Spirituality Therapists in Arden Hills, MN

I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Ordained Minister with over 20 years of combined experience as a Pastor and Therapist working with individuals, couples and families as they navigate life's challenges. I work with couples, adults, and teens dealing with complex grief, life transitions, caretaker fatigue, boundaries, trauma and abuse, and spiritual issues. I employ a holistic approach and systemic perspective to therapy, believing people are made up of many parts – body, mind and spirit, existing in complex relationship systems. I am a member of AAMFT and MAMFT.

I have been practicing therapy in various settings since 2013. I enjoy working with adults, older-adults and have a specific passion for helping emerging adults. In therapy, I engage with my clients through curiosity, creativity, humor, empathy and collaboration. I also emphasize skills-building, value-guided behaviors, and mindfulness as a means to encourage and support my clients as they identify their path in life.

My clients have described me as thoughtful, empathetic, wise, and funny. I am not a bobble-head that will nod along to anything you say and just keep asking you, "and how does that make you feel?" I'm engaged, I'm funny, and I'm direct. I'm kinda like hard candy. I'm sweet and I can deliver challenging things when needed. With creativity and humor, I will guide you to explore other paths and options. I operate from a holistic lens, welcoming the all aspects of you and your family, including sexual orientation, gender expression, racial and cultural messages, religion and spirituality into the therapeutic exploration.

I will support you in developing insight and understanding into issues that interfere with healing, and help you embrace your authentic self. I welcome you to bring your whole self to therapy (mind, body, spirit). Therapy is not only a place to explore emotional and relational aspects of life, but also a place to integrate all aspects of your self. Honoring the connection between mind and body, cultural heritage, physical health, and spirituality are important in enabling you to live a meaningful and satisfying life. My approach invites complementary therapies, if desired.

I work with adolescents and adults as a collaborative, supportive partner to improve mental health and overall wellbeing. My therapeutic approaches integrate cognitive, behavioral, and insight-focused strategies. This warm and personal style helps clients work through ingrained and unhealthy patterns that keep them stuck in emotional distress and unfulfilling relationships. I have a mindful and holistic perspective, and emphasize integrating mind, body, and spirit in healing. I address many presenting issues in addition to welcoming concerns about physical and mental health. I am trained in clinical hypnosis, and enjoy working creatively to find effective solutions to inspire lasting change.

I specialize in helping clients navigate life transitions and the anxiety and depression that can go with them. I am trained in DBT and use a variety of therapies to assist clients.

My specialty areas include parenting, couples, adult individuals and adolescents. I help parents to see the mind behind their child's behaviors and empower them to parent through positive connection while maintaining structure. With couples I focus on fostering greater attunement and communication while also empowering each individual to bring the best part of themselves and advocate for what they desire in the relationship. I work with individuals experiencing anxiety, depressed mood, low self-esteem, relationships concerns, life transitions, exploring spirituality and family of origin issues. I also see adolescents experiencing the struggles common to that stage of life.

Entering into (or even the thought of entering into) a therapeutic process takes a lot of ambition and courage. The therapy process is not an easy one, but it can be a highly successful and rewarding one when it lessens your suffering, reduces troubling symptoms, and increases your ability to cope with the stressors of life. These are all outcomes that are best achieved within a nurturing and supportive relationship with a helping professional. It would be my honor to support you in your quest towards health.

I believe in the inherent glory, beauty, and strength within each individual. While this may sound idealistic, it's undeniable that our lives often encompass brokenness, pain, darkness, and shame, which can obscure our true essence. My mission is to guide you through understanding your personal narrative or "mythos" that has sculpted your identity. This involves exploring your self-perception, spiritual beliefs, and interactions with the world. I am committed to journeying with you through the depths of pain and darkness to uncover the profound truth of our existence - that we are intimately known and cherished by God.