Tel: 423-397-5440
ABOUT
Caroline
Rowlader
LPC-MHSP
TN License:
#4518
GA License: #016624
Welcome
I am Caroline Rowlader and I am so glad you're here. I know finding a Licensed Professional Counselor can feel like a lot, so let's keep this simple: I'm friendly, approachable, and I don't take myself too seriously. My job is to make our sessions feel like a place you can actually exhale, not another place you have to show up inauthentically in.
Who I Work With
I love working with people navigating anxiety and depression (because who doesn't experience this?), and with perfectionists and patients with OCD who are exhausted from trying to get everything "right." I also work extensively with people living with chronic illness and chronic pain - this is close to my heart, both professionally and personally.
If you're a perfectionist, part of our work together might genuinely involve learning how to relax and play again (on purpose without guilt). If you're living with a chronic illness or disability, I want to help you process the grief that so often comes with it, get to a place of radical acceptance around your limitations, and then figure out how to build a life full of purpose and meaning right alongside your disability, not after it.
My Training & Approach
I'm trained in EMDR, Radically Open Dialectical Behavioral Therapy RO-DBT (Level 1), and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and I'm trauma-informed in everything I do. I've also pursued additional continuing education in chronic illness counseling and counseling for neurodivergent patients as I think good therapy should meet you where your body and brain actually are and not where a textbook or culture assumes they should be.
My background spans community mental health clinics, rehabilitation facilities, and outpatient private practice, and I now run my own solo telehealth practice which means you can meet with me from anywhere in Tennessee or Georgia and wherever you're most comfortable (yes, sweatpants in bed and all).
I have a Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Columbus State University and a Bachelor of Psychology from the University of Georgia. I am licensed in both Tennessee and Georgia.
A Little About Me (Personally)
I live with ADHD, Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, Narcolepsy, MCAS, Dysautonomia, and PMDD, so when I say I understand chronic illness and neurodivergence, I mean that from the inside. I know what it's like to grieve the body or brain you thought you'd have, and I know what it's like to slowly build a life that works with it instead of against it.
Outside of work, I live in Chattanooga, TN with my husband and our two mastiffs (who take up an unreasonable amount of couch space). I'm originally from the Atlanta area and a proud Georgia Bulldogs fan. I'm the eldest of seven kids — four of my siblings are adopted, and several of my siblings have disabilities including FASD, a spinal cord injury, and neurodivergence. Growing up in a diverse, disability-inclusive family shaped how I see the world and it's a huge part of why this work matters so much to me.
What I Believe
I am social-justice oriented and pro-choice. I practice from a Health at Every Size and intuitive eating framework, and believe in inclusivity and equality for all. I want you to feel safe bringing your whole self into the room, whatever that looks like for you.
If any of this resonates with you, I'd love to connect. Reach out and let's see if we're a good fit.