Parenting Therapists in Austin, MN

For those struggling with anxiety, sleep issues, motivation, low self-esteem, relationship issues, PTSD, focus, parenting, workplace stress, bullying, codependency, and general stress, Therapeutic Life Coaching goes to the root of the issue - for real change. Experience feeling heard, supported and prepare yourself to move forward in your life with a healthier body, mind and spirit.

I focus on working with children as young as 3 years old through Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT). Additionally, I have been trained in Trauma Focused - Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), an approach utilized in children age 3-18 years old that have experienced a traumatic event or complex trauma. I also work with all age groups regarding depression and other mood issues. I have experience in utilizing exposure therapy with children and adolescents to combat anxiety.

Hurting? Feeling Alone? Stressed out? Uncertain about the future? Is the weight of day to day life feeling unbearable right now? Daily ongoing stress can have a negative impact on your health and well-being. It may be difficult to believe that life can be good again when we are facing so many unknowns. Let me hold it with you. . . traumatic events, losing people and connections, parenting challenges or simply questioning parts of life that don’t make sense. It is helpful to have a trusted person to openly talk to, sort out conflicting emotions, gain insight, and develop a plan to live your desired life again.

People come to therapy for many reasons. In the first few sessions, I want to get to know you--what you are struggling with, your hopes and fears for the future, what seems to be getting in the way, what strengths and assets you bring. Together, we arrive at a plan, identifying your goals, sources of distress, and how best to work toward symptom relief and greater satisfaction with life and relationships. My approach integrates several treatment modalities, including psychoanalytic/psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral, mindfulness-based therapies, life-span developmental approaches, attachment theory, family and couples therapy.

We all struggle sometimes and feel overwhelmed. When people come to see me, they want help replacing the feeling of being overwhelmed with the belief that they can navigate their current situation and get to a better place. Anxiety, Depression, Anger, Relationship struggles, Addiction struggles, Parenting struggles, Infidelity, Broken dreams. If all it takes is a set of instructions that I can follow, it would be simple. But broken lives spring from deep feelings of inadequacy. Healing begins when we connect deeply with our true self and know we are loved just the way we are. Then we can be free to change and grow.

Do you have life experiences that you are ready to process? Is life feeling too overwhelming and you aren't sure where to start? Are you a parent struggling to connect with your child? Do you have a teenager dealing with mental health symptoms, difficult peer relationships, or poor decision-making? Is your young child struggling with big feelings and behaviors? Would you like to be in nature and walking while you talk? I know these situations and how overwhelming and scary they can be and feel. You don't have to do it alone. I will walk alongside you or your child as we navigate these difficult situations together.

Are you struggling with navigating a relationship in your life? Relational therapy, typically called couples but can include a variety of relationship types, focuses in on communication, trust, repair, and joy. Typical sessions include allowing space for identifying specific sources of discomfort and practice for how to make and sustain relational shifts. Specialized training in child psychology allows for particular support around navigating parenting challenges and understanding how to support your unique child.

Are you feeling disconnected from your partner? Facing sexual challenges that seem insurmountable? I work with individuals and couples facing sexual and relationship issues. Therapy provides people an opportunity to learn about their feelings, thoughts, behaviors, and to develop healthier skills for coping with difficulties and painful experiences. I work mostly with emotional and physical disconnection, parenting style conflicts, life transitions, loss of sex drive, and differing libidos. I am a Certified Sex Therapist by AASECT.

Melissa’s clinical work focuses on utilizing and building on children’s, teen’s and family’s strengths, instilling hope, and working collaboratively to develop treatment goals and create positive change. Her clinical work includes taking a developmental and systemic perspective that incorporates psychoeducation, play therapy, CBT, Mindfulness, and EMDR. Her specialties/areas of interest include; Adjustment, anxiety, ADHD, Depression, trauma, grief, loss, ASD, sensory integration difficulties, gender nonconforming, parent guidance, and family change/transitions.

My approach to therapy utilizes a holistic approach with an Internal Family Systems (IFS) perspective, incorporating mind, body, and soul care. I have a main focus on performance and sports psychology and work to help clients consider how their emotional, physical, and mental aspects are dependent on each other to achieve optimal performance in whatever discipline they are pursuing. I also helps those dealing with medical conditions. This includes preparing for and/or recovering from medical procedures, dealing with ongoing pain, sports injury recovery, infertility struggles, and coping with emotional challenges along the way.

My practice is a collaborative healing process where you can be your authentic self in a trusting, respectful environment. My priority is to build a safe, caring, validating space where you can be known and understood. It’s a privilege to build strong relationships and notice the positive effects that therapy can have on their lives. I use a systemic, collaborative, strengths-based therapeutic approach to help you through the challenges of life, connecting with your strengths to help learn new ways to live in wholeness.

I specialize in marriage & family therapy using a systems approach and Gottman Method therapy including for infidelity & PTSD. I'm certified in Discernment counseling as well. Finally, I work on the entire spectrum of relationships from dating to pre-marital to transitions or divorce. I also provide parenting coaching. I am also trained as a divorce mediator and help many people with parenting plans. I provide ADHD based couples therapy and am an ADHD certified clinical services provider.