I'm so glad you are here.

I'm Minnow (she/her) and I am one of the therapists here at ICW. I am a Licensed Social Worker (LSW), with my Master's in Social Work (MSW) received from Colorado State University. I completed my MSW internship here at ICW in 2024 and am excited to continue as a staff member. My undergraduate degree is in criminal justice, which I utilized to provide advocacy to people victimized by violent crimes, and I taught court-ordered victim empathy classes to people serving a felony probation sentence. I have experience working in sexual assault centers providing advocacy, crisis response, and education, including outreach on tribal lands. I also have experience working in domestic violence shelters where I facilitated group counseling sessions and individual case management. Also, I have facilitated group counseling sessions to diverse couples experiencing the disenfranchised grief of pregnancy losses. I have a passion for supporting and validating traumatized and marginalized individuals, to a place of belonging and wholeness. 

When my clients trust me with their story, I treat it as a gift. The vulnerability of self-exploration can be scary, and I honor the courage that it takes to start therapy, and the endurance it takes to continue. I am interested in modalities that support a wide range of clients holistically. I take a non-judgmental, strengths-based approach to collaborate with my clients on their goals. I value a decolonized approach to therapy, which acknowledges historical traumas on the pathway to finding balance and healing. As a mixed-race indigenous person, (I am an enrolled tribal member of the St. Croix Chippewa), I understand the cultural dissonance and identity exploration first-hand. I use a blend of techniques from motivational interviewing and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to transcend places of feeling stuck or to identify patterns. I also incorporate principles from narrative-based therapy to deconstruct and externalize harmful issues, so that my clients can conceptualize a fresh new chapter in their life story. I utilize Internal Family Systems (IFS) modalities to identify our various parts of self and their roles. Additionally, I am trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) - full training will be completed in March 2025; I can currently utilize this modality to help clients create distance from emotionally charged memories. I also love incorporating nature and art into sessions when clients are interested. Most of my clients have experienced deep trauma and/or grief, which has touched many areas of their lives in unique and sometimes overwhelming ways. I'm here to assist with identifying and breaking those difficulties down to manageable pieces. My clients' individuality and strengths are deep, beautiful wells that we draw from in the therapy space. 

In my personal time, I enjoy being with my family (husband and two children), and animals. I love spending time outdoors: camping, snowboarding, and hiking are a few of my favorites. I also love reading, sewing, and dancing terribly to 80s music in my kitchen.

"And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom." -Anais Nin