N. Janeil Sowards

LPC, LAC

Hello! Welcome to Safe Haven Counseling. I’m glad you stopped by. Allow me to introduce myself:

“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.”
— Viktor Frankl,
Man’s Search for Meaning

I am a licensed professional counselor (LPC), a licensed addiction counselor (LAC), and I am also trained in trauma processing (PTSD) using EMDR (eye movement desensitization reprocessing). I utilize CBT, Internal Family Systems parts work, and Gottman Level I training for couples relationship issues. Although not currently practicing, I was an approved provider for the Domestic Violence Offender Management Board for 20 years with extensive experience in unhealthy relationship dynamics. I have a clinical master’s degree in psychology with 20+ years of counseling/psychotherapy experience serving both adults, adolescents, and couples. My practice is LGBTQ+ friendly.

I offer both in-person and online individual and couples therapy. My goal is to create a safe, supportive space where you can explore connections between your mind, body, and emotions. Therapy with me is all about you — I tailor my modalities to fit your unique needs and personality. Together, we’ll work through your concerns, building skills, gaining insight, and rediscovering hope. Taking the first step toward growth is often the hardest, but through therapy, you’ll gain a powerful perspective that helps you understand your past and better manage your future."

My Approach

WELLNESS and CHANGE

My focus in therapy is safety, wellness, and change. The goal is to create a therapeutic environment where you feel safe to speak openly, honestly, and without fear of judgment. I take a holistic (whole body) approach, recognizing that symptoms often manifest not only as psychological concerns but also as medical or interpersonal challenges. People typically seek support when problems become overwhelming or unmanageable. Most of us prefer to handle issues on our own to avoid judgment or labels. Asking for help takes courage, and by being here, you’ve already taken that important first step. Congratulations!

In our sessions, we’ll explore life experiences that contribute to emotional pain. Unresolved issues can affect many areas of life, from work and school performance to relationships, parenting, financial stability, and even something as simple as your daily commute (hello, road rage!). These challenges can also impact focus, increase conflict, disrupt sleep, drain energy, trigger emotional instability, and influence habits like diet, exercise, and substance use.

The Bad News: Typically, issues repeat until they are repaired. The same patterns surface in other situations.

THE GOOD NEWS: Therapy works! Together, we will find solutions, create change, and complete the “repeat and repair” cycle. There IS hope.

“Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it.”
— Helen Keller

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