Heather Holleran

My Background and Approach

I am a clinical mental health counseling graduate student intern with Walden University under the supervision of Emily Brems, LMFT. Emily is a marriage and family therapist and sex therapist, specializing in restoration therapy. I am fortunate to learn from her and incorporate this into my practice. My work is grounded in a client-centered, trauma-informed approach with a strong emphasis on Internal Family Systems (IFS). Together, we explore the different “parts” of you that developed to protect, manage, cope, or survive—with compassion rather than judgment. I work with parents of children with special needs and eating disorders, individuals navigating betrayal trauma, women’s issues, life transitions, and adults caring for aging parents with Alzheimer’s or other cognitive decline.

My Personal Beliefs and Interests

My own life's journey has taken me to different parts of the world and offers me a unique perspective on topics such as grief, parenting, life transitions, community, relationships, movement, and spirituality. As such, I am passionate about working with military families, parents of children with special needs and the advocacy that is so often needed, parents of a child with an eating disorder and navigating their needs in the public schools, as well as parents facing an empty nest (though I prefer to call it renovation and discovery). As someone who loves to explore and hike, I often think of my journey like those trails full of switchbacks and elevation changes. We face steep climbs and rocky paths, but those are the paths that often lead to the most magnificent views.