Tiffany Zwart, LPC-MHSP

Licensed Professional Counselor
$150 per 50-minute session

Licensed Professional Counselor

I help adolescents, young adults, and LGBTQIA+ clients discover their best self by overcoming insecurity, anxiety, depression, and life’s challenges.

Are you ready to get your life back? Whether you’re in transition, struggling with anxiety, depression, or feeling out of sorts, I will be here to hold space for your experiences!

Are you suffering from the spiraling of your thoughts, despair you can’t shake, or trauma that still grips you? You can find who you are on the other side in a safe and affirming environment! You are not alone. 

Many of us struggle with familial, religious, or societal expectations we cannot maintain. This leads to feeling unqualified and insecure. Are you living for the acceptance and approval of others and not your authentic self?

About Me:

I am a licensed therapist and my focus areas are anxiety, depression, trauma, & LGBTQIA+ issues.

I help by providing a safe environment where my clients can feel known and accepted so they can move toward healing. I aim to empower my clients to recognize and harness their abilities & work towards self-fulfillment. Healing looks different for everyone, but we can usually see it best when confidently operating in various situations.

My Counseling Services in Gallatin, TN

Life can be hard, and we shouldn’t have to trudge through it alone! For young adolescents and adults, shattered expectations and growing into the realization that life is difficult can be confusing- add in a pandemic, and it seems unbearable. Having people share their hearts and experiences with me is my privilege. I believe that at our core, we know what we want out of life, but sometimes getting there is the hard part. We are all a work in progress, myself included.

When appropriate, I like to use humor to help alter negative thinking patterns in addition to my empathy, skill, and humanity. I use a collaborative approach in therapy, working with my clients and selecting treatment methods and interventions based on the client’s personality, experiences, and issues. By nature, I am a helper, but I’m actually an Enneagram 6, not a 2 (and I am an INFT).

I love to use various modalities in sessions, from Gestalt, Rogerian, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. I use creative approaches with my clients that work best for them. No two clients are treated with the same approach. I love to utilize my client’s passions to engage them in their healing. I specialize in providing a range of services, from trauma therapy to affirming therapy for the LGBTQIA+ community.

My Specializations:

  • LGBTQIA+ Support
  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Trauma
  • Life Transitions
  • Adolescents, Young adults
  • Postpartum Struggles
  • Fertility / Surrogacy

My Treatment Approach:

LGBTQIA+ Support

Finding a safe and affirming environment to discover your best self can be a struggle. Whether you are anxious, depressed, or exploring your gender identity or sexuality, finding a therapist to celebrate your diversity can make such a profound difference. The best work is done in a safe, supportive environment where you feel heard and seen.

I view all of my clients as a whole person and unique being. As a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, you may already be struggling with feeling safe and affirmed. As your therapist, I want to walk alongside you with acceptance, support, and the understanding that you are uniquely and wonderfully you.

I was able to begin my work with the LGBTQIA+ population while in my clinical internship. I have worked directly with Transgender, Gender Diverse, Gay, Lesbian, allies, and family members at the Dennis R. Neill Equality Center.

Whatever it is you’re going through there is light ahead. Let’s find it together!

Anxiety

Anxiety is such a beast. It can come over us in a moment with no rhyme or reason. It leaves us overwhelmed and exhausted. We become controlled by our fears and worries instead of thinking clearly. Social media can add an additional layer of anxiety. We’re constantly bombarded with everyone’s highlight reel while we sit face-to-face with our own inadequacies.

Life can be so incredibly hard as it is, and living with the constant worry about what’s going to happen next makes it even more overwhelming. Anxiety causes us to spend unreasonable time running scenarios through our minds to ensure we’re prepared for the unexpected.

The truth is, these scenarios aren’t making us safe. They’re really putting our bodies in a heightened state of defense. If we’re living in fight, flight, or freeze, we are focused on the future and unable to stay present. Let’s bring you back to the present, where you can enjoy the life you have!

Using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, we can retrain your brain. It will take some work, but it will be so worth it!


Depression

If you’re experiencing feelings of worthlessness & hopelessness, you might be struggling with Depression. Depression causes us to forget our true value. It can cover us like a blanket of extreme sadness. Life brings a normal level of highs and lows, but if you feel like you’ve been feeling low for too long, it may be a sign of something more serious.

The causes of Depression are many: past or current trauma, chemical imbalance, medications, and even genetic history. I think it’s easy for most of us to forget that we lived through collective trauma as we all experienced the pandemic. If you already struggled with isolation, this experience may have increased that level of isolation. You may have been left with a feeling of despair that is still affecting you. I want to work with you to rediscover the brave and wonderful person you are!

You don’t have to live this way. For some clients, healing looks like processing trauma; for others, it is changing our thinking or behavior to work our way out of despair. Let’s find your passions and use them to work toward your healing! We can revive the parts of you that you lost through your sadness and begin to take hold of your emotions instead of them taking hold of you!

Trauma

Traumatic experiences come in all shapes and sizes. The greatest struggle with trauma is that those who have experienced it either don’t realize how impactful the trauma has been on their life or they don’t believe it’s “bad enough” to seek help.
If you have experienced something you were not mentally prepared to handle, this is trauma and worth addressing. Trauma steals: It steals our self-worth, innocence, and so much more.

Do you wonder why you react to things or people a certain way? Are you constantly trying to avoid your past? You will suffer more if you continue pushing your experiences and emotions down. My counseling provides a safe and accepting environment where your stories can be told and your heart healed.

Trauma work takes time. First, you must understand how it has affected you. You know how you feel, but do you know what exactly it’s done to you and where it lives? Then, we will practice grounding techniques and work to identify triggers. Trauma creates a heightened response in our bodies, so we’re always on alert. Those who have endured often experience anxiety and depressive symptoms. We can minimize those symptoms while also empowering you.

I want you to regain what has been taken from you & experience life again!

Life Transitions

Have you experienced a life change that has you feeling overwhelmed?

Life comes with so many changes, and sometimes we struggle to cope. Even positive changes like a new baby, graduating from school, or even a geographical move can create an elevated level of stress.

Are you overwhelmed, feeling out of control, or confused over what’s next for you?

I want to empower you to move through this stage of your life with confidence and hope! We can work together to identify the source of your distress & get you on the road to peace and contentment. For some clients, this means working through your sense of self, learning boundaries, or processing what this new stage of life means for you.

My Approach:

My approach to therapy is a combination of approaches. I like to tailor my approach to each client. Let’s use what you're familiar with to help encourage healing!

  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
  • Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy
  • Gestalt Therapy
  • Solution Focused Therapy
  • Trauma-Informed Therapy
  • Rogerian Therapy
  • Client-Centered Therapy

My clients are the experts in their healing. My job and privilege is to walk alongside you to help you determine what is best for you. Therapy is not advice-giving. It is asking the right questions to get you to understand what is at the center of your distress. Once you can identify this distress, we can move to work on behavior patterns. I want to challenge you, support you, and even laugh with you as we walk this journey of healing.

The rate of change varies across different issues brought to counseling, but I am interested in seeing evidence of change. I am highly invested in seeing my clients move from where they are to where they want to be.

Credentials:

  • Bachelors in Psychology, Middle Tennessee State University
  • Masters of Science in Mental Health Counseling, University of Oklahoma
  • Worked with LGBTQIA clients as liaison at Dennis R. Neill Equality Center in Tulsa, OK
  • Worked with young adults providing support Services at Vol State

My Story & Background:

Sitting in my first Psychology class ever, my teacher asked, “Do you believe that everyone is the way they are for a reason?”. This question sparked my curiosity about the human experience. I do believe we are all the way we are for a reason. I also believe finding out what that reason is may be at the root of our healing. I think one of my reasons for going into the field of counseling was to identify what drove my actions and feelings.

Another reason for this field is a deep desire to help others realize how valuable they truly are. Mental distress can take so many things from us, but one thing I really see stealing is our confidence.

Anxiety causes distrust in ourselves, depression causes us to dislike ourselves, and trauma disrupts our sense of safety and normalcy.

It is my honor and privilege to walk through this distress with clients while also helping them rediscover their confidence.

During my time in graduate school, I was able to learn who I wanted to be “in the room” as a counselor. I seek to empower & motivate my clients so they become their best selves. I do this by creating a safe and accepting environment where the exploration of feelings, thoughts, and beliefs is welcome and encouraged.

Your healing can be an enjoyable journey! We will do hard work in sessions, but we will also laugh and have fun! The modes of therapy I love to use are Client-Centered, Gestalt Therapy, REBT, Solution-Focused Therapy, Trauma-Informed, and various other modalities that fit my client’s specific needs. You are unique, and your treatment should be specific to you!

Early in 2022, I decided to fulfill my purpose by transitioning to counseling. At that point, I had had my degree for over five years in Mental Health Counseling but had not had the opportunity to use it. I found Emily Runyan (founder of TN Mental Wellness) online, so I reached out. I knew right away that this was the place for me. Emily is disarming in a way that draws you out and into wanting to be your best self. She is encouraging, empowering, and so supportive. I have been able to grow my skills as a therapist in ways I never thought possible. I worked part-time from July until December and then moved to counseling full-time this January. I am so excited to work with clients and see the growth available to them!

I served in the military as a United States Marine and as a surrogate four times. With these experiences, I learned so much about myself and others. I was able to meet people so incredibly different from myself. It gave me an opportunity to see the world from a larger perspective and learn who I really am. I was also introduced to the experiences of others that I had never considered before.

Humans are resilient. We are capable of much more than we give ourselves credit for.

There’s a quote by Brene Brown that I absolutely love and hold on to for years. She says, “With skinned knees and bruised hearts: We choose to own our stories of struggle. Over hiding, over hustling, over pretending.”. It is my privilege and honor to walk with you through your story.

A Little Fun

I love so many things! I love nature and feel most connected to myself and others in this space. I love to kayak, hike, run, snow ski, sit by a fire, and really do anything to be outside.

When I’m not outside, I love to binge-watch a good show. My favorites are documentaries & podcasts- specifically True Crime, but also anything that makes me laugh ( I know it’s such a conundrum). But honestly, I love to laugh & I really love to hear other people laugh. Whether this means playing fun games or just being ridiculous, I refuse to take myself too seriously.

I am a wife and mother of three humans and two dogs. They are my world, and I love having fun with them. We try to laugh as much as possible. You might even catch us playing trivia around Gallatin. We never win, but we always have fun.

Who you are & who you are becoming is all part of your story. Make it a good one!

Thank you so much for taking the time to read a little about me! That was a lot of information & I’m so glad you made it this far. It can be so difficult to start working toward your best self. It’s hard work but so worth it. You deserve to feel safe and accepted & I can provide that, so let’s get started. I don’t know you yet, but I already think you’re awesome! I believe it to be a privilege and honor to sit with you and hear your heart.

Call our office today (615-510-4551) to schedule an appointment or a complimentary 15-minute consultation. I provide therapy at our office in Gallatin, Tennessee, and virtually through our secure online telehealth platform anywhere in the state of Tennessee.