Aleena Hellebuyck, MA, CAADC-DP

Limited license professional counselor

Aleena has over 10 years of experience with children, adolescents, and families. She is skilled at play therapy with young children, and therapy for teens and families dealing with trauma, anxiety, identity exploration and addiction. She is also trained in the Gottman method and specializes in helping couples navigate all phases of relationships, providing premarital counseling, crisis management and therapy for distress and communication breakdown. She also provides discernment counseling to spouses who don’t share the same commitment to the relationship, and need help figuring out whether to remain in the marriage or seek divorce. Aleena’s clinical style is warm, curious, and collaborative, honoring each client’s unique story and capacity for growth. She is especially passionate about helping people reconnect with themselves, build stronger relationships, and live in alignment with their values.

Clinical Specializations

• Couples therapy
• Play therapy for young children
• Child & adolescent therapy
• Addiction
• Family conflict & divorce

Additional Expertise

• Expert in child abuse & neglect (testified in foster care cases for the State of Michigan)
• Juvenile drug court
• Adoption
• Stress management
• Criminality and re-entry

Education & Background

• Master’s Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Central Michigan University
• Limited Licensed Professional Counselor (LLPC), State of Michigan
• Certified Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor – Development Plan (CAADC-DP)
• Former foster care case manager, State of Michigan
• Facilitator for IOP and juvenile drug court groups, Emmet & Charlevoix counties

Favorite therapeutic books

The Body Keeps the Score, Bessel van der Kolk, M.D.

This book illustrates how trauma reshapes both the mind and body, and why lasting recovery depends on more than just talking, it requires rebuilding safety, connection, and trust. It deepened my understanding of PTSD and reinforced my belief that healing happens through reconnection to one’s own body.

The Molecule of More, Daniel Z. Lieberman & Michael E. Long

I love how this book makes neuroscience feel relatable. It explains how dopamine drives our desire for more, more achievement, more novelty, more stimulation and how that drive can inspire, and yet overwhelm us. It gave me a deeper framework for helping clients navigate the tension between striving for growth and staying grounded in the present.

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  The Difference Between Coping and Healing – and Why it Matters

  Many people come to therapy believing that if they can just cope better, they’ll feel better. But coping and healing are not the same. Coping helps you survive, but healing helps you change. Coping manages the symptoms of pain, while healing transforms the source of it. Both are valuable, but they function differently. In this post, we’ll explore the crucial difference between coping and healing, why it matters for your emotional growth, and how therapy can help you move beyond survival toward genuine, lasting well-being. What Is Coping? Coping strategies are the things we do to manage distress in the moment. They don’t necessarily change the root cause of our pain, but they make it more bearable and keep us afloat when...

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  The Negative Effects of Technology on Teens – and How to Help

  Written by Aleena Hellebyuck, MA, CAADC-DP Learn how social media, screen time, and online culture are shaping your teen’s emotional health and what you can do to help them build balance, resilience, and self-esteem in a digital world. The Digital World Teens Are Growing Up In Technology is woven into nearly every aspect of modern teenage life. From smartphones and social media to gaming and streaming platforms, adolescents are living in a world that’s always online. While digital tools provide connection and creativity, they can also contribute to anxiety, comparison, and overstimulation,  all of which affect emotional well-being and development. As a therapist, I often hear parents say, “I don’t even recognize my child anymore — they seem anxious, withdrawn, or distracted...

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