Peggy Hemmer, LICSW

Peggy Ann SERENA Hemmer has been providing clinically sound, creative, holistic counseling for children ages three and up, adults, couples, and families since 2004. Prior to her clinical work, she spent nine years at the county and state departments of mental health and substance abuse. Serena's mission is to assist you to explore and discover your own answers from within, and to remember, recover and honor your true, authentic self so you can live life with greater ease and abundant joy. Having studied and practiced many holistic approaches to health and well-being, as well as a variety of life philosophies, Serena's approach to therapy is from a holistic perspective, taking into consideration the relationship between mind, body, and spirit. ​She weaves Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Solution Focused Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Gottman Couples Therapy, Rational Hypnotherapy, and Expressive Arts modalities into sessions. Serena is experienced in counseling people with the following diagnoses: Major Depressive Disorder, Anxiety, Bi-Polar, Women's Issues, Life/Career Transitions, and Relationship issues. Serena graduated Summa cum Laude from Capital University with a Bachelor of Social Work degree and received a Master of Social Work degree from The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. She is a Florida Licensed Clinical Social Worker with Certifications in Rational Hypnotherapy, Gottman Couple's Counseling, and Spiritual Life Coaching. As an ordained Metaphysical, New Thought minister and certified Spiritual Life Coach she assists clients, who are seeking and asking, to explore and expand their values, spirituality, or faith. Serena brings her education, experience, and intuition to her practice and particularly her creativity into her sessions with her clients. Having provided counseling for people of all ages, from all backgrounds, and socio-economic levels in residential treatment centers and private practice, Serena acquired a broad awareness of the variety of challenges many people face. She has witnessed the intrinsic ability we each have to overcome those challenges and thrive. ​​Along with Serena's formal education and experience, she is certified in many holistic approaches. Serena is a Reiki Master Teacher, an Advanced Theta Healing practitioner, and an Access Bars Practitioner. She taught Qi Gong and Tai Chi to the State of Ohio Employees. During her career, Serena developed and presented a variety of workshops for families and providers. Including: Ohio Department of Health - Birth to Three Conference -“Maternal Depression and Effects on Infants”- Co-Presenter Ohio Department of Aging Governor’s Conference on Aging - “Advantages of Tai Chi”, Presenter Ohio Department of Mental Health Millennium Conference - “Moving through Recovery”- Presenter “Use of Expressive Arts and Play in Counseling Adolescent Youth in a Children’s Residential Center”- Presenter “Bullies, Bullied, Bully Victims”- Presenter “Separation, Attachment, and Placement”- Foster and Adopted Children Presenter Cancer Support Community Leadership Conference, Washington, D.C, “Distress Screening” - Co-Presenter Serena's publications include: I Am Me, I Am, A Pearl's Wisdom Book. Hemmer, P. A. Serena(2020). amazon.com/Am-Me-Pearls-Wisdom-Books/dp/B08JJLMSB7. I Don't Need Counseling. selfgrowth.com/articles/i-don-t-need-counseling. Is My Child Too Young for Counseling? selfgrowth.com/articles/is-my-child-too-young-for-counseling. The Empowerment of Homeless Women: Implications for Future Advocacy Issues Seventh Annual Symposium on Undergraduate Scholarship. College of Arts and Sciences. Capital University. Herndon, P. (former name) and Scherocman, J. (2002) Depression: Developmental Considerations from Birth to Eighteen, Sixth Annual Symposium on Undergraduate Scholarship. College of Arts and Sciences. Capital University. Herndon, P. (former name) Stattmiller, L., and Wernicke, C., (2001)