Misty L. Yates, LPC, NCC

(Not Currently Accepting New Clients)

I am a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), and a Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC). I have been married to my husband, Adam for more than 20 years. I have 3 children and three furbabies who also share my heart. 

I am the owner of Grand Oaks Counseling and a practicing therapist licensed for the State of Alabama. I hold a BS in Psychology from Athens State University, a MA in Clinical Counseling from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and a Post-Master's certificate in Marriage and Family Therapy from Grand Canyon University. In addition to my formal education, I am also trained in EMDR therapy for trauma and have a certification in religious trauma.

I have always had a passion to help others succeed and have spent most of my adult life helping others. After spending more than a decade as a stay-home-mom and volunteer at church, this passion motivated me to step out of my comfort zone and return to college to seek a formal education and training as a licensed professional counselor. 

More importantly, I am a person who knows what it’s like to feel stuck, disappointed, and not enough, but who also knows what it is like to change, find peace, and purpose in life. My heart’s desire is to help others do the same. 

As a therapist, I view mental health as something that is ever-changing, and subject to the circumstances of the individual life. I approach most problems as developmental, and therefore natural, and normal when considering all that has happened before.

I see individuals and their struggles as products of the broader contexts in which they live, including their upbringing, race, class, gender, sexuality, and ability. I tend to take a non-pathologizing approach to therapy and believe my job is to help people return to wellness, rather than cure an illness. I view the client as an equal in our work and the expert on their situation. Because of this, I often engage with Narrative therapy ideas, interventions, and practices. 

In my professional work with clients, I have been heavily influenced by the writings of Richard Swartz, Michael White, and David Epston. I consider mental health and wholeness inseparable and believe the best therapy takes into account all parts of a person, and their environment, and teaches clients to do the same. 

In my office, I strive to create an environment that is safe for all. I value differences, appreciate diversity, and believe in freedom of expression. 

I hope that in our time together, my clients find a space that is inclusive, supportive, collaborative, and non-judgmental; because I feel this is where growth and healing will happen naturally. 

• New Intake appointments; approx 55-minutes- $165
• Each additional session; approx 55-minutes- $150

See our Rates Page for more information on the rates of different therapists in our practice and the ways Grand Oaks Counseling is committed to helping individuals for whom finances may prevent access to the care you need. 

If you would like to schedule an appointment, or chat about the ways I could help, call our office at Grand Oaks Counseling (256-542-1482).  I look forward to hearing from you.