Elliot Barger, LMHCA • he/him
MEET ELLIOT
You don’t need the perfect words. We can start with the honest ones.
I offer grounded, judgment-free therapy for teens and adults navigating trauma, ADHD, addiction, anxiety, identity, and the messier parts of being human.
We’ll move at your pace, make room for humor when it helps, and work toward helping you feel safer, steadier, and more capable in your own life.
IN-PERSON IN FORT WAYNE • TELEHEALTH ACROSS INDIANA
WHO I WORK WITH
We might be a good fit if…
You want therapy to feel human—honest enough for the hard things, safe enough to be yourself, and flexible enough to leave room for humor.
You may be:
✦ Living with ADHD and tired of your brain being treated like a flaw.
✦ Carrying trauma that still affects your body, relationships, or sense of safety.
✦ Rethinking your relationship with substances and wanting support without shame.
✦ Making sense of adoption, identity, belonging, or complicated family experiences.
✦ Seeking LGBTQ+, kink-, or sex-positive care where you don’t have to explain or defend yourself.
✦ Carrying anxiety, depression, grief, or major change by yourself for too long.
✦ Wanting a therapist who takes you seriously without making everything painfully serious.
You don’t need to arrive certain that Elliot is the “perfect” therapist. A first conversation is allowed to be just that, a conversation.
HOW I WORK
You don’t have to have it together.
Maybe you’ve rehearsed what you’ll say in therapy only to forget every word when someone asks, “So, what brings you in?” Maybe you know exactly what’s wrong but have no idea how to make it different. Or maybe the most accurate summary you have is: Everything is a lot.
That’s more than enough to begin.
Person-Centered & Humanistic
We begin with your experiences, values, and goals. I won’t pretend to understand your life better than you do or wrestle you for the steering wheel.
Addiction & Change Without Shame
We can talk honestly about substances, coping, relapse, and change without lectures or moral judgment. Progress is allowed to be personal—and decidedly nonlinear.
Accelerated Resolution Therapy
When trauma continues to feel present, ART offers a structured way to work with painful memories, images, and sensations without requiring you to explain every detail perfectly.
Identity-Affirming Care
You shouldn’t have to translate or defend your identity, relationships, sexuality, or community before meaningful therapy can begin.
ADHD-Affirming Support
Your brain isn’t a character flaw. We’ll build on how it actually works and explore strategies that are realistic, flexible, and free from unnecessary shame.
Humor & Being Human
Sometimes laughter lowers the drawbridge. A well-timed joke can soften the awkwardness, loosen shame, and make it easier to say what you actually mean. If humor is part of how you connect and make sense of life, you won’t have to leave it at the door.
You don’t have to impress me or do therapy perfectly. Show up as you are, and we’ll start there.
Ready When You Are