Carol Schirber, MA LMFTMy view is that relationships in all areas of our lives are important for well-being. If you are looking for help, someone to listen, or are simply curious about life changes you are experiencing, I will work with you to build a collaborative relationship, as this is key to the therapeutic process. I have a passion for working with people as they journey through life's difficulties and transitions, and seek to turn toward the joy and peace available to them in their lives. I view family/friends/community as an important part of this healing process, since change happens best through relationship and connection. It is with this in mind, that I work to support couples, individuals, and families through life's challenges. I take a gentle, mindful, client-centered or humanistic approach to therapy, focusing on your needs while listening with an open heart and spirit.
About me: My clinical focus is working with couples who are seeking to re-establish intimacy and create a lasting bond within their relationship. It can be easy to allow the relationship with your partner to become a lower priority when other parts of life seem to take up so much time. This can take a toll on the quality of the relationship over time, and I often hear couples talk about having lost that special feeling and connection they once had. I have advanced training in EFT (Emotionally Focused Therapy), a model of couple therapy that allows for decreased conflict, increased positive communication, and deepening connection. Though it can be hard to take that first step to repair your relationship and reclaim what you once had together, I am here, when you are ready, to work with you toward building the relationship that you want, need, and deserve to have in your life.
Another passion of mine is working with people who have been affected by trauma. I am trained in EMDR, a powerful intervention for processing trauma, and I have seen first-hand the healing effect this can have when used within a trusting therapeutic relationship. Together we will work to process through the difficult emotions, thoughts, and memories that are often part of the aftermath of trauma. I also have a special interest in neuroscience as it relates to therapy and the process of change, the mind/body/spirit connection, and mindfulness meditation.
Before becoming a therapist, I was an audiologist for many years. It was an honor to be with patients with hearing loss as they came to understand their diagnosis and then treatment options. Looking back, it was always the relational patient interaction aspect of that profession that appealed to me most. Through my own life journey, I have had the opportunity to meet many gifted mental health therapists. It was in being with and talking with them that I discovered that I wanted to be there and connect with others in that same way. The opportunity to walk with you as you find your strength and resilience on your own healing journey is a privilege for which I am grateful every day.
On a personal note, I am married to my husband of 35 years and we have three grown daughters. We enjoy spending time together as a family when time and distance allow, and typically will pick spending time at, on, or in the lake as a favorite family activity. I am grateful to my husband and girls for all of the life lessons we have learned together which have helped me to grow both personally and professionally. When I am not in the office, I enjoy travel, especially adventures to places I've never been, long conversations with friends, and of course Netflix! When I need to restore and recharge I turn to yoga, meditation, and walks in the woods with my dog.
Master of Arts degree in Marriage and Family Therapy - St. Mary's University of MN
Master of Science in Audiology - Idaho State
Bachelor of Science in Communication Disorders - North Dakota State University
