Betsy Atwell

MA, LPC, CSAC, ICS

Philosophy of practice:

I practice a very client centered model of therapy that integrates my expertise in therapy with your expertise in your life. My experience in the behavioral health field for 14 years, and an abundance of research, has taught me that very few clients respond to having an expert tell them exactly what they should do. So even though I have a lot of information I can share, and am trained in a number of effective interventions, my priority is to ensure that we're on the same page.

In all my work, I also embrace the philosophy of "Harm Reduction." This means that we prioritize the lives of the people we are helping over requiring them to do exactly what we recommend. For example, if you are wanting to explore your relationship with a substance, you don't have to wait until you're ready to quit to start therapy. If you struggle with thoughts of suicide, and find that self-harm of some form makes life more tolerable, I hope to create a space where you can explore that out loud without judgment. This doesn't mean that I want you to continue these behaviors, but that I don't want you to feel that you have to hide them.

Areas of Focus:

I have experience working with people with symptoms of anxiety, depression, PTSD, and substance use disorders, among other things. I have personal and professional experience supporting neurodivergent and LGBTQ folks as they explore the relationship between their identities and the world around them.

Approaches:

I am trained in a number of evidence-based interventions. Some folks benefit greatly from mind-body approaches such as EMDR or Mindfulness-Based interventions. Others need an approach more focused on executive functioning and cognitive skills such as Motivational Interviewing or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. To help us decide what YOU need, I routinely used Feedback Informed Treatment, a structured, client-centered process that helps us know if the work we're doing is effective.

Medications:

My license and training does NOT allow me to prescribe medications, however, for many people, they can be life changing and significantly increase the effectiveness of therapy. I will gladly work with you to explore whether you should or want to work with a prescriber.

Clinical Supervision:

I provide clinical supervision for new and experienced professionals. My credentials and experience allow me to sign off on required hours for training licenses for therapists, social workers, and substance use counselors. I can also supervise for some graduate programs, depending on the school. Please reach out to me at info@kindling if you would like explore this.

Education:

BA in Sociology from UW- Madison 2009

MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Antioch University, New England 2014

Licenses:

Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) WI 6220-125

Clinical Substance Abuse Counselor (CSAC) WI 16350-132

Independent Clinical Supervisor (ICS) WI 15601- 135