Stephanie Ess, MA, LMFT

stephanie@affinitypsych.com

Hi. I’m Stephanie, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and a Minnesota Board of Marriage and Family Therapy Approved Supervisor. I earned my Masters and Post-Graduate Certificate in Marriage and Family Therapy from St. Mary’s University of Minnesota and a certificate in Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health from the University of Minnesota. Now I am pursuing a PhD in Developmental Psychology as well.

Ever the learner, I enjoy constantly updating my skills so that I can more effectively help my clients understand the ways their life experiences impact their connection to themselves as others. Whether you are 3 years old or 103 years old, an individual, a couple, or a family, I am passionate about working with you to acknowledge and nurture your inherent wholeness.

How I Work

I am most interested in meeting you where you are and understanding how your personal, family, work, and community relationships intersect to shape who you are today. We are relational beings and as such, our relationships are vital to our wellbeing. Just as important, however, is the relationship we have with ourselves. In our work together we will travel the path of discovering your inherent worth and value that most often is clouded by experiences of depression, anxiety, illness, relational stress, and substance abuse.

What Sets Me Apart As a Therapist?

I am a firm believer that a diagnosis is not who you are, nor does it define your lived experience. As a therapist, I am entrusted with the privilege of bearing witness to your life. I honor this trust by understanding that you are your own unique individual, and the path that brings you to therapy and that guides you following therapy is similarly unique and valuable. Together we will create a space in which you can feel safe, curious, seen, heard, and valued as a vehicle for discovering your authentic self.

Issues I Treat:

Anxiety and stress
Depression
Trauma and PTSD
Addiction
Disordered eating
Relationship stress
LGBTQ+ identified and allies
Identity exploration
Prenatal and Postpartum Mood and Anxiety Disorders
Parenting conflicts/stress

Populations I Serve:

Children (3 and older)
Adolescents and young adults
Adults
Couples in conflict
Overwhelmed parents
LGBTQ+ communities
Foster care families
Underrepresented Peoples

Professional background:

EDUCATION

PhD, Developmental Psychology – Walden University (In progress)

Infant & Early Childhood Mental Health Certificate – University of Minnesota

Marriage and Family Therapy Post-Graduate Certificate – St. Mary’s University of Minnesota

MA, Counseling Psychology – St. Mary’s University of Minnesota

BS, Psychology – University of Mary

TRAININGS

The Effect of Trauma on the Next Generation – Dr. Rachel Yehuda

The Body Keeps the Score: Trauma and Healing – Bessel van der Kolk, MD

Mindsight in Childhood & Adolescence: Strategies to Help Kids Thrive – Daniel Siegel, MD

Attachment Training/Strange Situation – Alan Sroufe, PhD and Elizabeth Carlson, PhD

Circle of Security Parent Trainer

DC 0-5 (Diagnostic Classification of Mental Health and Developmental Disorders of Infancy and Early Childhood)

An Adlerian Model of Supervision, using Family Constellations and Early Recollections – Marina Bluvshtein, PhD

PREVIOUS EMPLOYMENT

Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe

University of Minnesota

St. David’s Center for Child & Family Development

LICENSURE

Minnesota: LMFT #2577

Areas We Serve

Edina
7401 Metro Blvd
Suite 250
Edina, MN 55439

St. Cloud
3400 1st St N
Suite 101
St. Cloud, MN 56303

Plymouth
3251 Fernbrook Ln N
Plymouth, MN 55447

Richfield
6636 Cedar Ave S
Suite 360
Richfield, MN 55423