Meet The Staff

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Seal (she/they)

"I focus on queer folks and trauma because I am queer and I had chronic trauma. I believe that the most effective therapists are simply folks who dealt with their own issues and learned how to help others."

Jaime (she/her)

"My counseling approach is gentle and nurturing, focused on helping clients find and express their inner voice. I have a humanistic approach to therapy, believing everyone has an ability to heal from emotional wounds and reach their full potential."

Michael (he/him)

"I view things from a social justice model and believe everyone should be treated equally with access to mental health, physical health, and a safe environment. If laws are created to govern folks, these individuals should be at the center of the conversation with equal representation."

Thea (she/her)

"I believe that one part of healing takes shape through our thoughts and actions; and the other part finds expression in our story."

Lauren (she/her)

"I prefer to take a more compassionate and gentle approach with a healthy mix of humor to help individuals find their voice and speak true to themselves."

Matthew M-V (he/him)

Matthias (he/they)

Matthew H (he/him)

“My therapeutic approach centers around the exploration of identity, psychoeducation about how our experiences reveal themselves in our relationships and our bodies, and the power we can reclaim in shaping our stories moving forward.”

"It's my hope that everyone I meet finds a space to be open and honest about themselves and their experiences. I believe in a world that is sometimes hard to feel safe in, having at least one space to feel some comfort is the first step in effective therapy."

Jaime Jensen, MS, LPC

· Disabilities/chronic illness/chronic pain
· Overcoming narcissistic abuse
· Healing from trauma
· Dissociative Disorders
· EMDR-trained therapist

Jaime Jensen is a Licensed Professional Counselor with a Master's degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from St. Cloud State University. Prior to entering the field of counseling, Jaime worked as a teacher, a college disability specialist, and in social services where she was trained as a family mediator and caregiver support consultant. Jaime's personal experience with disability informs her practice. Jaime primarily works with individuals ages 12 through adulthood. She is a BIPOC ally and is 2SLGBTQIA+ affirming. She is trained in EMDR and is currently pursuing advanced certification in dissociative studies through the Institute for Creative Mindfulness. She receives her license supervision from Seal Dwyer, MS, LMFT.

Jaime’s counseling approach is gentle and nurturing, focused on helping clients find and express their inner voice, using verbal and non-verbal techniques including art and other methods to tap into personal creativity. She has a humanistic and holistic approach to therapy, believing everyone has an ability to heal from emotional wounds and reach their full potential. She walks alongside clients on this journey offering guidance, support, and accountability.

Jaime is a morning person and offers early appointment options for those who enjoy starting their day with a cup of tea and a therapeutic chat.

Michael Libby, MS

Trauma
Grief
Attachment Disorders
Personality disorders

I recently graduated from St Cloud State Rehabilitation and Addiction master’s program. I view things from a social justice model and believe everyone should be treated equally with access to mental health, physical health, and a safe environment. If laws are created to govern folks, these individuals should be at the center of the conversation with equal representation.

Michael is a BIPOC ally and is 2SLGBTQIA+ affirming. His particular interest is working with 2SLGBTQIA clients, helping folks overcome the barriers of having previous contact with the criminal justice system. The clients that he typically connects well with are folks with personality disorders and substance abuse. His ideal client is young folks that have been within the system, whether this is incarceration or foster care. He genuinely can find empathy and compassion for just about anyone.

He tends to swear and be blunt at times. He is EMDR trained and will be working on certification shortly and getting certified in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy. My overall focus is to help individuals understand what is happening within these emotions and how trauma and things have shaped them into who they are today.

Thea Baker, MS, NCC

Trauma
Aging/lifespan issues

Thea is a new intern who has graduate degrees in Counseling from the University of Florida, and holds the National Certified Counselor (NCC) credential. In the years before that, Thea spent time overseas and taught English; worked in manufacturing; and rode motorcycles. (Not at the same time or place.) Thea's current goal is to earn the LPC license; her professional training plan includes evidence-based treatment practices for trauma, and understanding aging and other issues for 2SLGBTQIA+ clients across the lifespan. Thea believes that one part of healing takes shape through our thoughts and actions; and the other part finds expression in our story. Thea's favorite summertime escape is outside in nature – riding, hiking, or just plain resting at a bench; and during winter, playing at a piano bench. Thea también brinda terapia en español.

Matthew Michals-Voigt,
MS, CRC, LPC, PhD

SPMI
SUD
TBI

I am a certified rehabilitation counselor and licensed professional counselor. I have been in the realm of academia in some form or another since 2018 and am currently an Assistant Professor at SCSU. Along with teaching, I have been a clinician at the MN Sex Offender Program, a Qualified Rehabilitation Consultant with the State of MN, and Intake Coordinator with MN Specialty Health Systems. They are a 16-bed facility helping those with serious and persistent mental illness, co-occurring disorders, and evidence of a traumatic or acquired brain injury.

My research interests include specific education for counselors in training about the Transgender community and the effects of nicotine on sodium valproate which is an anticonvulsant medication most often seen used to treat those with a seizure disorder.

Lauren Brenny

Chronic illness/pain
Disability
Neurodivergence
EMDR

I am currently a student in the Rehabilitation
Studies Master’s degree program at St. Cloud State University. As someone who has dealt with PTSD, trauma, and anxiety, I have found a passion for helping others with finding their voice and healing from their trauma. I believe that people who have experienced trauma are incredibly strong and resilient people and deserve to take up space and use their voices.
I like to use a variety of techniques (including EMDR) to tailor the counseling experience to each individual to find what works best for them. I also prefer to take a more compassionate and gentle approach with a healthy mix of humor to help individuals find their voice and speak true to themselves.

I enjoy working with individuals from the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, those with chronic illness, chronic pain, disability, and neurodivergence among many others. I explore issues with an intersectional lens to gain an idea of the whole picture, not just a single piece of the problem.

I would describe myself as a short, quirky, and fun human who likes to create a quiet, calm, and safe environment to be surrounded in. In my free time, I have many hobbies including playing video games, crocheting, reading, caring for plants, being outdoors, Dungeons & Dragons, and relaxing with my cat Bruno (we don’t talk about Bruno).

Matthias Meyer, MS Marriage & Family Therapy, Pursuing Licensure

Healing from childhood trauma
Neurodiversity
Identity and meaning
Relationships

I lean heavily on narrative, experiential, and yogic styles of therapy, focusing on questions such as: “What does it feel like to be you, and what story do you want to tell with your life? What keeps getting in the way? What can be changed, how can we adapt, how can we take back power, and how do we set appropriate, authentic boundaries between self and others?”

“While there is life, there is hope.” - Publius Terentius Afer (195-159 B.C.E.)

I hold a Masters of Science in Marriage & Family Therapy, and am currently pursuing full state licensure. I do relational, systemic work with individuals (adolescents and older), couples, families, and groups.

My undergraduate studies included theater, music, and dance/movement, which later led to a degree in massage therapy and bodywork. My work/life experience includes: parenting, carpentry, child development and behavioral interventions, pain management, musicianship, martial arts, animal training, rehabilitative movement, dance coaching, and barkeeping.

I am neurodiverse, gender chaotic, and spectrasexual - I resonate with clients who fall outside of social norms, including but not limited to:

Neurodiversity, particularly ADHD and autism spectrum
2SLGBTQIA+
Gender (excited to meet yours)
Spirituality (pagan, wiccan, agnostic, atheist, druidic, chaos agent, time lord, etc)
Relationship/sexual styles (polyamory, ethical non-monogamy, bD/sm, kink, relationship anarchy)

…or anything you haven’t felt safe enough to discuss within your current living environment or cultural expectations.

I am a life-long geek and nerd. If it’s therapeutically relevant, let’s explore an emotional struggle through your favorite Dungeons & Dragons, anime, comic book, or video game character. Science fiction and fantasy taught me to delight in exploring questions of “what if?” and how we make sense of the world around us. I have a passion for learning about how we learn, understanding the crossovers between science, art, myth, and as Virginia Satir once put it - “becoming more fully human”.

Matthew graduated with their Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Saint Cloud State University in 2022 and has been trained as a family mediator. Originally from rural Iowa, they have seen and experienced the differing treatment of people in various regions and believes a large part of their purpose is to be an advocate for better mental health treatment for women, survivors of abuse, minority populations, and the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. Matthew operates from a person-centered lens and believes effective therapy comes when a person can be themselves and not confined to a more clinical setting. They are versed in anxiety, depression, relational distress, family systems, independence building, and 2SLGBTQIA+ issues. Outside of counseling, Matthew is also a board officer and current treasurer of the Bisexual Organizing Project, a nonprofit striving to improve community building and better health outcomes for the Bi+ population throughout the Midwest.

Matthew Hansen, MS

Seal Dwyer, MS, LMFT

I focus on queer folks and trauma because I am queer and I had chronic trauma. I believe that the most effective therapists are simply folks who dealt with their own issues and learned how to help others. This is what I did. I dealt with my chronic trauma, and continue to deal with it. And I help other folks. I am queer. I live in the world in a queer body and I help other folks, many of whom do the same.

I have a Masters degree in Marriage and Family Therapy.

I am a licensed marriage and family therapist, meaning I see the systems that my people exist within, and how they are expressing the trouble within these systems.

I am EMDRIA Certified EMDR Therapist. EMDR is the number one most evidence based treatment for trauma in the world. EMDR is an incredible therapy that helps folks process their trauma and put it in the past--where it belongs--once and for all. It heals PTSD. It heals DID. It heals borderline personality disorder. It heals, period.

I am a registered yoga teacher, RYT-200. I am a NETA-certified personal trainer. I am a certified Yoga for All Teacher.

I help people with trauma and gender/sexuality issues understand their therapy, understand their symptoms and why they are happening, and understand that better happens. I teach skills that work. My people graduate from therapy and move on with their lives.

My ideal client is old enough to have say over their life (14+, but I do work with kids and families). I work with queer folks of all kinds. I am anti-racist. Clients who are gifted tend to jive with me. Same with autism. I live in a fat body, and have never had a smaller body, so if they are working on body issues, larger folks will feel more comfortable with me. I do all kinds of trauma, but chronic trauma is my area of greatest interest.

My clients are the most powerful and brave folks I’ve ever met. They face down their worst days and then they go out and change the world. Each of them is a hero of mine and I am so grateful to be part of their journey.

I’m challenging. I’m very smart. And I push. I’m very political. I live in a femme, fat, queer body. There isn’t any part of me that isn’t political by nature, so I don’t try to airbrush that. I do not hide my beliefs, opinions, or make myself so falsely "professional" that I’m not human. I’m blunt. I swear. That means I'm not the right therapist for everyone, but I'm very happy to refer people to someone who might be a better fit.

My people get better, and get better fast. I don’t believe in forever therapy. Therapy, the word, comes from the Greek and means "to heal." My job is not to maintain clients forever; my job is to help folks heal so they can go out and live their lives. And I do that. When my clients graduate therapy, they are generally asymptomatic. I am not the therapist for everyone, but generally those who need me find me.

Client Coordinator

I'm Patrick RichardsFink, MS (Community Counseling, SCSU). I've been a factory worker, telephone fundraiser, bisexual activist and blogger, and operated Prism Mental Health LLC for 8 years before joining Seal Dwyer Counseling in an administrative support role. When you reach out, I will contact you in order to get you matched with the right counselor/therapist.

"We all do better when we all do better -- Paul Wellstone"