I offer three services here at Alternative Wellness Resources:
Individual Adult, Couples and Group Counseling/Therapy
Areas of specialization for counseling and therapy include:
- Depression, anxiety, and adjustment to difficult circumstances
- Trauma
- Panic attacks and phobias
- Relationship enhancement, sexual difficulties, and couples conflict resolution
- Health and wellness goals
- Grief and loss
- Work and career issues
- Stress management
- Parenting and family issues
- Psycho-spiritual development throughout the adult lifespan
- Midlife and elder issues
*What Clients Say About This Service* “This work has been worth every cent and the time I invested. I, my family, my friends, and my co-workers thank you! I am a much happier person now and far easier to get along with. I am finally comfortable in my own skin.”
Discernment Counseling
- Help discern if marital problems are solvable
- Open up the possiblity of restoring the health of your marriage
- One-on-one and couple counseling sessions
- Help gaining insight into your own contributions to your marriage
- Compassion & respect for both partners. No good guys/no bad guys.
Growth Companioning/Coaching (IGC) for Individuals and Couples
Integrative Growth Companioning is a model that I created to offer skilled support and assistance to people who desire to deepen their understanding of where they are in life and where they want to go, but do not require traditional psychotherapy to do so.
IGC provides a type of professional relationship that offers specialized but flexible ways of deep listening and relating that fits your style, personality, and circumstances, all the while providing a gentle “hand on your back” to support changes you wish to make. It can include support for virtually any facet of your life where you desire growth in relational, physical, emotional, psychological, spiritual or career/professional satisfaction. It can include cultivating a new relationship with issues such as chronic pain, aging, grief, and other issues all adults eventually face. I provide IGC for adult individuals, couples, adult family members, and small groups of friends or colleagues.
How does Integrative Growth Companioning differ from Psychotherapy?
Psychotherapy is a process in which a licensed mental health professional is trained and works in a specific role to assess, diagnose, and treat mental illnesses or disorders and is typically based on a western-based medical model. The psychotherapist must conduct a clinical intake interview, form a diagnosis, create a treatment plan, maintain clinical progress notes, and often consult with other members of a patient’s treatment team. A psychotherapy relationship is such that the therapist is in a position of professional authority and typically views the person with whom they work as a patient. The licensed psychotherapist is ethically and professionally bound by their licensing board and professional discipline to limit the scope of their practice to their areas of education/training expertise and adheres to professional boundaries as stated within their licensure and professional discipline.
Integrative Growth Companioning is a model that does not diagnose nor treat mental illness and is not a form of psychotherapy. It is broadly along the lines of Life Coaching as in deep listening in a non-pathologizing manner, but is not necessarily as immediately or as intensely goal-focused unless that is your specific aim. It is a relationship where you are offered safe space to consider where you are at in life and invited to be gently curious about how you wish to proceed with the developmental tasks of satisfactory maturation throughout different stages of adulthood, often with an eye on eventual elder-hood. This type of relationship is anything but clinical in nature and not at all one of a therapist/patient. It is based on equal personal authority, respect for all your experiences and beliefs, and based on a type of care I provide that comes from walking along side of you, not diagnosing or treating your human experiences. You may discuss anything you wish during our times together. I will provide as much or as little direct feedback, resources, ideas, etc. as you might find helpful. Most obvious is the potential of deep conversation that may feel at times like mentoring, consultation, coaching, or, simply but just as importantly, two human beings sharing time and space together in a way that is to the benefit of your growth and wellbeing. This relationship is solely focused on you and your interests/needs. The IGC relationship lasts for as long as you feel it beneficial; I have some IGC clients that come and go throughout the months or years as needed, and others with whom I have been meeting often and regularly over the course of several years. Since this model does not involve any type of “treatment”, there are no time limitations in either the length of our IGC relationship or number of hours/meetings you choose.
While I am professionally trained and licensed as a mental health professional in the State of Minnesota and I adhere to all ethical standards and guidelines of my licensure, I DO NOT PROVIDE ANY PSYCHOTHERAPY SERVICE FOR WELLNESS ALL WAYS INTEGRATIVE GROWTH COMPANIONING CLIENTS.
If we determine you would be better served by working in psychotherapy in addition to IGC, I will make this recommendation to you and provide referrals. I do not fulfill both roles. If you have clinical mental health needs that arise during our IGC work together, I may request your signed permission to consult with your mental health professional to ensure that I can do my part in support of your care and so you are receiving both the most appropriate clinical and companioning support possible.
*What Clients Say About This Service* “I really appreciate that you not only very clearly distinguish the difference between counseling, growth coaching, and consultation, but that we can work together with the coaching over the phone. I always look forward to our conversations and have put my newfound knowledge and clarity to very good use.”
Clinical Supervision, Consultation, and Teaching for Mental Health and Allied Health Professionals
*What Clients Say About This Service* “Thank you for another terrific workshop experience. I’ve been to several of your presentations and have found them to be professionally executed and easily understandable, and your friendly and approachable demeanor really puts everyone at ease. Please keep me on your mailing list for future learning events.”
With a comfortable and supportive atmosphere,
we will work together to achieve the personal growth you are striving for.