Whitney Griggs, MSW, LCSW

Hi, I’m Whitney! I’m a therapist at Marble Wellness.

My Education and Professional Background

I earned my Bachelor’s in Biological Science from Hendrix College in Conway, Arkansas. After working in the medical field for several years, my community volunteer work led me to recognize a passion for working with children and families. I returned to school and received my Master of Social Work from Saint Louis University in 2017.

I completed my foundation practicum experience with Nurses for Newborns, where I worked with pregnant and postpartum women and gained experience in the area of maternal mental health. When working with moms, I take the approach of assessing challenges, strengths, and plans to support their parenting experience.

My concentration practicum experience was with students ages kindergarten through high school in the Parkway School District. From there, I spent six years as a school-based therapist with Saint Louis Counseling, providing counseling services to kids in area public and private schools. During my time at Saint Louis Counseling, I also met with clients in the office setting, led psychoeducational groups, and facilitated Love and Logic parenting classes.

I have extensive experience helping children and adults work through symptoms associated with anxiety, depression, ADHD, behavioral challenges, and self-esteem concerns. Drawing from an integrated combination of therapeutic methods including play-based interventions, cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness, and art therapy techniques, I assist clients in meeting the goals we set for our time together and building skills that can serve as the foundation for a lifetime of emotional health. 

How I Like to Work in Therapy

For me, therapy is about relationships. I believe that a strong rapport with any child or adult I work with is essential in order to establish the sense of safety necessary for them to feel comfortable talking with me. 

I help build this sense of safety and rapport by working with a client to learn where and when they feel secure, and then meeting them there. Sessions with children may involve a lot of therapeutic games, while other clients of all ages may be more comfortable with art therapy techniques, and still others may enjoy walking outside and talking.

Getting to know each person as an individual – learning their strengths, interests, and challenges – is one of my favorite parts of being a therapist.

Once this rapport is established, I work with clients on naming, normalizing, and expressing their emotions. We discuss coping strategies, identifying strategies that have been helpful in the past and additional potentially useful strategies, and then practice implementing them in their daily lives. I believe that even young children can and should have a say in the goals we work toward in our sessions. This sense of teamwork further contributes to feeling safe in sessions with me and helps us form an even stronger relationship.

In addition, I recognize that the decision to seek therapy for yourself or your child can be difficult. My hope is that, by establishing this sense of relationship and partnership early on in the process, individuals and families will feel comfortable and confident in seeking support.

I view therapy as a collaboration. My goal is to be a resource for my clients, partnering with them to offer additional insight as we work together to identify and manage their emotions in order to work through the challenges they face.

Advanced or Relevant Training

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
• Trauma-focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
• Motivational Interviewing

Fun Fact

I have an encyclopedic knowledge of ’80s music.

Begin Counseling with STL Therapist, Whitney Griggs

Now you know Whitney! We are so excited for you to get started with her in our Ballwin, MO counseling clinic, can be the place you can begin to find progress. We can also chat via telehealth for online therapy in Missouri and online therapy in Illinois. Truly, anywhere in the state! If you’re a Chicago resident, we have in-person therapy available in Chicago, too! Taking this first step is a big deal, so you are already making great progress! Just follow these simple steps and we will get started.