MEET OUR THERAPISTS

Each of our therapists has had extensive training and several years of experience. They grow to know you personally and care about you. You are valuable and they want to see you experience progress and fulfillment in your life. They provide “coaching” and “counseling” to help you realize your goals.

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Carol Horsager – MEd, LMFT, SEP, EFT
Hackensack, MN | Wadena, MN

Carol earned her Master of Education degree in Parent Education and Family Relations from the University of Minnesota. She worked as a Preschool Teacher and Child Care Instructor and then took time off to raise her two daughters. Carol also worked as a Paraprofessional with Minnewaska Area Schools attending to students with special educational needs. She served as a Consumer Counselor working with developmentally disabled adults through Prairie Community Services and Storge Residential Treatment Homes. Carol took classes at Bethel Theological Seminary and earned her Post-Graduated Certificate in Marriage and Family Therapy from St. Cloud State University. She worked with children and their families in the home setting as a Mental Health Practitioner through the Professional Family Based Division of Nystrom & Associates. While at Nystroms, she also worked with couples, families and children on an outpatient basis. Carol has specialized training and interest in anxiety, trauma, depression, adoption and attachment concerns as well as marriage and family relationship issues. Carol is trained in Somatic Experiencing and Emotional Focused Therapy.

Carol loves spending time with her family on their hobby farm and also likes camping, relaxing at their cabin, motorcycling with her husband and caring for the family pets. She also enjoys gardening, hiking, reading, sewing, quilting and playing violin.

MEET KATE

Kate Friesner – LMFT, EMDR
Remer, MN

Kate is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, specializing in couple’s work, trauma-informed therapy, adolescent distress, attachment issues, adoption, mood disorders, family dynamics, grief, relationships, parenting skills, anxiety, depression, women’s issues,  spirituality, emotion regulation, and other life stressors. She completed her undergraduate degrees in Psychology and Sociology at Houghton College in upstate New York and returned to Minnesota to earn her Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy at Bethel Seminary in St. Paul. She is trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and is a Prepare/Enrich facilitator. She has worked primarily with children and their families in clinical, home, or school settings and adolescents in residential, clinical, and school settings, dealing with depression, anxiety, recovery from past abuse and trauma, adoption, and parenting issues. Kate is especially interested in attachment and narrative therapy and the way our sense of belonging and connectedness affect the stories we live by, influencing all of our relationships starting at birth and echoing into our adult relationships. She is grateful for the opportunity to share in the stories of people’s lives and help them identify and succeed in the improvements they wish to make in their ongoing stories.

Kate enjoys cross country skiing, hiking, camping, and most other outdoor activities, particularly if she is participating in them with her family.

MEET SHANNON

Shannon Kempf – LICSW
Hackensack, MN | Wadena, MN

Shannon is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW). She began working in the mental health field in 1991, went on to earn her master’s degree in social work (MSW) from the University of Minnesota-Duluth, and has been independently licensed since 2010. She feels that she truly lives the classic saying “if you find a career you love, then you’ll never work a day in your life” as she is passionate about the work she does. Her favorite therapeutic modality is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), but she has been trained and certified in several other modalities, such as: Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Equine Assisted Psychotherapy, CBT for trauma, Duluth Model for Domestic Violence, Early Neutral Evaluation, Solomon’s Surrogates, Family Group Decision Making, etc.

Shannon has experience working in multiple fields dealing with a multitude of prevalent societal issues such as correctional settings, probation/parole, inpatient residential treatment for chemical dependency which specialized in mothers with a history of intravenous (IV) use, group homes, ARMHS, PCA supervision, IRTS, Serious and Persistent, Codependency, Anger Management, etc. She also finds that one of her specific passions is supporting people who have had difficult pasts and have problems and diagnoses that other counselors often find too demanding to properly interact with. Shannon has found that she is skilled with working with Personality Disorders (Antisocial Personality, Narcissistic Personality, Borderline Personality, or Histrionic Personality Disorder).

MEET MOLLY

Molly Slovnik, LICSW
Remer, MN

Molly received her Masters of Social Work through Boise State University in 2018 and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. She has an undergraduate degree in Disability Studies, Art, and Spanish through the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. Molly has additional specialized training in play therapy and parts therapy as related to Internal Family Systems (IFS). Molly has worked for 17 years in social services, beginning by supporting children and families impacted by disability and mental health.

Her professional work has included both providing direct care to individuals as well as case management to support clients in managing and accessing services as related to disability and mental health. Since 2019 she has provided clinical services to children, young adults, and families who are impacted by trauma and looking to effectively manage their mental health. Additionally, Molly has a passion for wild spaces and outdoor education. She has guided youth and families in outdoor wilderness areas both formally and informally since 2013, after completing outdoor education and leadership training through North Carolina Outward Bound.

Molly believes in a holistic and strengths based approach, using a variety of modalities to support the individual or family in their therapeutic work. She utilizes Play Therapy, parts work, as related to Internal Family Systems, narrative therapy, mindfulness based practices, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), attachment theory, and systems theory to inform her practice.

Our Therapists

Rachal Cross – MSW, LGSW
Wadena, MN | Hackensack, MN

Rachal is a licensed graduate social worker at both our Wadena and Hackensack
offices. From an early age, she was deemed a “peacemaker” at school and among her friends because she was able to listen to both sides of an argument or issue and always helped to find a productive resolution for all involved. Rachal realized in high school that she wanted to work in the mental health field because she had a passion for helping others become the best versions of themselves that they want to be.

Rachal is an alumna of the University of Minnesota-Duluth and graduated
magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree in 2022. She earned her Master of Social Work (MSW) degree in 2023. During her education, Rachal had the opportunity to intern in the chemical dependency field and helped people who are in recovery. She also interned in a mental health setting where she was exposed and
interacted with multiple therapeutic modalities including but not limited to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). She is working towards becoming a play therapist and has an interest in gaining education and experience on how to facilitate marriage counseling.

Rachal believes in a holistic and strengths based approach to therapy, using a variety of modalities to support the individual or family in their therapeutic work. She utilizes narrative therapy, mindfulness based practices, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), to inform her practice.

MEET OUR MENTAL HEALTH PRACTITIONERS

Our Therapists

Christine Desmond – BA
MN

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