Dana Stewart, MSW, LICSW
dana@affinitypsych.com
Welcome, and I am so glad you are here! I am a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker who recently moved here from Wisconsin. Yes, I am a cheese head and consider cheese to be a staple in my diet! I obtained my Masters Degree from St. Thomas University in Clinical Social Work and eventually decided to take the leap and make MN my home. I have wanted to do therapy as a profession since I was in 8th grade. I’ve always said that doing therapy is in my bones. I believe in our need to be seen, heard, and to feel connected. I trust the process of therapy and the need for all of us to be living our truth and figuring out how best to do that through the process of this work. I have worked as an outpatient psychotherapist for the last 9 years, working with adolescents, individuals, and couples.
How I Work
I love this process of therapy. I get giddy at the idea of humans finding a deeper connection to themselves and the people around them and to find freedom from what keeps them stuck. I believe in a non-judgmental and loving approach mixed with the ability to be challenged, when it’s required. I have been told my clients feel a sense of true acceptance and compassion from me, even amidst the moments they are being challenged and encouraged to dig deep into what might rather be avoided. I engage in a strong mindfulness approach and work to help create a stronger connection to your body for a greater sense of safety, self-regulation, and knowing of yourself. Often, trauma and complicated relationships with our caregivers disconnect us from our bodies in multiple ways. I want you to return home to you. I want you to walk into my office and, in spite of what you are carrying on your shoulders, feel as though the space you have with me allows you to take a sigh of relief. To feel safe and held as we weed through the difficulties you are trying to make sense of.
What Sets Me Apart As a Therapist?
Finding the right therapist for you is important, and here’s what I bring to the table. I consider myself to be intuitive and accepting and to call you out when needed. I also like to bring humor into the room, when appropriate. I try to help people connect to the truth of who they are. I understand this can sound and feel scary. I consider the mind/body connection to be incredibly important. I take what you put in your body and how you move your body into account, which sometimes results in incorporating yoga into therapy sessions. It is my desire to be with you in a way that allows you to really feel as though you are held safely in my space as you do your work of evolving. I also work hard to dig into my own struggles and evolve on my own path in a way that makes me the human I want to be. I believe that being the kind of therapist I desire and showing up for you also requires for me to check myself and hold myself accountable to doing the work.
