Anthony Banks | MSW, lCsw

Individual Counseling & Therapy, Marriage Counseling & Couples Therapy, and Online Counseling & Therapy
Columbia, MO

My name is Anthony Banks. I’m a Clinical Therapist with The Counseling Hub in Columbia, Missouri, and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the state of Missouri.
I specialize in Gottman Method Couples Therapy and am level 1 trained!

I’m a good fit if you…

  • want to explore your gender identity in a safe and supportive environment

  • want to explore your sexual orientation in a safe and supportive environment

  • feel alone in your relationship and desperately want to reconnect with your partner

  • can’t figure out why you and your partner are fighting so much, and want to learn how to navigate the conflict in healthy way

  • are queer-identified and wanting an affirming and knowledgeable therapist

  • are frustrated and overwhelmed with societal judgment and treatment based on your identity

  • are struggling with body image and want a supportive and non-judgmental person to walk the journey with you

  • are struggling to highlight the positive in your life and only focusing on the negative

  • are feeling down, depressed, or like you have no energy

  • are finding it difficult to "shut your brain off" or stop yourself from overthinking

  • are trying to find meaning in your life

  • feel guilty about implementing boundaries with others

  • want to heal from unhealthy or toxic family dynamics

pronouns: he/him

These are common reasons people come into counseling. These are the reasons people seek help.

More often than not, folks still feel some sort of shame in reaching out. One of the reasons Tara founded The Counseling Hub was to diminish that sense of shame, to normalize the fact that all people struggle in some way during their lives, and to empower people to grow and heal in their own unique way.

The Counseling Hub is all about connecting, healing, and growing.

My role as a clinician is to provide a safe, supporting, and nonjudgmental place for you to be able to explore your past experiences, beliefs, relationships, and emotions. I believe that each client already has within them the ability to overcome challenges in their life that they face, as they have adapted to their life circumstances up to this point. My job as a clinician is to listen, find meaning, highlight how clients continue to discover new ways of living, and provide new skills for them in order to reach a point of self-actualization.

Five Fun Facts About Anthony

  1. I love peanut butter!
    I could eat peanut butter all the time. I eat it with apples, eat it on bread, eat it with carrots, eat it with ice cream, I could eat it anywhere! But I like crunchy peanut butter, not creamy peanut butter. I like the texture the crunchy peanuts add to the depth of the peanut butter... (can you tell I think about peanut butter a lot?)

  2. I'm a fraternal twin and I'm older than my sister by two hours.
    Yes, you read that correctly. My mom likes to say my sister was "doing her hair in there," because she did not want to come out. Me on the other hand, I wanted to come out as quick as possible! My sister tried to starve me out too -- she weighed 9 lbs and I weighed 5 lbs. I don't let her forget it either.

  3. I love playing board, card, or video games.
    I'm a nerd like that. I have a growing collection. My partner and I actually play games together all the time, especially video games, and we are constantly asked about game recommendations from friends and family. Talk to me about your favorite games!

  4. I don't like being in nature all that much.
    My friends make fun of me for it, but I get really uncomfortable sitting in grass. I'm technically allergic to grass, mold, pollen, and more, so I get all itchy. And most of the time it's either really hot or really cold. Not a fun time, but I do enjoy a nice hike outside every now and again.

  5. I'm more of a cat person.
    I've had dogs before, but I have two perfect kitties that I go home to each day. My oldest kitty who is almost 4 years old now is a gentle giant. His name is Ritz. He loves people and will follow me into every room to sit next to me. My youngest kitty, Wanda, just turned 3 years old and she is very shy. It takes a lot of time to build trust with her, but when you do she loves to talk, play, and ask for more food in her bowl.

Anthony’s Education and Training

Anthony (he/him) received his Master's in Social Work degree from the University of Missouri - Columbia. Anthony began his social work career working with clients experiencing barriers to accessing mental health care services as a clinician at the Integrative Behavioral Health Clinic (IBHC). In this role at the IBHC, Anthony provided short- and long-term evidence-based mental health therapies in a safe and comfortable setting to clients from a lower socioeconomic background with varying racial/ethnic, gender, and sexual identities. Since graduating, Anthony has worked in private practice along with pursuing his PhD in Social Work. Anthony approaches clients using Person-in-Environment theory, which validates the individual client in the change process and acknowledges the impact our unique environments and social relationships have on our overall well being and identity. Anthony uses a client-centered approach, building rapport with clients as the foundation of the change process, and works to consider a client’s intersectional identities when engaging with clients. Anthony has knowledge of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Cognitive Processing Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, and Solutions-Focused work. Anthony loves to work with LGBTQ+ clients of varying racial/ethnic backgrounds struggling with identity, depression, anxiety, or trauma..

Anthony is a licensed master social worker with The Counseling Hub and under ongoing supervision.