About April Forella, LMHC-S, LPC

You don’t have to carry this all on your own.

There was a time in my life when I believed that being strong meant pushing through — no matter how overwhelmed or anxious I felt inside.

It wasn’t until I stepped away from the high-pressure world of corporate life and moved into the field of psychology that I realized true strength comes from slowing down, asking for help, and giving ourselves permission to heal.

Hi, I’m April Forella, a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and EMDR Certified Therapist based in Palm City, Florida. For more than 22 years, I’ve dedicated my work to helping women who feel weighed down by perfectionism, stress, anxiety, and trauma find a new sense of peace within themselves.

Before becoming a therapist, I spent 12 years supporting the creative team at Ogilvy & Mather’s Detroit office. Working behind the scenes in a demanding environment taught me firsthand how easy it is to lose yourself in the busyness — and how important it is to have a safe space to reconnect with who you really are.

In 2004, I earned my Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from Palm Beach Atlantic University and began my journey toward becoming a therapist. Since then, I’ve devoted myself to helping women heal, grow, and reclaim their inner strength, using evidence-based approaches like EMDR therapy to address the deeper wounds that often drive anxiety and self-doubt.

In my private practice, I offer more than strategies or solutions — I offer a relationship built on trust, compassion, and genuine care. I believe that healing is possible for everyone, and that sometimes, the most courageous thing you can do is simply begin.

You don’t have to carry it all alone. I’m here to walk beside you every step of the way.

A woman sitting on a blue outdoor couch, wearing a black top and jeans, with a necklace, and smiling at the camera. The background features dense green foliage.

please Hear me when I say:

This Is a Space for You to Finally Breathe.

I specialize in EMDR therapy because it gets to the root of what’s keeping you stuck. Whether it's childhood trauma, unresolved pain, or the constant sense that you're not doing enough (even when you're doing everything), EMDR helps untangle the deeper layers so you can finally feel some peace—not just temporary relief.

You don’t need more strategies to manage your anxiety or mindset. You need a safe space to be you—without the mask, without the performance.

Coastal landscape with aloe plants and red flowers overlooking a sandy beach and ocean under a clear blue sky.

How I work

At the core of my approach to therapy is a belief that change is possible.

No matter how long you’ve felt stuck, overwhelmed, or not like yourself. I’ve seen time and time again that when we create space for healing and address the root of what’s driving the anxiety, perfectionism, or self-doubt, something powerful begins to shift. You don’t have to stay in survival mode. You can feel lighter, more grounded, and more connected to who you truly are. Therapy isn’t about “fixing” you—it’s about helping you reclaim the parts of yourself that have been buried under stress, expectations, or past pain. And I’m here to walk with you every step of the way. I hold space for the parts of you that feel overwhelmed, ashamed, or not enough—while also helping you reconnect to the confident, capable woman you already are (even if she feels far away right now).

Let’s get to the root, together.

If you’re ready to quiet the inner critic, soften the perfectionism, and feel more at home in yourself—I’d be honored to walk with you.

Located in Palm City, Florida, and serving clients throughout Stuart, Port St. Lucie, Hobe Sound, Tequesta, and Jupiter.

Therapy with me is…

  • Your treatment is personalized to your goals. Creating a safe space for you to heal. As a therapist, I’m deeply committed to creating a safe, compassionate space where you can explore your experiences without judgment. I believe that healing is a deeply personal journey, and I’m honored to be part of that process with you.

  • Through our work together, I want you to rediscover your sense of self-worth, reconnect with your inner strength, and feel more grounded in who you are—outside of your achievements. Learn more.

  • Our work together is confidential and discrete. Learn more.

  • We take a relational approach to therapy, honoring the time and space you need to expand, heal, and grow. Lasting change doesn’t happen overnight — it happens through deep, meaningful work built on trust and connection.

    Throughout our lives, hurts and wounds often accumulate, leaving imprints that quietly shape the way we experience ourselves and our relationships today. Over time, these layers of pain can develop into what’s known as complex trauma.

    Our work together is about tending to those deeper places — not rushing the process, but allowing true, lasting healing to unfold.

Woman seated on blue outdoor couch, wearing a leopard print jacket and jeans, with greenery in the background.
Coastal landscape with aloe plants and ocean view.

specializing in:

Trauma

Anxiety

EMDR

My Training & Education

  • Licensed Mental Health Counselor (Florida & Michigan)

  • EMDR Certified Therapist (EMDRIA)

  • Masters in Counseling Psychology (2004) Palm Beach Atlantic University, West Palm Beach, Florida

  • 20 years in business prior to career in psychology | counseling

Your needs matter too.

Your needs matter, too.