Elise Champanhet

Locations: Virtual Illinois

Pronouns: She / Her / Hers

Belief in the power of stories to transform has propelled me for as long as I can remember.

My passion for counseling and healing comes from personal experiences with those who took the time to listen to my story. Sharing that hope for healing and seeing others reach restoration is a passion of mine. I believe healing begins in the safe space of allowing stories to be told. Often, the feeling of not being known or a sense of disconnection can permeate even the small moments of our days. I want every individual I work with to feel seen, heard and known. We will do exactly that by exploring your own unique story! If you feel helpless in your current circumstances, I can come alongside you by providing comfortable space for you to move into forward motion. The path towards restoration, healing and hope is close.

A lack of direction in your individual story can make life appear aimless and lacking purpose. Maybe you have a story that is difficult and complex to tell, isolating you from others. It’s possible you don’t even understand the narrative progression of your life! How are you supposed to ground yourself in confidence when you are unsure about your purpose? I work with people to receive clarity by exploring and sharing tender stories in safety, so they can own their stories in a meaningful way. Sometimes, simply gaining internal control in the face of difficult times is exactly what is needed. 

Narrative therapy is looking at your whole life story from a positive, empowering perspective and honestly asking, “What’s working right now?” We’ll identify how you kept strong in life, while also  evaluating what isn’t serving you well. Everyone has faulty narratives developed from previous experiences that operate in our current life that mess us up! We will work together to examine those faulty narratives and do the hard work of correcting them.

I also utilize EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing) therapy to help people make sense of the more challenging parts of their story. Maybe you have a difficult experience you need help processing. Maybe you’ve never felt strong or “good enough”. EMDR is a way of processing difficult moments in your past so that you can make more sense of them and see yourself in a more positive way. My goal is that you would leave our time together with a strong sense of the story that makes you uniquely human.  

I work with adults of all ages and cultural backgrounds to help them reclaim past experiences, take control of their present, and work towards a future they envision. Together, we’ll examine your challenges, values, and goals to clear the path toward recovery. Let’s define what health looks like for you! Story is at the heartbeat of my work with people, and I appreciate people, including yourself, for letting me into the experiences that shape your life.