We’re so excited to introduce Eeva Edds, MA LPC to you. She is a stellar therapist with significant training, dedication, and empathy. We know it can be hard to choose a therapist – it can feel overwhelming. Learn more about Eeva below to see if she may be the right person to join you on your journey.
How did you first become interested in the field of Psychology?
I remember being intrigued by human behavior already as a young child. I always found it interesting to think about why people made certain decisions. I enjoyed reading and hearing stories of people who showed resiliency and strength through adversity. I grew up in Finland, and as soon as I was able in high school I took all the Psychology classes my school offered. I completely fell in love and knew I wanted to pursue a career in Psychology. I have family members who have struggled with depression and substance abuse and I wanted to learn how to help people like them.
Tell us about your educational background and training.
I ended up moving to Texas in 2009 and got accepted to University of Houston with Psychology as my major. I absolutely loved all my classes, professors, and research labs I was involved in. I was active in the Psychology student association and ended up graduating with Honors. I started my Master’s in Clinical Psychology at the University of Houston –Clearlake in 2012 and graduated two years later. Through my practicum, internships, and different jobs I’ve held throughout the years I have gained valuable experience working with diverse populations with various psychological issues, such as depression, anxiety, Borderline Personality Disorder, substance abuse, and self harm, among others.
During my second year in graduate school, I started working in a residential OCD program as a Residential Counselor. I got to work alongside brilliant clinicians and was inspired by the courage of our clients every day. I ended up becoming the Milieu Manager and continued to learn more and more about Obsessive and Compulsive Disorder and OC-spectrum disorders. I have attended the International OCD Foundation’s conference multiple years and continue to keep up with the current research and treatments for OCD. I have also been trained in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy.
What therapeutic approaches do you utilize with your clients?
It is very important for me to use techniques that are evidence-based, techniques that have been proven to work. I have years of experience utilizing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy techniques, especially Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and anxiety disorders. I also have experience using Habit Reversal Training for Tourette’s and tic disorders, as well as for Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors, such as Trichotillomania and Excoriation disorder. I find it helpful to use ACT tools such as mindfulness, defusion, values, and committed action with all my clients.
What do you specialize in and what special interests do you have?
Working with individuals struggling with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and related disorders (Body Dysmorphic Disorder, Trichotillomania, and Excoriation Disorder) is my passion. I love working with this population because I know that ERP works! It is very inspiring to see my clients get more and more of their freedom back after each exposure session. I also love working with individuals with anxiety disorders, such as Social Anxiety Disorder, Specific Phobia, Panic Disorder, Agoraphobia, and Generalized Anxiety Disorder for the same reason.
I work with all age groups and really enjoy working with children and families. I also love leading group therapy sessions. I currently have a weekly online support group for OCD-sufferers.
I also have an interest in helping individuals with trauma history. I am currently attending a training in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Training and I hope to continue my trainings to become a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional. I want to help individuals dealing with grief and loss, and people who have experienced other types of trauma.
What strengths do you bring into sessions with your clients?
I truly empathize with my clients. Most of my clients are in great distress because of anxiety, unwanted intrusive thoughts, and time-consuming rituals. I have always been an anxious person and understand what it is like to live with anxiety. I use a collaborative, client-centered approach, where we work as a team to accomplish treatment goals. I am sensitive to cross-cultural issues and want to learn about and be considerate of cultural differences.
I am very professional and bring years of experience with me to the therapy room. I am always eager to learn and develop as a therapist.
What do you love about being a therapist?
I love seeing the change in my clients when they gain freedom from anxiety and get more connected with their values. I am inspired by the courage and resiliency of my clients every day. I also love learning and the fact that every day is different, some days I might meet with a client at their house for an exposure, some days I might talk online with a client who is in distress, and some days I might lead a group of teenagers with social anxiety. Honestly, I love it all.
What is your availability? Do you offer telehealth appointments?
We have all had to make adjustments to living in the current environment and I have also added telehealth services to my practice. I currently have openings during the week, both during normal business hours and evenings. I do offer face-to-face meetings as well. I can be reached at eeva@hcfvl.com for specific information about openings or schedule now.