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Meet Emma Donovan, MA, LPC, LCPC

Therapist In Saint Louis, MO and Online in MO and IL

Hi, I’m Emma. I started Alternative Therapy STL to help people in their 20s and 30s heal past wounds and become more conscious, integrated, and whole versions of themselves through an alternative, holistic, and spiritual approach to therapy.

 

 In my practice, I help you harmonize your mental, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing by helping you become a more conscious, self-aware, and fulfilled human being.

 

I aim to bridge the gap between mind and body, left and right brain, and eastern wisdom and western science to help you grow and heal.

 

Learn more about me below.

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“Emma is one of the most dedicated & innovative therapists I know. Emma is compassionate, holistic, and non-pathologizing in her approach. She is highly skilled at holding space for clients to access their own inner wisdom. I feel 100% confident referring clients to Emma.”

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-Julie Wrocklage, MC, LPC, NCC, Colleague and Therapist for HSPs at www.juliewrocklage.com 

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Emma's Background

Emma Donovan, MA, LPC, LCPC, is a transpersonal therapist offering online and in-person services to clients age 20 to 39. Her areas of clinical specialization include anxiety, stress, spirituality, self-esteem, trauma, career and lifestyle issues, and emotional intelligence.

 

Emma has traveled, studied, and lived in 32 countries, including becoming an advanced yoga teacher in India, working as a therapist at a mindfulness-based healing center in Thailand, spending time with shamans in Ecuador, and studying IFS therapy in Spain. She loves integrating western science with eastern wisdom, and believes in helping clients become more conscious and centered individuals in addition to helping them heal.

 

She aims to help people heal the root of their struggles by integrating her training in Depth Hypnosis, Applied Shamanism, Nutritional Therapy, IFS, TRE, Nutritional Therapy, and mindfulness. She has completed the highest level of training in IFS therapy, holds a certificate in Depth Hypnosis, is an Applied Shamanic Counselor, and is a Certified TRE Provider.

 

Emma’s work has been featured on Best Life Online, Bustle, Thrive Global, and Hello Giggles. She is also a meditation teacher on Insight Timer, one of the most popular meditation apps in the world. Her meditations have over 100,000 plays, and one of them was featured as one of Insight Timer's "Staff Picks." She also donates money to plant 1 tree for every single session she does! Over a thousand trees have been planted in her clients' honor so far.

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After working with Emma, I feel I don’t ‘have to’ anymore, but can live, love and work from my place of flow. I know my inner world and its parts way better and I’m able to heal myself, check-in with myself, give myself what I need, and the best part: I can be there for others in a way that is more loving and healthier for myself.”

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-Past Client Testimonial

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Personal Statement

Hi, I’m Emma. I could be your next therapist! Before you reach out to me, you may want to learn a little about the person you’re about to spend a lot of time with.

 

I’ve always marched to the beat of my own drum. From a young age, I asked deep questions and was profoundly curious about myself and the world around me. I was a creative, bookish, and sensitive kid who had a heart for the suffering of others. 

 

As an adult, I’ve spent time studying philosophy, psychology, and spirituality. I have traveled to far corners of Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America, learning about myself, the world, and the people on it. I’m deeply committed to my own growth and self-knowledge, and even lived at a mindfulness center in Thailand for 1.5 years!

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In Japan, the word “Ikigai” refers to the work that sits at the intersection of what you love, are good at, can be paid for, and what the world needs. The work I do is my Ikigai.

 

Being a therapist is more than a job for me, it’s a calling, and I consider it an honor to work with each and every one of my clients.

 

I enjoy helping people learn to love themselves, heal their darkest parts with their own inner light, and experience inner harmony. I’m not afraid to “go deep” and sit with the tough stuff with my clients, while also making space for lightness and curiosity in sessions.

“Emma is kind, curious, and committed to learning. She is constantly expanding her knowledge to better serve her clients and has so much wisdom to offer! She's an amazing guide for anyone who's ready to do deep body/mind/spirit healing."

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-Jessie Kissinger, PLPC, Colleague and Therapist 

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Q and A with Emma

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Q: What did you do before you became a counselor?

A: I was a yoga teacher for 5 years. I also started an Etsy shop selling handmade bracelets when I was 20. My Etsy shop got me through college!

Education & Licenses

  • M.A. in Professional Counseling from Lindenwood University, graduated with a 4.0

  • B.A. in Religious Studies from Missouri State University, graduated with honors 

  • B.A. in Global Studies from Missouri State University, graduated with honors

  • LPC in the state of Missouri

  • LCPC in the state of Illinois

Training & Certifications

  • Certified ​Applied Shamanic Counselor 

  • Depth Hypnosis Practitioner

  • Nutritional Therapy Practitioner

  • Internal Family Systems Level 1, 2, & 3 Training

  • IFS-Inspired Coaching Course

  • Certified TRE Provider (Tension/Trauma-Releasing Exercises)

  • Certified Integrative Mental Health Practitioner

  • Advanced 500-hour Yoga Teacher Training

  • 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training

  • Psychedelic Assisted Psychotherapy Training through the Integrative Psychiatry Institute; Certificate in PAT

  • Certificate in Nutritional Psychiatry through the Integrative Psychiatry Institute

  • Somatic Experiencing Training (Beginning 1 and 2)

Qualifications & Credentials

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About the Unalome Symbol

You may have seen the above symbol and wondered what it means. It is derived from a “unalome,” which is an ancient symbol thought to be of Buddhist or Vedic origin. It is designed to symbolize our personal and spiritual path from suffering to enlightenment, because the path of growth and healing is never linear, straight, or perfect. 

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The unalome begins at the center of a spiral to indicate the origin of life and the “programming” we receive from our upbringing. Then, it shows the twists and turns of life, which symbolize our wandering, missteps, unlearning, and new learning as we create our own lives by gaining awareness and deciding who we want to be.

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Eventually, the path begins to straighten out from the loops, showing how we get closer and closer to the whole, integrated people we are capable of being, until we reach the dot, which symbolizes enlightenment, the end of life, or the completion of the journey. The classic symbol points only one way, but my graphic designer designed this unalome to point 4 ways, to symbolize the many directions our lives may take.

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This symbol depicts what I hope to offer others with my work. To me, the paths of healing, personal growth, and spirituality are one and the same. I believe the world is a school. Everything is meant for our learning (or unlearning). And the obstacle is the way. By working through our unhealed wounds, burdens, patterns of behavior, layers of protection, and unhelpful ways of being and transforming them, we are walking the spiritual path. 

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This is a radical departure from how we typically see personal issues as diseases or illnesses. We can instead look at our relationship issues, career confusion, anxiety, sadness, and other sufferings not as diseases to be eradicated, but as guideposts pointing us to what we need to heal in order to grow into our highest selves. This is the journey I love helping people walk.

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