Colleen Werner

I AM OFFICIALLY FULLY LICENSED!!! Colleen Werner, LPC-MHSP has a nice ring to it 🥹⁣ ⁣ After 4 years of undergrad, 2.5 years of grad school (including over 600 client hours during internship), and 2 years post grad school with an additional 1500 client hours + 1500 hours of clinically related activities (including 150 hours of supervision), 3 exams, and an exhausting back and forth with the licensing board, I am SO incredibly proud of myself for this achievement.⁣ ⁣ 8 years ago I was still in the throes of my eating disorder, completely in denial, and definitely not in recovery. Now, here I am, getting to support folks everyday in their own healing journeys 🥹⁣ ⁣ While I of course was practicing as a therapist before being fully licensed, it feels incredible to have all of my hard work pay off and be recognized — and to no longer have to be under supervision!⁣ ⁣ Thank you so much to every professor and supervisor who has helped me get to this point, especially @honoryourspark and @dralissaphd 🫶🏻⁣ ⁣ I’ll still be practicing at the amazing practice I work at @thegaiacenter, supporting folks ages 12+ (individuals + relationships) who are navigating trauma, eating disorders, body image concerns, sexual concerns, neurodivergence, and folks in the creative/entertainment/music industries, both in person in West Nashville + virtually throughout the state of Tennessee.⁣ ⁣ If you’re interested in working with me (I have room for new clients!) you can head over to the link in my profile or email hello@gaiacenter.co (not .com) ✨⁣ ⁣ ⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ #nashvilleblogger #nashvilleinfluencer #psychotherapy #traumatherapy #therapistlife #counselling #onlinetherapy #psychotherapist #counselorsofinstagram #therapist #therapyiscool #counselor #counsellor #therapistofinstagram #therapistsofinstagram ⁣ ⁣ ⁣

The first of MANY pieces of bachelorette weekend content — and it’s one of the funniest ones 😂⁣ ⁣ My bridesmaids and maid of honor truly outdid themselves, and I couldn’t be more grateful 🥹⁣ ⁣ This poster of one of my engagement photos with @harrystyles face over @fullmetalsean’s was simply TOO good 💀⁣ ⁣ Excited to share more of this incredible weekend with you all 🥹⁣ ⁣ PS: Thank you @d.vuh, @lexiemanion, @livyj_, @emily_locke96, and @francesca_bella_love for this weekend’s magic ✨⁣ ⁣ Photo: @jasminebrookephotography⁣ ⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ #teambride #bridetobe #hslot #bacheloretteweekend #hshq #2024bride #harrie #tpwk #loveontour #weddingplanning #bachelorettepartyideas #bacheloretteparty #harries #harrystyles

158 days until our wedding, and with my bachelorette party coming up this weekend in NYC, everything feels so real 🥹⁣ ⁣ Wedding planning is SO stressful — but Sean and I have really been trying to lean into the fun parts as much as we can ✨⁣ ⁣ It’s such a special season to be in, and I’m trying to soak up every moment 💗⁣ ⁣ PS: I’m so excited to be using @confetticaptures this weekend to capture so many candid moments — Confetti texts all of the guests (we’re using it for the wedding too!) prompts throughout the weekend for photos/videos/voice memos and puts all of them into an online gallery, and then I get a cute keepsake box with a bunch of prints afterwards 🥹⁣ ⁣ There are a number of built in prompts to use, but I’m also going to add some custom ones — what text prompts for pics/videos/voice memos do you think would be fun/cute/memorable for my bridal party throughout my bachelorette weekend? LMK in the comments 💖⁣ ⁣ PPS: You can use code COLLEENWERNER for $25 off your Confetti package at the link in my profile 🫶🏻 (affiliate code)⁣ ⁣ Photo: @jasminebrookephotography⁣ ⁣ ⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ #realbride #weddingwire #weddingtrends #engagedaf #2024wedding #bridaltrends #weddingplanning #2024bride #weddinginspo #gettingmarried #brideinspo #bridetobe #zola #theknot

Anyone else going through it rn? 🥲⁣ ⁣ Currently in of the most stressful seasons I’ve ever been in, and while everything feels pretty heavy right now, things are starting to look up — like they always eventually do ✨⁣ ⁣ PS: Legs up the wall is an amazing tool for quickly regulating your emotions — give it a try sometime 💖⁣ ⁣ ⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ #therapistlife #emotionregulation #stressmanagement #selfcaretips #nervoussystem #selfcarematters #mentalhealthblogger #yogapractice #nervoussystemregulation #mindfulmoments

Any of my fellow former comp kids ever do the same thing? 🤪🩰⁣ ⁣ Jumpsuit is linked in my LTK at the link in my profile 🤍⁣ ⁣ ⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ #bodyconfidence #nashvilleblogger #bodypositivefitness #compkid #curvyfitness #dancerscomeinallsizes #midsize #worldwidedance #midsizestyle #competitivedancer #allbodiesaregoodbodies

To all my fellow therapists (and other helping professionals) out there supporting your clients while also struggling with your own mental health and the weight of the world — you’re not alone, and the work you do is SO important 🩷⁣ ⁣ Being a therapist is magical, beautiful, fulfilling work AND it can also be incredibly heavy, especially when navigating your own shit.⁣ ⁣ I hope that you know how important your work is and that you can show yourself the same compassion, care, and kindness that you show your clients 💖⁣ ⁣ ⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ #therapyiscool #psychotherapist #therapistsofinstagram #mentalhealthadvocate #counselorsofinstagram

If you also struggle with “just right” and symmetry themes with your OCD, you’re not alone 🤍⁣ ⁣ Those are only two of my themes — but they’re some of my most prominent!⁣ ⁣ Also — reminder that if you don’t have perfectly clear skin with small pores and completely even skin tone, that’s completely normal 🫶🏻⁣ ⁣ ⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ #therapyiscool #skinpositivity #obsessivecompulsivedisorder #erp #skintexture #ocdproblems #intrusivethoughts #ocd #ocdrecovery #therapistsofinstagram #ocdawareness #realskin

On Thursday, I finished reading an advance⁣ reader copy of Call It What You Want by @alissaderogatis, and it is easily now one of my fave reads of all time, which is something I don’t say lightly.⁣ ⁣ It’s an ode to the chaos and beauty and pain that “situationships” are — and it was incredibly relatable.⁣ ⁣ While it’s a fiction novel, it pulls from Alissa’s personal experiences in a very real, vulnerable way.⁣ ⁣ Throughout reading, the book made my heart hurt for younger Colleen who had many heart wrenching “situationships” — and it also made my heart so full for present day Colleen who will be marrying the man of her dreams in just a few months. ⁣ ⁣ You are worth so much more than people who feel lukewarm about you or won’t put a label on things.⁣ ⁣ You are worth someone who will prioritize you and be proud to call you theirs.⁣ ⁣ You are worth someone who loves ALL of you, no matter how messy, unconditionally.⁣ ⁣ You are worth someone who is sure about you — not someone who strings you along and pops in and out when it’s convenient for them.⁣ ⁣ You are worth being more than being seen as just a body.⁣ ⁣ While I of course would never wish the pain of my situationships on my younger self, I am grateful for the lessons they taught me.⁣ ⁣ I’m grateful that they helped me find my worth and showed me who my true support system is.⁣ ⁣ I’m grateful that they helped me explore who I was (and am) and what I wanted and needed out of a relationship.⁣ ⁣ I’m grateful that they gave me important perspective to better support my clients going through similar situations.⁣ ⁣ And I’m grateful that ultimately, despite the pain and chaos, what could’ve just been another situationship very quickly turned into what is now a five and a half year relationship with Sean.⁣ ⁣ If it weren’t for me being done with dealing with the bullshit shenanigans of men in NY, I never would’ve dove headfirst into the love Sean and I have.⁣ ⁣ Thank you, Alissa, for writing such an incredibly nostalgic, heartfelt book — get it anywhere you buy books on June 18 🤍⁣ ⁣ ⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ #bookstagrammer #bookstagram #romancebooks #callitwhatyouwant #bookish #bookworm #booktok

Lately, I’ve been trying to reconnect with the things I loved as a kid 💖⁣ ⁣ On flights on Thursday, I read the entirety of two books, and it felt so reminiscent of days as a kid going to the library with my grandma, getting a massive stack of books, and then spending the entire day reading ⁣ ⁣ For many years of my adult life, I read only nonfiction, feeling like everything I did had to be “productive” or had to further my career — and while I still love nonfiction, I’ve really thrown myself into fiction in the past two years.⁣ ⁣ Some with deep plots, some mostly smut, and some somewhere in between — and it’s been so healing. To reconnect with that younger version of me, who didn’t read to have to be anything or achieve anything, just read for the fun of it and the beautiful escape that results.⁣ ⁣ I’ve also been a writer all my life, and reading so much has reconnected me with that. Similarly to reading nonfiction, until a few months ago, I had only been writing nonfiction as well.⁣ ⁣ Don’t get me wrong — I’ve found so much healing and purpose in writing blogs and social media posts and articles — and it’s also been really beautiful to reconnect with the creative part of me through writing fiction. While I’m not sharing it with you all yet, I will at some point, when the time is right ✨⁣ ⁣ All this to say, I encourage you to remind yourself of the things you loved as a kid and see how you can reincorporate them as an adult — it may surprise you just how healing it can be 💖

Been loving this trend — so here are some things I’ve been struggling with 🤍⁣ ⁣ I don’t love the parts of this trend that have said “social media is fake” because while there are DEFINITELY parts of social media that are undoubtedly fake, there are also many folks keeping it real — which shouldn’t be discounted.⁣ ⁣ If your life also doesn’t look like a highlight reel right now, you’re not alone 🤍⁣ ⁣ Outfit in the first photo is linked in my profile 💖

Pupdates from yesterday’s episode of Therapy with Zen™️⁣ ⁣ 🐾 Very curiously and sweetly sniffed a client’s feet during EMDR and they said it made it better 🥹⁣ 🐾 Made friends with several of my coworker’s clients ⁣ 🐾 Started licking a client when he RARELY gives anyone kisses — which means he really likes them which made them so happy to hear 😭⁣ 🐾 Sniffed one of our intern’s hair for the entirety of supervision⁣ 🐾 During a Brainspotting session he also stared at the pointer 🤓⁣ ⁣ It’s been so sweet getting to bring Zen to the office and having my clients love him as much as I do — he may not be trained as a therapy dog, but he sure does his best 🥹⁣ ⁣ ⁣Enjoy these pics of Zen at the office over the past few weeks 🤩⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ #therapysession #therapistlife #therapyiscool #yorkiemom #seniordogsrule #traumatherapy #therapist #therapistsofinstagram #nashvilletherapist #yorkiesofinstagram #nashvilledogs #dogsofnashville

There are officially only 6 months until @fullmetalsean and I get married 🥹⁣ ⁣ Here are the planning things we’ve checked off in the past few weeks:⁣ ⁣ ✨ Secured our vendor for rentals (tables/chairs/dance floor)⁣ ✨ Secured our month of coordinator ⁣ ✨ FINALLY found the right colors/brand for bridesmaids/MOH dresses⁣ ✨ Set the date for my bridal shower⁣ ✨ Picked our first dance song ⁣ ✨ Created our wedding website and registry⁣ ✨ Sent invitations (if you got a save the date but haven’t gotten the formal invite yet, please LMK!)⁣ ⁣ We don’t have too many things left to check off our list which is a huge relief 😅⁣ ⁣ What questions do you have about our wedding/wedding planning process? 👰🏻‍♀️⁣ ⁣ Photo: @jasminebrookephotography⁣ Nail color: @pleasing Live Laugh Lilac ⁣ ⁣ ⁣PS: If you’re a brand who wants to collab in the process, please DM me!⁣ ⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ #2024bride #weddingideas #weddinginspiration #bridetobe #bridaltrends #sandiegowedding #weddingplanning #socalwedding #weddinginspo #sandiegoweddings #engaged #californiawedding #realbride

For most of my life, I viewed my stretch marks as something to be ashamed of or something to try to get rid of.⁣ ⁣ I’d be lying if I said that those thoughts never come up, but today, as I saw the sunlight catching them, I realized how beautiful they can be — how they sparkled and almost look like tree branches, symbolizing the growth and change that created them.⁣ ⁣ The next time you find yourself judging your stretch marks or see someone trying to sell you some BS product to get rid of them, remind yourself that stretch marks are a natural (and, even beautiful) part of life — not something to be ashamed of 🩷⁣ ⁣ ⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ #bodyconfidence #bodyacceptance #normalizenormalbodies #stretchmarks #allbodiesaregoodbodies #bodyneutrality #bodyliberation

St. Patrick’s Day throwback from 2017 taken by @cmrfx ☘️⁣ ⁣ Haven’t had pointe shoes on in over a year and I think it may be time to put them on again — missing moments and shoots like this 🥹⁣ ⁣ Pointe shoes: @gaynorminden⁣ ⁣ ⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ #balletpost #worldwideballet #pointeshoes #gaynorminden #gaynorgirls #balletlovers #gaynormindenpointeshoes