Ali Hettinger
MS, LPC, SEP
My name is Ali Hettinger, and I’m a Licensed Professional Counselor and Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner based in Columbia, Missouri. I am originally from just outside of Houston, Texas, but have been living in the Midwest for a good long while now. I entered into the counseling world after seeing and feeling first-hand the pain, hurt, and suffering that takes place simply from living in this world.
After getting my Masters in Mental Health Counseling, I have been able to learn and practice in a variety of settings including children's homes, college campuses, with both children and adults in private-practice settings, overseas and state-side worker care, and with international clients from varying religious backgrounds. I’m trained and certified in several experiential trauma modalities, including Somatic Experiencing®, Transforming Touch, AEDP (Level 3), Lifespan Integration, Brainspotting, and Psychodrama.
My clients tend to be insightful and accomplished, yet still feel stuck, anxious, exhausted, or disconnected from themselves and others. Together, we explore what is keeping you stuck, what your body is holding, and gently support your whole body and brain system in finding a more grounded, present way of being in order for you to thrive and live a life of abundance.
When appropriate and with full consent, I also integrate SE touch work, a gentle, and transformational form of contact that can support deeper regulation, especially for early developmental trauma, chronic dysregulation, and chronic pain. SE touch is always guided by your comfort, boundaries, and what your system is ready for.
When I am not in session, I enjoy traveling, practicing 90's songs on the ukulele, chasing after new adventures with my family, playing anything that is a little competitive, and doing anything where I can be outside. I also love learning and get very excited about new research in terms of transformation, trauma, psychology, behavior, and social patterns. Things that I am not very good at include downhill skiing, tetherball, and geography.