Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist | AAMFT Approved Supervisor & Clinical Fellow
In-person in Gallatin, TN • Online throughout Tennessee, Kentucky & South Carolina
Hello! I’m Keiara Marsh-Cartwright, LMFT (Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist). I help anxious perfectionists, couples, and teens find their footing again. Whether you’re exhausted from the cycle of self-doubt and burnout, trying to rebuild connection with your partner after things have gotten hard, or working through trauma that keeps showing up in your everyday life, I’m here for it. I see clients in person at Tennessee Mental Wellness in Gallatin, TN, and online throughout Tennessee, Kentucky, and South Carolina.
Who I Work With:
I work with teens (13+), adults, couples, and families. Most of my clients come to me when something has shifted and they can’t quite get back on track. Maybe you’re a high-achiever who can’t turn off the mental noise, no matter how much you accomplish. Maybe you and your partner keep having the same fight and you’re both exhausted from it. Or maybe you’re carrying something from your past that you haven’t fully dealt with yet, and it’s starting to affect your sleep, your relationships, or your sense of self.
I offer affirming and safe LGBTQ+ care, support for women navigating life transitions and postpartum challenges, Bariatric Mental Health Evaluations, and Immigration Mental Health Evaluations for individuals going through the immigration process.
What I Specialize In:
Perfectionism & Anxiety
If you’re the person who looks like they have it all together on the outside but feels like they’re barely holding on inside, I can help. The endless to-do lists, the fear that you’re not doing enough, the inability to rest without guilt... It’s a lot to carry. Together we’ll work on building a sense of self-worth that isn’t tied to how much you produce or achieve.
Couples Counseling & Relationship Challenges
Whether you’re stuck in patterns of miscommunication, rebuilding trust after a betrayal, navigating a big life transition together, or just feeling more like roommates than partners, I help couples get back to actually understanding each other. Pre-marital counseling is also available for couples who want to start strong.
Trauma
Trauma doesn’t always look like a single dramatic event. Sometimes it’s the accumulation of things that happened over years. Things that were said to you, things that weren’t, experiences that quietly changed how you see yourself and the world. I use Brainspotting to help clients process trauma in a way that doesn’t require you to talk through every painful detail.
How I Work:
Brainspotting (BSP)
Brainspotting is a brain-body approach that helps people process trauma, anxiety, and emotional pain that gets stuck in the nervous system. Using specific eye positions, we access the deeper parts of the brain where these experiences are stored, without needing to verbally recount everything that happened. I use it because many clients find it powerful even when traditional talk therapy hasn’t been enough.
Narrative Therapy
Narrative therapy helps clients separate themselves from their problems by looking at the stories they’ve been told (or tell themselves) about who they are. I love this approach because it’s deeply respectful. You are the expert on your own life, and together we work to identify and strengthen the parts of your story that reflect your real values and strengths.
Strengths-Based Therapy
Rather than focusing on what’s wrong with you, we focus on what’s already working and build from there. This is especially helpful for clients who come in feeling beaten down or hopeless, because there is always more there than the hard stuff.
My Style
Clients describe me as warm but direct. I’ll meet you where you are, and I’ll also gently challenge you when you’re ready. I believe the therapeutic relationship is the foundation of real change, so I work hard to make sure you feel genuinely seen and not just assessed. My space is compassionate, nonjudgmental, and focused on what you actually need.
Background & Training
I’ve been seeing clients for over a decade. I earned my Master of Science in Family Sciences with an emphasis in Couple and Family Therapy from the University of Kentucky. I also hold a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a minor in Child and Family Studies from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
I’m licensed as an LMFT in Tennessee (License #1554), Kentucky (License #302466), and as a Telehealth Registered MFT in South Carolina (TLC #2285). I’m also an AAMFT Approved Supervisor and Clinical Fellow, an Approved Clinical Supervisor (ACS), and a Kentucky Board Approved Supervisor, which means I supervise and mentor therapists working toward their own licensure.
In addition to my clinical work, I currently serve as the Clinical Director at Tennessee Mental Wellness, where I also supervise and mentor therapists working toward their own licensure.
Specialized training includes:
- Brainspotting Practitioner, Level 1 (2024) and Expansion Brainspotting (2026)
- Mastering Immigration Evaluations (2025) for conducting mental health evaluations in immigration cases
- AAMFT Fundamentals of Supervision (2024) and systemic clinical supervision coursework through the Colorado School for Family Therapy
- Kentucky Law Review (2026) for Kentucky Board-Approved Supervisor designation
A Little About Me
I’m a Nashville native, married to my high school sweetheart, and we have one kiddo and a rescue pup we adopted in 2022. I love trying new restaurants (food is very much my love language). I’m also the oldest of three, with two younger brothers, so I have a pretty personal relationship with perfectionism and the pressure that comes with being the responsible one, hence why I connect so well with clients who are carrying that same weight. And if you’re ever wondering what I’m up to on a Sunday night, there’s a good chance you’ll find me watching Bravo. I like my drama on TV and not in my life.
Why I Became a Therapist
I became a therapist because I saw a need for people who genuinely care, and I’ve always wanted to work with families. I actually started out thinking family law was my path. I wanted to help build family cohesion and thought the courtroom was where that happened. After a few mock trials, I realized pretty quickly that wasn’t the route for me. So I switched to psychology, and honestly? The rest is history.
What I Believe About Therapy
A few things I hold onto in this work:
- You don’t have to have it all figured out to start. Showing up is enough.
- Healing isn’t linear, and that’s not a failure. That’s just how it works.
- You are more than the hardest thing that’s ever happened to you.
- The relationship between therapist and client is where real change begins.
Ready to get started?
I offer a free 15-minute consultation so we can make sure we’re a good fit before you commit to anything. You are also welcome to schedule your first session online or reach Tennessee Mental Wellness at 615-510-4551.
Available in-person in Gallatin, TN, and online throughout Tennessee, Kentucky, and South Carolina.
