Providers

As a therapist, I strive to help the client discover Self; learn to listen to their inner compass; and to develop strengths so that they can become more confident and attain the personal change, growth and happiness that they are seeking.

As a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), I founded Beacon Therapy Associates for two main reasons; one to provide a safe, warm and welcoming environment for people in need of support and two, to create a work environment where therapists are able to find a healthy work/life balance and are able to model health to their clients and family.

I have more than 23 years of experience working with families, children, adolescents, and adults. In addition to my clinical experience, I have managerial experience in community mental health administration, quality control, attainment of national health certification and the start-up/ownership of two mental health companies. I am a Clinical Member of both the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy and the American Psychotherapy Association. I am an Approved Supervisor for the State of Minnesota for both the Board of Marriage and Family Therapy and for the Board of Behavioral Health and Therapy; as well as an Approved Supervisor for AAMFT

I hold a Master of Science degree with honors in Human Development: Family & Child Studies and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology: Human Relations from the University of Central Oklahoma. Additional graduate studies for my license was obtained at Alfred Adler Graduate School in Richfield, MN.

Specialties: Family Systems, Trauma, EMDR, Brainspotting, Neurolinguistics, Emotional Intimacy issues, Depression and Anxiety.

Ashley is a licensed alcohol and drug counselor who is now working towards her licensure in Marriage and Family Therapy. As a marriage and family therapy clinical intern, Ashley enjoys the opportunity to work with individuals and families who are struggling with depression, anxiety, grief, loss, and/or addiction. Ashley understands that life transitions and events can be challenging. Ashley wants to guide people through these challenges and provide them with stability, clarity, and strength so they are stronger on the other side. She enjoys the opportunity to work with children, adolescents, adults, and families utilizing a therapeutic approach appropriate to the individual.

As a Marriage and Family Therapist, it is my mission to help families grow relationships. I work with couples, families, and individuals to find their strength, helping to guide them towards healing and a better tomorrow.

As a couples’ therapist, I am certified as a Prepare/Enrich facilitator and am certified as a Level I facilitator in Gottman Methods. I am trained as a Discernment Counselor, I have taught couples about Love Languages, and helped divorced couples with co-parenting strategies.

I also work with individuals experiencing the pain of depression, those dealing with anxiety problems, those struggling with the weight of grief, as well as many other issues that can weigh us down. I use a variety of techniques in my approach to therapy, including Solution Focused Therapy, Experiential Therapy, Emotionally Focused Therapy, and Cognitive Behavior Therapy.

I practice therapy from a Christian perspective. However, I do not presume that all clients want or will be receptive to Christian or spiritual interventions in therapy. I will honor the client’s right to choose the appropriateness, timing and manner these techniques are introduced. I also work with all relationships from a non-judgmental perspective. This includes traditional family structures as well as those that come from non-traditional backgrounds. My belief is that we are all created to be in relationship to love and to be loved.

While helping others has always been a part of who I am, becoming a therapist is a second career for me. I have been an Engineer for over 30 years, spending most of my career in the medical device industry. I went back to school at St. Mary’s University in Minneapolis to obtain a Master of Arts degree in Marriage and Family Therapy and am currently a Licensed Associate in Marriage and Family Therapy (LAMFT) in the state of Minnesota. I bring many of life’s lessons and experiences to my role as a therapist as I work with couples, families and individuals to help them find strength and guide them toward healing and a better tomorrow.

Fear, doubt, and pain can sometimes keep us from realizing our potential and achieving our goals. Although we may sometimes need a little help to access the tools we need during a challenging time, each of us has the ability to overcome these obstacles. With courage, hope, patience, and a new perspective, we can get moving in the right direction again. Loren’s clients value his authentic, supportive, and humorous style. Meetings are characterized as encouraging, engaging, and insightful as he creates a positive and safe environment to make lasting changes. As a Licensed Professional Counselor, he works with individuals, couples, and families to improve their quality of life. Loren’s holistic perspective will help you consider your thinking, behavior, relationships, health, and life circumstances to create a more fulfilling future. His particular interests include communication, depression, anxiety, eating disorders, teen and young adult concerns, relationships, self-esteem, and spirituality. Loren is also a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor, specializing in helping people overcome addictions in any form. Loren has a Master’s of Arts degree from Bethel University and a Graduate Certificate from St. Mary’s University of Minnesota.

Amy’s warm, compassionate, and positive style helps those she works with to understand difficult life circumstances and make positive and lasting change. Amy works together with those she serves to create a safe environment to identify concerns and improve quality of life. She focuses on the whole person in all life areas including emotional, mental, physical life areas to make improvements long term. Amy is passionate about helping people and views it as an honor to support people during life’s challenges. She helps empower people to bring life into greater balance and increase happiness and fulfillment.

Amy has vast experience working with individuals, couples, and families. With years of experiences as the Dean of Students at a private school, she also specializes with concerns affecting teens, children over nine years old, and their families. In addition, she has significant expertise simultaneously addressing addiction and mental health concerns. Other areas of interest include depression, anxiety, communication issues, life transitions, relationship difficulties, eating disorders, addiction, trauma, and emotional regulation. Amy focuses not only on overcoming immediate concerns but also on discovering and addressing the underlying problems so that these problems do not resurface.

Chris specializes in working with children, adolescents and adults. Areas of specialty include working with: autism spectrum disorders, depression, anxiety, displaced workers and addictions.

After 13 years in the medical and research fields, Liz made the switch to education and counseling. Liz works from an Adlerian framework incorporating aspects of Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, and play. Liz brings experience from day treatment, outpatient, private practice, and school settings. Liz enjoys working with children (as young as 3), adolescents, and adults in the areas of Anxiety, Depression, Co-Occurring disorders, self-esteem, grief/loss, family/career/life change, postpartum concerns, secondary trauma, caregiver/professional burnout, and compassion fatigue. Liz is a Licensed School Counselor, Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor, and Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor with a Master’s from Adler Graduate School. Liz enjoys spending time with her husband, 3 children, and 2 registered therapy dogs, who are available to join sessions upon request in the utilization of Animal-Assisted Psychotherapy. A Christian perspective is also available upon request.

Nancy loves working from a relational approach because she gets to see individuals, couples, and family groups have “aha moments” when they realize the influence that they can have in relation to another person and their situation. Her interests include working with those affected by challenging life transitions and various types of loss that can lead to anxiety, depression, and grief. She is passionate about promoting the interests of those in disempowered positions, helping to bring forth silenced voices and perspectives, and standing against bullying in all forms, including relational aggression. She is keenly aware of the need for supporting the emotional and mental health of women—from childhood through adulthood—as well as their partners and families.

I use a treatment approach grounded in research, with the belief that brain has the ability to heal. I create a safe place to help process difficult experiences as unprocessed stressful experiences are the basis for many symptoms including pain and negative beliefs. In my clinical work I provide people with resources and tools to help them make new connections and gain new insights, leading to successful outcomes and adaptive coping. It is a gift to see such transformations. I have experience working with children, adolescence, adults, families and couples. I have treated a range of mental health concerns in home, community settings and corporate environments. I have experience working with children, adolescence, adults, families, and couples with a variety of presenting concerns including anxiety, depression, life transitions/adjustments, grief and loss, childhood abuse and neglect, PTSD, dissociation, identity, and family work.

Bachelor of Science – University of Minnesota Twin Cities; Masters of Arts,- St Mary’s University Twin Cities; Post graduate training in EMDR therapy (eye movement, desensitization and reprocessing).

As a clinician, I prefer a person-centered, client-driven approach to therapy that utilizes a combination of theoretical frameworks to help those facing challenges and stressors at any point in life. I am experienced in Solutions-Focused, Cognitive-Behavioral, Experiential and Structural Family Therapy, Internal Family Systems, as well as Acceptance-Commitment Therapy. My personal strengths involve offering empathy, understanding and acceptance throughout the therapeutic process to provide genuine care and to promote hope and healing. I work with individuals (ages 15+), couples and families struggling with a wide range of mental health issues including, but not limited to: Depression, Anxiety, Self-Esteem/Body Image, Family/Relationship Issues, Divorce, Abuse, Self-Harm, and Life Transitions.

I believe that because of the power of God’s love, every individual has the capacity for greatness, even if one does not recognize it in themselves. Healing, growth, and change are made possible through the recognition and cultivation of greatness in oneself and in others. I am committed to helping individuals, couples and families navigate their life journeys and assisting them along the road to recovery, whichever road that may be. “Life is a journey and some of the most difficult roads lead to the most beautiful destinations” - Unknown.

Sean is a master’s Level Marriage and Family Therapist clinical trainee. He completed his master’s program at Bethel University in St. Paul, MN and his Bachelor of Science at Metropolitan State University majoring in Addiction Counseling. Sean is a licensed alcohol and drug counselor and enjoys working with population seeking freedom from addictive behaviors. He is also passionate about working with family systems. Sean believes the best in all people and understands people do the best they can with what they have.

Sean is passionate about working with individuals, couples, and families. Areas of interest include marriage counseling, life balance, intimacy, addiction issues, conflict resolution, communication, spirituality, and life transition. Sean is a certified Prepare/Enrich Facilitator and enjoys assisting couples looking to explore deeper levels of intimacy within their relationship. Sean provides Faith-Based therapy upon request and enjoys working with all faith backgrounds.

Darlene is a clinical trainee who is working towards licensure as a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker. She has experience in helping children and adults with depression, anxiety, life transitions, relationship issues, and grief experiences.

Michelle’s background is in Social Work. She has her MSW and her LGSW. Michelle has worked with children and families, teenagers and adults for almost 3 decades, both in the field directly with individuals and families and as a supervisor. She has also been a Professor in the Social Work department for over a decade and has begun working on her EDD. Michelle has experience with family and individual therapy. She specializes with individuals who have experienced trauma, separation, adjustment disorder, anxiety and depression, addiction, reactive attachment disorder, DD/ID and MH, sexual and physical abuse.