You’re competent. Reliable. Capable.
And tired of holding it together alone.
Helping you overcome anxiety, stop people pleasing, heal trauma, and cultivate more fulfilling relationships.
Therapy for adult individuals and couples
In person (Akron, OH)
Virtually anywhere in Ohio
Many of the people I work with feel…
that they’ve never had the option of falling apart. They are the reliable ones and learned to be capable early by holding things together. They learned to manage households, emotions, and relationships long before they felt ready. They became very good at solving problems that weren’t theirs. Many of these individuals feel exhausted from managing everything and from anticipating others’ moods. Therapy becomes a place where that manager role can finally soften.
or
their self esteem is low and they struggle to understand boundaries. They are constantly trying to make others happy through sacrificing their own needs. They quietly hold anger, frustration, and shame. They feel lost no matter the choice that’s made because decisions are chosen based on their fear of judgement. Therapy becomes a place where they are able to be vulnerable without the risk of criticism and rejection.
or
they carry feelings of loneliness and isolation from the immense pressure to “be a man” and survive without help. They feel unnameable pressure to perform masculinity whether that be through hiding their true feelings, limiting their complexity, or shielding themselves from vulnerability. Many of these men struggle with addictive sexual behaviors that cause them to feel flat and unable to connect with others in deeply meaningful ways. Therapy helps them to explore the value of connection with themselves and others.
Attachment-Based, and
Trauma-Informed Therapy
You’re the one people rely on. The capable one. The steady one. On the outside, you look composed. On the inside, you’re overwhelmed, disconnected, or quietly unraveling and no one seems to notice because you’re so good at performing stability.
I work especially well with clients navigating life transitions, men’s issues, perfectionism, and sexuality exploration. Many of my clients are exploring who they are beyond expectations, untangling performance pressure, redefining masculinity, deepening relationships, or healing from complex trauma.
Therapy with me is a space to slow down and hear your own voice. Together, we’ll explore what authenticity actually means for you, not what you’ve been told it should look like. We’ll gently examine the roles you’ve learned to play, the parts of you that feel hidden, and the patterns that are no longer working for you.
My approach is rooted in trauma-informed care and attachment theory. Through this lens, we explore the experiences that lead you to today's struggles. We will reimagine what balance could look like in your life; closeness and autonomy, safety and healthy risk, transparency and boundaries. Not perfection. Not performance.
But something sustainable and real.
How I Can Help
Carley Irwin
Licensed Professional Counselor
Supervised by Julie Labanz (Ohio / E.2102378-SUPV)
Treatment
Specialties
Therapy for Adult Individuals
and Couples
Complex Trauma
Relationship Concerns
Life Transitions
Attachment Wounds
Perfectionism
LGBTQ+
Sexuality
Men’s Issues
Family Estrangement
“It’s the RELATIONSHIP
that heals.”
- Irvin Yalom
My approach to therapy is relational. The challenges my clients often face stem from a broken sense of safety and connection with others. This suffering is healed relationally by feeling cared for and through experiencing a sense of safety in relationship to others. Psychotherapist Patricia Young describes it best…
“to survive, a self disconnects from the source of pain and learns how to live in emotional isolation. The pain of broken relationships morphs into a lifelong pattern of disconnection from self and others.”
I show up as a real person in my work. I feel genuinely interested in understanding your ideas, personality, humor, and I believe that you benefit from me revealing my own humanity in return. Let’s be real, it’s hard to let go and show up authentically. Being messy feels messy. But it’s absolutely welcome and valued here.
