gokc Nature Therapy & Mental Health Counseling Blog

Aaron Shore Aaron Shore

How to Start a Successful Therapy Private Practice

Starting your own private practice as a therapist is a dream for many mental health professionals. It’s a chance to be your own boss, work on your own terms, and build a thriving private practice. While the journey involves hard work, strategic planning, and a significant investment of time and money, the rewards can be life-changing for both you and your potential clients. This guide will walk you through the best way to start a successful private practice, with a focus on Missouri, Kansas, and Kansas City.

Read More
Aaron Shore Aaron Shore

How to Pick the Right Clinical Supervisor for Provisionally Licensed Counselors in Missouri

Starting your career as a Provisionally Licensed Professional Counselor (PLPC) is an exciting step in your journey to becoming a fully-licensed clinician. Finding the right clinical supervisor is one of the most important decisions you’ll make during this time. This blog will provide guidance on how to select a clinical supervisor, outline specific requirements for Missouri provisionally-licensed therapists, and highlight best practices to ensure your clinical growth and successful career.

Read More
Aaron Shore Aaron Shore

The Benefits of New Graduates Joining a Group Private Practice

As a newly minted mental health professional, you’re likely buzzing with excitement and ambition. You’re eager to jump into the mental health field and start making a difference. But let’s face it: the transition from graduate school to practicing can feel overwhelming. Where do you set up shop? How do you find clients? What about administrative tasks, office space, and health insurance? These questions often lead to one pivotal decision: should you start as a solo practitioner or join an established group private practice?

Read More
Aaron Shore Aaron Shore

What Is Queer Trauma — And How Can Therapy Help?

So... What Exactly Is Queer Trauma?

Queer trauma refers to the psychological and emotional wounds that arise from experiencing discrimination, rejection, violence, and systemic oppression due to one’s sexual orientation or gender identity.

Read More
Aaron Shore Aaron Shore

Parenting Burnout is real: How supportive therapy helps you find Balance

If you’ve ever hidden in the pantry to escape a toddler meltdown or stared into space wondering if you packed your laptop and your kid’s lunch, welcome. You’re in the right place.

In the Kansas City metro, parents are stretched thin trying to juggle careers, relationships, and all those endless tasks that come with raising tiny humans. It's not just stress—it’s burnout. And it’s more common than you think.

But here’s the good news:
Supportive parenting therapy can help.

Read More
Aaron Shore Aaron Shore

Hi I’m Lisa Hoang, MSW - New Therapist at gokc

My Approach

As a queer, second-generation Vietnamese American therapist trained in EMDR, I understand how complex healing can be, especially when your identity is layered, intersectional, and historically marginalized. Therapy with me isn’t about “fixing” you. It’s about creating space to explore what’s been heavy, what’s been hidden, and what needs to be honored. I bring honesty, warmth, and humor into the room because I believe in meeting people where they are, not where they’re expected to be.

Read More
Aaron Shore Aaron Shore

How to Find a Great Therapist Job Right After School

Congratulations! You’ve completed your graduate degree program, earned your master’s degree or doctorate degree, and are ready to enter the mental health field. As a new therapist, whether you’re focused on family therapy, clinical mental health counseling, or another area of practice, the job market can feel both exciting and overwhelming. But the good news is that there are plenty of job opportunities for mental health professionals in Missouri and Kansas. Here's how to navigate your first steps and find a great therapist job after school.

Read More
Aaron Shore Aaron Shore

Find Healing: How Therapy Supports Recovery from Religious Trauma for lgbtqia+ folx

As allied and queer therapists, we recognize that healing from this unique pain isn’t just about discussing the past—it’s about reclaiming your sense of self, rebuilding trust in community, and learning how to engage with your spiritual life or personal values on your own terms. Therapy can offer a nonjudgmental space, practical tools, and a caring relationship to begin the healing journey—and yes, even find some peace.

Read More
Aaron Shore Aaron Shore

The Benefits of New Graduates Joining a Group Private Practice

Join gokc’s Group Practice today for a Rewarding, Creative & Autonomous Career

As a newly minted mental health professional, you’re likely buzzing with excitement and ambition. You’re eager to jump into the mental health field and start making a difference. But let’s face it: the transition from graduate school to practicing can feel overwhelming. Where do you set up shop? How do you find clients? What about administrative tasks, office space, and health insurance? These questions often lead to one pivotal decision: should you start as a solo practitioner or join an established group private practice?

For many new therapists, becoming part of a group practice is a great way to start their professional journey. Here’s why joining a group private practice like gokc is often a better fit for new graduates.

Read More
Aaron Shore Aaron Shore

Meet Lisa Hoang: Newest therapist at gokc

I work with folks who are exploring identity, healing from trauma, and carrying the weight of generational wounds or ambiguous loss—the kinds of grief and disconnection that don’t always have clear beginnings or endings.

As a queer, second-generation immigrant, and EMDR-trained therapist, I’m especially passionate about supporting LGBTQAI+ people and those navigating the layered complexities of culture, family, and self. Whether you're unpacking inherited expectations, naming your truth for the first time, or just trying to breathe a little easier—I'm here to walk alongside you.

Read More
Aaron Shore Aaron Shore

How Trauma Therapy Can Help You Regain Belief in Yourself

Trauma can make you feel like the shell of a person you once were. It can drain your energy, hijack your thoughts, and steal your belief in yourself. If you're in the Kansas City metro and wondering whether trauma therapy can actually help you feel whole again, the answer is yes—and it’s probably not as mystical or far-fetched as you think.

At gokc, we offer trauma therapy that’s grounded in science, delivered with heart, and aimed at helping you rebuild the most important relationship in your life: the one you have with yourself.

Whether you're in Brookside, Overland Park, Lee’s Summit, or right in the heart of downtown Kansas City, your healing journey can start with one simple but powerful truth: you are not broken. You’re human. And humans heal.

Read More
Aaron Shore Aaron Shore

Therapy for Highly Sensitive People: Finding Strength in Sensitivity

You walk into a room and immediately notice the flickering light overhead, the subtle shift in someone’s tone, and the fact that the person next to you seems... off. You're not imagining things. You're just highly sensitive—and no, that's not a bad thing.

If you're someone who feels everything deeply, gets overwhelmed easily, and has been told more than once to “toughen up,” this post is for you. Being a highly sensitive person (HSP) is a temperament trait, not a flaw. And good news? Therapy can help you thrive with your sensitivity, not in spite of it.

Let’s dive into how therapy—especially Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)—can help HSPs like you or your clients harness sensitivity as a strength rather than a struggle.

Read More
emdr, trauma recovery Aaron Shore emdr, trauma recovery Aaron Shore

How EMDR Therapy Works (And Why It Might Be Exactly What You Need in Kansas City)

If you’ve ever found yourself stuck in a loop of negative thoughts or traumatic memories you can’t seem to shake, first of all—welcome, you’re in good company. Second of all, let’s talk about a therapy that’s been changing lives (without needing to talk everything to death): EMDR.

Whether you're based in downtown Kansas City, Overland Park, Lee’s Summit, or just passing through Westport looking for a killer cup of coffee and a good therapist, this post is your deep-dive into the how, what, and why of EMDR therapy.

Read More
Aaron Shore Aaron Shore

Healing Trauma with EMDR: Your Path to Recovery

Trauma has a way of lingering, shaping our thoughts, emotions, and even our daily lives. Whether from a car accident on I-70, childhood experiences in Overland Park, or past traumas from military service, traumatic memories can hold us captive. Fortunately, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy offers an effective treatment for trauma recovery. EMDR therapy, endorsed by the World Health Organization and the American Psychiatric Association, is a proven method to help individuals in Kansas City and beyond heal from traumatic experiences.

Read More
Aaron Shore Aaron Shore

Welcome Rachel Jaggard, MA, LPC - newest Therapist at gokc

It’s my pleasure to welcome Rachel to gokc. Rachel and I (Aaron) go back a decade working together in the KC helping community. She is a terrific & compassionate therapist who is easy to know, like and work with. Her clients consistently love working with her and are grateful to have Rachel in their lives. Thank you for joining our team & offering your supportive space to our KC neighbors.

Read More
Aaron Shore Aaron Shore

Navigating a Quarter-Life Crisis: Finding Your Path in Kansas City

Life in your 20s and early 30s can feel like a roller coaster, full of major life changes, career choices, and a constant search for a sense of self. If you’re a young adult in the Kansas City metro area facing feelings of uncertainty, you might be experiencing a quarter-life crisis. The good news? You’re not alone, and this period of uncertainty is a natural part of personal growth.

Read More