About Traci Andes, LCSW, RN
My Story
I grew up in Mormon communities in Phoenix and the East Valley. Although my views have evolved over my life, this experience shaped how I understand my identity and belonging. I hold dear all that’s good and look to find my own meaning too. My own evolution has shaped my interest in how people navigate moments when the beliefs, relationships, or structures they once relied on begin to shift.
I also identify as a deep feeler and wearing my moods right on my face. This sensitivity and inability to “play it cool” is sometimes frustrating but is also an asset. I know it deepened my attunement to emotional nuance, relational dynamics, and the lived experience of others. It absolutely required I work on learning how to stay grounded and centered while in the presence of strong emotions- both mine and others. This practice continues to shape how I show up in therapy, particularly in group settings.
Before private practice, my career was rooted in healthcare—as a bedside nurse, case manager, and social worker. I’ve lived the pace, pressure, and emotional demands of this work, and I understand the quiet toll it can take over time.
Facilitating group therapy for over a decade has profoundly shaped my clinical philosophy. In those rooms, I’ve witnessed people voice truths they’ve never shared anywhere else. I’ve learned how transformative it is when a person speaks earnestly and is met with recognition instead of judgment.
Beneath our surface differences, we all navigate the same human experiences—sorrow, fear, longing, relief, and hope. Whatever you’re feeling, I know this: you are not alone.
What it’s like to work with me
We do not heal in isolation; we heal in connection. My role is to create a safe, structured container where you can show up authentically and experience what it feels like to be seen and understood.
In these groups, conversation moves across the room, not just between you and me. Members speak with and respond to one another as a community. Showing up and holding space for each other in that way creates a kind of healing that individual work simply can't replicate.
If you’re curious if there is a place for you in groups with Andes Counseling, please reach out. I look forward to hearing from you. I hope we can journey together in the special space of group!