Hi, I’m Elise.
I'm a licensed therapist (LPC-MHSP, PMH-C), a matrescence educator, and a mom to a wild toddler who keeps me humble daily.
For a long time, I tried to force myself into a type-A mold. But my brain is associative, curious, and a little messy.
Every time the structure - that I tried so hard to maintain - collapsed, I took it as proof I was failing. That spiral led to six months of real burnout. I was snapping at my toddler when I got overstimulated, crying daily, and resenting my family for not noticing how exhausted I was.
Two things changed everything.
Creativity. Not art class. Just being curious, messy, and imperfect on purpose. It was my exit ramp out of perfectionism, and it showed me who I was underneath all the "shoulds."
Saying it out loud. My family couldn't read my mind. When I got vulnerable and named what I needed, real connection finally had room to grow.
My life now? Sunrise in a wicker chair, listening to birds, until my toddler finds me for a morning hug and a Dr. Seuss book. "Uppy uppy" balloon dance-offs. Floppy microwaved pancakes that are good enough.
My mom always says, "Mothering is like a symphony, not a song." Movements and imperfections, forming one whole piece, making life so much richer.
How I help
Here's what I've learned, both as a therapist and as a mother: it's not a you problem. It's what happens when we're handed a role that asks for infinite giving with almost no acknowledgment of what it costs.
I work with high-achieving moms navigating burnout, anxiety, perfectionism, and matrescence (becoming a mother). Using the E.D.I.T. Method (Empower, Declutter, Incorporate, Tend), we work on dropping the performance, protecting what's meaningful, and reclaiming your agency.
Sessions are virtual across Tennessee, with in-person sessions in East Nashville.
What I believe
The "good mother" myth — and the "good girl" conditioning that came before it — isn't a personal failing to fix. It's a standard no one could actually meet without losing themselves.
My work isn't about making you more accommodating so things run smoother for everyone else. It's about helping you find out what you actually want, separate from what you were taught to give.
My Commitment to You
Here, you don't have to perform. I'll meet you with honesty, compassion, and curiosity, the opposite of judgment. I won't tell you who to be. I'll guide you through your matrescence, the profound shift of becoming a mother. Together, we'll explore who you are now and who you want to be as a mother, a woman, and beyond.