I am passionate about supporting children (ages 7+), teens, 20’s & 30’s somethings, as well as couples & families through coping with transitions and life difficulties. I apply my own experience and wisdom, and we approach your concerns and joys together. I see therapy as more of an art than a science, believing that it is most about building relationships and hope. I am not interested in labeling anyone, but rather in promoting the well-being of us all. Humor, play, games & art are a common part of therapy with me.
I have 20+ years of experience serving youth and families and have been licensed as a Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) for the past 10 years. I am also a MN Board Approved Supervisor for therapists in training. I have a wide array of experience serving a diverse range of clients in numerous settings.
Youth/Families: I love working with children ages 7+, teens and their families. My particular areas of interest and experience with youth and families include improving family relationships, navigating elementary, middle & high school, divorced/blended families, coping strategies for managing anxiety, stress, & mood changes, and making and keeping positive friendships. I incorporate parents and families into therapy with children because I find it is more effective and more dynamic. Every family is different, so we all decide together who is in the sessions. Teens generally prefer more alone time, and I respect this, but incorporate parents at least sometimes for check-ins if appropriate.
With children especially I use a lot of art and games. It is usually a lot more fun and it keeps children more engaged. With telehealth this is a bit more challenging, but I am open to creative approaches including the use of technology and other mediums to make therapy more interesting.
Adults/Couples: I also enjoy working with young adults (20-30’s) and couples. I often approach individual sessions with a focus on enhancing healthy relationships, improving healthy coping methods and overall joy in life. I use a lot of mindfulness strategies, as well as Cognitive Behavioral and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (ask me if you have questions about what these things mean). With couples, I am pretty solution and present focused, looking at areas of conflict and ways of improving communication. I commonly refer for individual therapy for couples so each person can do the deeper personal work.
Me: I grew up in the Cities. Love the lakes, creek, libraries, and so much more our cities have to offer. I work to be as Antiracist as I can, and as a White cisgender female I am always learning. I am a HUGE dog lover, music fan, and I am currently obsessed with Lattes and Spotify. I love being a puppy mom, sister, daughter, and Auntie. My youngest niece (preteen) keeps me young and shows me all the tiktok fads. As one teen client told me, I am “pretty old” but I “keep current.”
I provide a free phone consult before we schedule an initial appointment. Email me if you’re interested.