Locations We Serve Near Me in Grand Rapids & Comstock Park, MI

Locations We Serve

At Hess Psychological Services, we provide comprehensive mental health support across multiple specialized areas. Our practice offers expert care for individuals experiencing anxiety, depression, perinatal mental health disorders, couples therapy, pediatric mental health, substance abuse, ADHD evaluations, and . We are dedicated to creating a collaborative, trusting, and judgment-free environment where clients can navigate personal challenges, heal from past hurts, manage current stressors, and work towards their future goals. Whether you are struggling with emotional difficulties, relationship issues, developmental challenges, or seeking support during significant life transitions, our compassionate therapists are committed to providing evidence-based, holistic interventions tailored to your unique needs.

Comstock Park

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Grand Rapids

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East Grand Rapids

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Rockford

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OUR APPROACH

Our approach to treatment

Every individual is unique. We learn, love, feel, and behave differently. We offer several options to empower you to become the person you’ve always wanted to be.

Attachment-Based Therapy
Attachment-Based Therapy (ABT) is a form of therapy that applies to interventions or approaches based on attachment theory, which explains how early parental relationships influence later development and relationships.
Mindfulness
For clients dealing with anxiety and depression, stress, or chronic pain, mindfulness-based therapies aim to reduce distress by embracing the present moment and fostering greater awareness of one’s needs. Mindfulness helps by reflecting on moments and thoughts without passing judgment. Clients learn to pay close attention to their feelings to reach an objective, more insightful mindset.
Emotionally Focused Therapy
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) is an approach to therapy that helps clients identify their emotions, learn to explore, experience, and understand them, and then manage them. EFT embraces the idea that emotions can be changed, first by arriving at or ‘living’ the unpleasant emotion (e.g. loss, fear, or shame) in session, and then learning to transform it. EFT for couples seeks to break the negative emotion cycles within relationships. It emphasizing the importance of the attachment bond between couples, and how nurturing this bond with an empathetic understanding of each other’s emotions, can break the negative cycles.
Person-Centered Therapy
Person-Centered Therapy (PCT) uses a non-authoritative approach that allows clients to take more of a lead in discussions so that, in the process, they will discover their own solutions. The therapist acts as a compassionate facilitator, listening without judgment, and acknowledging the client’s experience without moving the conversation in another direction. The therapist is there to encourage and support the client and to guide the therapeutic process without interrupting or interfering with the client’s process of self-discovery.
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) stresses the role of thinking in how we feel and what we do. It is based on the belief that thoughts, rather than people or events, cause our negative feelings. The therapist assists the client in identifying, testing the reality of, and correcting dysfunctional beliefs underlying his or her thinking. The therapist then helps the client modify those thoughts and the behaviors that flow from them. CBT is a structured collaboration between therapist and client and often calls for homework assignments. CBT has been clinically proven to help clients in a relatively short amount of time with a wide range of disorders, including depression and anxiety.
Motivational Interviewing
Motivational Interviewing (MI) is a method of therapy that works to engage the motivation of clients to change their behavior. Clients are encouraged to explore and confront their ambivalence. Therapists attempt to influence their clients to consider making changes, rather than exploring themselves. Motivational Interviewing is frequently used in cases of problem drinking or mild addictions, but can be applied to multiple decision making situations.
Positive Psychology
Unlike traditional psychology that focuses more on the causes and symptoms of mental illnesses and emotional disturbances, positive psychology emphasizes traits, thinking patterns, behaviors, and experiences that are forward-thinking and can help improve the quality of a person’s day-to-day life.
Trauma-Informed Therapy
A trauma-informed therapist is aware of the complex impact of trauma (any perceived trauma) on a person’s life and how it shapes a person’s efforts to cope. A trauma-informed approach focuses on safety, coping, empowerment, and an individual’s strengths, all while having an awareness of the underlying trauma and its associated effects.

Our Therapists

Providing a compassionate and non-judgmental space for self-reflection and personal growth.

MEET OUR THERAPISTS

Dr. Heather Hess

Psychologist, PhD, LP

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Kate Vannier

Clinical Therapist, MA, LPC

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NEED MORE INFORMATION?

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Hess Psychological Services take insurance?
Yes. We are currently in network with most Blue Cross Blue Shield and Blue Care Network, as well as most priority Health plans.
Are you currently accepting new clients?
Yes, we are accepting new clients. To schedule a consultation, fill out the online contact form on our website.
How long does a session last?
Most sessions are 50 minutes long.
Can I attend sessions online?
Absolutely! In an effort to make our services as accessible as possible, we participate in Telehealth counseling. This allows you to attend your session from the comfort of your own home and keep your appointments in the event of travel.
What is the first session like?
Your first therapy session is a chance for your therapist to get to know you. This is the time for you to tell your story in a safe and comfortable environment. The aim is to establish a trusting relationship between you and your provider. During this appointment, your provider will also ask you what has brought you into counseling and what your goals are. Privacy policies, fees, treatment schedule, and any questions you may have will also be addressed.
How often are sessions scheduled?
You and your provider will work together to establish a treatment schedule that is the most beneficial for your needs and goals. For some people, this may mean one session every week and for others, it may mean one session every month. It will be different from person to person and may change as your treatment progresses.
Do you accept private pay?
Yes. We accept cash plans and also offer a sliding scale based on financial needs.

TELEHEALTH

We extend our support beyond physical boundaries, offering confidential and convenient online sessions.

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