Daniel Westheimer (He/him)

I am a graduate of Northwestern University, with a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling. I received my undergraduate degree at Webster University, where I earned a BFA in Acting. There, my strengths of empathy & curiosity were developed. Inspired by the pandemic, I put down my scripts and costumes and decided to make a career change away from the theatre, and toward the helping profession of counseling. I approach my client relationships with a dash of humor and humanity, with the goal of breaking down the hierarchical barriers that have historically made up the therapeutic relationship. My work is relational in nature, based on the principles of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Relational Cultural Theory, and Liberation Psychology. I'm trained in EMDR Therapy.

Therapy is like cave-diving. Together, a client and their therapist spelunk through the catacombs, moving from grotto to grotto. The therapist holds a flashlight, highlighting the different offshoots through the cave’s internal structure, while the client decides which pathways should be entered and explored, and what the ultimate destination of the therapeutic adventure should be. The exploration process can be daunting, but it's much more approachable when done together. Therapy can illuminate aspects of ourselves, deepening our understanding of who we are in the world. I believe we are all lifelong learners, and view therapy as part of that learning process. In my free time, I enjoy thrifting, listening to podcasts, playing music, hanging out with my cats and dog, watching movies and television, and going on Wikipedia deep dives.