becoming balanced

Local Practice Helping Women Live Their Best Life

Built on friendship and passion, Becoming Balanced is a new health and wellness practice in Fargo with a focus on women's health. Owned by Dr. Desiree Zielke, a licensed psychologist, and Trishia Powell, a licensed independent clinical social worker, the Becoming Balanced office has a welcoming feeling, especially when “Mom” (Zielke’s mother, Debra) greets you.

"I love the fact that my mom is a part of our office. When I send clients to the front or speak with them on the phone, I tell them to speak with Mom." Laughing, Zielke explains that not only would it be weird to refer to her mom as Debra, but having a mother figure in the office helps remove some of those first appointment jitters that are common among new clients.

Breaking down barriers is a common theme between Zielke and Powell. Guided by their passion for holistic living, they work with clients both together and separately to help them live their best life while managing day to day stresses.

"Although the demographics of our clients range and often differ between the two of us, we have the same goal in mind for every woman we see, which is to help them be the best version of themselves, day in and day out," says Powell.

Becoming Balanced focuses on numerous aspects of a woman's health, including stress management, varying levels of depression and anxiety, self-care, mindfulness, improving communication, and adjustment to life stressors or transitions.

"The clients that I typically see are women who are new moms, women trying to get pregnant, and women who are taking on new roles in their life. Desiree, on the other hand, meets with women who are seeing a large transition in their life, like becoming a caregiver for a parent, entering retirement, living with a chronic medical condition, or working through various states of depression and anxiety. In the spring, one of our focuses will be on postpartum depression. In general, this topic is very sensitive, but it is something that needs to be discussed. It is something that needs to be viewed as a legitimate time in a woman's life when extra support and care is needed," says Powell.

By speaking about and hosting events surrounding sensitive topics like postpartum depression, Powell and Zielke hope to reach members of the community who typically don't ask for help, or view their everyday struggles as something that will eventually subside.

"Women, as a whole, have a tough time asking for help. By holding events and group gatherings, we hope to remove the stigmas and break down barriers, giving women a chance to learn, vent and digest information in a safe space. It's also a great opportunity to meet other women who may be going through the same life changes," adds Zielke.

Offering events and groups is just one way in which Powell and Zielke reach out to community members. Utilizing their Facebook page, the dynamic duo holds contests with themes and giveaways to help make light of some of the tough subjects while connecting women through a universal concept.

"In January, we are focusing on self-care, so we asked our followers to post comments of their self-care routine. Each post or comment was then entered into the contest. We find it's a fun way to open up a dialogue among women, encouraging them to share the little things, those moments that help them remain centered and in control of their life," says Zielke.

In 2020, Powell and Zielke are looking to expand their services. These additions include a nutritionist who will be focusing on holistic healthy living, individualized yoga sessions, psychotherapy groups, essential oil learning, as well as educational events to discuss numerous topics surrounding women's health.

"Our goal, above all else, is to help women feel safe and secure while they work on themselves. It can be a tough move, asking for help, which is why we make sure every aspect of our office and each member of our team showcases love and support for our clients," adds Powell.

WORDS : TARA EKREN PHOTOGRAPHY : ESSENTIA HEALTH