Find the therapist that best suits your needs.
Our team
Paul Lehrer, LMFT,LICSW
As the founder and Clinical Director of Lakewood Counseling and Career Center in 1990, I had a vision of providing clinical services that would provide couples, families and individuals a highly skilled and personalized approach to therapy. I believe that most people innately want to "author" their lives in alignment with their inner truth of who they are. Good therapy goes beyond the symptoms and seeks to maximize that alignment.
While my practice is wide ranging, I possess a strong passion for working with couples, adolescents and young adults, addiction and recovery issues, and men looking to re-author their lives. I have published POSITIVE PARENTING, a parent education curriculum for parents of adolescents. I present workshops on parenting skills, family systems, marital enrichment, and wellness issues.
Brian Ross, LMFT
I have over 20 years of experience as a therapist, a consultant for schools and counties around the twin cities, and a post-secondary educator. I have worked successfully with children over the age of 10 years old, adolescents, adults, couples, and families. I am a systems thinker and have found great success working with all populations in the context of the family or other institutions.
The work that I have done with individual adults and couples has been very rewarding. I tend to have a rather pragmatic approach to therapy in that I look at each individual very holistically. I have a passion for understanding, teaching, and proving through results the truth that therapy is not "just talking". My clients very commonly come to experience the power that they have to actually change the structure and circuitry of their brains and nervous systems through intentional, focused living.
Mary McCarney, LPCC
I believe we are designed from birth to seek contact with others, to form relationships, to grow and develop into whole, dynamic, successful, and compassionate persons. My specialty is in helping people work through the resistances, conflicts, defenses, traumas, difficulties, and overwhelming pain they carry so that impairment can be lessened and the natural process of growth and creating conscious, intentional relationships can be undertaken.
I work as a psychotherapist with adolescents, adults, couples, and families. I work with individuals and couples who cope with relationship issues, a family of origin issues, losses, depression, anxiety, life transitions, and self-defeating patterns of behavior. I work with unresolved issues from the past we well as current obstacles to successful living.
Jake Lehrer, LMFT
Research and experience tell us that effective therapy is predicated on a truly meaningful relationship between client and therapist. I am confident that I can provide a time and space where you will feel understood, accepted, cared for, and appropriately challenged to change. I work primarily with adolescents and adults who are struggling with issues such as depression, anxiety, ADHD, grief and loss, divorce, separated and blended families, life transitions, sexual health and sexual identity, alcohol and chemical abuse issues, conflicted family relationships, attachment issues, and emotion and behavior management. I also love working with athletes and sports enthusiasts!
I am trained in Brainspotting and enjoy using this intervention to treat trauma, help athletic performance, and reduce overall distress about any stressful or difficult situation. Learn more about Brainspotting HERE
My background includes working in inpatient/outpatient chemical health, as well as clinic based mental health and inpatient mental health. While I primarily work on an individual basis with my adolescent and adult clients, I also do family therapy sessions to augment this work. I can strike a balance between my one-on-one work with the young person by coaching and addressing issues with parents. If need be, I can also connect parents with one of the many experienced therapists at our location so we can address issues collaboratively.
612-798-7373 x 15
Steve Ruff, LMFT
Is your child struggling with behaviors and emotions that feel like too much to manage, for them and for you? Are you at a loss for how to help? As parents, we want to make things better for our kids. But sometimes we get stuck and aren't sure what to do. I work with a range of ages, and one of my specialties is working with children ages 3-11 through Experiential Play Therapy, as well as traditional talk therapy, to help them face and work through life's challenges. I work with challenges such as peer relationships, divorce, grief and loss, school difficulty, fears, anxiety, sadness, and adoption-related issues, to name a few. I've been working in the field of counseling psychology for about 20 years. I am also married and the parent of 4 kids, so have some real-life experience in this realm!
For children that are more verbal, I included a combination of talk and play that fits their personality and style or just talk. I tend to connect easily with children, and together we find the best way to work together.
Included in the process is time spent at the end of each session with you (the parent(s)), so we can discuss the best ways to respond to your child's behaviors and emotions that will leave you feeling confident in your ability to meet your child's needs. As a child therapist, I truly enjoy being invited into a child’s world and helping them find their way through the challenges with which they are presented. I also find great satisfaction in easing a parent’s burden and seeing them get back to having an enjoyable and positive relationship with their child.
Lyndsey Osler, LMFT
My marriage and family therapy career began in 2008 when I studied how personal relationships impact health and wellbeing. Our relationships with our families are so important and special. We all want to feel connected, safe, and heard.
I specialize in relationship therapy, but also enjoy working with individuals who are struggling with anxiety and depression. Therapy is a special place where people can work on some of the cycles that have become hurtful and unproductive in their partnerships, friendships, and family relationships.
I know it can be intimidating to take the first step into counseling and I have so much respect for the couples and individuals who take the vulnerable step to get help.
I have specialized training in couples therapy through The Gottman Institute (Level III trained). I am also trained in Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (Externship Level). I use research-based methods in all of my work with couples and individuals.
Tori McCabe, LMFT
Sessions are offered in-person or online depending on client preference and therapist availability. Telehealth sessions can take place anywhere in Minnesota.
To schedule: tori@torimccabe.com
We are all wired for connection. I am passionate about helping individuals and couples cultivate the intimacy for which they long. I believe that no matter how destructive behaviors may seem in couples and families, they typically represent people’s sincere efforts to achieve safety and satisfaction in their relationships. As a strengths-based therapist, I know that all individuals have capabilities and internal resources that can be utilized to facilitate growth and fulfilling connection.
Approach: My work utilizes a psychobiological, trauma-informed attachment lens to cultivate relational health. I use a combination of Experiential, Structural, Psychobiological and Systemic interventions to facilitate emotional expression and secure functioning, prompt awareness of self in relationship to others, and assist individuals/couples in constructing clear boundaries to guide the change process. I believe in taking a collaborative, compassionate approach to helping clients create lasting change.
I am also trained in Brainspotting (BSP), a powerfully effective, research-based therapeutic technique. BSP works by identifying, processing and releasing core neurophysiological sources of emotional and physical distress. BSP is used to treat a variety of challenging symptoms and experiences, including: trauma, mental blocks, physical pain, negative emotions, anxiety/performance anxiety, depression, and PTSD.
Michelle Schmid-Egleston MA LP
A little about myself, I have been a psychologist for the past 26 years. I have worked in both outpatient and inpatient mental health settings, with adolescents and adults. For most of my career I have worked with children (6-12 years of age), adolescents (both males and females), young adults and older age adults. I consider my approach to be holistic and person centered. I feel a strong therapeutic relationship is important for therapy to be helpful and for clients to have a healing experience.
My training and therapy experiences have focused on working with clients who have experienced trauma, have complex mental health concerns, struggle with developmental disorders such as ADHD, Autism and other disorders that impact one’s ability to navigate daily life. Many of my clients have experienced significant trauma, family dysfunction, addiction, serious mental illness, and other disruptive disorders.
My areas of expertise include: trauma work, EMDR, group therapy, family therapy and individual therapy. I have worked in the field of addiction for many years including substance abuse and other addictive behaviors. I am seeing clients both in person and in telehealth at this time. I am willing to have an initial consult to determine what your needs are for therapy and if I am the best therapist to meet your needs.
I have a history of doing Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder assessments with both adults, adolescents and children over the age of 8. I also have experience with doing psychological and psychosexual evaluations.
Patrick Kennedy, LICSW
It's nice to finally meet you! If you're here, you're probably looking to make a change. I can help you remove the barriers in your life by building a strong sense of self, finding direction, and connecting with what's most important to you. With curiosity and humor, I create a safe space for you to explore these issues and find solutions. I am not a behaviorist. I will support you in making the changes you want to make, but I do not use worksheets or assign homework.
I've been practicing since 2018. My approach mostly draws from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Internal Family Systems. In the beginning, we'll get a sense of what you want your life to be about. Then we'll focus on improving your relationship with all parts of yourself - even the parts you don't like.
My clients have described me as patient, validating and fun. I have special interests in anxiety, work stress, religious trauma, masculinity, and the emerging field of psychedelic-assisted therapy. I'm an ally to the LGBTQIA2S+ community and I use he/him pronouns.
Getting started with a new therapist is often the hardest part of therapy. It's okay if you don't know what your goals are - we'll figure it out together. If you're interested in meeting with me, I would love to hear from you.