Emily Lewis shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Hi Emily, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
Oh this is a great question! This is something that I work really hard to be intentional with—especially since I’m constantly encouraging my clients to do the same. I recently relocated from Fort Worth, Texas to Frederick, Maryland. It’s a huge geographical and environment change! A rhythm that I’m working to be more consistent with—and that’s bringing me a LOT of joy—is evening walks through town or along the river. Through this move, I’ve discovered that my dog especially enjoys wading through the river and his level of excitement and adventurousness is making it even more thrilling. It’s obviously relaxing and a good wind down for me but that just causes me to enjoy it even more! There’s something really refreshing and even healing about being mindful of and intentional with slower daily rhythms. I think they’re extremely underrated! Since I’m always reminding my clients that these types of experiences are capable of impacting us in such positive ways, I’m so glad I’ve been able to make more of a conscious effort of practicing what I preach and prioritize them in my own life as well.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I provide virtual individual counseling for clients ages 10 and up and I am licensed in both Texas and Maryland. My private practice is fully online, offering a convenient and confidential space for therapy that meets clients where they are. I work with both males and females and enjoy supporting a wide range of ages and backgrounds.
I’m trained in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), a practical approach that helps individuals become more mindful of their emotions and responses so they can navigate life with more clarity and control. I’m also a Certified Autism Spectrum Disorder Clinical Specialist (ASDCS), which allows me to work with autistic individuals—particularly those with Level 1 Autism—and their families. Supporting this community is deeply meaningful to me, and I especially enjoy helping clients build skills to better understand themselves, their experiences, and the world around them.
Additionally, I’ve completed advanced training in grief counseling because I believe that walking alongside someone through their grief journey is both a responsibility and an honor. This area of care holds a special place in my heart, and I continually strive to deepen my understanding and presence in this work.
I value working with a diverse range of clients, and my background gives me the flexibility to support children, teens, young adults, and older adults alike. When working with children and adolescents, I prioritize involving parents in the process. I often include time in sessions—or dedicate entire sessions—to collaborating with parents on what’s happening in therapy and how to carry those insights into everyday life. Building trust with adolescents takes time and intentionality, which I welcome as part of the therapeutic relationship.
For college students and adults, I provide a space to process transitions, stressors, and emotional challenges that may feel overwhelming or isolating. My aim is always to offer a supportive place where clients feel heard, understood, and empowered to move forward.
Are you feeling like you’re barely holding it together? Do you struggle to interact with overwhelming emotions? Are you feeling isolated in your experiences? Do you have an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnosis & want to process further? I offer VIRTUAL only appointments to clients in Texas & Maryland. I’m especially equipped to work with those who are struggling with Autism Spectrum Disorders, varieties of grief, depression, & anxiety. Often we underestimate the impact of having someone share space with us in some of our most challenging moments. Don’t do it alone. Reach out now for a free 15 minute phone consultation!
I strive to create a safe environment where clients can learn through current thinking patterns, explore new coping skills, and grow in more effective behaviors and/or thought processes.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: What breaks the bonds between people—and what restores them?
Relationships can be so hard AND so rewarding! As a counselor, I often see that the bonds between people are most often broken not by conflict itself, but by what happens afterward—or, maybe more accurately, what doesn’t happen. Relationships can erode through betrayal, unacknowledged hurt, or a pattern of miscommunication and emotional withdrawal. When someone feels unseen, invalidated, or consistently shut out, it creates emotional distance that’s hard to bridge without intentional effort. Perhaps the trickiest part of repairing broken bonds is the fact that both parties must be willing to vulnerably take the steps towards each other in pursuit of reconciliation and restoration.
On the other hand, I’ve also seen how incredibly powerful it is when people choose to repair. Bonds are restored through honest conversations, vulnerability, and attuned listening—when someone says, “I hear you, I see where I hurt you, and I want to do better.” It takes courage to own impact, not just intent, and to show up consistently with care. Small gestures of presence and curiosity, especially after a rupture, begin to rebuild safety and trust. Forgiveness—when it feels safe and appropriate—can also be a powerful step, not because it erases the past, but because it opens the door to healing and new growth.
Do you remember a time someone truly listened to you?
With this question, one situation that immediately comes to mind is my own personal experience with my first counselor. I remember not knowing what to expect or what I was needing but I really wanted to feel seen and known and heard. I think I expected a lot of questions or advice, maybe even a checklist of things to work on. But instead, she listened. She listened with such presence and gentleness that I found myself opening up in ways I didn’t expect. She didn’t try to fix me; she simply made space for me—to be confused, to be quiet, to feel.
That experience continues to stay with me. It showed me the power of being truly seen and heard without judgment, and it ultimately shaped the way I show up myself as a counselor for my clients. Every time I sit with a someone, I carry that memory with me. I know firsthand that it’s not advice that transforms us, but connection—and I consider it a profound honor to offer others the same kind of compassionate presence that once changed the trajectory of my own life.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
I think if you asked my closest friends to describe me, they might say I’m someone who brings a steady, grounding presence and a dry sense of humor. I hope they would say I’m the one who listens without rushing to respond, who holds space for the hard stuff without trying to fix it right away. I really work to be intentional with asking thoughtful questions, the kind that invite reflection and help people feel seen rather than analyzed. My friends have told me in the past that they feel safe confiding in me because I don’t judge or give surface-level responses—I stay with them in the tension, the uncertainty, the grief, or the joy, whatever the moment calls for. They would probably also say I’m quietly intuitive—I’m often able to pick up on what’s not being said, and that I value depth in relationships over small talk. They would for sure emphasize that I’m an introvert to my core and value one on one time versus constantly being in a large group. At the core, I think they would describe me as someone who genuinely cares, shows up with consistency, and is deeply committed to trying to understand people—not just what they say, but who they are beneath the surface.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
As a counselor, I can honestly and confidently say that the work I do feels deeply aligned with who I am—not something I was pressured into, but something I was drawn toward in a way that felt natural, even necessary. And that’s not to brag at all! I just genuinely and truly feel like being a counselor is what I have wanted to do, professionally, for a long time. There is a quiet sense of rightness when I sit with someone in their pain, confusion, or growth—a feeling that this is what I was meant to do. It is definitely not easy, and it is certainly not about having all the answers, but there is a deep fulfillment in holding space with and for others in ways that each and every one of us needs. I believe my profession reflects who I am at my core: someone who values depth, connection, and the privilege of hearing others’ hearts and stories.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.emilylewis.co
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emilymlewiscounseling/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emilymlewiscounseling
Image Credits
logos by Hutson Creative
