Trauma and PTSD therapists & psychiatrists in Des Moines, IA

Dealing with grief, loss, or trauma? Feeling disconnected, alone, and unhappy? Struggling with relationships, addiction, or painful wounds from childhood? If you said yes to any of these, I can help. Often, the burdens of trauma manifests itself in mysterious ways and can lead to various concerns such as depression, anxiety, addiction, relationship difficulties, trust issues, isolation, and shame. These challenges can hinder healthy relationships and self-care.

You may be trying to keep things together while feeling anxious, down, emotionally exhausted, or unsure how to get back to feeling like yourself. Maybe past experiences are still affecting you, relationships have become difficult to navigate, or you're struggling to understand why you keep reacting in ways you don't want to. For teens, this can look like withdrawing, feeling misunderstood, struggling at school, or having emotions that feel difficult to manage. For parents, it may mean trying to support your child while also feeling unsure of what to do next. I work with teens, parents, and adults navigating depression, anxiety, trauma, and relationship challenges, and I strive to make therapy feel warm, genuine, and easy to talk about.

Welcome to Headway! I am Zarinah, a Licensed Professional Counselor currently licensed in Virginia, Texas, and Iowa. I have fourteen years of professional counseling experience working across settings with a diverse population and wide range of presenting problems. My passion is helping clients adapt healthy ways to cope with stress and intense emotions related to family or relationship issues, anger, depression, anxiety, trauma and many others stressors. I use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy techniques to guide clients towards awareness of how thoughts and feelings impact behaviors and can often lead to undesired outcomes.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by anxiety, stuck in painful relationship patterns, carrying the effects of trauma, or facing a life transition that feels hard to manage, therapy can be a place to exhale. I work with adults who want support making sense of what they’re going through and finding practical ways to feel more grounded, understood, and in control. I also support clients navigating family dynamics, including experiences related to autism, adoption, and complex relationships.

I have helped individuals sort through hectic times. If you need someone to talk to with and empathetic ear, then feel free to reach out. I am accepting new clients evening hours after 8:30pm cst for clients in Texas, New Jersey, Utah, and Iowa. I have an additional focus on Men's Issues related to Infidelity, sexual dysfunction, and sex/porn addiction. I provide a safe space to work through these issues.

As a seasoned practitioner (since 2006) with a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, I have dedicated my career to mastering a diverse range of therapeutic modalities to better serve my clients.

My clinical practice is grounded in extensive training across several specialized frameworks, including Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Additionally, I incorporate Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Interpersonal Psychotherapy, and Hypnotherapy into my work, allowing for a highly tailored and comprehensive approach to psychological wellness.