Therapy at the Threshold of Transformation
Allow me to hold the lantern for you as I escort you through darkness.
Do you have an interest in thanatology, the funeral industry and how to walk through the valley of death and grief? Do you enjoy liminal spaces, gothic aesthetics and discussing spirituality by candlelight? Do you respect death but also have gallows humor?
I’ve always been drawn to depth — the stories beneath the story and the emotional currents most people try to move past too quickly.
For years I’ve worked with thoughtful, intuitive humans who feel deeply and want their lives to feel authentic, creative, and aligned.
Over time, I noticed something.
The deepest work often begins when life becomes fragile.
A diagnosis.
A loss.
Burnout.
A season that quietly rearranges who you thought you were.
These are threshold moments — the in-between places where the old story no longer fits and the new one hasn’t formed yet.
That’s usually where I meet people.
Sometimes we’re talking about grief, mortality, and identity shifts.
Sometimes we’re rediscovering creativity that got buried under responsibility or survival mode.
And sometimes we’re talking about your Meemaw’s banana bread — because therapy doesn’t have to feel sterile to be meaningful. I enjoy humor and intuition in the therapy space. We can cuss and laugh together.
This is depth work.
About Me
I’m Tawnya—a therapist, intuitive, "former" gifted child and lifelong sensitive raised in the Pacific Northwest. I now live on the Kansas prairie with my husband and my black cat. I've always been drawn to creativity, story, mystery, ancestry, and the inner world.
Two things you need to know about me: I love over the top glam and the gothic.
My grandmother was the inspiration for old Hollywood glamour. As a child, I took a keen interest in all things glamorous and feminine. I've also always adored spooky things. I've always found beauty in places that others might be cautious to tread. Dark forests, cemeteries, funerals, swamps, the supernatural. While I have a fascination with mortality and accompanying those through dark times, I do not glorify darkness (you'll rarely see me watch a horror movie or true crime show). I respect this natural shadow of life and am not afraid to meet you in it.
Professionally, my path has included work in crisis respite, county corrections, inpatient and outpatient settings, and residential treatment. These experiences shaped my deep respect for the complexity of the human nervous system, trauma recovery, and the quiet resilience of sensitive people.
I hold a Master’s degree in Community Counseling and a Bachelor of Science in Health Studies and Gender Studies. My continuing education includes training with Bessel van der Kolk (The Body Keeps the Score), Annie Hopper (DNRS), Leslie Korn (Integrative Medicine for Mental Health), Karen Pryor (Pain & Neuroplasticity), Robert Schwarz (Energy Psychology), and professional education as a Death Doula. I am a licensed therapist in both Kansas and Oregon. I am in training to become a registered yoga teacher.
As Seen In
Frequently Asked Questions
Please reach me at Tawnya@mannamentalhealth.com if you cannot find an answer to your question.
I do not offer: Couples counseling or therapy to those under age 18 • Structured DBT programs • Crisis counseling or active SI/SA stabilization • ADHD evaluations, court documentation, Emotional Support Animal (ESA) consults/letters or general assessments
Traditional therapy often focuses on symptom reduction, coping strategies, and problem-solving around daily life stressors. While those approaches can be helpful, my work is rooted in depth, meaning, and the seasons of life that fundamentally change us.
I specialize in supporting people navigating grief, serious illness, anticipatory loss, survivorship, and existential questions about mortality and identity. When life becomes fragile, the work shifts. Surface concerns often give way to deeper conversations about fear, faith, legacy, relationship repair, and what truly matters. My approach is relational, trauma-informed, and grounded in nervous system awareness. We move at a pace that honors the weight of what you’re carrying. There is space here for complexity — for anger, relief, doubt, spiritual questioning, love, and unfinished stories.
Therapy is most effective when it’s intentional and aligned. Over the years, I’ve learned that I do my best work with those who are introspective and seeking sustainable healing — not just symptom relief. While I deeply respect all therapeutic paths, I no longer provide broad or crisis-based mental health services. By staying grounded in my niche, I can offer deeper expertise, steadier presence, and care that truly reflects my values. I practice what I call boutique therapy — maintaining a small, carefully curated caseload so that each client receives deep, individualized attention. This allows sessions to unfold at a slower pace, with more space for reflection, nervous system regulation, and lifestyle integration.
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