Vulnerability is not weakness; it is our greatest courage.
—Brene Brown
Therapist Spotlight: Emily Williams, LPC/S, LAC/S, MAC, CS, DBT-LBC
Hi, I am Emily Williams. I have been providing therapeutic services for over 10 years. I have worked in various settings, gathering experience from a variety of populations including medicated assisted substance use treatment, adolescent residential treatment, a juvenile detention center, community mental health, in-home services, private group practice, through a collective, and as the owner of a practice. I am a proud military wife and a mother of two. I have never met an adventure that I did not want to take. I love to try new things and dare myself to do the things that I am afraid of. I live my life on a bucket list and live what I preach! I am determined to have my life worth living. In my spare time, I am a karate mom, traveling around the southeast for tournaments. I have 2 children— 13 years apart. My son travels the country as a truck driver.
What Do You Like Most About Working at Evolution of Self?
I love my colleagues at Evolution of Self. Truly, I have never worked with such a fine group of people. One of the things that I love most about this practice is the skill and knowledge that each of them have. They all have their own “flavor.” Another thing that I love is that we all genuinely like each other and work well together.
What is a Career Highlight or Success?
It is way too hard to pick just one. I feel like each day brings a new highlight or success. I can’t tell you the number of clients I have worked with that have seen their life completely changed after doing some of their own work. It’s not usually this huge pivotal moment. Instead, it’s these little seeds that you see sprout and before you know it, they are blooming. Those tiny moments where you see the sudden insight or the small incremental steps toward building something new are what make my job so rewarding.
What Motivates You?
I am motivated by growth, which is unique for everyone. Watching this growth makes the process special. I enjoy stepping out of my own comfort zone. There is something about doing something new or challenging myself to do something I am afraid of that provides clarity, perspective, or a new sense of confidence. When my clients do this, I feel that same sense of accomplishment and “overcoming.” Those are the “wow” moments.
Favorite Song or Quote
““I’m not gonna be just a face in the crowd. Gonna hear my voice when I shout it out loud.””
What are Your Self-Care Must Do’s?
I am an adventurer at heart. I truly want to see the world and try everything at once (well, maybe not everything). I love to travel and see the beautiful sites around the world. I also enjoy a good massage or sensory deprivation tank if I am doing a little pampering. I also don’t mind a lazy Sunday binge watching a show I found on Netflix or getting creative with some random crafting project.
Turning Point in Your Life
There have been important moments in my life, but my early teen years stand out the most as the biggest turning point in my life. I became a teen mom at 16 and was a single mom by 17. I had no idea how to move forward, and between 16 and 19, I really felt lost and alone. I felt like all the world had turned against me and friends and family had decided that I was a “lost cause” and that these circumstances had branded me a “problem.” I’ll spare you all the details here. Instead, I will talk about the turning point. At 19, I had the epiphany that no one was going to rescue me from my responsibilities, the rejection, or the difficult road ahead. I chose to change my story. I adopted a “do whatever it takes” mindset to improve my life for both my son and I. I released the anger and sadness I felt in my isolation. I had to figure out how to show up for myself, take care of myself, and grow stronger. Along this journey, I learned to trust myself and realized I could handle tough challenges. I gained pride, confidence, grit, perseverance, and found my true self. This journey has taught me to reach for my inner strength and to stop doubting myself. When I stopped doubting that I could, everything changed. To sneak in just one more turning point in— 13 years later, I had my daughter. I rediscovered myself once again, reflecting on my teen mother years and the mother I had become. It gave me a sense of pride, and I use that to continue to work to be the best person I can be for both of these children. I think that’s why I am so rewarded by growth. I’m always a work in progress:-)
What is your favorite color?
I don’t know if I have a favorite color. I find that certain colors pop up in my life for a period of time and then I will find a new one that seems to be more of a commonality. Right now, I feel like I am yellow. I had previously had a teal kick, and I still like teal.
If you could be an animal, what animal would you be and why?
I think I would be a tiger. They are just so majestic and beautiful. They have quick responses but also know when to lounge about. They have a presence about them that no one can deny. They are very adaptable and live in a number of habitats. Although fierce, they enjoy playing, especially with their young. Tiger moms will teach and play with their young and are typically pretty protective of them.
What would be your dream vacation?
Egypt. I am absolutely fascinated by Egyptian culture, history, and pyramids.
What is one thing that you would like to accomplish in your lifetime?
I want a ranch. I would love to have a large space of my own where I can own a number of horses and farm animals, with ATVs and a large cabin.
What is your guilty pleasure?
Okay, don’t judge me…. I was raised on soap operas. My mom would watch the stories from 12:30 - 4 PM every day when I was a kid. While life does not provide me 3.5 hours to devote to soap operas, I do record Bold and the Beautiful every day and I get my 30-minute fix of soap operas almost daily. Gotta see if Ridge is marrying Taylor or Brooke this week (iykyk)!
What Are Clients Saying About Emily?
"Emily has been wonderful to work with. She has helped our family so much and we are so grateful for her counsel and support."
“I have been very blessed to have help with challenges with Emily. It is obvious she cares about me as a client/patient as well as a person. I am regularly amazed at her knowledge and skills, whether it is her knowledge of DBT or ways she talks so freely and open about whatever I bring to the table. I am continually amazed at her availability to be present for any concern at any time. I truly admire her ability and her knowledge she shares with me.”
“Emily is truly one of a kind! Her warmth and compassionate presence couples so effectively with facilitation for change. I’ve been fortunate enough to work with therapists for four years at a time, eight years at a time, in my life. Emily is hands-down the therapist that I have made the most progress with, and it is life-changing and life-giving. Her commitment, skill level, experience, and really, her Emily-ness is a gift— I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to work with a therapist of this caliber.”
“Emily’s expertise has been invaluable in helping me manage my BPD symptoms. It's truly made a difference in my life. I also appreciate her straightforward approach, especially when I'm struggling with anxiety. The tips and tricks she’s shared have been incredibly helpful in calming my mind during those my most difficult moments. I'm genuinely grateful to have her as my therapist.”
“Emily is who I turn to when I need the best, most honest and clear counselling advice available. She listens with her whole heart, helps me tease out the root(s) of my issues and assists me in navigating to a place of more ease and less suffering. I adore Emily and am extremely grateful for her.”
"Emily is the first therapist I’ve seen that hasn’t harshly delivered her disbelief in response to me telling her about my trauma. For once, I didn’t feel judged, I felt validated. I have made more progress and learned more about my dissociative disorder with Emily in just a couple months, as compared to previous providers."
“Emily is a wonderful therapist who truly cares about the well-being of her client!! She is a very compassionate therapist who is willing to go the extra mile to make sure your therapy goals are met even if they are constantly evolving. Emily continues to educate herself on new therapy modalities and is very open to client suggestions on how to mitigate different situations. Incorporating, "Shadow," the therapy dog into sessions has been tremendously helpful. Working with Emily has been one of the best decisions we have made. If you are looking for a therapist who will understand your needs, then Emily is definitely the one to go to!”
“Emily has been the most supportive and helpful therapist I’ve ever had. After 8 years of struggling, I found someone who knew exactly what I needed. She let me have full autonomy while still giving me helpful perspectives and feedback. I genuinely haven’t seen as much improvement with anyone as I have with her!”
"It's hard to find someone to open up to about your deepest hurts without the fear of feeling judged. I was extremely anxious at my first session with Emily, but also in desperate need of support and guidance. I had just experienced a very traumatic event in my life and knew from past experiences that I needed to get help before things spun out of control. Emily was very supportive, encouraging as well as motivating throughout that very difficult time. I have continued on with weekly therapy sessions with Emily for over two years now. There is always something to be worked on or worked through. I feel like I can be myself and be completely honest in our sessions. I am definitely a healthier and happier person than I was two and a half years ago when I first started at Evolution of Self Counseling. On good days AND bad days, it's nice to feel like someone is in your corner."
️ “Starting EMDR after feeling stuck for so long finally gave me the hope that I had been looking for. Hope that things will get better and how drastically this therapy can help improve myself by truly altering my brain chemistry. It has been nothing short of amazing and honestly feels a little bit like magic every time I go to a session. I know having Emily as my therapist has made me feel comfortable enough to share the toughest things in my life and made it easy to be vulnerable with all the emotions I’ve kept bottled up. The way she can help change my negative thought patterns, negative beliefs about myself, acknowledge the bad things that have happened to me and shift my perspective to something positive with understanding and compassion has changed my life completely. I always look forward to seeing her because after decades of struggling with myself and my relationships, she has helped me start to believe in myself and believe I a better future for myself, I will never be able to say enough about how grateful I am for her and how much she has helped me in such a short time!”
“Emily is a dream....both as a 'real' person and as a professional therapist. I have been to 6 prior therapists with no relief from my SEVERE anxiety/PTSD issues which I've struggled with for decades. I am also treated by a psychiatrist for such. I cannot put into words the amazing difference in her knowledge and understanding of the deep pain that affects my daily life...although it's not apparent to most people. I'm very outgoing, and she sees the good parts of me as well! So give her a try! GO FOR IT!!”
“Working with Emily has been life changing. She has always made me feel seen, felt, heard and safe. She has followed my healing evolution, and we have adjusted modalities to suit my needs. From the bottom of my heart, I thank her for her help!”
“Emily has helped me see that while things hurt and are scary, that doesn't have to define who I am.”
What are Colleagues Saying About Emily?
It is rare to come across someone as profoundly intelligent, insightful and deeply knowledgeable as Emily. Emily has an extensive knowledge base on mental health and personality disorders and evidence-based practices. Emily goes the extra mile daily for her coworkers as well as clients. Emily is passionate and inspires all of us to do more and be better in our field. It feels like I have learned more from Emily in the 6 months working with her than all of my years of prior experience. I highly recommend any person looking for a very knowledgeable therapist that creates a safe place to access change to find a coveted spot in her schedule.
— Jamie Baston, LISW-CP
I have never met someone that works as hard as Emily. Her dedication to bettering her clients, her team, and herself is unmatched. I value working with someone so consistent and dependable, especially in this field. If she had a superlative, she would be ‘Best All Around!’
— Aubrey Grinstead, LPC-A
I get the pleasure of getting to call Emily my Colleague, Co-owner, and friend. Emily is the creative force behind Evolution of Self Counseling. Emily's love of learning has resulted in her being one of the most highly skilled, highly gifted, and highly effective therapists I know. Emily has a way of seeing the underlying issues that her clients are experiencing and allowing them to see that more is possible. She embodies building a life worth living. Emily brings highly effective treatment options into every session: Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Deep Brain Reorienting, and so much more.
— Theresa Wheeler, LPC/S, LAC/S, MAC, CS
Executive Director
“Emily is one of those rare people who is both exceptionally gifted and incredibly grounded. I feel so fortunate to be under her supervision—her insight, leadership, and ability to cast vision inspire me regularly. She’s the kind of supervisor and colleague who challenges you to grow while also making you feel truly seen and supported. Her brilliance is matched by her authenticity, and being mentored by her has deeply shaped the kind of clinician I’m becoming. It’s truly an honor to walk alongside her in this season of my professional growth.”
— Margaret Cross, LPC-A
“I’ve now worked with Emily for five years from school-based therapy to group practices to horse barns to now working in her practice. One of the first things I noticed when we first met was her strong push to learn more, improve, and aim for new heights. Her mind is always changing and learning from the people around her. I also find her to be incredibly authentic in her work. We’ve done many, many hours of co-therapy together (at least 500), and who the clients see is exactly who I see outside of session as a friend and colleague (including some of that good ole DBT irreverence ). Above all else, if you want structured, quality, evidence-based treatment (fueled by compassion, determination, and Mountain Dew), then Emily would be the perfect therapist for you or your family member.”
—Jordan Crosby, LMFT
“Emily has been an amazing supervisor. She is so knowledgeable about DBT and other counseling approaches. She has been more helpful than I could ever express in words. She is a great teacher and encourages me to do things outside of my comfort zone in order to get me to grow and expand my skills. She gives very direct feedback, and is always willing to hear my opinions, input, and to answer my questions. She is always super helpful when I get stuck with clients, or when something comes up that could impact my effectiveness. I am so lucky to have her as my supervisor, she's really awesome.”
— Amber Hudson, Liberty University Intern
“Working with Emily is a true pleasure. Her inspiring energy and deep commitment to helping others create a positive and supportive environment. She possesses strong teaching skills and finds great satisfaction in empowering others through learning and growth.”
—Jennifer Pence, LPC-A
“Emily's devotion to her clients is extraordinary. She constantly learns and improves her therapeutic abilities to better serve her clients. She is able to blend expertise and vulnerability in a manner that I haven't seen another therapist do! With that being said, I am so grateful to be able to rely on Emily as a supervisor. As with her clients, she brings these qualities into supervision to provide a safe learning environment that enables tremendous growth.”
— Madison Boynton, LPC-A