Noreen Heslin, MA, LPC

I went to college with the goal of becoming a writer. Stories have always healed me and helped me feel connected to the world. After college, however, I took a position at a nonprofit and found a new path. There, I discovered the power of listening.

I have worked with various populations over the past 25 years: the elderly and disabled and their caregivers, those living with chronic illness, those looking for relief from anxiety and depression, and those struggling with anger.

I motivate clients by helping them highlight past successes and empowering them to find their own unique voice. I am inspired by the healing properties found in music, movies, art, and the written word. The beauty of our work together is our ability to change the lens through which we see the world. In the words of Deng Ming-Dao: ‘If we understand the importance of manure, we understand that nothing is truly wasted’.

I see opportunity in the darkness. I recognize the transformative power of storytelling, both in the stories we tell ourselves and those we’ve absorbed from the world around us. Given the opportunity to explore and understand how we became anxious, depressed, and uncertain, we each have the capacity to heal and free ourselves.

We become so immersed in others’ expectations of us that we forget who we wanted to be or what we wanted to do. Our lives are dictated by a long list of shoulds that no longer feel like us. I say – Don’t should on yourself!

We may not have control over which challenges we face, but we can decide how we face them. By choosing the tools that best support us, we can become the most genuine versions of ourselves. The process can be overwhelming, but it is also exhilarating and inspiring. The choice is ours, and that is an empowering thought to propel us into the next phase of our journey.