Welcome! My name is April Carpenter. I am a Licensed Professional Counselor and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. I have been practicing in Weatherford since 2012. I began my work in Weatherford at Freedom House, working with men, women and children who were victims of family violence, sexual abuse, and/or a violent crime.  In 2014, I moved into private practice where I've been working with teenagers, young adults, adults, and families ever since. I do not see children under 12 years of age, but would be more than happy to offer referrals to counselors who specialize in child therapy.

I am a SYMBIS Facilitator for Premarital Assessment and Counseling. This is a research based assessment for engaged couples who are interested in learning more about themselves and their relationship. This process usually takes 4-6 sessions total. 

I do not offer marital counseling at this time, but can offer many referrals to counselors in town that specialize in marriage therapy.

I am trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) as well as Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT). These treatment models aren't for everyone and traditional talk therapy is offered as well. 

Beginning in January 2023, I began utilizing Animal-Assisted Therapy in my practice. Atlas is present in most sessions. Whether the client interacts with Atlas is completely up to them. Research has demonstrated that the simple act of petting an animal can help lower blood pressure, heart rate, and increase oxytocin (a feel-good chemical in the brain). You can read more about Atlas below.

Taking the first step towards getting counseling is a courageous, yet scary step. There are many factors that create fear in someone looking for a counselor. Some of those factors are discomfort over the idea of telling personal information to a complete stranger, fear of being judged for your thoughts, your emotions and your actions, as well as worry about whether or not you will like your therapist and your therapist will like you. 

It is my mission to make you feel as comfortable and as safe as possible, from the moment you speak with me to make an appointment.  Take some time to look around my website and read more about what is offered. Once you've made your decision, give me a call and we will work together on finding a time and day that works best for your first appointment.