My Education & Background

Heather McMillen, Ph.D., LMFT, EMDR-C

M.A. in Counseling Psychology (Emphasis in Depth Psychotherapy) | Pacifica Graduate Institute
Ph.D. in Depth Psychology & Integrative Therapy | Pacifica Graduate Institute 

I specialize in supporting highly creative adults and couples who have experienced developmental, relational, or single-incident trauma. I am certified as an EMDR Trauma Therapist by EMDRIA and trained as a somatic therapist in the Trauma Resiliency Model (TRM) through the Trauma Resource Institute.

With decades of lived experience as a professional fine artist, I bring a deep understanding of both the gifts and challenges that accompany a creative mind. As a seasoned integrative psychotherapist, I work with many professionals in the fine art and entertainment industries—but I also recognize that living a creative life goes far beyond one’s career. Creativity is a vibrant inner essence, a wellspring of inspiration, joy, and personal transformation. My background as an artist profoundly informs my therapeutic approach, creating a space infused with curiosity, innovation, and vitality.

Philosophy

Each of us is a kaleidoscope of light and shadow—a vivid interplay of nuance, complexity, and color. For creative individuals, there is often a deeply patterned, symbolic way of seeing and being—sensory, emotionally complex, and intensely felt. In a warm, attuned space, even the confusing or painful parts of experience can be held and reshaped, revealing new constellations of insight, vitality, and self-trust.

I believe the creative process is more than expression—it’s a way of knowing, a living authoring of identity, and a path toward healing. Therapy becomes a place to explore what shaped you, what animates you, and what longs to emerge. At its heart, this work is about belonging, which begins when we see our differences not as flaws, but as invitations to come home to ourselves.