Meet Lacita: Trauma-Informed Therapy for Black Women in St. Louis

Black Female Therapist Specializing in Trauma, Anxiety, and Relationship Healing

Hi, I’m Lacita Moody, a licensed professional counselor and founder of Female Empowered Progressions Counseling in St. Louis, Missouri. I believe high-functioning anxiety is the silent driver for so many Millennial and Gen Z women, and my mission is to help these women access the clinical tools they need to stay at the top of their game without sacrificing their peace of mind.

I work with women who are tired of carrying the invisible weight of trauma, anxiety, heartbreak, and self-doubt. Many of the women who come to my practice have spent years being the strong one in their families, careers, and relationships. From the outside, they appear successful and put together. On the inside, they often feel overwhelmed, exhausted, and unsure how to move forward.

My work focuses on helping women rebuild a sense of safety within themselves so they can move from surviving to truly living.

Female Empowered Progressions Counseling was created to provide a thoughtful, culturally aware, and trauma-informed therapy experience for women in the St. Louis area who want meaningful, lasting change.

A Therapy Space Designed for Women Who Carry a Lot

Many of the women I work with have lived through experiences that shaped the way they see themselves and the world.

You may recognize yourself in some of these stories.

You learned early how to keep the peace in difficult environments.
You became the reliable one in your family or social circle.
You’ve experienced relationships that left you questioning your worth or doubting your reality.
You’ve had moments where anxiety, panic, or intrusive memories seem to take over your body.

You may also be the woman everyone depends on.

The professional who performs well at work.

The anxious Gen Z struggling with navigating adulthood.

The depressed millennial navigating career but lacking in the areas of life and work balance
The friend who listens to everyone else’s problems.
The daughter or partner who keeps everything together.

But when the day ends, the stress, emotional weight, and unresolved pain are still there.

Therapy offers a place where you no longer have to carry those experiences alone.

Specialized Therapy for Women in St. Louis

At Female Empowered Progressions Counseling, I work with women from many backgrounds, with a strong focus on supporting Black women and diverse women in the St. Louis community who often struggle to find therapists who understand their lived experiences.

My practice supports women dealing with:

• Trauma and complex trauma

• Narcissistic abuse and toxic relationships

• Anxiety and chronic stress

• Family conflict and childhood emotional wounds

• Grief and complicated loss

• Relationship patterns and attachment issues

• Low self-worth and identity struggles

• Burnout and emotional exhaustion

Many of my clients are high-achieving women, professionals, caregivers, and leaders who have spent years pushing through difficult experiences without having a safe place to process them.

Others come to therapy simply feeling lost, overwhelmed, or ready to grow.

Wherever you are in your journey, your experiences deserve thoughtful attention and care.

Therapy Approaches That Create Real Change

Healing from trauma is not just about talking through painful memories. Trauma lives in the nervous system, the body, and the patterns we carry into our relationships.

My work combines several evidence-based approaches that support deeper healing:

EMDR Therapy (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)
Helps the brain process traumatic memories so they no longer hold the same emotional intensity.

Somatic and Nervous System Regulation Techniques
Supports the body in releasing stored stress and restoring a sense of safety.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Helps challenge patterns of self-blame, negative thinking, and emotional overwhelm.

Attachment-Based Therapy
Explores how early relationships influence current relationship patterns and emotional responses.

This combination allows us to work not only with your thoughts, but also with the emotional and physical responses trauma can create.

Therapy That Honors Cultural Experiences

Finding a therapist who understands cultural context can be an important part of healing.

As a Black female therapist in St. Louis, I am deeply committed to creating a therapy space where women of color feel seen, respected, and understood.

Many Black and diverse women carry unique pressures, including:

• Being expected to always appear strong

• Navigating racial stress and cultural expectations

• Feeling responsible for everyone else’s emotional well-being

• Experiencing invalidation when discussing trauma or abuse

In therapy, these realities are not minimized or dismissed.

They are acknowledged and explored in a way that supports your growth and emotional health.

What Makes Female Empowered Progressions Counseling Different

Clients often tell me that therapy here feels different from past experiences.

My approach focuses on creating a space that is:

Deeply validating
Your experiences are taken seriously and explored without judgment.

Structured but compassionate
We work toward meaningful change while moving at a pace that respects your readiness.

Trauma-informed
We recognize how trauma impacts the mind, body, and relationships.

Focused on real progress
The goal is not just insight, but helping you feel calmer, stronger, and more confident in your life.

Therapy is a collaborative process where we work together to understand your experiences and build new ways of responding to them.

Serving Women Throughout the St. Louis Area

Female Empowered Progressions Counseling provides therapy for women across St. Louis, Missouri and surrounding communities, including:

• St. Louis City

• St. Louis County

• Florissant

• Ferguson

• Chesterfield

• Clayton

• University City

• Maryland Heights

• St. Charles

• O’Fallon

Both in-person therapy and online therapy sessions are available for women throughout Missouri.

You Deserve More Than Just Survival

Many women spend years pushing through pain because they believe they have no other choice.

Therapy offers a different path.

A path where your experiences are understood.
Where the anxiety in your body finally starts to quiet.
Where you rebuild trust in yourself.
Where relationships become healthier and boundaries feel possible.

You deserve to experience peace, confidence, and emotional freedom in your life.