“When a person realizes he has been deeply heard, his eyes moisten. I think in some real sense he is weeping for joy. It is as though he were saying, "Thank God, somebody heard me. Someone knows what it's like to be me”
Dr. Carl Rogers, "On Becoming a Person"
A Bit About Therapy
According to the American Psychological Association, “(Psychotherapy) helps people of all ages live happier, healthier and more productive lives.” Through the use of various psychotherapy methods and collaborative treatment measures, my patients develop life-changing habits to help them cope with any of life’s various obstacles and find lasting positive lifestyle change. My therapy sessions are designed to dissect personal issues at your family's own pace.
Cuyahoga Valley Mindful Health & Wellness
Tailored Treatment: With or Without Insurance
Mission Statement
We are here to teach you psychoeducational skills to take control of your mental health while alongside you in processing life's stressors and traumas. Our scope of practice includes working with clients of all ages and as young as 4 trained in play therapy, trauma counseling, mindfulness, cognitive-behavioral, rational-emotive behavioral therapies to assist you/your family with adjustment to new situations, anxiety/performance anxiety, depression, family issues, socialization, stress management & coping resiliency, boy's and men's issues, school issues, military issues, finding balance, purpose and meaning, and sport's counseling.
At CVMHW, we’re committed to making mental health care affordable, transparent and accessible for all. Our Good Faith Estimate (GFE) provides a clear breakdown of expected costs for services like initial appointments and therapy sessions, as well as parent psychotherapy sessions without child present delivered within one to three business days of scheduling. This meets the No Surprises Act requirements while ensuring you’re informed and protected from unexpected charges.
To further our mission, we offer sliding fee scales and pro-bono services, ensuring financial barriers don’t stand in the way of your care. We invite you to review your GFE and see how our focus on clarity, affordability, and personalized support sets us apart.
If you feel uncomfortable with our cash-pay rates and are presently without insurance, please reach out to us via the Chat Function and we can discuss ways to qualify you/your family for state-sponsored Medicaid insurance plans as care and treatment comes first.
Our present Sliding-Fee Scale provides families without qualifying insurances to be provided clinical counseling services at a per-session cost of $45-$70hr as a part of Cuyahoga Valley Mindful Health & Wellness's mission to serve everyone in their time of need.
Life Coaching Services are also offered at a $45 fee rate per hour to assist you/your family in time of need; however, please note that Life Coaching is not a Clinical Service and does not represent equal service to Counseling and Psychotherapy Services.
Open Path Collective: Sliding Fee-Scales/Pro-Bono Care & Good-Faith Estimates
Rates & Services
1 hr
$120 or Insurance
1 hr
$120 or Insurance
1 hr 30 min
$120 or Insurance
1 hr
$120 or Insurance
15 min
Free
1 hr
45 US dollars
Our Services & Cash Rates
1 hr
$120 or Insurance
1 hr
$120 or Insurance
1 hr 30 min
$120 or Insurance
1 hr
$120 or Insurance
15 min
Free
1 hr
45 US dollars
Sliding Fee Scale $45-$70
Our Providers
Eric Riesterer, M.A., LPCC, Therapist, Life Coach & Practice Founder
OH License: E.2606791
AZ License AZ-717
MN License MN-717
Eric Riesterer is an Independently Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor in Cleveland, Ohio. He also sees clients via online therapy using Doxy.me, a HIPAA-compliant and confidential telehealth software in Arizona and Minnesota. Eric also provides non-clinical Life Coaching Services to help individuals find balance, purpose and meaning in their lives.
Educational History
Eric earned his Bachelor of Arts in Clinical Psychology and Master of Arts in Counseling and Human Development from Walsh University, with advanced training and a research focus in Trauma Psychotherapy and additional emphasis in Sociology.
He began his clinical work in 2019 through non-profit and school-based settings, including CommQuest Services, Walsh University’s Fr. Herttna Counseling Center, and Child & Adolescent Behavioral Health at GlenOak High School/Middle School and Plain Elementary.
With 5 years of private practice experience, Eric specializes in supporting children, adolescents, and families navigating Autism, Anxiety, Depression, Trauma, Family Counseling, and Boys’/Men’s Issues throughout Northeastern Ohio.
Track & XC Coach
Eric has coached Track & Field and Cross Country in multiple school districts, including Hudson, Louisville, Burton, and Jefferson. His background as both a clinician and coach allows him to bring a psychologically grounded approach to athletics, helping athletes stay present, manage performance anxiety, and build lasting confidence and enjoyment in their sport.
Army Reservist
As a prior service member with 6 years in the U.S. Army Reserves as a Petroleum Engineer (92F), Eric experienced the unique demands of military life, including frequent training cycles, logistical operations, and the ongoing adjustments that come with military service and relocation. He draws on this firsthand experience to support service members, veterans, and their families with practical tools for managing stress, transitions, and mental health.
Therapeutic Approach
Eric’s mission is to help clients of all ages develop practical psychoeducational skills while processing life’s challenges. He works with children as young as 4 and is trained in Play Therapy, Trauma Counseling, Mindfulness, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT).
He specializes in supporting clients through anxiety, performance anxiety, depression, family conflict, social skills development, stress management, military-related concerns, and the search for balance and meaning.
Eric is especially passionate about working with children, men’s issues, and veterans. He practices Neurodivergent-Affirming Care and operates a Veteran-Owned Psychotherapy Practice.
Child & Family Counseling Services
Eric enjoys working with patients at critical points of their lives such as childhood, adolescence, midlife and retirement/military retirement where patients experience the highest levels of growth and the most clinical need. Eric has also worked with mild diagnoses and provides professional life coaching services for the smoother periods of life as an educated mentor and guide to assist you in managing academic/career transitions, coping skill use, and family stressors. He specializes in both Child Psychotherapy and helping parents through Family Counseling achieve balance and stability within the home.
Who Eric Serves Best
Eric’s ideal clients are children, teens, adults, and families who want more than symptom relief — they want practical tools, greater self-understanding, and lasting resilience. Many are navigating Autism, ADHD, trauma/PTSD, anxiety, depression, or major life transitions and are looking for a therapist who combines clinical skill with genuine warmth and structure.
He has particular expertise helping clients move past trauma-related “stuck points” (such as “I’m not safe,” “It’s my fault,” or “I’m damaged”) using trauma-informed, evidence-based approaches like Cognitive Processing Therapy.
Therapeutic & Clinical Work Experiences:
• Public Mental Health at CommQuest Behavioral Health, Child & Adolescent Behavioral Health, Applewood Centers.
•Non-Profit Work at CommQuest Behavioral Health (Office & IOP Substance Abuse Counseling, Individual & Groups)
• University Student Mental Health & Peer Support at Fr. Matthew Herttna Counseling Center at Walsh University.
PHP/In-Patient/Residential Psychiatric Experiences:
• Pediatric & Adolescent Partial Hospitalization/IOP Experience at Beyond Healthcare, Fairlawn OH, Residential Psychiatric Experience at ClearVista Hospital, Lorain OH.
School-Based Counseling Experiences:
•School-Based Counseling at Glen-Oak/Plain SD, Elementary/MS/HS.
•School-Based Counseling at Maple Heights SD, Elementary
•School-Based Counseling at Brecksville SD, Elementary
•School-Based Counseling at Akron Leadership Academy Charter School, Elementary.
•Neurodiversity-Affirming School-Based Counseling and Social Skills Skills Instructor at Perspectives Academy.
Private Practice Experiences:
• Private Practice Experience at Winston Counseling and Consulting (Cuyahoga Falls), Nancy Lowrie & Associates (Brecksville), Dr. Jay Berk & Associates (Beachwood), Columbus Therapy & Hypnosis (Columbus), PMA Psychological Assessment (Ohio City), Still Waters Counseling (Poland, Faith-Based.)
Client Rights Advocacy, Life Coaching & Legal Disclaimer
Client Rights Advocacy/Grievances, Level-Of-Care:
Clients have the right to contact any grievances or concerns from clinical care to the Licensed Counselor, Social Worker, Marriage and Family Therapist Board with no threat of dismissal of care in the spirit of best clinical practice and treatment results. The CSWMFT Board may be reached at the following: 614-466-0912, or at the following email: CSWMFT.info@cswb.ohio.gov.
Additional service referrals including psychiatric care/medication management, intensive outpatient (IOP), in-patient and/or substance abuse detox are always available appropriately to the required level-of-care if any patient believes that outpatient level-of-care is not meeting required clinical needs/requires a higher level-of-care. Additional referrals including Marriage Counseling & Family Therapy, Spiritual/Pastoral Counseling, Dance & Movement Therapy for Trauma Treatment and Holistic Wellness Services are available to all clients in addition to treatment as usual to meet your family's clinical needs through our referral network.
Movement in level-of-care out of our practice does not disqualify any client from future care upon appropriate outpatient level-of-care need at Cuyahoga Valley Mindful Health & Wellness and we remain open to assist your mental health and wellness needs.
Life Coaching is a non-clinical consultation service and may only be available to patients not concurrently utilizing clinical services at Cuyahoga Valley Mindful Health and Wellness. Life Coaching does not supplement clinical counseling or psychotherapy services and referrals for outpatient clinical counseling providers may be provided for best results.
216-559-2241
CVMindfulHealthandWellness@outlook.com
Eric Riesterer, LPCC License: OH: E.2606791
MINN: LPC-MN-717
AZ: LPC-AZ-717
CSWMFT Board: cswmft.info@cswb.ohio.gov
Positive Psychology Gratitudes Activity
Struggling with Depressive Thoughts?
1. Make a list of 5 attributes that you feel make you a positive impact on the world, on your friends/family and at home/school. If this is hard, list 5 ways that you have helped others over the past 3 months.
2. List 1-5 people/animals in your life (social supports) who make your life worthwhile and better. Describe 1 positive memory next to each person on your gratitudes list.
3. List 5 positive things going on in your life as of today. Focus on things going well with your friends/family, at home/school/work, and recent successes/instances of growth and maturity where you may have handled a difficult situation very well.
4. List 3-5 things that you are looking forward to within the next 2 to 3 months or into the following season.
5. List 3-5 things/coping skills that have comforted you/helped you through the past month.
6. List 5 aspects/parts of daily living for which you are grateful.
Reflection: What surprised you the most from this exercise? What was the hardest part of this exercise? What did you notice about your body as you moved throughout the exercise from prompt to prompt?
Self-Worth Exercise: Pausing and Reflecting When Experiencing Racing Thoughts/Panic
Struggling with Negative/Bad Obsessive Thoughts?
1. Make a list of 5 attributes that you feel are important as part of you.
(ex., Compassion, Emotional Openness, Loyalty, Intelligence., Motivation...)
2. Write two sentences on each quality. Describe specifically how each quality is important to you and which value system it incorporates (ie., "I value loyalty because it reflects respect for the workplace environment.")
3. Reflect on how specifically each quality might be appreciated by others in your close relationships as well as to those living in your community. Illustrate specific examples how each quality has been appreciated by someone known to you as well as why it was likely appreciated.
Adopted from Dr. Guy Winch, "Emotional First Aid: Healing Rejection, Guilt & Failure." 2014.
Automatic Negative Thoughts, Anxiety & Overthinking: For Children & Teens
What is Ruminative Thinking:
"Rumination occurs when you have constant and repetitive thoughts about something; typically, a problem or situation" (Rodriguez, 2022, Rumination: When Your Thoughts Don’t Have an Off Button Rumination: (thepsychologygroup.com/ruminating-thoughts-and-anxiety/)
Exercise by Dr. Jordan Peterson, PhD., 2021:
1. Journal and Write Down "Every rumination that you can remember. Exhaustively."
2. Write down why you think that you think the anxious thoughts/ruminative (ie., What triggered/brought this thought to mind?)
3. Practice having that thought on purpose and confront the thoughts with journaling.
4. Share these thoughts with a therapist or close support. Challenge the thoughts and examine the believability of the thoughts and to what extent they are based in cognitive distortions.
Rumination & Anxiety Overthinking Exercise: For Teens & Adults
Pediatrics & Adults: Mindhouse Technique
MINDHOUSE MINDFULNESS VISUALIZATION EXERCISE
1. Find Yourself a Comfortable Position in Your Favorite Chair, Sofa or Bed
2. Close Your Eyes and Concentrate on Your Breathing, Intentionally Noticing each Inhale and Exhale
3. Picture Your Favorite Place for Your Mind-House (Beach, Cabin, Downtown, Woods., etc.)
4. Notice the Steps to Your Mindhouse. What Colors and Form do the Steps Take? Notice the Walls, the Roof…
5. Notice the Sounds as You Begin to Enter Your Mindhouse. What Do You Hear?
6. Open the Door to Your Mindhouse. What Is the First Thing that You Notice?
7. As You Enter Your Mindhouse… What Do You See, Hear, Smell, and Feel within Your Body?
8. With The Help Of Your Therapist, Lead Your Therapist Around Your Mindhouse One Room At A Time. Focus On What You See, Hear, Smell, And Feel As You Move Throughout Your Dream House To Each Room (Hallways, Kitchen, Bedrooms, Bathrooms, Special Rooms…)
Child & Adolescent Psychoeducation
Adverse Childhood Experiences: Impacts of Trauma on the Body, Brain and Behaviors (Why Is My Child Acting Like This???)
Childhood Trauma, Attachment Injuries & Codependency as an Adult
"We must not look to our Adult Partner to be the corrective experience for this Attachment Injury... This is about Grief Work and going internal and finding the place and part of us that feels that I am a nobody, that I don't matter and my values don't matter.
It is the old wounded experience and feeling that is playing out in the current (relationship.)
To follow the Path of Anger as we feel so frustrated that our Partner is unable to meet us emotionally where we need to be met.
Trauma Psychoeducation
How Trauma Affects the Brain: Modern Neuroscience and Biopsychological Lens of PTSD
"It's easy to jump in and try to reason with our kids when they don't handle something well or need to learn something. But we know some things about the brain here that can really help you to stay connected with your child AND help them learn better.
First we need to Regulate. We need to connect and get out of the red light state (language) or our survival brain.
Then we need to connect in the emotional space. "It makes sense why you reacted that way. I'm sorry. I didn't know you were having a hard time..." The point is to connect. This is the yellow light or the emotional brain. We need to speak to that next.
And then, and only then, are you and your child back to green light and can reason.
Regulate.
Relate.
Reason.
In that order."
"With PTSD, our bodies stay on high alert and we don't often revert to that restorative mode and when trapped in a painful trauma response people with PTSD experience 4 types of symptoms:
1. Painful Thoughts
2. Intense Emotions
3. Bodily Changes
4. Behavioral Changes"
4F Trauma Response Model: Fight/Flight/Fawn/Freeze
Stress responses from trauma can result in behavioral patterns that cause dysfunction within your family, at home and at work/school. Trauma responses fall under four categories:
1. Fight Response (Connection/Control)
2. Flight Responses (Withdrawal/Safety)
3. Fawning Responses (Connection/Inaction (Or Codependent Merging... "Merges with Other's Wishes/Demands... (From Dr. Pete Walker, C-PTSD: From Surviving to Thriving, 2013.)
4. Freeze Responses (Avoid/Disconnect)
(Pete Walker, 2013.)
Polyvagal Theory of Trauma
Integrating Adaptive and Resilient Mechanisms to Trauma and Stress
Polyvagal Body-Mind Model to Adaptive/Maladaptive Reactions to Trauma
Dr. Steve Porges Polyvagal Theory
Adaptive Versus Maladaptive Applications of Trauma and Stress Response
Unfinished Business & Trauma Work: "Cheap Intimacy" and Impacts on Partner Dysfunction
Moving Forward & Healing Trauma: Accepting Emotions through Mindfulness
"The Foundation of Growth of Emotional Flexibility is to Drop the Struggle with Emotions First... When we Open Our Heart to Fully Experiencing Emotion, we can make it more likely that you can Release and Let Go."
"But if instead we are locked up... I can't handle anxiety. I can't go to school, I can't face my boss if it makes me feel scared or uncomfortable, then emotions have all of the control to make decisions in our life...
Acceptance lays the Foundation of Change. It's like Football. Each play starts at the line of scrimmage and Acceptance means Starting Where You Are and each play, Teams begin to make moves toward their Goal." Emma McAdam., LMFT., Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
“[M]an is by no means a product of inheritance and environment. Man ultimately decides for himself! And in the end education is just education towards the ability to decide.”
-Dr. Victor Frankl, "The Feeling of Meaninglessness: A Challenge to Psychotherapy and Philosophy."