Z. Hamilton Avery

I provide affirming online psychotherapy to adolescents (13+) and adults in Oklahoma, Florida, South Carolina, and Idaho. I also provide non-clinical coaching to teens and adults nationwide. People come to my practice for many different reasons. Some are dealing with significant distress or a specific mental health concern. Others are trying to understand themselves better, navigate a transition, change patterns that no longer serve them, or invest in their well-being before life reaches a crisis point. I commonly work with stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and PTSD, chronic illness and pain, grief and loss, suicidal thoughts, burnout, identity-related concerns, major life transitions, serious mental illness, and complex psychosocial stressors. I also enjoy working with people who want to develop greater self-understanding, resilience, self-compassion, psychological flexibility, or a stronger connection to their values and the parts of life that matter to them. My approach is humanistic, person-centered, strengths-based, trauma-informed, harm-reduction oriented, inclusive, and affirming. I do not believe therapy should force people into a predetermined model of what health, relationships, identity, or a meaningful life should look like. Each person brings their own history, circumstances, strengths, needs, values, preferences, and goals into the room. Those differences should shape the work we do together. My clinical training includes CBT, DBT, ACT, motivational interviewing, compassion-focused therapy, EMDR, trauma-focused interventions, somatic approaches, expressive approaches, mindfulness, and mind-body practices. I use these approaches flexibly rather than following one model for everyone. Therapy might involve learning concrete coping skills, understanding emotional or behavioral patterns, processing difficult experiences, developing self-compassion, strengthening emotional regulation, clarifying values, or experimenting with different ways of responding to situations that feel stuck. We pay attention to what is actually useful and change course when something does not fit. I also take a broad view of what influences mental health. Thoughts and emotions are important, but they are only part of a person's experience. Physical health, chronic pain, relationships, identity, family, work, environment, culture, resources, nervous system responses, past experiences, and current circumstances can all affect well-being. Understanding those connections can sometimes make an experience that seemed confusing or disconnected begin to make more sense. My practice is 2SLGBTQIA+ affirming and neurodiversity affirming. I respect each person's autonomy and the language they use to understand themselves. Identity can be central to therapy when it is relevant, but I do not assume that someone's sexuality, gender, neurodivergence, relationships, or other identities must become the subject of treatment. Clients should have room to decide what matters and what they want to explore. My style is warm, curious, collaborative, practical, and often humorous. I want clients to feel comfortable asking questions, disagreeing, giving feedback, or telling me that something is not working for them. You do not need to show up already knowing exactly what you need from therapy. Part of the process can be figuring that out together. My professional background extends well beyond the therapy office. Since 2010, I have worked across outpatient psychotherapy, integrated primary care, community mental health, hospice and end-of-life care, mobile crisis services, 911 emergency communications and first response, school-based services, health education, and home- and community-based settings. I have supported thousands of adolescents, adults, and older adults across clinical, medical, crisis, educational, nonprofit, and community environments. My interdisciplinary education spans pre-nursing, psychology, and social work. I also have extensive training in bodywork, yoga, meditation, energy work, and complementary and alternative medicine. I am a Certified Massage Therapist, Certified Reiki Master trained across multiple lineages, and Certified Yoga Teacher with more than 1,000 hours of accredited training, much of which I completed in India. My training includes massage therapy, Thai yoga massage, myofascial release, craniosacral therapy, Reiki and energy work, Chinese and Japanese acupuncture, mindfulness, meditation, Hatha yoga, Kundalini yoga, yin yoga, restorative yoga, and trauma-informed yoga. This work represents another part of my professional background and my longstanding interest in the relationships among mind, body, health, and lived experience. Coaching is separate from my psychotherapy practice and does not involve diagnosing or treating mental health conditions. My coaching work focuses on areas such as personal growth, behavior change, practical skills, habits, values, goals, life transitions, mindfulness, self-compassion, resilience, and well-being. It is available to teens and adults throughout the United States. I also work as an educator, speaker, writer, curriculum developer, yoga and meditation teacher, and integrative wellness practitioner. Through Therapy with Z, LLC, I develop classes, workshops, professional trainings, speaking engagements, retreats, and other educational experiences. Topics include mental health, trauma, suicide prevention, chronic illness and pain, stress management, coping skills, mindfulness, self-compassion, meditation, yoga, complementary and alternative medicine, integrative wellness, and 2SLGBTQIA+ affirming care. My educational programs can be designed for the general public, helping professionals, healthcare and behavioral health professionals, workplaces, organizations, and communities. Some focus on introductory education and practical skills. Others provide advanced professional education or structured practitioner training. Programs may incorporate research, education, discussion, reflection, experiential practice, movement, mindfulness, and skill development. I also create original handouts, worksheets, workbooks, guides, manuals, and other resources that participants can continue using after a program ends. Across psychotherapy, coaching, education, and integrative wellness, I am interested in helping people understand themselves and their experiences more clearly. I want people to have useful options rather than prescriptions for who they should become. The work can involve learning, questioning, experimenting, practicing, changing, or simply developing a different understanding of something that has been difficult to navigate.