New Life Counseling

New Life Counseling West Des Moines Office: 1200 Valley West Dr. Suite 700, Phone: (515) 225-4006 Ankeny: 227 NW School Locations in Ankeny and West Des Moines, Iowa.

We have 16 qualified and caring therapists ready to provide you a safe environment to heal, learn and gain hope for the future.

ADHD is often talked about in terms of the challenges...but what about the strengths that come with it? People with ADHD...
08/29/2026

ADHD is often talked about in terms of the challenges...but what about the strengths that come with it?

People with ADHD are often incredibly creative, intuitive, energetic, resilient, and able to think outside the box. Their brains can make unique connections, notice things others might miss, and approach problems from perspectives that aren’t always conventional.

There’s so much more to ADHD than the struggles. Sometimes, understanding the strengths can be just as important as understanding the challenges.

Thank you to Brittney Frees, MS, T-LMHC for sharing such thoughtful insight on the strengths commonly associated with ADHD. Your perspective is so valuable!

Sometimes there is no way around the pain.We want to fix it, understand it, distract ourselves from it, or rush through ...
08/28/2026

Sometimes there is no way around the pain.

We want to fix it, understand it, distract ourselves from it, or rush through it so we can feel like ourselves again. But some pain needs to be felt before it can be released.

Let yourself grieve.
Let yourself cry.
Let yourself be angry.
Let yourself admit that it hurts.

You don’t have to make the pain smaller to prove that you’re healing. Sometimes the way through the pain is simply to let it hurt.

And eventually, what feels unbearable today won’t always feel this heavy.

Just because you haven’t found your place yet doesn’t mean you don’t belong somewhere beautiful.There are rooms you have...
08/27/2026

Just because you haven’t found your place yet doesn’t mean you don’t belong somewhere beautiful.

There are rooms you haven’t walked into, people you haven’t met, opportunities you haven’t imagined, and tables you don’t even know are being set for you.

Keep going. Keep growing. Keep showing up as yourself.

There is a seat waiting for you at tables you haven’t even seen yet. 🤍

Don’t convince yourself that something is enough simply because you’re afraid you won’t find better.You were made for a ...
08/26/2026

Don’t convince yourself that something is enough simply because you’re afraid you won’t find better.

You were made for a life that feels honest, meaningful, and full of wonder.
It would be a tragedy to settle for something less extraordinary than the magic you hold within you.

Big decisions can bring up a lot of emotion, and that doesn’t mean you’re making the wrong choice.Emotional intelligence...
08/25/2026

Big decisions can bring up a lot of emotion, and that doesn’t mean you’re making the wrong choice.

Emotional intelligence isn’t about becoming detached from your feelings. It’s about learning to listen to your emotions without automatically letting them take the wheel.

Before making a big decision, pause and ask yourself:
What am I actually feeling?
What are the facts, and what am I afraid might happen?
Which choice aligns with the person I want to be?
How might I feel about this decision six months from now?
And what can I reasonably decide with the information I have today?

You don’t need to know exactly how everything will turn out to make a thoughtful decision. Sometimes clarity comes from giving yourself enough space to feel, reflect, gather the facts, and then choose from a grounded place rather than a reactive one.

We spend so much of our energy carrying things that were never ours to carry.Other people’s choices.Outcomes we can’t gu...
08/22/2026

We spend so much of our energy carrying things that were never ours to carry.

Other people’s choices.
Outcomes we can’t guarantee.
Things that already happened.

The “O Zone” is such a simple way to recognize where we’re taking responsibility for things outside of our control. We can’t manage other people, predict every outcome, or rewrite the past, but we *can* choose how we respond, what boundaries we set, and what we do with the moment we’re in.

There is so much freedom in learning the difference.

Thank you, Heidi Vermeer-Quist, for this beautiful insight and for the reminder that sometimes peace begins with putting down what was never ours. 🤍

What’s something in your own “O Zone” that you’ve been trying to carry?

You are stronger than your anxiety. Anxiety can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t define you, and you don’t have to face...
08/21/2026

You are stronger than your anxiety.

Anxiety can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t define you, and you don’t have to face it alone. With the right support, coping tools, and a little patience with yourself, you can learn to quiet the noise and move forward with confidence.

Your feelings are valid. Your healing matters. And asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness.

If anxiety has been taking up too much space in your life, counseling can be a place to slow down, feel heard, and build healthier ways to cope.

You’re stronger than you think.

Don’t miss a beautiful day worrying about an imaginary one. It’s so easy to get caught up in the *what ifs*...what if so...
08/20/2026

Don’t miss a beautiful day worrying about an imaginary one.

It’s so easy to get caught up in the *what ifs*...
what if something goes wrong, what if things don’t work out, what if the future looks different than we hoped?

But while we’re busy preparing for a tomorrow that hasn’t happened yet, we can miss the life that’s happening right now.

You don’t have to solve tomorrow today.

Take a breath. Look around. Notice what is good, what is beautiful, and what is right in front of you.

When was the last time you stopped and acknowledged how far you’ve come? It’s easy to focus on how much further you have...
08/19/2026

When was the last time you stopped and acknowledged how far you’ve come?

It’s easy to focus on how much further you have to go...the goals you haven’t reached, the things you still want to change, the places where you feel stuck.

But take a moment to look back.

Think about the version of you who was navigating things you’ve since grown through. The challenges you survived. The lessons you learned. The ways you’ve become stronger, wiser, and more compassionate along the way.

You may not be where you want to be yet, but **you’re not where you started.**

Give yourself permission to celebrate that.

Finding the right therapist can take time. And while there isn’t one “perfect” therapist for everyone, there are some si...
08/18/2026

Finding the right therapist can take time. And while there isn’t one “perfect” therapist for everyone, there are some signs that you may have found someone who is a good fit for you.

💚 You feel heard.
They listen to understand—not just to respond. You don’t feel rushed, dismissed, or like you have to compete for space in the conversation. Your experiences and feelings are taken seriously.

💚 They don’t judge you.
You can talk about the messy, complicated, uncomfortable, or even embarrassing parts of your life without feeling shamed for them. Therapy should be a space where you can be honest about what you’re experiencing.

💚 They respect your autonomy.
A good therapist doesn’t tell you how to live your life or make decisions for you. Instead, they help you explore your values, understand yourself more deeply, and make choices that align with the person you want to be.

💚 They’re curious, not assumptive.
Rather than jumping to conclusions, they ask questions and seek to understand your perspective. They recognize that your experience is uniquely yours instead of trying to fit you into a predetermined box.

💚 They’re willing to adjust.
Therapy isn’t one-size-fits-all. A good therapist pays attention to what is—and isn’t—working and is willing to adjust their approach to better support your goals and needs.

💚 You can give them feedback.
You should be able to say, “I’m not sure this is helping,” “I see that differently,” or “Can we try something else?” Healthy therapy makes room for honest conversations—even when that conversation is about the therapy itself.

💚 You feel safe being yourself.
You don’t need to perform, have the “right” answers, or pretend everything is okay. You can show up exactly as you are and know that you have a safe space to explore what’s going on.

And perhaps the biggest green flag?

You feel like you’re working with your therapist, not being talked at by them.

Address

227 Northwest School Street
Ankeny, IA
50266

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 8pm
Tuesday 8am - 8pm
Wednesday 8am - 8pm
Thursday 8am - 8pm
Friday 8am - 6pm
Saturday 8am - 2pm

Telephone

+15152254006

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