA from Yale University, her MSW from Smith College for Social Work, and certifications in Holistic Nutrition Education and Mental Health Nutrition from Bauman College and the Academy for Addiction and Mental Health Nutrition. Her website is www.stephaniesmallhealth.com. Currently, Stephanie maintains a private practice online and in Boulder, CO, writes for national and local publications, and provides online classes, workshops, and groups. She is the creator of and instructor for the online course Supplements and Nutrition for Mental Health, and founder of Las Lobas del Corazón, a holistic psychotherapy and health clinic (www.laslobasdelcorazon.com).

I love the smell of fire, the rhythm of words, and how good food brings us together.

I not-so-jokingly refer to myself as a “kitchen witch”, and am happiest stirring a bubbling pot on the stove, with the sounds of Gypsy jazz and scents of sizzling garlic and onion wafting through the air.

I stand for intelligent rebellion, hate strip malls, and would swap my professional office for a little cabin by a stream in a heartbeat.

When I was little and people asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, I’d say, “an actress-writer-psychologist-animal rights activist-eco terrorist.” What I do now is my best attempt to fuse many of those interests … and still evolving.

Mental Health Nutrition is the foundation for all of my work.

Frankly, I think every human should know this stuff — but it’s especially effective for people with mood disorders, eating disorders, insomnia, and substance abuse struggles. I recommend starting here — because why chase our tails trying to heal your anxiety and insomnia when balancing your biochemistry could do it for us?

Learn all about Mental Health Nutrition here.

Then, many people go even deeper with me through psychotherapy & coaching. (You can also start here, if you like!) I specialize in:

Food + Body Issues

Beyond Talk Therapy

But really? Whether we’re a great fit isn’t a question of your specific issue or “disorder.” It comes down to you: are you ready for a fresh, embodied approach to feeling better?

It all starts with a free, 30-minute phone consult.

We’ll swap a story or two, and if we like each other, decide where to start.

Hit me up!

Find me on Facebook and Instagram.

Good Faith Estimate Notice:

You have the right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” explaining how much your medical care will cost. Under the law, health care providers need to give patients who don’t have insurance or who are not using insurance an estimate of the bill for medical items and services.

You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency items or services. This includes related costs like medical tests, prescription drugs, equipment, and hospital fees.

Make sure your health care provider gives you a Good Faith Estimate in writing at least 1 business day before your medical service or item. You can also ask your health care provider, and any other provider you choose, for a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule an item or service.

If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute the bill.

Make sure to save a copy or picture of your Good Faith Estimate.

For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises or call 1-800-985-3059.

Testimonials

Working with Stephanie changed my life in ways that I could never have imagined.  I came to her after years of living with an eating disorder.  Having been to three other therapists, I had little hope that I could fully heal.  Stephanie’s approach was different than any I had experienced previously. She empowered me to know and trust myself, to heal from the inside out, and to develop a true sense of inner peace that continues to strengthen.  Moreover, she taught me tools that I can use anywhere and at anytime.  Words cannot express my immense gratitude for Stephanie. Our work together allowed me not only to live, but also to live my best life!

I was so impressed with my first consultation with Stephanie. After a detailed analysis of what and how I was eating, she gave me a single suggestion that dramatically shifted my consciousness around food.

Honestly, I can’t thank you enough. Understanding what was causing cravings, what my brain wanted, has truly changed my world. I feel much more in control and haven’t taken the Buspar since our last visit. Now, I’m working on dialing back the Zoloft!

For so very many years I have asked myself why after therapy, (on and off for more than 50 years, mostly on) I have nothing to show for it but a basic awareness of how horrible my childhood was and how it has affected my life for the 65 years of my existence. When I started working with Stephanie, it immediately became clear to me that this was not the same old tired forum for self-introspection that I had grown used to and come to expect from a therapy experience. Instead, I began a journey that has actively changed my outlook on life, my relationships to people, my fears and anxieties, and my relationship to food. She is able to help me make my way through the mountains and valleys of myself. I have begun to learn to make peace with parts of myself that carry old wounding and pain, have gone so long neglected, and, unbeknownst to me, have been running the show since I was a child. This is the greatest gift that I have been given, and it is a testimony to Stephanie’s ability to effect change in what was a life filled with inertia, anxiety, depression and fear.
In session, Stephanie holds respectful space for whatever thoughts and feelings I am having. She doesn't push or force any ideas or methods on me in our sessions, but instead she guides me to listen to the parts of me asking for attention, which seems so simple and yet has been incredibly transformative. With Stephanie's wisdom and guidance, I have new clarity and understanding about who I am and what I need. I have experienced drastic improvements with my issues with addiction, dissociation, self harm and self neglect while working with Stephanie. I have released some of the pain that has weighed so heavily on my heart and mind, and I plan to continue on this productive healing journey. I highly recommend Stephanie for anyone seeking a safe space to authentically heal their pain and grow into their true self.

In the past, every time I'd try to get sober, my anxiety, insomnia, and cravings for sugar and drugs would become out of control. I tried medication, but I always ended up relapsing because the only thing that really helped (short-term, I know) was the drugs themselves. After three sessions of mental health nutrition, I can honestly say that is the first time in about ten years that I am sober, my energy is great, my sleep is great, and I feel calm most of the time. I only experience mild cravings on occasion and I know what to do when I have them. I also know how to make food choices that both satisfy me and support what my body needs. Everyone in recovery should try mental health nutrition!