Email Connie

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
Certified Emotionally Focused Therapist

My greatest joy is to help people find their inner voice and personal power. 

My journey to becoming a therapist has been a rather circuitous one. I earned my bachelor’s degree in business and studio arts and a master’s degree in architecture, which led me to a career in graphic design. From there, I ventured into mosaic art, teaching and creating custom installations for more than a decade. I furthered my education and received a Master of Psychotherapy, which combines my love of self-expression with a quest for deeper insight.

My source of inspiration has been raising my two boys who are now young adults. They have taught me how to listen and see things in a more open and accepting way. In my free time, I enjoy long walks with friends (both two legged and four), yoga, speaking Italian with anyone who will engage with me, and good food around a table filled with laughter and love.

Trained in Emotionally Focused Therapy, I work with individuals and couples. I enjoy working with clients who are struggling with stress, co-dependency, anxiety, depression, body image and relationship / communication issues that are causing personal discord. Looking at attachment patterns that are unconsciously learned in childhood, we will see where and how those patterns play out in your life and how they hold you in unhealthy beliefs. Together, we will unravel the thought processes that thrive in judgment, scarcity, blame, and fear. 

Clients who work with me say they feel heard and validated. My approach is direct, and I will lovingly hold you accountable. I will probe and encourage you to continue when you feel stuck. I will empower you with tools that will help to reshape old beliefs, wrapping them in kindness and self-compassion. The healing process and positive change occurs when you gain insight into yourself and empower yourself through authentic self-expression. Clients who are most successful engage in the work and face the demons that chase them. 

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
Online Video Sessions Only

There is no greater joy in my work than helping individuals, couples, and families heal. I have seen this happen in many different ways and I enjoy the courage, compassion, and creativity that therapy requires. If you’re experiencing internal turmoil or disconnection & conflict with loved ones, you have come to the right place. It’s an honor for me to get to know people & their important relationships and to support people in restoring mutual respect, rebuilding trust in one another, & experiencing the joy of shared love.

You may feel anxious while looking for a therapist to work with and that’s such an understandable feeling. You may also feel vulnerable, reaching out for support. Please know that you’re not alone. Most people feel these feelings too. The good news is that over the years I have heard from many people the positive impacts that working with a therapist has on self-awareness, relationships, and overall quality of life. So, the search is worth it. You deserve to feel seen and heard. You also deserve to know some things about me in order to make a decision about whether or not you think we’ll connect well with one another.

I come from a small nuclear family and a large extended family. I’m a woman with a Roman Catholic Mexican mother and a New England Jewish father. I’m also the granddaughter of a Holocaust survivor. Therefore, I have grown up with required mental & emotional flexibility. I’m uniquely able to hold space for multiple truths, perspectives, ways of knowing, ways of feeling, and ways of being in the world.

My clinical experience is broad with expertise in these areas. I enjoy working with BIPOC people. Especially, around biracial/multiracial identity development, self-esteem, and belonging. I understand and have deep compassion for what it’s like to experience microaggressions, race based trauma, and the extra mental & emotional energy it takes to live in a white society when you’re not white. I also enjoy working with interracial couples, teens (14-19) & families, and adults struggling with issues related to adjustment, life transitions, grief & loss, anxiety, depression, trauma, and other concerns.

When I’m not in a therapy session, I enjoy dancing, swimming, and walking. I also enjoy cooking with my family, supporting local restaurants, and eating tasty & delicious food. I love to travel and explore new places (and new foods). I’m also committed to being a lifelong learner. “Education is not the filling of a pail but the lighting of a fire.” – William Butler Yeats

I utilize Emotionally Focused Therapy & Experiential Therapy to help individuals, couples, and families connect with themselves & others. Sometimes we get stuck in negative communication cycles and we’re looking for new & different ways to relate well with one another. Sometimes we have forgotten tried and true ways to relate well with one another and we need a friendly reminder. These things happen over the life course and seeking support in bettering yourself and your relationships is a sign of mental health & wellness. I have no doubt that it would be my privilege and pleasure to support you and your loved ones.

I’m so looking forward to collaborating with you to raise your voice, build on your insights, enjoy strong, meaningful, & purpose-filled relationships, and find greater peace & solace in life’s chaos.

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
Certified Emotionally Focused Therapist

Certified Brain Spotting Therapist

I believe that relationships in all areas of our lives are important for our well-being. I have a passion for helping people as they journey through life's difficulties and transitions and find joy and peace along the way.

Before becoming a therapist, I was an audiologist for many years. It was an honor to help patients with hearing loss as they came to understand their diagnosis and treatment options. Looking back, it was always the relational patient interaction aspect of that profession that appealed to me most. Through my own life journey, I had the opportunity to meet many gifted mental health therapists and through them I discovered my calling.

My clinical focus is working with couples who are seeking to re-establish intimacy and create a stronger lasting bond in their relationship. It can be easy to allow your relationship to become a lower priority when other parts of life seem to take up so much time. This can take a toll on the quality of the relationship over time. I often hear couples talk about having lost that special feeling and connection they once had. 

I have advanced training in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), a model of therapy that focuses on decreasing conflict, increasing positive communication, and deepening the connection between people. Though it can be hard to take that first step to repair your relationship and restore the respect and love you once had together, my purpose is to help you build the relationship that you want, need, and deserve.

Working with people who have been affected by trauma is an area of special interest and passion for me. I am trained in, and have experience with, two powerful interventions for processing trauma and associated after effects: Brainspotting and EMDR. I have seen first-hand the healing effect these can have when used within a trusting therapeutic relationship. Together we will work to process through the difficult emotions, thoughts, and memories that are tied to trauma. I also have a special interest in neuroscience as it relates to therapy and the process of change, the mind, body, and spirit connection, and mindfulness meditation.

If you are looking for help, someone to listen, or are simply curious about life changes you are experiencing, I will work with you through a collaborative therapeutic process. I believe family, friends, and community are an important part of any healing process, since effective and lasting change happens through supportive relationships and connection. With this foundational approach, I work to support couples, individuals, and families through life's challenges. I bring a gentle, mindful, client-centered and humanistic approach to therapy, focusing on your needs while listening with an open heart and spirit.

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I have been married to my husband for 35 years and we have three grown daughters. We enjoy spending time together as a family when time and distance allow, and typically will pick spending time at, on, or in the lake as a favorite family activity. I am grateful to my husband and girls for the life lessons we have experienced together, and which have helped me to grow both personally and professionally. When I am not in the office, I enjoy travel, especially adventures to places I've never been, long conversations with friends, and of course Netflix! When I need to restore and recharge I turn to yoga, meditation, and walks in the woods with my dog.

I’m privileged and grateful to have the opportunity to walk with you as you find your strength and build resilience in your own healing.

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist

I admire the work, commitment, dedication, and vulnerability that individuals and couples engage in while attending therapy. Therapy can be an incredibly overwhelming and emotionally taxing event and I want to be there to support you through the process. I believe that within a safe and compassionate environment; healing and personal growth can thrive.

The connection you make with your therapist is paramount to process, here is a bit about me to see if we would be a good fit:

As a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and a LGBTQ+ ally, I am passionate about working with individuals and couples. My highlighted clinical areas of focus include relational and communication issues, intimacy/sexual difficulties, affairs/infidelities, separation/divorce, anxiety, depression, and grief/loss.

I have worked in the mental health field since 2009 and have worked with a variety of individuals and couples in diverse settings, adult foster care, urgent care, community mental health, and outpatient therapy.

My therapeutic approach is a blend, based on Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), compassion, validation, listening, client centeredness, and attachment theory. EFT has guided my focus to understand the importance of our emotions, our extraordinary capabilities to communicate and connect with our loved ones, and our desire to feel safe and secure in our relationships.

On a more personal note: I have been happily married to my husband and best friend since 2016. We enjoy taking our Border Collie Gracie and Red Heeler Sal for walks and trips to the dog park.  On the weekends, you can find me perusing a garage sale or antique shop. I am close with my nuclear family; I love being an auntie and spend as much time as I can with my nieces and nephews. If the Minnesota State Fair is not in session, you will find me on the patio reading books and bird watching, trying out a new plant-based recipe in the kitchen or huddled on the couch to watch movies and cuddling a dog.   

Email Kaylie

Marriage and Family Therapy Intern

I believe one of the most important aspects of life is connection with the ones you love. Strengthening the connection between you and your loved ones brings joy and healing. Given that living life can bring disconnection to loved ones, my job is to help you conquer those barriers so that you can enjoy your relationships and be much closer.

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I am currently working to attain my license in Marriage and Family Therapy. I have a passion for helping and serving others. My background consists of serving people in the Information Technology field for 6 years. I have an undergraduate degree in Psychology. Although I enjoyed my time in the I.T. field, I have always wanted to help people in a more direct and personal way.

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With my extensive background in Information Technology, I am well aware of the positive and negative impacts it can have on people and relationships. While internet culture can offer a tremendous amount of knowledge, wisdom, and entertainment, it can also be the cause of many of life’s largest problems. I am here to help with these problems by creating safety.

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I have clinical interests in grief and loss, addiction, life transitions, relationship conflict, and premarital counseling. My goal will be to listen, collaborate, validate, and support you with whatever struggles you may be facing.  Using Emotionally Focused Therapy, I will help you and your partner grow closer together while increasing each other’s positive sense of self.

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I have been married for 7 years and I enjoy spending time with friends, hiking, bringing our husky to the dog park, playing with our cats and staying up to date on the latest TV shows. During my free time I enjoy playing board games, Dungeons & Dragons, video games, ultimate frisbee, football or any other team-based activities.

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It would be my pleasure to work with you as you grow stronger individually and in your relationships. 

Email Lukas