Aja Meadows, MA, LMFT
How do I walk the path of therapy with you? My approach integrates both the inner and outer worlds — the stories we tell ourselves and the environments we move through.
After years of working in community mental health with youth and their families, I began to see how healing deepens when people feel safe enough to bring their full selves into the process. I believe in the power of experiencing safety and cultivating a self-compassionate inner voice. I can help you there. We all experience challenges, and you deserve space to create a vision and a plan to build lasting changes in your life.
I specialize in helping individuals navigate the outcomes of complex trauma, build resilience, and reclaim their mental health through a de-pathologizing, strengths-based, and affirming lens. My approach integrates principles of social justice, mindfulness, narrative therapy, ecopsychology, and interpersonal neurobiology. I have extensive training and experience helping parents and their children, with certifications and trainings in PMT models.
Values That Guide My Work
Connection– Healing happens in relationship and when that relationship generates more capacity for safety — with ourselves, our loved ones, and in our environments.Curiosity– I approach therapy with openness and wonder, trusting that each story and moment of sharing holds meaning.Compassion & Accountability– Healing asks us to be kind and honest — with ourselves and each other. I believe it is part of my job to model and create enough relational trust to be both compassionate and accountable. Inclusion & Affirmation – My practice is LGBTQ+, AuDHD, and neurodivergent-affirming. I honor diverse identities and experiences. I am committed to being anti-racist. I ground myself in the study of historical context and systems thinking when looking at any issue. Embodiment & Movement – The body carries wisdom. Movement can unlock insight, regulation, and calm. I'm okay to just sit in a chair and be with you, but I do aim to make sure we're recognizing and practicing meeting our basic needs. Outside the Therapy Room
When I’m not in the therapy room, I’m finding joy in life’s simple pleasures. I love curling up with a good book, creating art, experimenting with new recipes, and immersing myself in craft projects. The outdoors are my sanctuary—whether I’m tending my garden, observing birds, or hiking in nature- these are the things that bring me back to connection and calm.
My Credentials
Master’s degree in Marriage, Couples, and Family Therapy – Lewis and Clark College (2020), I studied human development and family systems. How are we all connected and what kinds of patterns exist? The program was an intensive 3 years, with a year of internship at the Lewis & Clark Community Counseling Clinic and an externship at an outside site. I worked on Peace Health’s behavioral health unit, focusing on holistic and tailored supports, and receiving supervision from PhD level clinicians. All that experience led me to learn and pull from many ideas, theories, and research about how we relate to one another (and ourselves!)
Certification in Ecopsychology –Lewis and Clark College (2020), Exploring the connections between humanity’s well-being and the greater ecological systems, we look outside our own psyche and explore how the larger environment impacts our mental health. With this, I am prepared to address many different challenges (like eco-anxiety) and ways to enhance your resiliency.
Bachelor of Arts in the Humanities – Northern Arizona University (2010), I have always been a student of humans and the societies we’ve built. I’ve long been fascinated by why we do what we do, and how we choose to express ourselves. I include this here, as it grounds my work in a larger historical and cultural framework.
Parenting Through Change, Certified Coach and Group Leader (2022-Present) - I’ve both lead groups and provide coaching to leaders looking to get certified in this model. This is a structured group that offers support to parents with growing their capacity for using positive and well-researched parenting skills. I have extensively applied these principles with individuals and can offer a range of support with parenting. Consider me a well-qualified, professional Auntie!
Continuing Education– As part of maintaining my license, I get to participate in trainings on a regular basis to make sure my knowledge is up to date with best practices. I have been trained in TF-CBT, Gen-PMTO, ASIST, ERP, TBRI, CBT, DBT, and various other specific topics relevant to my work. To those seeking help, those acronyms may not mean much- what's important for you to know is that being with other humans, deeply listening, and helping you find ways to reduce suffering will always come first.
Life and Being Human - It may sound cliché, but I bring my experience as part of a family and our society. Life has definitely thrown challenges my way, and I find it has helped me be more curious, attuned, and compassionate when facing the truth of other’s struggles.