Vanessa Lim, LMHC

Therapy does not make hard things easy, but it can make confusing things clearer. Even as things become clearer to us, we can find that the change we so desire is slower than we want it to be. Counseling is a journey that invites us to be patient with all that’s unresolved in us.

I love working with clients towards seeing real change in their lives, as well as greater acceptance, honesty, and flexibility in how they relate to others and themselves.

I specialize in helping clients regulate overwhelming emotions, respond effectively to anxiety, address past trauma, and build supportive relationships.

I believe healing and wellbeing is deeply relational, and it’s an honor to provide compassionate presence to my clients as I witness their stories, their joy, and their pain. I have also found that we grow in patience with ourselves by being in relationship with those who are patient with us.

In addition to my private practice, I am a clinician with Bell Tower Counseling, a nonprofit counseling center in Seattle, Washington. I currently reside in beautiful Nashville but will always be partial to the Pacific Northwest! In my spare time, I love music, reading, being outdoors, or being with friends. 

Here is the world. Beautiful and terrible things will happen. Don’t be afraid.

-Frederick Buechner

Treatment Approach

I build my practice on the best that the research has to offer while also integrating the wisdom found in one’s personal and cultural values. My training is primarily in psychodynamic approaches and evidence-based treatments such as DBT, CPT, and ERP, but I tailor my treatment approach to each client’s needs, personality, and cultural background. I am committed to constant growth and learning alongside my clients.

I value collaborating with my clients on clear hopes and goals for treatment, thoroughly assessing challenges before treating them, and putting what we talk about into practice!

Specialties

  • Comprehensive DBT

  • Problems of emotion dysregulation

  • Persistent challenging behaviors 

  • Suicidality and self-harm  

  • ERP for anxiety and OCD (all kinds) 

  • Trauma and abuse

  • Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)

  • Religious or spiritual conflicts

  • Relational conflict 

  • Christian Psychology

Credentials and Training

LPC-MHSP (Tennessee) - pending

LMHC (Washington) - # LH70065955

Advanced DBT training and ongoing consultation via Treatment Implementation Collaborative (TIC), Balance Psychotherapy Collaborative, and STAAR DBT

M.A. Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Northwestern University

Membership

Christian Association for Psychological Studies

American Counseling Association