Lacey Wilson, MS, LPC
“Just a small-town girl, living in a lonely world…” I never thought I’d have a good excuse to use a Journey song as my biography introduction, but here we are! I am a small-town girl; I grew up in Willard, graduated from Willard High School, and have returned! In 2015, while driving home for Christmas festivities, it struck me that Willard needed a counseling office; my thought process was that it could be very successful, as many of the surrounding small towns wouldn’t have to drive all the way to Springfield. It took me several years and life experiences to finally act on it, however, and I opened my doors in January of 2020. Two months later the COVID-19 virus hit, followed by me badly hurting my knee that July and having to be out of the office for nearly six weeks! What a whirlwind way to start this journey, but here we are!
Like the Journey song, I realize the world can be a terribly lonely, scary, devastating, hard place sometimes—whether it’s because of our own choices, or because of choices other people have made which have hurt us. Either way, the hurt is real, and it deserves to be seen and healed. I work from a client-centered approach, which simply means we work on what you feel are your most pressing issues, and no two people are treated in the exact same manner. My therapeutic philosophy surrounding how I view most mental health conditions can (broadly) be described as believing many of the things humans struggle with can be traced back to our family dynamics growing up and things we did (or did not) receive during childhood. Even the best upbringing can have some traumas out of anyone's control, and may now require an adult perspective to heal. A similar philosophy holds true for minors as well, and I work with both the child and parent (as needed) to help find the best solutions and answers. I believe everyone in the world is doing the best they can with the “tools” they have; my goal is to help put more “tools” in your emotional toolbox.
I can honestly say I absolutely love what I do, and I am thankful for that. My goal is to give my best to every individual case, while striving to be personable, humorous, and real; this will never be a stuffy doctor's office where you cannot be yourself, because I -quite frankly- have experienced both the patient and therapist role in my own life, and know how hard but rewarding it can be to heal.
I have specialized training in EMDR, which is especially helpful for trauma. I believe in it with my whole heart. I also have training in a tool called psychological autopsies, which can help family members and friends who have lost a loved one to suicide come to an understanding of how the person may have gotten to that point. It is a bit like helping a family put the pieces of a puzzle together, so they can see a full picture.
When you come into the office, you may get to meet my dog, Rhapsody. He is very sweet and loves everyone. You can read more about him on his page on his own page.
