FAMILY LEGACY COUNSELING - Key Persons
Ashley Beenken holds a Master's Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Denver Seminary and a Certificate in Marriage and Family Therapy from Denver Family Institute. She has a License in Mental Health Counseling (LMHC). Ashley has experience working in both agency and private practice settings where she has provided counseling services to children, families, individuals, and couples from a variety of backgrounds. Ashley is dedicated to providing a compassionate space for clients to experience hope and restoration in their lives and relationships.
Ashley is passionate about working with adolescents and their families who desire counseling services, as well as individuals. Ashley is trained in a variety of therapeutic modalities for helping clients and works collaboratively and creatively with clients in the counseling process.
Through her seminary training, Ashley is well-equipped to provide professional counseling from an integrated Christian perspective to those who desire that emphasis.
Job Titles:
- Licensed Master Social Worker
Cathy Raine is a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) focusing her clinical work on children and families. Cathy earned her Master's Degree in Social Work from the University of Iowa, with a clinical emphasis in Family Therapy. Cathy has been working with children, parents, families, teachers and administrators for the past 12 years, in both home and school settings, providing interventions for families and children who are experiencing social/emotional and/or relational difficulties. Cathy utilizes her varied training experiences to develop treatment plans and goals specific to each client. Included models of therapy are Play therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Family Therapy, Applied Behavioral Analysis, Solution Focused Therapy and Behavior Theoretical models. Cathy enjoys expanding her theoretical and practical knowledge base by continuing to take classes to enhance and refine her skills, as well as to be involved in supervision for growth.
Job Titles:
- Licensed Mental Health Counselor
Deb Gipple is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) and has been in private practice in the areas of child/adolescent therapy for over 30 years. She earned a Master's Degree in child counseling from the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) and a Bachelor's Degree in Elementary/Special Education from UNI. Deb taught emotionally disturbed/behaviorally disordered children for eight years in the Des Moines Public Schools and has worked as a Guidance Counselor in both public and Christian school settings. Additionally, she taught 2nd/3rd grades in a missionary school in Taichung, Taiwan. Her thesis in the area of childhood stress was published in the Iowa Journal of Counseling.
Deb utilizes various therapeutic treatment approaches in working with children and teens, being mindful of the necessity to match developmental needs with appropriate treatment modalities. Her teaching background has enabled her to be particularly effective in understanding and working with school personnel on behalf of her clients when necessary. She has completed the Pediatric Behavior Therapy Training Institute (BTTI) with the International OCD Foundation. Additionally, she is trained in the use of EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing).
Job Titles:
- Licensed Clinical Psychologist
Ann Latham is a licensed clinical psychologist and health service provider who has worked with children, adolescents and adults for many years. She earned her Ph.D. in 2000 from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Early in her career she worked as a School Psychologist for schools in both rural and urban districts k-12 for several years. She transitioned into private practice in 2013. She provides both therapy and assessment services to children and adults, drawing primarily from a cognitive-behavioral approach but also incorporating elements from other modalities as well. She enjoys working with children ages 6 and above. Her background in the school setting allows her to collaborate with students, parents, and teachers to identify supports students need to grow as learners. She focuses primarily on therapy with upper elementary students - adults in middle age, specializing in anxiety, ADHD, relationships, parenting, and personal growth.
Job Titles:
- Licensed Mental Health Counselor
Dr. Ed Ashby is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and has served as an individual, marriage and family counselor for the past 30 years, Dr. Ashby has been an ordained minister for over 35 years, pastoring churches in California, Ohio, and Iowa. Ed earned his Doctor of Ministry and Master of Divinity degrees from Fuller Theological Seminary in California, his Master's Degree in Counseling Psychology from Ashland Theological Seminary in Ohio, and a Master's Degree in Contemporary Ministry from Azusa Pacific University in California.
Dr. Ashby addresses a wide variety of issues in counseling such as depression, anxiety, shame, trauma, anger management, and relational conflict. Marital counseling is a focus of Ed's work, and along with this emphasis comes the individual issues and unresolved hurts that create relational discord. In addition, a significant portion of Ed's work is helping clients whose self-esteem has been damaged by abuse (physical, emotional, or sexual) and the resulting difficulties that emerge in their adult lives. Other areas of counseling focus include
Dr. Jeff Kerber has been a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in Iowa since 1995. He earned a PhD in Human Development and Family Studies with a clinical specialization in Marriage and Family Therapy from Iowa State University. He holds a Master's of Science degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of Wisconsin-Stout and a Bachelor of Arts degree from St. Olaf College majoring in both psychology and religion.
Jeff has lived in the Des Moines area since 1993. He has experience in clinical settings which include private practice, employee assistance work (3M, UnityPoint Health), in-home family therapy, and residential therapy with youth/families, in addition to his decades of practice in hospital based mental health care. Following five years of inpatient and outpatient clinical work at Broadlawns Medical Center, he joined UnityPoint Health Des Moines as a Senior Therapist with their Counseling Centers behavioral health team. Jeff remained at UnityPoint for 21 years as a clinician and then during the last half of his tenure he managed their outpatient mental health clinic and services. During his time with UnityPoint, he led their efforts to develop improved access to mental health care in schools and the integration of behavioral health within primary care clinics. More recently, Jeff served as the Director for the Division of Behavioral Health at the Iowa Department of Public Health.
Dr. Kerber was the first Executive Director for the Iowa Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. He served in that role for nine years from 1996-2005, supporting the development of the MFT profession. He continued to support the profession through a Governor's appointment to the Board of Behavioral Science Examiners, serving two terms on the professional licensure board for Mental Health Counselors and Marriage and Family Therapists. Jeff was also appointed by the Iowa Board of Medicine to serve as a committee member of the Iowa Physician Health Committee, supporting physicians struggling with personal impairments that could compromise their ability to safely practice medicine.
Dr. Joel Ashby is a Licensed Psychologist and health service provider for the State of Iowa as well as the owner of Family Legacy Counseling. He earned his doctorate in clinical psychology with an emphasis in Family Psychology from Azusa Pacific University in California. Family Psychology is a specialty area that focuses on relationships in couples, families, and groups, and the broader contexts in which those relationships exist. This area of training enables Dr. Ashby to be particularly effective in understanding and working with individuals and the larger systems with which they are a part.
Additionally, Dr. Ashby is trained in the treatment of specific mood and anxiety disorders, as well as more persistent mental illness such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. He conducts psychological assessments for Juvenile Court Services, as well as evaluations for personality disorders, ADHD, Intellectual Functioning, and bariatric surgery candidates, among others. His training in diverse settings, as well his post-doctoral residency at Philhaven Psychiatric Hospital in Pennsylvania, have prepared him to work effectively with issues that confront the individual and the family. He has been licensed as a Clinical Psychologist since 2010.
Joel's areas of interest include:
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT Therapy)
Internal Family Systems Theory/Therapy
Integration of client values and faith in psychotherapy
Marriage and parenting issues
Present-focused living (mindfulness)
Healthy lifestyle coaching and planning
Anger regulation via self/other compassion training
Job Titles:
- Licensed Independent Social Worker
Ellen Crozier is a Licensed Independent Social Worker (LISW) who has been working with children and families in a professional setting for 10 years. Ellen earned her Bachelor's Degree in Social Work at Missouri Western State University. She earned a Master's Degree in Social Work at University of Kansas. At KU, Ellen participated in research focusing on asset building for low-income families. Ellen attended Gateway College of Evangelism in Florissant, Missouri for two years where she majored in Biblical Studies. She is also a Hope Corps graduate through Wilson University and participated in missionary trainings in New York City and Catania, Italy.
It was Ellen's role at a community mental health center providing crisis intervention, assessments, and treatment planning with children and adolescents, that encouraged her to develop her clinical knowledge and work towards becoming a therapist. She also taught parenting classes to those developing or updating a custody plan, educating parents on unique developmental considerations for each child. Ellen then had the opportunity to pioneer a school-based therapy role in three rural school districts. Ellen worked with students of all ages and focused on supporting them with challenges such as inattention, anxiety, depression, identity concerns, self-harming, and anger. Ellen has experience using therapeutic modalities such as CBT and DBT and adapting them to various age groups.
Upon moving to Iowa in 2020, Ellen transitioned into a supervisory role at a community mental health agency. This role allowed her to provide clinical support and consultation to staff supporting about 300 children and adolescents and their parents. In this role, Ellen developed a passion for understanding attachment and became a Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) practitioner. This caregiving model focuses on supporting parents and their children in understanding attachment and developing skills to strengthen their connection. Ellen believes developing a partnership with children and adolescents, as well as their parents, is the best way to provide support for achieving their goals.
Job Titles:
- Licensed Mental Health Counselor
Hilary Sheeks is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor. She received her Bachelor of Arts Degree from Iowa State University in Child and Family Services and enjoyed a meaningful career working with children and families in a church ministry setting. Through her experiences in working with families, Hilary could see the great need for effective and compassionate professional counseling for children and their parents. Hilary made the decision to go to graduate school to receive her education to be a mental health professional. She received her Master's Degree in Mental Health Counseling from Drake University.
Hilary has experience providing therapy in various settings. She has provided group therapy, family therapy and individual therapy for clients of all ages. Hilary's life experiences and professional background have enabled her to effectively meet the needs of a variety of clients.
Hilary's areas of clinical interest include:
Anxiety
Depression
Grief/Loss
Anger/Conflict
Eating Disorders
Spiritual Concerns
Childhood and Parenting Issues
Mindfulness/Boundaries
Selective Mutism
Jamie Brandon is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in both Iowa and Oklahoma. She received her undergraduate and graduate degrees from Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Oklahoma. She has been licensed in the state of Oklahoma since 1999. Jamie and her family moved to Iowa in 2011. She became licensed in Iowa in 2015. Jamie has experience counseling children and adolescents and their families in both an outpatient and acute inpatient setting.
Job Titles:
- Health Counselor in the State of Iowa
Kimberly Steffen is a graduate of Concordia University in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Kim is currently working under a supervised licensed t-LMHC and holds a holistic view of therapy, looking at how different areas impact the individual. Kim also holds a trauma-focused and attachment perspective on how an individual's past has influenced and affected the present.
Kim earned her Bachelor's degree in Psychology from the University of South Dakota in 2013. After graduation, she worked with university students as a missionary with Cru (formerly known as Campus Crusade for Christ).
Through her work with Cru, Kim developed a passion for helping young adults. After seeing many University students and fellow missionaries struggling with anxiety, depression, and burnout, she became interested in pursuing a counseling degree. In her current training, Kim has become interested in using behavioral and mindful theories within counseling. In her clinical work, Kim has experience using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, and Solution Focused Therapy.
Job Titles:
- Licensed Independent Social Worker
Lisa Clement is a Licensed Independent Social Worker (LISW) who has been practicing in children's mental health for over 20 years. She earned a Master's of Social Work degree at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology with a minor in Christian Education from Wheaton College in Wheaton, IL.
Lisa has experience providing mental health services in a variety of different settings. Prior to moving to Des Moines in 2010, Lisa provided clinical supervision and therapy services within a children's community mental health agency in Minneapolis, MN for nearly 12 years. She offered individual, family, and group/milieu-based therapy in day treatment, school, outpatient clinic, and home settings. She collaborated with County and District partners to establish a school mental health program within Minneapolis and other metro area schools. In the Des Moines area, Lisa has counseled children, youth, and young adults in private practice. Most recently, she served as Director of Clinical Services at a community mental health center providing clinical oversight to outpatient programs serving children and families. She has offered consultation and training to school staff around recognizing and addressing children's mental health concerns and has proved to be an effective advocate for her clients.
Lisa utilizes various therapeutic treatment approaches in working with children, teens and their families. She takes a strength-based, developmental approach to her work, recognizing that each child and family is unique. Lisa is trained in several evidence-based practices for mental health assessment and treatment. She holds
National Certification in Trauma Focused-Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) and is a Trust Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) Practitioner. Lisa is trained to provide Child-Parent Psychotherapy and has basic training in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT).
Job Titles:
- Licensed Independent Social Worker
Melissa Zizis is a Licensed Independent Social Worker and Registered Play Therapist. She completed her education at the University of Northern Iowa with an emphasis in trauma-informed care, family services, dance and Child Life. Melissa has been providing therapy services to children (4+), adolescents, families, and young adults (under the age of 25) for the past nine years. Younger children are accepted on a case-by-case basis. She has additional experience in the elementary school setting and healthcare settings with pediatric chronic illness. Melissa works from a client centered approach and utilizes her education, eclectic trainings, past experiences and passion for helping children and their families to develop treatment plans and goals. Melissa utilizes Play Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), expressive arts, family therapy, sand tray therapy and Solution Focused techniques. She is Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) trained. Melissa is always eager to learn and expand her therapeutic knowledge.
Job Titles:
- Licensed Independent Social Worker
Patricia Ashby is a Licensed Independent Social Worker with over 30 years of counseling experience with individuals, couples and families. She is also the owner/director of Workplace and Family Life Services, an employee assistance program providing counseling and referral services for the past 30 years for an Iowa company of 2800 employees. As part of that work, Pat created an on-site chaplaincy program for the company and hired and supervises eight chaplains. Pat earned her Master's Degree in Social Work with a clinical emphasis in Family Therapy from the University of Iowa. She also studied at Azusa Pacific University in southern California, earning a major in Biblical studies. Pat and her husband, Dr. Ed Ashby, have served in pastoral ministry for 25 years, as well.
Rebecca Schrock is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in both Iowa and California. Becky received a Master's Degree in Clinical Psychology and Marriage and Family Therapy from Azusa Pacific University. She received her undergraduate degree in Psychology from Northwestern College.
Job Titles:
- Licensed Independent Social Worker
Shelley Roskam is a Licensed Independent Social Worker (LISW) and has been in the field since 2019. She specializes in seeing children, adolescents, teens, young adults, and families. She is working toward becoming a Registered Play Therapist. She earned a Bachelor's degree in Social Work and Psychology from the University of Northern Iowa (UNI). She then earned her Master's degree in a trauma-informed speciality program for Social Work also at UNI. Shelley has worked in a variety of settings including a domestic violence shelter, the counseling center at UNI, and a non-profit in Minneapolis working heavily with children on the Autism spectrum and severe trauma. She has been with Family Legacy Counseling since October of 2022. She has worked with a variety of diagnoses including Autism Spectrum Disorder, severe trauma, ADHD, Anxiety, Depression, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Conduct Disorder, OCD, PTSD, and more. Shelley has worked closely with many families over the years as well.
Shelley is passionate about working with children (3+), adolescents, teens, young adults and families. She assesses the unique needs of each person she works with and uses a variety of treatment approaches to best serve that person. She believes in focusing on the whole person (social networks, background, exterior stressors, and family dynamics) and digging to find the root cause of issues. Shelley believes in the vital role caregivers play in a child's life. As a result, Shelley stresses the importance of caregivers being involved in the whole treatment process.
Tabitha Nicolaysen is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in Iowa. She earned her Master's Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Seattle Pacific University. Her training focused on the complex systems and relational webs that encompass each person's identity and shape their lives and experiences. Her personal focus was on Narrative Therapy which emphasizes the therapist's role in helping people discover the life-giving and hope-filled story lines that may have gone unnoticed or feel inaccessible. In addition to her academic training, Tabitha's background working as a Child and Family Therapist for five years in a community mental health setting provided her with a broad spectrum of clinical work experience. Beyond the professional realm, she brings a history of leadership experience in church settings.
Tabitha's desire for individuals she meets with is movement from a life in which past wounds and destructive habits obstruct growth and relationships, towards a life that is rooted in grace and driven by hope. With compassion, curiosity and care, she accompanies women and men seeking a trained companion as they move towards a life of inner-peace, deep rooted joy, and empowering purpose. With couples, Tabitha holds hope for movement towards a relationship that would be best characterized by the posture of embrace. An embrace calls forth trust, vulnerability, and love. The fabric of relationships is threatened by myriad factors, both personal and cultural, and it's often overwhelming to navigate these threats alone. Tabitha brings a conviction that healing and restoration are always possible, and a training that positions her to help couples discover these paths and begin walking them. Finally, for families Tabitha sees a thriving ecosystem as a helpful metaphor for her intended direction in therapy. Therapy is like the garden in which the family can plant itself for a season as each one discovers themselves in relationship to the others, and the ways each member is an integral part to the sustaining life of the whole. Also like ecosystems, families are not ‘perfect' and every one is unique, thus inviting attention to the challenges and possibilities each family holds. Having tended the soil and the relationships well, families can graduate from therapy to the wilds of their lives not merely to function but to flourish.
For those who desire an integration of prayer and spiritual discernment into the therapeutic process, Tabitha incorporates contemplative practices rooted in Trinitarian theology and traditions that have withstood generations of faithful living. What is the Father doing? What is Jesus saying? What is the Spirit revealing? Affirming the work of the ever-present Spirit, prayer and discernment can grow our awareness of how God may be leading, as well nourish more mindful ways of living.
Tabitha's areas of professional interest include
Job Titles:
- Licensed Mental Health Counselor
Tara Kelly is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and licensed School Psychologist in the state of Iowa. She received her Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology as well as her Specialist in Education from the University of Northern Iowa, then went on to get a second Master's Degree in Mental Health Counseling from Grand Canyon University. Tara worked in the school setting for fifteen years as a school psychologist and counselor. She has also worked as a mental health therapist since 2011 practicing individual counseling with adults, adolescents, and children as well as conducting psychological assessments.
Tara's areas of interest include