Welcoming July 10: Kimberly Debeer, MSW, LICSW

Kimberly is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker with a Masters degree in Social Work from the University of Minnesota. She has been practicing outpatient therapy since 2018. Kimberly has experience in both private practice and community based settings. She serves a wide variety of populations and especially enjoys working with adults who are in transitional phases of life. 

Kimberly works with individuals who are struggling with managing life transitions or changes, grief and loss, trauma, maladaptive attachment patterns, chronic illness, anxiety, depression, autism, interpersonal challenges, and self-esteem and self awareness issues. Kimberly utilizes a biopsychosocial approach that draws upon psychoeducation and many different modalities of therapy to develop a therapeutic experience that is designed to meet the goals and needs of each individual. Kimberly uses strategies and concepts from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET), Internal Family Systems (IFS), Attachment Repair Modalities, mindfulness based practices, and strengths-based approaches. 

Kimberly is committed to supporting clients as they navigate life challenges and overcome barriers to change. She believes that all people have great capacity for change within themselves, and utilizes a strong therapeutic relationship as a foundation to support clients in fostering self directed growth and change.  Kimberly helps clients to recognize that human development and learning occurs throughout the lifespan and the impact of past experiences on their current presentation. Through a kind and empathic approach Kimberly strives to cultivate a warm and inviting experience for all clients. 

Welcoming in December: Alex Stanger, MA

We are very excited to welcome Alex Stanger! Alex enjoys working with adults, college and graduate students. She believes that a true and authentic relationship is at the core of a positive and helpful experience in therapy. She creates a non-judgmental, safe, warm, relaxed and inviting environment. Alex works from a sex-positive, anti-racist, and LGBTQIA+ affirming lens. She has experience working with clients who present with anxiety, trauma, depression, relationship concerns, self-esteem, identity, life transitions, body image, and other challenges.

 Alex believes that all people have a vast potential and capacity for self-understanding, self-directed growth, and self-healing. Each client has a unique experience that she strives to understand and foster positive, constructive, and conscious choices. Alex helps clients understand how past experiences have shaped and impacted their body, brain, and nervous system reactions. She assists clients develop awareness of learned behaviors that are no longer working for them. Alex incorporates a variety of approaches in her work, including ACT, mindfulness, person-centered, nervous system regulation, REBT, and others. Therapy with Alex is relaxed and includes celebrating the wins of life, humor, and a real human connection.

Alex graduated from Montana State University – Bozeman with a Bachelors degree in Psychology and Sociology. She went on to graduate from St. Thomas University with a Masters degree in Counseling Psychology. Alex is currently pursuing her LPCC. Outside of the office Alex enjoys spending time with her family, friends, her dog Red, her cat Blue, reading, crocheting, cooking, eating, and playing Nintendo.

JOINING US IN AUGUST: SONIA COBOS, MS

Sonia (she/her) is passionate about mental health and behavioral science and considers herself privileged to work in this field.  Sonia recently completed a Master’s degree in rehabilitation and addiction counseling. Her training was focused on addiction and mental health counseling, including the special needs of individuals living with disability, congenital or acquired.

Sonia takes a holistic and goal-oriented Adlerian approach. Informed by this perspective, Sonia believes that the person’s wholeness or holistic nature is irreducible, therefore considering parts of the personality while ignoring others undermines the understanding of the individual. Sonia likes to apply contextual psychology, family system theory, cognitive behavioral therapy, and motivational interviewing in her practice.

As an immigrant, Sonia is mindful of cultural influences as well as the trauma and generational trauma experienced by the immigrant and first and second generation Americans. She approaches multiculturalism as an enriching opportunity to expand our humanity and grow consciousness.

Sonia’s clinical training is patient centered and non-directive. Sonia’s research during graduate school was in neuroplasticity and the promotion of neurogenesis as part of the therapeutic approach for individuals with addictions and co-occurring mental illness.

Sonia enjoys working with individuals of all ages and backgrounds, and has special interest in helping those who experience addictions, domestic violence, developmental trauma, PTSD, grief and traumatic grief, and patients with long-term disability.

Welcoming in September: Alison Campbell, MSW, LICSW

We are very excited to announce the newest addition to the Birch Counseling Team: Alison Campbell, MSW, LICSW!

Alison enjoys working with both adult individuals and couples across the lifespan from all walks of life. She uses a holistic, mind-body perspective and recognizes that a wide range of past and present influences effect both our individual well being and our relationships. With a collaborative, kind and practical approach, Alison helps people explore patterns that may not be serving them and offers guidance and tools for better coping, balance and resiliency so that they can feel more empowered to make the changes they desire. She uses a strengths based, person centered approach with evidence based practices informed by a blend of frameworks. She has had extensive training in mindfulness and somatic practices.

Alison has experience addressing depression, anxiety, stress reduction, trauma, health issues, substance use, relationship difficulties, grief and loss and personal growth. She has lived on both coasts of the US and has worked with people in a variety of settings including low-come housing, correctional facilities, long term care facilities and hospice and community counseling centers. She received her Master’s degree in Social Work from Washington University in St Louis.

Alison has two children, enjoys good books, good cooking, meeting new people and being in the outdoors. She is also a certified yoga teacher.