Em Harsch (she/they)

LISW
Accepting Clients

Gender-affirming therapist providing telehealth care in Iowa. I use a systems-informed, liberation-oriented approach to care.

Clinical Social Worker in , IA

Services
  • Individual
  • Child
  • Adolescent/Teen

About My Clients

It's rough out there - and sometimes even harder to find a therapist who is in it with you. If your mental health has been impacted by the state of the world, systems of oppression, challenging relationships, repression of feelings, or lack of support, reach out! I use a relational approach centering curiosity, collaboration, and consent. Most of my clients begin to see impacts on presenting issues within a couple of months, but choose to stay longer term to unpack deeper concerns.

My Background and Approach

Before becoming a mental health therapist, I ran an LGBTQ+ center for several years and learned how difficult it was to find therapists in Iowa who were equipped to support LGBTQ+ clients. I decided to become a therapist to address the gap in accessible, inclusive care in Iowa. I was trained in Denver, Colorado in a values-centered and embodiment-based clinical social work program and then provided gender-affirming mental health care to youth before returning to Iowa. I use an eclectic approach to therapy grounded in both liberation values and support of science. I am guided by my experience supporting marginalized communities, engaging in advocacy work, and inspired by abolitionist activists. I love learning about the brain and body, so incorporate education about the "why" for mindfulness, embodiment, and nervous system regulation practices. I practice over telehealth only and prioritize access in my practice. If you have disability accommodation needs, I am happy to collaborate!

My Personal Beliefs and Interests

I have worked within the LGBTQ+ community for a decade and have a passion for gender-affirming care. I offer WPATH letters of support for those needing a letter to pursue gender-affirming medical care at no cost. I am supportive of racial justice, disability justice, neuro-affirming care, and body positivity. "Radical simply means grasping things at the root" - Angela Davis "Hope doesn’t preclude feeling sadness or frustration or anger or any other emotion that makes total sense. Hope isn’t an emotion, you know? Hope is not optimism. Hope is a discipline… we have to practice it every single day" - Mariame Kaba "Another world is not only possible, she is on her way. On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing." - Arundhati Roy

Techniques I Use

Other Techniques
  • Culturally Sensitive Therapy
  • Eclectic Therapy
  • Existential Therapy
  • Feminist Therapy
  • Harm Reduction Therapy
  • Humanistic Therapy
  • Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)
  • Narrative Therapy
  • Relational Therapy
  • Person-Centered (Rogerian)
  • Trauma Therapy

Issues I Treat

Other Issues
  • ADHD Therapists
  • Anxiety
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder
  • Body Image Issues
  • Chronic Pain or Illness
  • Depression
  • Family Conflict
  • Gender Identity Therapy
  • Grief or Loss
  • LGBTQ-Friendly Therapists
  • Physical Disability
  • Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
  • Relationship Issues
  • Self-Esteem
  • Self-Harm
  • Sexual Abuse or Assault
  • Suicidal Thoughts
  • Systemic Oppression Therapy
  • Teen Issues
Insurance Plans Accepted
  • Out of Network
  • Aetna
  • Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS)
  • Wellmark
I offer online counseling in the following states:
I have experience with the following
  • Agnosticism
  • Atheism
  • Christianity
  • Interfaith

At A Glance

  • Experience: 4 years of practice
  • Languages: English
  • Rate: $50 - 150/session

Reach out to Em