Kelly Sternhagen, MSW, LICSW kelly@affinitypsych.com
Kelly Sternhagen, MSW, LICSW
kelly@affinitypsych.com
Hello and welcome! I appreciate you taking the time to get to know a little bit about me and consider whether we might work well together. I’m Kelly (she, her, hers) and I am a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker. I received my BSW undergraduate degree from Winona State University and my MSW from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities.
My “therapist gift” is being able to see the whole system that surrounds my client, and all the dynamics within that system that are impacting my client’s ability to thrive. I developed this ability through many years of working with children, adolescents, and their families, and now I bring that expertise to my work with adults as well.
How I Work
We are continuously being shaped by the important people in our lives and situations that have happened to us, all of which have made us into who we are today. These experiences, both positive and negative, can either drive us to reach our full potential and goals or can get in our way. That’s what can cause us to feel stuck and hopeless, to re-live painful experiences over and over again, or to recreate unhealthy relationship patterns.
I will work with you to explore and understand these past experiences so we can get to the root of what’s keeping you from reaching your full potential. When you feel empowered to reshape your future, nothing can hold you back!
What Sets Me Apart As a Therapist?
I have a calm, steady, unflappable energy that helps to create a safe environment for us to do the sometimes challenging, always gratifying work of therapy. I will help to guide you through the process. At times, you will take the lead, and at times I will help you to figure out how to take the lead, in therapy and in your own life. This holds true for my work with children as well. I use experiential play therapy to help children work through their experiences and feelings so that they can find and create the healing they need.
Issues I Treat:
- Depression
- Anxiety and stress
- Grief and loss
- Life transitions
- Self-esteem, self-confidence, and assertiveness
- Shame
- ADHD
- Body image and body acceptance
- Eating disorders
- Behavioral issues
- Divorce
- Trauma
Populations I Serve:
- Adults
- Young Adults
- Children (5 and older) and adolescents
- Stressed out students
- Families in conflict
- Kids with social or emotional struggles
- Parents with parenting challenges or differences
Professional background:
Education
Winona State University – Bachelor of Social Work
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities- Master of Social Work
Trainings
Yoga Calm Integrated Approach to Wellness 1-3 courses
EMDR Part I, EMDR Humanitarian Assistance Programs
Experiential Play Therapy
Sand Tray Play Therapy
Filial Play Therapy
Intro to DC:0-3R, MN of Human Services
Minnesota Psychoanalytic Society Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy Training Program
Previous Employment
Prairie Care-PHP program
Headway Emotional Health Services
Children’s Minnesota St. Paul Hospital
Family Connections
Licensure
Minnesota: LICSW #20679
George Dupuy, DSW, LICSW george@affinitypsych.com
George Dupuy, DSW, LICSW
george@affinitypsych.com
Hi! I am George Dupuy, a licensed clinical social worker and recent transplant to Minnesota. I hold licenses in Virginia and Minnesota, where I provide individual therapy to adolescents and adults. I hold a bachelor’s degree from James Madison University and a Master of Social Work from University of New England. I am currently a doctoral candidate in advanced practice clinical social work through University of Tennessee Knoxville.
How I Work
Collaboration is important in a good therapeutic relationship. It is a privilege to do this work and walk alongside someone as they reshape their lives. I am intensely curious and always researching the best ways to help people make the changes they seek. When we work together, we will use a combination of methods that help you know you’re making progress along the way while we work together on things needed for lasting change. I believe in equipping my clients with all the education and tools they need to take control of their own wellness.
What Sets Me Apart As a Therapist?
My clients tell me that they feel respected, valued and encouraged in our sessions. I work with clients to create a calm and non-judgmental space, because we can only do this important work when we can authentically be ourselves. I am an avid researcher, always interested in discussing evidence-supported practices, and balancing those with the needs and preferences of my clients. My career has included practice in a wide variety of settings (hospitals, jails, private therapy office), and I am consistently awed by the resilience and determination of those who commit to making a better life for themselves. It is this faith in the remarkable strength of people that keeps me passionate about this work.
Issues I Treat:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Grief/loss
- Bipolar disorder
- Complex trauma
- Workplace stress
- Identity issues
- Men’s issues
- Family/relationship struggles
Populations I Serve:
- Adults
- Transitional/Young Adults and Adolescents
- Executive/Professional
- Military and Law Enforcement
- Mental Health Professionals
- Individuals with Legal Involvement
- Caregivers
- Survivors
Professional background:
Education
- Doctorate in Clinical Social Work – University of Tennessee, Knoxville
- Master of Social Work – University of New England
- BA in Philosophy – James Madison University
Trainings
- Strategies for Trauma Awareness and Resilience (STAR), Level 1
- Crisis Intervention
- Virginia Public Sector Leadership II
- Assertive Community Treatment for Psychosis
- Forensic Competency Restoration
- Reflective Supervision
- Telehealth for Mental Health Professionals
Previous Employment
- Onward Wellness and Recovery
- Northwestern Community Services Board
- Crossroads Counseling Center
Licensure
- Minnesota: LICSW # 28475
Jessica McBride, MPS, LPCC, LADC jessica@affinitypsych.com
Jessica McBride, MPS, LPCC, LADC
jessica@affinitypsych.com
Hi! Welcome to my little blurb! I hope that you feel like you get to know me just a bit. I am a licensed professional clinical counselor and a licensed alcohol and drug counselor. I have a Masters in Professional Studies, a graduate certification in Addiction Studies, and a BA in Psychology, all from the University of Minnesota. I have worked in a gender-specific treatment program for women as a counselor and in leadership roles. I also worked for two years as an addiction therapist in Hong Kong, with the expatriate population. I have seen that, across the world, people are yearning for the same thing: connection. We humans are a funny bunch; what we are yearning for is what we also push away, out of fear of rejection and vulnerability, shame, and low self-worth. I practice what I preach in my own life and I am genuinely excited about helping you do the same!
How I Work
Feminist theory and relational-cultural theory (RCT) are the anchors in the framework of my counseling theory and direct my professional and personal life. Through these theories, connection and empowerment are able to thrive and start the motion of change. When I work with someone, I don’t ask, “why the issue?” I ask, “where is the pain?” I believe in validating each persons individual experience because each person I work with, matters. My belief is that we are ultimately seeking connections, and those connections help us to nurture and cultivate change. To be self-actualized does not mean to be in complete harmony with the path one is on or to not have questions or difficulties. When a human is self-actualized, they are connected to others in empathic, supportive, empowering relationships that foster empathy and support. Together, we will work on accessing all of the strengths that you may not know you have. I am a stickler for language because the words we use about ourselves matter, and together we will build a new and empowering framework for your inner monologue, which sets the foundation for how you ultimately treat yourself.
What Sets Me Apart As a Therapist?
I am highly empathic and in-tune with other people’s emotions and with the energy that is in the session. I really believe in giving you space to feel what you are feeling and empowering you to name it. The space that I create and nurture is safe, respectful, culturally responsive, and empowering. Clients have repeatedly told me that they feel at ease very quickly in my presence. I work with people on seeing and experiencing their own vulnerability as signs of strength and courage; bravery is not about stoicism, it is about authentic connection and allowing yourself the gift of really being “seen.” My clients tell me often that they feel “seen” and heard by me, which is ultimately how trust is built. I value getting to know my clients’ stories and helping them understand how they want to change the narrative, in order to live the most satisfying and fulfilled life possible. Humans are hard-wired for connection and I believe that the connections we have in our lives set the foundation for everything else. I love being a therapist and, dare I say, I do believe that therapy can be a fun and enlightening process! I look forward to working with you.
Issues I Treat:
- Addiction (substance and process)
- Anxiety
- Behavioral issues
- Body image issues
- Co-occurring disorders
- Depression
- Eating disorders
- Family conflict
- Grief/complicated grief and loss
- Intimacy issues (physical and emotional)
- Life transitions
- Loneliness/isolation
- Mental health and family issues related to addiction
- Relationship issues
- Self-esteem issues
- Trauma and abuse
Populations I Serve:
- Adults
- Young Adults/college age
- Expatriate population
- Tele-therapy
- LGBTQ+ Community
- Healthcare/licensed professionals
- HPSP involvement
- Adults involved in legal system (CP/Probation)
Professional background:
Education
- Master of Professional Studies in Integrated Behavioral Health – University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
- Graduate Certification in Alcohol and Drug Counseling
- BA in Psychology – University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
Trainings
- Level 1 Certification in Narrative Therapy (in progress)
- Gottman Method Couples Therapy – Level 2
- DBT
- Trauma-informed care
- Relational Cultural Therapy
- Co-occuring Disorders
- Telehealth for Mental Health Professionals
Previous Employment
- Wayside Recovery Center
- HCMC Addiction Medicine
- St. John’s Counseling Center
Licensure
- Minnesota: LPCC #cc01586
- Minnesota: LADC #303010