Stephanie Bachar

My Story

Hello! My name is Stephanie and I am currently completing my final year of graduate training in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Lenoir-Rhyne University. Prior to pursuing my counseling degree, I worked as a career coach and adult educator supporting people through career transitions, recent immigration to the US, and life adjustment after the onset of chronic illness. I also hold a B.S. in Biological Engineering and have worked in corporate roles in the technology and pharmaceutical industries. More recently I have trained in facilitating community grief rituals locally in the Asheville area.  

Through both my personal and professional life, I have come to see that moments of great change can feel overwhelming, scary, and full of grief. This holds true regardless of whether the change is chosen, anticipated, or a surprise and equally true when that change is driven by an external event or an internal shift. Both in my own life and in witnessing my clients' experiences, I have developed a deep awe and reverence for the power of threshold moments when we sit in the grey zone between who we were and who we are becoming.  

It was my own experiences with major life transitions that set me on the path of being a counselor.  Receiving guidance through therapy and coaching is what allowed me to weather these challenging moments with a sense of beauty and vitality instead of just dread and overwhelm. It would be my great honor to support you through your own life transition.  I particularly enjoy working with adults navigating life or identity transitions, gifted individuals exploring their unique minds and emotional landscape, and those engaged in spiritual or existential questioning.

My approach weaves together somatic awareness, gestalt experimentation, and narrative exploration. I believe healing happens when we slow down enough to notice what's happening in the present moment, when we examine the stories we tell ourselves, and when we remember that we are interconnected beings who thrive in connection with others. 

When I am not working, you can find me outside gardening or working on land projects with my husband and community. I also love dancing, singing, and any form of embodied expression especially in group settings. I enjoy hosting events and weaving community connections. In my more introverted moments, I enjoy meditating and reading sci-fi and non-fiction books. 

I specialize in:

• Life transitions

• Gifted adults

• Spiritual or existential questioning

• Grief

• Relationship changes

• Life stage transitionsIllness diagnoses

• Career transitions