Andrea Undlin, MA, LMFT
andrea@affinitypsych.com
Welcome! First and foremost, I applaud you for taking your mental health or the mental health of a loved one seriously. Seeking therapy is not an easy step to take for a variety of reasons and I am glad you are here. I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, a MN Board-approved supervisor, and a trauma specialist. I know that it is not fun or easy to start to unpack the “luggage” you’ve been carrying around for too long that’s been packed full of sad, painful, scary, shameful or other difficult memories or feelings. I know that you may be coming into therapy believing the LIES that life experiences or people in your life have caused you to believe: that you are “broken,” “damaged,” or “crazy.” I’m here to help you unpack that metaphorical luggage and find the truth that you are capable, worthy, resilient, and lovable. I will meet you where you are at, encourage you, empower you, and I will support you along the way. I already believe in you and it’s my commitment to help you believe in yourself.
A Special Note to BIPOC individuals , LGBTQ+ individuals, individuals with disabilities, and individuals from other marginalized groups: I acknowledge that I am a white, cis-gendered, able-bodied female. I recognize that already impacts my ability to fully empathize with many of the difficulties you face in a world that is often unkind or inequitable to those in marginalized groups. With that, I want you to know that I am here for you. I am committed to being a safe and welcoming therapist for people of all backgrounds, to help you navigate the specific difficulties of your life.
How I Work
You will find out quickly that some of my favorite phrases are: “send some curiosity”, “send some compassion,” or “let’s have you go inside and notice…” My clients will often laugh at me when I say those things and I will often laugh with them and say, “I know, I know, but just try it!” And when you do send some curiosity to your feelings, or send some compassion to your feelings, or when you just “go inside and notice” how your body is feeling, even THAT can get things to settle a bit.
I do not believe in a one-size-fits all approach to therapy, so I try to learn a lot of different things to give my clients the best chances at healing! I often work with my clients to understand the different “parts” of themselves that are feeling or acting in different ways and support my clients with exploring and understanding these “parts” with curiosity and compassion. As humans, we often will push away uncomfortable feelings or start to dislike ourselves for our behaviors but if we can lean into the discomfort, we can often experience insights that lead to self-love, self-healing, and greater calm and balance within our mind and body.
I also work with my clients using brain-based therapies and interventions such as EMDR and Brainspotting to access the healing parts of the brain that talk therapy cannot. If you’re someone who has experienced trauma, this type of therapy work is highly effective.
All my tools aside, you are the expert of your own life, you are the expert of your own experiences, and above all else it is my honor and my privilege to join you on your healing journey and to hear about the stories of your life that have brought you to therapy. It is my hope that we can work together to get you feeling better.
What Sets Me Apart As a Therapist?
Many of my clients have commented that they have experienced true progress and change in our work together. They also express appreciation that I am genuine and personable in our work together. Just because I am a therapist does NOT mean I have it all figured out. I truly believe you have all of the resources and tools you need within you to heal it is just my job to help you access them and practice using them. Finally, I do my best to practice what I preach, and I don’t ask my clients to try any intervention that I haven’t found personally helpful.
