Family therapy and counseling in Indianapolis, IN

I am a compassionate Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with 10+ years of experience. My concentration was originally in Mental Health and Addiction with a Masters Degree in Social Work from Indiana University. I have additional training in Trauma Focused Behavioral Health, Specialized Treatment for Women of all ages including such areas as Post-partum Depression, and Intimate Partner Violence along with focused treatment for adolescents and adults with other mental health issues such as ADHD, and Anger.

If you're carrying something that's hard to put into words — trauma, grief, chronic stress, infertility, or the particular weight that comes from serving others— you don't have to figure out how to start the conversation. Whether you are struggling in high school, college, or the world of adulting, I'll help with that. I came back to therapy because I noticed a high number of individuals in need but not enough therapists who are able to navigate cultural diversity in therapy.

I am a Guyanese-born American-raised world traveler who has experienced life and appreciates diversity in all aspects. I bring a holistic lens to my private practice, working with adults and families facing PTSD, trauma, infertility, sleep challenges, and the hard parts of life that don't fit into a tidy category.

I believe your mental health, physical health, and sense of purpose are all connected — and we work with all of it.

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and National Board‐Certified Health and Wellness Coach with extensive experience in veteran-centered care, higher education, and community mental health. I have extensive knowledge and practice in individual and group interventions. I am also passionate about process improvements in self and organizations. I have contributed to and led Lean Six Sigma process‐improvement initiatives. Prior to my current role at the VA Hospital, I spent nearly a decade as an Assistant Professor of Social Work and held key administrative roles in field education, accreditation, and curriculum development.

My earlier clinical career includes intensive in‐home therapy, crisis intervention, and supervisory leadership supporting high‐risk children, families, and adults. Across all roles, I am known for my commitment to holistic care, spiritually and culturally responsive practice, and the development of systems that enhance learning, wellness, and community impact.

I did not stumble into this work — I chose it, and I choose it every day. I am Bianca Gist, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Illinois and Indiana.

I am also a former collegiate athlete, and that background shapes how I show up — I know what it feels like to carry a lot and still need someone genuinely in your corner. My experience is rooted in the spaces where people need the most and are often given the least — Chicago Public Schools, foster care, home-based services, and community mental health. Through my private practice, Her Sole Purpose LLC, I work with children, adolescents, student-athletes, and families using CBT, ACT, and trauma-informed care. I use what works for the person in front of me, not a one-size-fits-all approach. I work well with people navigating anxiety, depression, trauma, and the weight of environments that were not built for them. Therapy with me is honest, grounded, and focused on what actually helps you move forward — not just cope.

If any of this resonates, I would love to connect.

When you've spent so much time trying to hold everything together, it's easy to lose sight of who you are beneath the anxiety, painful experiences, or expectations placed on you by others. Whether you're navigating trauma, relationship challenges, questions about identity, or simply feeling emotionally exhausted, you deserve a space where you can show up exactly as you are without fear of judgment. Meaningful healing is possible, and you don't have to go through it alone. I partner with clients experiencing anxiety, LGBTQIA+ concerns, women's issues, trauma, and PTSD so they can build confidence, strengthen relationships, reconnect with themselves, and move toward a life that feels more authentic and fulfilling. I work with adolescents, adults, and children because every person deserves to feel accepted, understood, and empowered.

I am a Psychiatric nurse practitioner who specializes in eating disorders, personality disorders, and chronic suicidal ideation. I enjoy working across the lifespan with individuals of all ages using patient centered care. I have experience helping those who also have physical conditions navigate the complexity of mental health. And as a part of the LGBTQ+ community I do my best to provide compassionate and gender affirming care to others in the community who have not found it. I believe each person is the expert of their own experience.

Having lived experience with mental illness, I went into the profession wanting to give my patients the care the care that took me so long to find. I never want anyone to feel rushed or misunderstood when seeing me. I want my patients to feel free to ask questions and get the answers they need.

I have worked in a variety of settings and have experience treating a wide range of diagnosis from anxiety disorders to psychotic disorders.

Life can be overwhelming. As your therapist, I can help you deal with life's changes without judgement. My goal is to assist you with enhancing your life and discovering your purpose.

If you’re looking for a therapist who quietly nods for 50 minutes, I may not be the best fit. My style is active, engaged, direct, and deeply relational.

I work with adolescents, adults, couples, and families navigating anxiety, trauma, relationship struggles, life transitions, and difficult interpersonal dynamics. Clients often describe feeling both genuinely supported and meaningfully challenged in our work together.

I believe therapy should help people gain insight, shift patterns, improve relationships, and move toward lasting change not just vent for an hour each week.

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 30 over 30 years of experience in the mental health field and have worked with clients at all ages of the lifespan. I earned my Master of Social Work degree from Indiana University. I am licensed to practice in the states of Florida, Arizona, Indiana, Missouri and Alabama.

As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker for the past 14 years, I have found that every person possesses the ability to change. I graduated with my masters degree from Loyola University Chicago where I specialized in working with older adults. I have since expanded my expertise to include all ages of adults who are experiencing trauma, depression, anxiety, or difficult life changes.

Clients should know that I’m a real person first and a therapist second. I actually started my career in sports management, but life had other plans — and a series of lived experiences pulled me toward social work in a way that felt impossible to ignore. I went on to complete my MSW at Indiana State University in Terre Haute, IN, and I’ve spent the last ten years working in child protection, community health, and hospital social work in a Level 1 trauma facility.

I also spent years as a caregiver, which made me especially comfortable working with older adults and taught me that humor, patience, and a good cup of coffee can get you through almost anything. I’m nearing completion of my PST therapy certification, which adds a structured, problem‐solving lens to the work we do.

I take therapy seriously, but I don’t take myself too seriously — so you can expect warmth, honesty, and the occasional well‐timed laugh when life hands us something so absurd it deserves one.

Welcome! I'm glad you're here!

Life doesn't come with a roadmap, and sometimes we all need someone to help us navigate the difficult moments. Whether you're feeling anxious, overwhelmed, stuck or simply ready for a change, therapy can be a place to slow down, gain clarity and reconnect with yourself.

I completed my graduate education at Grace College in 2021, earning a master's degree in clinical mental health counseling. I have worked in several treatment settings, including community mental health, school-based therapy and online intensive outpatient.

I strive to create a welcoming, judgement-free space where you can be your authentic self. Together, we'll explore what's bringing you to therapy, identify your strengths, and develop skills that support meaningful and lasing growth.