Hi, I’m Minnow (she/her) and I am a Clinical Intern at Integrated Counseling & Wellness. I am currently in my second year of Colorado State University’s Social Work graduate program. I am working towards earning my Master of Social Work degree at the end of 2024 while simultaneously working towards the Social Aspects of Human-Animal Interactions graduate certificate.

I have a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, which I utilized to provide advocacy to people victimized by violent crimes, and taught 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 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. 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 biracial person (white and Native American; Ojibwe/Oneida), I understand cultural dissonance and identity exploration. I primarily use a blend of techniques from motivational interviewing and cognitive behavioral therapy 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. Most of my clients have experienced deep trauma and/or grief, and the aftermath has touched many areas of their lives in unique ways. I’m here to assist with identifying and breaking those difficulties down to manageable pieces.

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