PSYCHOTHERAPY CENTER OF WAUNAKEE - Key Persons
Jason has been a counselor for 14 years and brings a unique perspective to PCOW. He has worked for an Employee Assistance Program, was a counselor at an alternative school (grades 1-12) in a large urban school district, and at a community mental health center. He has gained experience helping clients with, but not limited to; stress, anxiety, depression, eating disorders, anger management, ADHD, self-esteem, social skills, gambling and other addictions, marriage and family problems and work performance issues.
​John has experience working with individuals, families and couples. John has provided school-based therapy services in 4 Wisconsin school districts: Pecatonica, Lake Mills, Oregon and Mount Horeb. He works with student clients who have behavioral issues, trauma and family dysfunction. John has received extensive training in Conscious Discipline techniques and strategies to help clients and families heal and reconnect. He also practices the following modalities: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Trauma-Informed Therapy, Strength-Based Therapy and Experiential Therapy.
He has a lifetime certification to teach English grades 6-12 in Wisconsin. In addition to his master's degree in Marriage & Family Therapy, he has a master's degree in Applied English Linguistics from the University of Wisconsin. John has coached Varsity Boys' Basketball for over 20 years in Wisconsin. He has extensive business experience having owned two businesses in the agriculture sector.
Megan has her undergraduate degree from UW-Madison in Human Development and Family Studies and her Master's degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Edgewood College. Throughout her years in school, she was able to work with children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, volunteer at local high schools, and co-facilitate women's recovery groups. Megan has experience working with children, adolescents, adults and couples seeking services for a variety of mental health issues. She also has experience in school-based therapy services, as she has worked closely with several school districts to develop this resource in Southwest Wisconsin. She works from a strength-based, systematic perspective which allows people to grow, build confidence and advocate for their own change. Megan utilizes Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), Solution Focused Therapy and Emotion Focused Therapy while incorporating mindfulness into sessions. Megan helps clients find normalcy in feeling sad, frustrated, lost and/or overwhelmed with stress. She acknowledges that everyone experiences emotions, change and loss in their life in a manner that is uniquely their own. Thus, therapy will look different for everyone.
Melissa received her bachelors degree in Psychology from UW-Eau Claire and her master's degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Edgewood College in Madison. She has experience providing therapy in multiple contexts including in-home, school-based, outpatient, and group settings. Melissa has worked with children, adolescents, adults, families, and couples with a diverse range of mental health diagnoses and relational difficulties.
Melissa enjoys working with clients to overcome concerns such as; low self esteem, relationship concerns, burnout, decision fatigue, difficult life transitions, motivation, grief and anxiety. With a growing specialty in couples therapy, Melissa has worked with partners to address concerns
Melissa enjoys working with individuals including; children, adolescents and adults. In addition, she has experience working with couples. She has a passion to work with children and their parents on establishing healthy independence and navigating the everyday stresses.
Her modalities of therapy include a mixture of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Experiential Therapy, Internal Family Systems, Emotion-Focused Therapy, and Gestalt Therapy principles. Through compassion, empathy and cultural sensitivity, she will assist clients to help find ways for their therapy to be beneficial and personalized through traditional talk therapy and/or movement, play, art, puppets, drama, journaling, meditation, and mindfulness. Melissa has extensive experience as a school-based therapist, working with school staff and families to assist student clients. Melissa received her undergraduate degree from Edgewood College in Business Administration and Marketing with a coursework in Spanish. Following her work as a nanny for multiple families for over 10 years, she developed a strong connection with learning about the way families function and cohabitate, which led her back to Edgewood College into their Marriage and Family Therapy master's program.
Sara grounds her work as a counselor in developing positive partnerships with young adults, adolescents, and children/caregivers recognizing the power of hope and healing. Her goal is to enter a counseling relationship as a thinking partner to support a person's inner strength, guided by their individual goals and values to learn skills to help clients feel more confident in areas of life they're looking to strengthen.
As a counselor, Sara is dedicated to supporting others through an eclectic melding of therapeutic techniques blending Cognitive Behavioral, Dialectical Behavior, Motivational Interviewing and Mindfulness techniques. Her experience in supporting those with anxiety, ADHD, social skills, behavioral issues, emotional regulation challenges, stress reduction, trauma, life transitions/family changes, academic effort, low self-worth concerns span fifteen years as a school counselor. Sara also is growing her skills in supporting youth with eating disorders.
Sara earned her undergraduate degree from Iowa State University and her Masters degree from UW- Whitewater in 2007. Prior to being a school counselor, she worked in public education and holds a lifetime teaching license in Wisconsin.
Sara enjoys outdoor activities with her husband and three children such as kayaking, hiking, biking, gardening and enjoying the simple moments with them.