Dr. Aly Savala

Is life supposed to look like this? Is this how I’m supposed to feel? How many times have you asked yourself these questions, questioned why you are on this earth, questioned your existence? For me, the answer is that I have asked myself this countless times.

Most of my life I had people tell me who I was. What I was allowed to say, what I was allowed to feel, what my opinions should or should not be. I was expected to conform, to not take up space, to obey. I never felt like I belonged anywhere. I longed for it. I wanted to know myself. I wanted to be seen. So, I went to therapy. My therapist helped me acknowledge the distorted mirror that had been held up in front of my face for so long by others. She helped me stop waiting for others to see me, to validate me, and guided me to my own gut-wrenchingly painful but oh so beautiful journey of self-exploration and healing. I wish that I could say to you that I have always had a strong identity and sense of self, but the truth is that I needed someone to let me know that they saw me. That they understood me.

Have you ever felt seen? I mean really seen. Seen for everything you are. The rawness that comes with that. It makes us feel alive, it validates us, it permeates us with energy. Energy to engage, energy to connect, energy to contribute. I want to help you become a reflection of your highest self. I want to help you get to know you. I want to weather the storm of life with you, be there to see you in your most exquisite moments but also in your most broken.

I specialize in working with relationship concerns, men’s issues, and trauma work (I do EMDR which is a specialized treatment for trauma. I also help with alcohol and substance-use that is causing you concern (or curiosity), old coping mechanisms stemming from childhood, existential depression, anxiety, and relationship stressors. As a therapist, I want to help my clients relinquish their stories of pain and help them move towards a future that no longer feels limited.

SO, let’s begin. Let me provide you a safe, warm, judgement-free, space of acceptance. A space to be seen. A space to heal and grow. I am so excited to see you.

The Story:
As I consider what initially drew me to the field of psychology, a quote by Robert Frost comes to mind: “The best way out is through”. By age 10, I had already lived a life full of adversity. Receiving therapy to help sort through painful experiences was transformative and my therapist was kind, gentle, full of empathy, respectful, and empowering.

My biggest takeaway from therapy was how crucial the therapeutic relationship is; so much more work, growth, and healing can be done when you feel safe with your therapist, when you feel they really see you and understand you. You can always count on me to be genuinely myself when we are together, to be a human with another human.

I knew since I was ten years old that I wanted to be able to help people heal. I knew that I wanted to listen to all those intricate details that are woven together that makes up someone’s life story. I wanted to sit there on the floor with someone, help them pick up the pieces, sort through them, notice each piece, and help put things back together. I learned early that pain can travel through family lines until someone is ready to heal it in themselves. I wanted to encourage others that by going through the pain or growth, will allow for the cycle to be broken, for the pattern to end there. It’s incredibly sacred work and incredibly meaningful. I also knew it was going to be a long road to be able to get where I needed to be so that I could offer this to others. I’m thankful to be here now with you. I’m now equipped with my PhD and more life experiences than it might appear at first glance.

My Training:
I began my pursuit of a career as a psychologist at Texas Tech University where I received my Bachelor of Arts in psychology. I then attended the University of Louisville where I completed my Master’s degree in counseling psychology. I finalized my education at the University of Missouri- Columbia where I received my Doctorate (Ph.D.) in counseling psychology.

Through so many years of experience and education, countless hours of research, and looking at the science of everything, I have found that the most crucial part of helping a person heal, is the therapeutic relationship. If we don’t like or trust someone, how in the world can we open up and allow someone to know us intimately enough to help facilitate our own healing?

I specialize in working with trauma of all kinds and have obtained my certification as an EMDR therapist (a type of trauma healing therapy). I also have spent a lot of time working with addictions and believe that addiction is not about the substance itself but rather it’s about the pain that fuels the desire to use the substance. I also enjoy working with life anxieties and stressors, family of origin concerns, inner-child healing, relational issues, grief, and so many other things! Can you tell my training has been eclectic?
I believe that everyone is unique and there is not a one size fits all method of therapy. I tailor my work to each individual and their needs and goals. Some concepts and theories that inform my work are attachment theory (childhood experiences effect how we see ourselves and others), trauma informed care, interpersonal, relational, and feminist theory (all components of our identities and environments we are in impact us).

My Commitment:
Every step I have taken in my life has brought me here; to being a psychologist. I look at past experiences I have had as ways of deeply understanding my clients and their struggles. You can trust that I will sit with you, as a human sitting with another human (not some therapy robot), and express genuine empathy and compassion towards you and your story. We will take time to create a relationship that you can believe in, that you can depend on, and feel safe in.

I want to spend my time empowering you, helping you feel inconceivably brave, unloading some of the pain you might have been carrying, watching you gain inner peace, and allowing yourself to be seen. It is my privilege to be able to sit and listen to you and be your guide on this journey.