CARING COUNSELING BY CATHY

Professional Counseling Can Create Positive Improvements

Acaring counselor can help an adult, child, or couple make positive improvements in their relationships. Cathy Hjelle, owner of Cathy Hjelle and Associates, is a licensed professional clinical counselor in North Dakota and a licensed independent social worker in Minnesota. Hjelle often focuses on women’s issues, including depression, anxiety, abuse/trauma, stress, mood disorders, and relationship concerns. Hjelle’s scope of practice also includes couples counseling and therapy for adolescents and children.

Hjelle helps children through play therapy. This intervention can assist with less conflicted interpersonal interactions, decrease in problematic behaviors, and better adjustment to transitions. “The goal is often to help children adapt to changes in their environments, modulate their moods and behaviors, thereby improving the quality of relationships,” Hjelle explained.

Hjelle has more than 20 years of experience in professional counseling in a variety of settings. She has worked at Lutheran Social Services of MN, The Village Family Service Center, and Prairie St. John’s. Hjelle began her independent private practice in 2006.

Hjelle enjoys working with women and issues pertinent to them. This upcoming winter, Hjelle will facilitate a therapy group for women titled “Overcoming Self-Doubt: Trusting One’s Gut.” “Often a visceral reaction occurs and this is known as a “gut reaction” or an intuitive sense. I would like to assist women with honoring and accepting the value one’s intuition provides and incorporating this into their lives,” Hjelle said.

Through the North Dakota Center for Sleep, operated by Dr. Seema Khosla at 4152 30th Ave. S. in Fargo, Hjelle will provide informal group sessions to help individuals develop healthier sleep patterns and reduce problematic sleep patterns that interfere with an overall restful feeling. The session will start in January of 2012.

Hjelle obtained her B.A. in English from Minnesota State University in Moorhead, MN and her Master’s Degree in agency counseling from the University of North Dakota in Fargo. To keep current in her career field, Hjelle obtains continuing education credits and renews her licenses every two years.

Hjelle said reasons for seeking therapy include a desire to improve relationships, reduce work related stress, and improve one’s mood whether symptoms relate to a depressed state, anxiety, or a fluctuating mood. With the onset of fall symptoms related to SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), patients are able to find relief through counseling. Symptoms may include moodiness, lack of energy, and a desire to sleep more.

“Professional counseling can provide a format in which an individual’s symptoms can be identified and a course of treatment can be applied to improve the quality of one’s life.” Hjelle said.

A typical course of treatment is usually six to eight sessions, with maintenance sessions provided as needed. Confidentiality is an important part of all treatment sessions, which are covered by most insurance plans. Hjelle provides day and evening sessions. Saturday appointments are available upon request. [AWM]

Cathy Hjelle and Associates is located at 1790 32nd Ave. S. #3 in Fargo, ND and Hwy 34 East, Suite B103 in Detroit L akes, MN. For more infor mation, call 701-2382938.