As a child growing up in a family that suffered with inter-generational trauma and addiction, Andrea Meier knew from an early age that she wanted to help others overcome the pain they were enduring from similar situations. Without anyone to talk to who could understand what she was experiencing and who could guide her towards the tools she needed to break the cycle she spent her young adulthood seeking knowledge while navigating her own healing journey.
That path led Meier to pursue a career in the fields of community mental health and addiction. For nearly two decades, she’s held her Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and Licensed Alcohol Counselor (LAC) certifications. In 2023, she launched her consultation and training business, Andrea Meier, LLC | Holistic Wellness Collective. “My inspiration was to create a dedicated space where I could support clients with the healing, grounding and confidence-building practices that I’ve studied and implemented in my personal and professional experiences,” she said.
“Because thoughts and beliefs shape the lens through which we look at ourselves, others and the world, it’s important to be intentional with the therapists I welcome into the Collective, ensuring that we share the same holistic mindset and integrative approaches that focus on the mind, body, spirit and emotional experiences,” she continued. “We want our clients to feel welcomed, understood, supported, nurtured and empowered. Doing this work can often be such a vulnerable, raw and scary journey and we have so much compassion for the courage it takes to prioritize yourself.”
To further help clients achieve healing and growth, the Collective’s practitioners utilize methods such as traditional talk therapy and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), which, according to Meier, reduces emotional intensity of traumatic or distressing memories or experiences, allowing people to feel calmer, safer and less triggered in their daily lives. Additionally, the Collective uses Internal Family Systems (IFS) to compassionately work with inner protectors or wounded parts, Meiers said, “So we can heal and live more from our calm, confident, core Self.”
Another modality the Collective practices is Somatic Therapy, a technique that supports the body through awareness of physical sensations, movement and the mind-body connection as it processes emotions, trauma and stress. Meiers also shared that, “Taking the time for daily grounding exercises such as mindful deep diaphragmatic breathing, feet-on-the-floor, progressive muscle relaxation, temperature shifts, anchoring phrases and meditation are core foundations that cultivate healing and presence, while supporting meaningful growth and keeping the nervous system at a calmer, more regulated state. Being more present, intentional and focused in the day prevents spikes or hijacks such as emotional flooding or dysregulation.”
Practicing what Meiers calls “the daily book ends,” which include a morning ritual of affirmation and intention-setting for the day and an evening ritual of journaling and gratitude are other effective means of grounding. She frequently uses wave analogies in her healing modalities as well. As she explained, “We often try to resist as if swimming away just to get pulled back in or engage, giving the wave strength until it becomes a tsunami. Floating upon the wave is a smoother, calmer experience than finding ourselves in a reactionary panic inside the wave. Once we understand that thoughts, emotions, body sensations and urges will pass and are temporary, the above rituals and grounding practices can help us be proactive, preventing the wave and reducing its impact.”
During her time outside of the office, Meiers enjoys spending time with her husband, to whom she’s been married for 25 years, three rescue dogs and two teens, one who is about to head to college. Her favorite pastimes include walking on the beach on the Isle of Palms or Sullivan’s Island, interior design, making flower arrangements, cooking and enjoying the local culinary scene.
To learn more about working with Meier and the services offered by the Collective, visit andreameierllc.com.