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Clinical Approach
Kathy is a Texas native, with roots in Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Wisconsin. She loves working with children, adolescents, young adults, and families. She is passionate about meeting her clients where they are on their personal journey and creating a safe space for them to take steps toward the changes they hope to make, body, mind, and spirit. With over 18 years of counseling experience, she considers it an honor to collaborate with her clients as a team to help navigate through the highs and lows that life can bring. Kathy believes in building a rapport with client’s and offers genuineness in sessions.
Kathy provides counseling for those dealing with the following concerns: stress management, anxiety, depression, life transitions, relationship issues and/or divorce, family dynamics, as well as family planning (infertility/postpartum, and grief). Kathy also takes a holistic approach to her work and incorporates clients spirituality and faith in session, if desired by clients.
Kathy’s clinical approaches are as follows: Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Narrative Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, Internal Family Systems.
Kathy has worked in a variety of settings such as: psychiatric inpatient, adolescent residential care, foster care and adoption, day treatment for adolescents and adults, school-based, and out-patient/tele mental health individual, and family counseling.
Kathy attended The University of Texas A&M University – Commerce and received her degrees in the following:
Bachelor of Science degree and was a double major Psychology and Counseling
Master of Science degree in Counseling
While Kathy was attending college, she was able to participate in two of the activities she most enjoyed and that was working for the football team and learning to become a counselor.
In her spare time, Kathy loves to travel, go to the beach, watch football, drink coffee and read a good book, spend time with friends and family, and enjoy the simple things in life that bring her joy.
While it can be true that everyone might be looking for something a little different in life, it has been my experience that most people want to feel loved, understood, and accepted. If we didn’t experience these things growing up, or don’t know how to extend these messages to ourselves, it makes sense that no matter what good we accomplish in life at some point we can end up feeling lost. If this sounds familiar, I’m here to help remind you of the person you were before you may have lost your way. I work with adults who have experienced trauma, and those with childhood wounds. I also provide services to children, and couples.
Eau Claire Mental Health Clinic
Why Nystrom & Associates Eau Claire Mental Health Clinic?
Nystrom & Associates Eau Claire Mental Health Clinic is a community-driven clinic. Staffed by therapists who are from, and deeply involved in the happenings of the local area in clinics, various schools, churches, and other community organizations. Maintaining a commitment to developing creative approaches to mental health support, and ensure that each person, couple, or family unit receives personalized and customized wellness support to meet their unique needs.
Nystrom & Associates Eau Claire Mental Health Clinic has therapists who provide a wide range of approaches, specialties, styles, and personalities. We see ages 5-80+ and do a lot of work with all those in between.
What type of services do you provide at your clinic?
- All types of therapy for adults- individuals and couples
- Family “systems” therapy for the whole family
- Maternal mental health counseling, including post-partum therapy services (depression, anxiety, intrusive thinking, and obsessive-compulsive concerns during and after pregnancy)
- Trauma informed therapies, including EMDR, and Trauma-Focused CBT
- integrative approaches that include DBT skills work
- LGBTQ+ clients and concerns
- Suicidal ideation and self-injury related struggles
- ADD/ADHD
- Mindfulness-based approaches to therapy and skills work
- Grief and loss support
We take a “realistic” approach to mental health service delivery- valuing authenticity, humor, and creativity (among other things). We promote innovative thinking and problem solving, and help support our professional staff to show up in genuine ways- this comes from the belief that good therapy must be honest to who we are as individuals.
Mental Health Match makes it easy to find a therapist or counselor that best meets your needs. Our free matching tool will personalize your search and find you a therapist in the Eau Claire area who can best support you. It is important that your therapist of choice adheres to five main criteria: Competence, Cultural Fit, Personality, Convenience and Affordability. In addition to expertise within a wide range of specialties, you can find Eau Claire therapists who are involved with the BIPOC community, LBGTQ+ identities and more.
Therapists in Eau Claire, WI – List Your Practice
If you are a therapist or counselor located near Eau Claire, WI consider listing your practice on Mental Health Match! Not only will our platform help to expand your digital presence, but our powerful tool helps to present clients who best match your expertise and approach. Get set up for new referrals in 10 minutes or less. 60 day free trial, with no credit cards required to start. Join now.
To make an elder abuse or a vulnerable adult report, please contact the Department of Human Services Centralized Access Unit at (715) 839-7118 Monday – Friday between 8am – 4:30pm. Evenings after 4:30pm, weekends, and holidays please contact the Police Department at (715) 839-4972. For emergency situations dial 911.
For more information about the Comprehensive Community Services Program (CCS) or the Community Support Program (CSP), please contact the Department of Human Services Access Unit at (715) 839-7118. To make a referral to the Comprehensive Community Services Program, please complete the CCS referral form or contact the Access Unit.
To make a referral or to obtain more information about the Eau Claire County Treatment Courts, please visit the Treatment Courts page.
Receive expert, comprehensive and compassionate care from us through a respectful and confidential partnership with you.
Benefit from a comprehensive array of services for individuals and families as we strive to provide psychiatry and psychology services in Eau Claire that are integrative and effective by offering evidence-based treatment that puts your needs and those of your family first.
Services include:
- Addictions services for you or a family member suffering from addiction (Eau Claire only)
- Group therapy services provided by (Eau Claire only):
- Board-certified psychiatrists
- Licensed psychologists
- Licensed professional counselors
- Licensed clinical social workers
- Licensed marriage and family therapists
- Clinical substance abuse counselors
- Psychiatric services, including a physician evaluation, medication education and medication management
- Psychology services, including psychological testing and diagnostic evaluations
- Psychotherapy/Counseling, including individual, couples, family and group psychotherapy
- Transitions, a partial hospitalization program, offers an alternative to hospitalization for adults whose psychiatric illness is impairing their ability to successfully function (Eau Claire only)
Outpatient locations:
Inpatient locations:
- Eau Claire — For more information, call 715-838-3274.
For more information on services and to schedule an appointment, call 715-838-5369.
We can help
Counseling Services at the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire offers free and confidential short-term solution-based mental health services to all UWEC students during semesters when they are enrolled in courses.
Watch the video to hear more from our staff and students about the services that we offer and how we can help!
Counseling Services is here to help. We offer a number of free in-person and online resources so that you can get the support you need for a variety of issues, including mental health, substance misuse and suicide prevention.
Please note: Tele-Counseling services are only available to students who are physically in the state of Wisconsin.
For Fall 2022 Counseling Services will offer our services both in person and via Tele-Counseling using Zoom. In accordance with CDC guidelines, masks will still be required during in-person sessions, regardless of vaccination status. If you do not have a mask, you will be offered one by our staff.
Online scheduling for intake appointments:
For first-time clients or returning clients who have not been seen in more than 90 days. Online scheduling is not available for ADHD screenings, AODA assessments, Eating Disorder Assessments or couples counseling.
Schedule an appointment
Tele-Health
Counseling Services has partnered with Mantra Health to provide additional tele-health appointments that are available to UWEC students and may allow you to be seen sooner than the in-person appointments.
By enrolling in Mantra, you can connect virtually to licensed therapists to address your unique needs during daytime, evenings, or weekend hours.
If you have bipolar disorder, disordered eating, substance use problems, or active thoughts of harming yourself or others, please start with an in-person assessment to find out if telehealth is right for you.
Here is a step-by-step guide to sign up:
- Go to app.mantrahealth.com.
- Create your account by clicking “Sign Up” using your UWEC email address.
- Complete the onboarding tasks in your Patient Portal, which takes about 10 minutes, and schedule your first appointment. Be sure to do this before your appointment!
- Join your first scheduled appointment with your therapist through the Mantra Patient Portal.
Crisis
If you need immediate assistance with crisis services, contact our office directly at 715-836-5521. (Last check in for crisis services is at 4:00, 5:30 on Wednesdays.) Afterhours phone support is available through the UW 24/7 Mental Health support line. Call or text (888) 531-2142 for afterhours support.
UWEC Counseling Services Mental health services include:
- Group Therapy and Workshops
- Group therapy is a great way for students to feel less alone with their mental health and to make supportive connections with others
- Please visit our YouTube Page to view our Happiness Workshop or our Anxiety/Depression Workshop
- In addition to our general Process groups, we offer populations specific groups
- The Student of Color Group Spring meeting time is TBD.
- The Gender and Sexuality Group meets on Fridays from 1-2:30.
- Please contact Stefanie Benesh for additional information on or groups.
- Individual Therapy
- Individual sessions typically last 45-50 minutes and the average number of sessions per year is 5
- The most common presenting concerns include Anxiety, Stress, Depression, Procrastination/Motivation, Attention/Concentration
- Couples Counseling
- Couples Counseling is available for students (only 1 member of the couple needs to be a student)
- Assessments
- Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Assessments are offered to students wanting to further explore their substance use patterns
- These assessments typically take 3 sessions and involve a comprehension evaluation of substance use patterns
- The cost is $100 if the assessment was sanctioned by the University, $160 if it was sanctioned by the court, and no charge if it is voluntary
- Counseling Services does not provide AODA assessments that are required for DUIs
- ADHD Screenings are offered for $80
- These screenings include the Conners Adult ADHD Rating Scale (CAARS), a clinical interview, the Test of Variables of Attention (TOVA), and a follow-up meeting to go over the results.
- The $80 fee must be paid by cash or check.
- Eating Disorder assessments are available at no charge to students seeking more information on their body image and eating patterns
- Counseling Services offers assessments to students in order to complete letters for gender-affirming treatments based on the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) Standards. Counseling Services also works collaboratively with Student Health Service to prepare students for Hormone Therapy and provide support throughout the process. These services are offered at no cost to the student.
- The First Offenders Forum (FOF) Alcohol Education Course. The First Offenders Alcohol Education Class is offered to current UWEC students who have received an underage drinking citation or would like to learn more about alcohol use in a group setting. Registration is available at Counseling Services or the Service Center in Davies. Learn more here.
- Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Assessments are offered to students wanting to further explore their substance use patterns
- Case Management
- Case management help is available for students to assist with referrals and making connections to community providers for longer-term care.
- Counseling Services has partnered with MiResource to help connect students with off campus providers