Theresa Westfall

Theresa Westfall, Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), received her Master of Science from Mercer University’s Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program. Mrs. Westfall completed her clinical internship at New Life Community Ministries in Decatur, Georgia, where she aided in the coordination and development of New Life’s counseling and case management program. She also assisted in Dr. Jagan Chilakamarri’s psychiatric practice with research on pediatric bipolar disorder.

Beyond her degree, Mrs. Westfall is trained in specialized trauma treatments, including the use of brainspotting, internal family systems, and progressive counting. Each of these therapeutic techniques are designed to help children and adults deal with traumatic experiences and loss. She is also trained in dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) and facilitates this therapy in individual and group sessions.

Additionally, Mrs. Westfall is trained in collaborative and proactive solutions (CPS), a model used to work with children and adolescents experiencing behavioral challenges and/or explosive outbursts. The approach improves communication, empathy, conflict resolution, and problem-solving skills as the child and the parent work together as a team. Family communication is strengthened and improved through this model.

Mrs. Westfall is trained in exposure with response prevention (ERP) which is the gold standard treatment for OCD and anxiety. This approach empowers people to face their fears and identify how they have been inadvertently fueling them.

Mrs. Westfall is the lead therapist for Atlanta Specialized Care’s Executive Functioning Groups. She provides individual, family, and group therapy to children, adolescents, and adults. She is passionate about working in the areas of trauma, loss, executive functioning, social skills, the autism spectrum, communication difficulties, behavioral challenges, addictions, anxiety, stress management, depression, OCD, ADHD, relationship difficulties, and life transitions.

Mrs. Westfall meets clients where they are in life and treats each client as a unique individual. She counsels from a holistic perspective incorporating the mind, body, spirit, family, school, work, and environment. Her therapeutic style is warm and supportive as she works with clients to reach their goals in a way that instills hope and a sense of empowerment.