Heather B. Hammock, M.Ed., LPC
Hi, I am Heather Hammock. I am a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Virginia living in Hanover County with a passion for providing therapy to stressed moms. I do good work with moms that struggle with stress, anxiety, depression, maternal mental health, parenting, and other life issues. With three amazing boys, I know how tricky it can be to juggle all of the day-to-day necessities. In addition to that, life doesn’t always go the way we planned and that can be really hard. It can make you feel like something you did or didn’t do is what caused the struggle. Many times, that is not the case and small shifts can make a big difference!
Becoming a mother is a major life transition.
FAQs
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I love spending time with my husband and boys as well as family and friends. I also love to read, be near the water, and exercise.
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I have been primarily staying at home with my boys for 5 years. I have worked part-time as a psychometrician during that time. I started working with moms in September 2023.
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I worked in college counseling centers for 8 years, full time, until having my third child.
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The transition to motherhood was not easy for me. I noticed that was common after talking to many friends and acquaintances. I decided I wanted to support other moms in their journey.
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I received my Bachelor of Science in Psychology at Longwood University and Master of Education in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Lynchburg College. I have 5 years of experience as a psychometrician working with children and adults with ADHD and other learning differences.
I have read a variety of books over the years about behavior, the brain, parenting, maternal mental health, emotion regulation and the nervous system as well as completed continuing education credits in these areas.
Stress Management for Moms
Having a growth mindset is an incredible mental strength. If you believe in yourself and surround yourself with others that believe in you, then you can overcome stressors. My clients develop self-trust and self-compassion, increasing resilience.
I help the client feel understood first. This is so important because who wants to feel alone in struggles? It’s always nice to know someone else gets it or has been there.
We will increase self-awareness for what’s going well and what’s not working. This helps prep for the goal-making process.
My clients like to set goals and learn skills, when they are ready, to accomplish those goals. I pull most of my strategies from relational neurobiology, Mindfulness, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), ACT and solution-focused modalities.
Self-care for moms
Life challenges can be tricky. “When we give ourselves compassion, this allows us to cope with the pain of life without becoming derailed by it.”
Self-compassion is a concept we will practice. Some moms set expectations for themselves that are unrealistic or hard to meet. Then, we feel awful when we do not meet those expectations.