Working with a therapist can help you develop healthy coping skills and overcome many mental health challenges. If you’re looking for a therapist in Iowa, barriers to treatment can make it difficult to find in-person treatment.
With BetterHelp, you can work with a licensed marriage and family therapist, social worker, or other mental health professional from the comfort of your home at a time that suits your schedule. Your therapist will use a person-centered therapy approach to ensure you get support tailored to your unique needs and preferences, whether you’re having mental health issues related to past trauma like sexual abuse or are experiencing low self-esteem, relationship challenges, or work-related stress.
Note that while many of the licensed mental health professionals on the platform may have served children in their prior training and careers, BetterHelp does not currently provide services like play therapy to children or adolescents.
If you’re looking for an online therapist, IA has many qualified professionals licensed to provide therapy state-wide. Connect with one of the counselors below to learn more about how therapy can help you along your life journey.

Ashley Paulson
I am licensed to provide mental health counseling in Iowa and Nebraska. I earned my Master of Arts degree with a specialization in Mental Health Counseling in 2012. I have helped clients with a variety of issues in different therapeutic settings over the past 11 years. I have counseled children, adolescents, and adults as well as provided individual, group, and family therapy. I have experience working with a wide range of issues including anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, parenting struggles, relational problems, and trauma. I provide a compassionate and accepting space for clients to discuss their issues and work toward making positive changes they desire. I am passionate about empowering clients in the counseling process. I aim to help clients live the best version of themselves. I utilize client-centered, strengths-based, mindfulness oriented, and cognitive-behavioral approaches. I have additional experience in using DBT, EMDR, PCIT, and hypnosis. I focus on helping clients harness their strengths and identify steps toward achieving their goals. I have immense experience in helping clients develop healthy coping skills and adaptive beliefs. I tailor my approach to fit what works best for each client. I firmly believe it takes a brave person to reach out for help. I am here to support you when you are ready to take the first step. I am grateful to be part of your journey toward developing a more fulfilling life!

Terry Chase
I am mental health therapist licensed in Iowa and Nebraska with over 25 years of experience in community based mental health, substance abuse and private practice. I have worked with clients with a wide range of concerns including depression, anxiety, relationship issues, parenting problems, career challenges, OCD and ADHD. I also helped many people who have experienced physical trauma or emotional abuse. I believe in treating anyone with respect, sensitivity, and compassion, and believe that people should be heard and not judged. . My approach combines cognitive-behavioral, humanistic, psychodynamic and rational-emotive counseling as well as person centered . I will tailor our dialog and treatment plan to meet your unique and specific needs. It takes courage to seek for a more fulfilling and happier life and to take the first steps towards a change. If you are ready to take that step I am here to support and empower you. I look forward to working with you!

Cara Kelley
“It is never too late to be what you might have been.” – George Eliot I have experience counseling people of all ages in both individual and group settings. I have ties to the military community and have been an advocate for veteran suicide awareness. I have my Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. I am also a National Certified Counselor (NCC) and have completed courses in Counseling on Access to Lethal Means (CALM), Psychological First Aid (PFA), Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and am a QPR Gatekeeper for education in suicide prevention. I believe counseling provides a safe, warm, supportive relationship where you can openly share your thoughts and feelings and learn new strategies for coping with situations and emotions. My desire is to work with you to develop new patterns in your life that can lead to healthier coping skills, increased confidence, and a greater sense of purpose and meaning in your life. I believe my role is to help you utilize what you already know and your strengths to help you overcome barriers in order to grow more fully into who you want to become. I believe in the strength of human resiliency, but sometimes we become stuck and need help to move forward. I believe that one must take a holistic approach to overall health. The mind, body and spirit are so intimately connected that one most certainly influences the others. As far as human nature is concerned, I believe you have a desire to do what is right, but often find you do the very things that might not be in your best interests. That desire to do what is right is what gives me hope for everyone. I believe you can never fall too far to benefit from counseling. I believe everyone can change – if they really want to. I want to be the person that helps you on your journey of hope. I think so many people keep everything bottled up and do not share their feelings and fears with anyone. This can lead them to believe they are the only one feeling this way and that can be a very dark place. I want you to know you are not alone and that there is hope!

Aileen Barnhouse
I am licensed in Iowa with 17 years of professional counseling experience. I primarily use Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT). I have experience in helping clients deal with stress and anxiety, motivation, self-esteem and self-confidence, depression and coping with life changes. I also have extensive experience working with adults with attention deficit disorder (ADHD). I believe you are the expert of your story and you have many strengths that will assist you in overcoming challenges. I will help you identify your strengths and then we will work together so you can learn how to use those strengths to resolve your challenges. It takes courage to seek out a more fulfilling and happier life and to take the first steps toward change. I am here to support and empower you on that journey.

Jessica Bates
I am licensed in North Carolina and Iowa with 4 years of professional work experience. I have experience in helping clients with stress and anxiety, depression, coping with grief and loss, motivation, self-esteem, and confidence. I work with my clients to create an open and safe environment where thoughts and feelings can be shared without fear of judgment. It takes courage to seek out a more fulfilling and happier life and to take the first steps towards a change. I am here to support & empower you in that journey.

Larry Jackson
I am licensed in Iowa with 10 years of professional work experience. I have experience in helping clients with stress and anxiety, relationship issues, anger management, & motivation, self esteem, and confidence. I believe in treating everyone with respect, sensitivity, and compassion. I will tailor our dialog and treatment plan to meet your unique and specific needs. It takes courage to seek out a more fulfilling and happier life and to take the first steps towards a change. I am here to support & empower you in that journey.

Tammi Green
My name is Tammi Green. I graduated with a Bachelors degree in Counseling and Crisis Trauma from Liberty University and a Masters in Professional Counseling from Grand Canyon University. I use an eclectic approach to counseling to match the best method possible to the person and situations they are facing. This includes cognitive behavioral therapy, solution focused therapy, client-centered, motivational interviewing, mindfulness, emotional coaching, and Christian based approaches. I have experience with working with all age groups from 0 to 80+ that have faced a variety of struggles from attachment disorders, ADHD and ADD, Autism, suicidal ideation, transition struggles, family counseling, low self-esteem, anger, ODD, substance use, prison transition, anxiety, trauma, depression, PTSD, emotional identification, parenting, care givers and burn out, behavioral issues, and people and families facing health issues. I am very much a person centered therapist meaning each person’s struggles are unique to them and I match my treatments to that person not a theory.

Elizabeth Stone
Whether it is a single event or a life time of struggles, our thoughts and emotions can become so overwhelming that every day tasks are difficult to complete. For some, it is hard to reach out for help but once you have taken the first step of acknowledging you need help and you cannot do it alone, the journey of emotional healing begins. It is learning to confront life's adversities rather than allowing them to define you. It is a journey of self-discovery, self-awareness, and learning to trust intuition while building inner strength to embrace and love who you are. As your therapist, I will walk that journey with you. I use a trauma-informed, strengths-based approach as well as Cognitive Behavioral therapy, however, I adapt interventions to meet clients' needs. I also apply a holistic approach with Mindfulness-based practices to integrate the mind-body connection.

Peter Jones
I am licensed in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Ohio with 9 years of professional work experience. I have experience in helping clients with stress and anxiety, trauma and abuse, anger management, & motivation, self esteem, and confidence. I also have great experience with bipolar, schizophrenia, and PTSD trauma. My unique experience allows me to understand and best communicate with a person in need. I believe in treating everyone with respect, sensitivity, and compassion. I will tailor our dialog and treatment plan to meet your unique and specific needs. Taking the first step to sign up for therapy can take courage and I am proud of you for getting started!

Debra DeMinck
“Challenges are what make life interesting; overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.” --Joshua J. Marine Hello! My name is Deb and I am a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor in Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota with 33 years of professional work experience. My experience covers a spectrum of clients and settings, ranging in age from preteens to “mature” adults; I have provided therapy in day treatment facilities, schools and colleges, community agencies, and in private practice. I blend a variety of interventions and theories to adapt to your specific needs and goals: Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) to teach skills in distress tolerance, interpersonal relationships, mindfulness, and emotion regulation and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help clients become aware of unhelpful thought patterns and to create new cognitions and behaviors. I also have advanced training and experience in numerous other modalities such as Trauma Focused-Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Person Centered Therapy, Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Solution-Focused, and Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT). My therapy style is non-judgmental, supportive, and compassionate. I believe that you are the expert of your story and that you have many strengths that will assist you in overcoming things that challenge you. I will encourage you to recognize and build on your strengths and successes to improve your emotional well-being and find purpose and joy in your life. My ultimate goal is to help you determine what you want your life to look like and then take the steps to get there. We all deserve to live the life that matters to us!
How can a counselor support you?
Therapists can practice many types of counseling, from marriage and family therapy to cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). They may also assist you with symptoms of depression, stress, or anxiety.
Therapists may help you set and achieve career goals, work on current issues you may be facing, or address your past. Over 2,499,317 people live in IA, and one out of five Americans has a mental health condition. Searching for local licensed professionals may help you find mental health support for personal growth, anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and other mental health concerns. You do not need a mental health diagnosis to seek support from one of BetterHelp's licensed providers above.
The mental health field can include psychiatric medication management, online therapy, marriage counseling, couples therapy, clinical social work, licensed counseling, and other mental health services in person and online. Seeing a licensed provider can help you navigate mental health conditions and life circumstances through mindfulness and other specialized techniques.
Please note that a BetterHelp therapist does not offer diagnostic or medication management services.
Why do people choose to work with a licensed counselor?
People reach out for mental health support for a variety of reasons. Many individuals work with a counselor for general life advice, while others may attend therapy for a specific concern. Whether you live in a large city or a smaller county, BetterHelp can match you with a licensed professional tailored to your preferences noted when you sign up.
The mental health therapists in Iowa support clients with varying issues through therapy, such as:
- Challenging situations or life stressors
- Eating disorders
- Anxiety disorders
- Depression or depressive conditions
- Adjustment issues
- Emotional support for a terminal illness
- Chronic pain emotional support
- Grief
- Personality disorders
- Trauma
- Relationship conflicts and concerns
Finding a therapist that takes new clients in online therapy can be the first step in finding a treatment plan that works for you. Your therapist can provide a safe space for you to focus on self-care and well-being.
If you're interested in speaking to one of the therapists above or being matched with a counselor in 24 to 48 hours, consider signing up for BetterHelp. BetterHelp has over 35,000 providers, including those listed above.
Emergency services to contact in a crisis
If you are experiencing a crisis or emergency, don't use the BetterHelp site. If you are in life-threatening danger, call 911. If you require support for a crisis, reach out to the hotlines below:
- National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline:1-800-273-TALK (8255)
- Crisis Text Line:Text HOME to 741741
- Veterans Crisis Line<:Call 1-800-273-8255 (and press 1) or text 838255. For support for the deaf and hard of hearing community, please use your preferred relay service or dial 711 then 1-800-273-8255.
- Trevor Lifeline(LGBTQ Lifeline): (866)488-7386
- SAMHSA National Helpline: (Substance Use): (800)662-4357
- National Eating Disorder Association Helpline:1-800-931-2237 (M-Th: 9 AM-9 PM EST, Fri 9 AM - 5 PM EST
- Child Help Hotline Call 1-800-422-4453 or use the online chat feature
- National Anti-Hazing Hotline: 1-888-NOT-HAZE (1-888-668-4293)
- Physician Crisis Support Line: Call 1-888-409-0141 if you are a first responder or medical provider experiencing crises related to Covid-1
- Sexual Assault Hotline: Call RAINN at 1-800-656-4673
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Some of the most commonly asked questions about therapy can be found in the section below.
How much does a therapist cost?
Mental health professionals can differ in price. Forbes found that the average cost of in-person therapy in the US is around $100 to $200 per hour. Pricing can also vary based on your location.
BetterHelp offers payment plans of $60 to $90 per session, charged monthly in a lump sum. You can also take advantage of this pricing on one of BetterHelp's sister platforms, like ReGain for couples or TeenCounseling for teens aged 13 to 19.
Many therapists may be upfront about their pricing and whether or not they take health insurance from the beginning. Additionally, some in your area may offer a sliding scale plan to allow those with lower incomes to pay less for therapy. However, services online can often save individuals a few hundred dollars per month.
When should I get a therapist in Iowa?
Mental health services and mental health providers may help you navigate various concerns. You do not need a diagnosis or condition to attend therapy; You can discuss grief, relationship concerns, stress, or life changes and ask for general advice. A counselor may help you gain power over your life and emotions while you navigate day-to-day experiences.
Mental health issues don't always present as a crisis. Many professionals provide talk therapy and support for life transitions, skills learning, relationship problems, or life coaching. Online therapy sessions can allow clients seeking therapy to experience professional help through video, phone, or live chat sessions without commuting to an office.
Does insurance cover the cost of therapy?
Different counseling services can vary in cost. Therapists must apply to accept insurance through insurance companies, which may take time and money, so not every therapist offers services through insurance. If you cannot find a therapist that accepts your plan, BetterHelp may be cheaper than visiting an in-person therapist.
Is online therapy the safe option?
Online therapy through BetterHelp and its sister platforms is safe. Therapists are licensed, experienced, and vetted before being contracted with the platform. If you experience any concerns with your therapist, you change your counselor through the platform or app at any time.
Popular cities in Iowa
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