Find a Therapist in Medina, Minnesota.

My approach to psychotherapy is to provide a nonjudgmental space for my patients to implement change. I provide a supportive atmosphere so that my patients feel a safe as possible sharing their story. I utilize evidence based techniques to increase the likelihood for optimal results. I work in a collaborative way with patients. Treatment plans are individualized to meet the needs of each person.

As a collaborative therapist I view you as the expert on your life. I am your guide through the process of growth and not your leader. Through a systemic approach we will look at how relational contexts influence our construct of the world. This includes all aspects of life including influences from family, community, and society. We do not look at a mental health diagnosis as the only answer. Instead we attempt to stay away from the label a mental health diagnosis may create. Each individual experience in therapy is a unique journey based on your own particular needs.

If you’re looking for someone who nods and smiles and leaves you feeling oddly confused about what you’re accomplishing in therapy, I’m the wrong person for you. Any trained professional should be able to offer you ‘a safe, compassionate space’ to talk about your feelings. But if you want to see real change in your life, you need to do something different. My approach is goal-oriented. I want to help you clarify and achieve your goals. Once we figure out what you’re struggling with, we’ll come up with an action plan, with weekly assignments designed to get you unstuck, and heading in a healthier direction.

Psychotherapy can include individual therapy, couples therapy, or family therapy and address a variety of issues such as depression, addiction, relationship issues, or anxiety. Depending on what you are looking for in therapy, we will work together to come up with a customized treatment plan for your individual situation and your goals. I have trained in a variety of treatment methods, but find that I most commonly use mindfulness, cognitive behavioral therapy, and family systems in my work. We will explore your family history, how you grew up, and important relationships. We will also help you to develop coping strategies that use mindfulness, relaxation, and behavioral changes.

The craft of psychotherapy is part science and part artistry. I am informed by current research and also my extensive clinical experience (35 years) to build a solid therapeutic relationship with you. Once this occurs the trust will exist to allow us to create unique solutions your concerns. I take a cognitive behavioral approach, but find it helpful at times to explore your past as a way to help get "unstuck". I help clients to learn to better deal with emotions, to be assertive and to build self-confidence to feel better. I work with a wide variety of problems - see my web page for more details. My therapeutic style is engaging, warm, sometimes humorous and down to earth.

I'll help you explore what's getting in the way of living the life you want, and support you as you start experiencing more of what's important to you. You'll gain insight into your personal challenges and learn useful tools for managing yourself, your relationships and your problems. My philosophy is that our past experiences and the ways we've learned to deal with stress and relationships often leave us unprepared to cope with current issues. We tend to rely on old habits to solve problems and end up feeling frustrated or disappointed. With support, you'll discover your capacity to feel more comfortable with yourself and share that with others.

Kerin enjoys working with clients who struggle with depression, anxiety, bi-polar disorder, and post traumatic stress disorder. Kerin’s training in cognitive behavioral therapy, teaching skills, Thought Field Therapy, Psycho-Education and Eye-Movement Desensitization and Preprocessing (EMDR) are most helpful in helping clients to reach their goals.

Why am I the way that I am? Why do I feel stuck struggling with the same problems? Can I overcome my tendencies? Will I ever understand what makes me tick and why I act the way that I do? People with varied experiences have found long-term psychotherapy to be beneficial. You may have had a happy childhood or experienced abuse or neglect as a child. You or a loved one may have struggled with substance abuse. You may be successful in many areas of your life, while feeling stuck in certain patterns that you would like to change. I will help you find growth and insight by exploring how your current beliefs and your family or origin experiences influence current actions and relationships.

A respectful, collaborative, optimistic and holistic approach is used. People are best understood based on how they relate to others. This is rooted in the patterns learned in their most significant relationship experiences – usually their relationship with their parents. So your family history is very important. Since reality and meaning are created by you, what you think about your problem and yourself is very important. It is also significant what is happening for you in the present moment, in the therapy room and in the therapeutic relationship. Your problems will be undermined by looking at some of your beliefs about yourself, the world and how you might be unknowingly perpetuating the

Often people enter therapy feeling "stuck" in some area of their life - they have tried everything they can think of and still the feeling or situation persists. It shows great determination, resilience, and wisdom that you are reaching out to a professional at this point. Together we can work to understand how this situation came about, uncover what your real wants and needs are, and realistically consider what your options are for moving forward. If you are taking the initiative to look into therapy, then I am endlessly optimistic about your ability to make the changes you'd like to see.

I believe that the difficulties we encounter in our lives develop in relationship and get healed in relationship. Because of the nature of the therapeutic situation and the relationship you form with your therapist, psychotherapy provides a unique opportunity to explore the ways in which you may repeat frustrating or painful experiences in your life, to relieve suffering and grow your capacity to tolerate unpleasurable (as well as pleasurable) feelings, and to experience yourself in a new way.

Psychotherapy is a process where I will work with you to determine the best direction to meet your therapeutic goals and needs. Psychotherapy helps people to: •Understand behaviors, emotions and ideas that may contribute to the problem and learn how to modify them •Understand and identify events or life problems –like loss of a job, divorce, problems at school, a major illness, death or divorce- that contribute to your problems and help you understand those aspects you have the ability to solve or improve. •Learn skills to calm yourself, coping techniques and problem-solving skills •Regain a sense of pleasure in life and a sense of control in your decisions We will journey together to find ....

We are skilled at recognizing the most effective therapy approach to help you find more satisfaction and joy in life. You are unique and the issues you face are unique. After the initial intake sessions we will work together to prepare a treatment plan with your personal goals for therapy defined. Periodically we will evaluate your progress toward meeting those goals. In our practice we are skilled in several therapeutic approaches so that you can be assured that the most effective treatment for your issues will be available. The "fit" between therapist and client has been shown to predict a good outcome. We offer a 30 minute consultation at no charge to determine our "fit".