Master of Arts in Rehabilitation Counseling (MARC)

Provisionally Licensed Professional Counselor (PLPC)

Do you feel like life is constantly full of roadblocks?

Do you find yourself questioning your abilities, thoughts and behaviors?

Are you looking for change in your life and feel paralyzed when thinking about next steps?

Do you feel alone and isolated?

Do you struggle to be assertive or advocate for yourself?

If these are questions that you have been asking, I might be a good fit for you.

In my work with clients I utilize aspects of:

  • Affirmation
  • Mindfulness
  • Narrative Therapy
  • Expressive Arts
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
  • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
  • Solution Focused Therapy
  • Person-Centered Therapy
  • Play Therapy
  • Gottman Method for couples
  • Prepare – Enrich for premarital couples

Concerns I can help with:

  • Individuals
  • Adolescents
  • Couples
  • Co-parenting
  • Divorce | Separation
  • Emotional turmoil
  • Financial difficulties
  • Assertiveness & Self-Advocacy

Individuals

You are the expert and author of your own life story. Your experience, aspirations and goals will be a primary focus throughout the therapeutic journey so that you can feel empowered to achieve your best self. We can address compromising issues or barriers that are preventing you from reaching your highest potential, emotional responses, thoughts or behaviors to help you become unstuck. I offer nonjudgmental support and validation throughout the counseling journey.

Couples

Relationships are foundational elements to a person’s overall quality of life. Having a strong and stable partnership can assist individuals in handling everyday stressors. If there are complications in a relationship, it can have a ripple effect into work life and other areas as well. While life’s up and downs constantly test relationships, issues with communication, appreciation, and lack of individual’s needs being met arise frequently. I help couples develop new behavioral habits and improve communication and be proactive in building skills and resources that prevent future issues.

Kids and Teens

Growing up presents challenges! Often, children or adolescents can struggle to understand what they’re feeling or experiencing and find it even harder to communicate these struggles to parents or family members. Whether a child is trying to figure out how to handle their stressors, navigate family dynamics or is experiencing struggles in school, I can help adolescents develop the right toolbox for handling these concerns, learn to express themselves more effectively, and gain lifelong strategies they can use moving forward. I utilize conversations, games, journaling and elements of art therapy and play therapy to aid in creating a safe and supportive space for adolescents to process their concerns.

Professional Experience

Previously I was an intern for Kids in The Middle in St. Louis, a non-profit agency geared towards assisting families who are transitioning to their new lives amid the processes of separation and divorce. During this time, I assisted with peer groups for young preschool children through teens, co-parenting support groups, and some school-based counseling within St. Louis City Public Schools. While at Kids in the Middle, I gained creative ways to approach therapeutic interventions through play and art therapy.    

I also worked at the St. Louis Crisis Nursery where staff provided child-care and social services to support families who were experiencing crises related to their health, mental and physical, housing, and more. I help families identify goals, provided resources to help assistance them in reaching these goals, and increased my skills in play and art therapeutic interventions.

My Education and Training

I graduated in May of 2018 with a Master’s of Arts in Rehabilitation Counseling (MARC) from Maryville University in St. Louis, Missouri.  Prior to obtaining my Master’s degree, I graduate with honors in May 2014 after completing a Bachelor’s of Science in Elementary Education (Grades 1-6). I am certified in Early Education through Praxis, and hold a Minor in Human Development and Family Sciences.

In addition to offering counseling services at Marriage & Family Counseling Center, I work at a local non-profit with individuals and families who are seeking assistance in meeting their monthly needs. I assist by locating local resources in their areas and financial education services to address areas impacting their quality of life.

Prepare – Enrich Facilitator

AFCPE Accredited Financial Counselor

Allyson Reynolds is a provisional licensed professional counselor (PLPC) and under the supervision of Debi Hake, a licensed professional counselor (LPC) and approved supervisor in the state of Missouri. MO License # 2016019479