About Our Minneapolis Counseling Practice
Therapists who accept you just the way you are.
Who We Are: Compassionate Trauma Therapy in Minneapolis
Life can be overwhelming, especially if you feel like you’ve missed out on the support you needed to thrive. Perhaps you’re unsure what exactly is missing, but you know you struggle to function on a day-to-day basis.
Your system needs an overhaul, and you deserve it. You need a safe space to explore what’s happening in your life and the challenges you face. More importantly, you need guidance and support as you move towards important change in your life. Finding the right therapist for you is crucial, and understanding who you’ll be working with is key to making that decision. We’re here to help you find your refuge in therapy, whether that’s with us or another therapist in Minneapolis.
At the Growlery, we help you mindfully engage with your thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations. We equip you with practical tools and strategies to advocate for yourself and make meaningful change in your life. Your therapy with us is a partnership, a collaborative effort designed to empower you to navigate your path towards personal growth and fulfillment.
Meet Our Minneapolis Therapists
-
Eric Swanson, MA
Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor
-
Janel Coleman, MA
Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor
-
Shannon Robinson, MA
Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor
-
Lexi Schmidt, PhD
Licensed Psychologist
Not sure who to work with? Don’t worry —we’ve got you covered. Contact us for a free consult.
We’ll do a brief assessment and talk to you about which therapist is the best fit for you.
Eric Swanson, MA, LPCC (he/him)
Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor #1925
What I’m like as a therapist
I want to make sure you feel comfortable and understood when you sit down with me in therapy. You’re an individual, a real person – not just a diagnosis or set of symptoms. When we talk about what’s happening in your life, I’ll listen closely to what you think and feel about things, rather than making judgments or assumptions about you.
Humor is a big part of how I do therapy. We’re definitely not going to ignore the problems in your life, but we’ll look at the bigger picture, too. Plus, it’s easier to talk about the hard stuff if you can have fun while doing it. I like keeping things relaxed and straightforward because I believe that’s how we get to the real stuff in therapy. If we can talk about it, then we can work on it together.
I’m a very even-keeled dude, and will be a steady, solid base for working on even your most difficult problems.
What clients say about working with me
People say they feel at ease pretty quickly with me. My laid-back style makes it easy to talk openly, and clients trust that I’m there to support and listen rather than judge. They tell me it’s like talking to a close friend who actually knows how to help you navigate the tricky stuff in life. One of the best parts of my job is helping people build their confidence in their abilities to live the life they want to live.
How I help people in therapy
It’s hard figuring things out by yourself. Especially if you don’t have anyone in your life who you can turn to for support. My job is to help you make sense of it all, whether you’re feeling overwhelmed by your emotions or figuring out who you really are for the first time. We’ll work together to understand your thoughts and feelings, and I’ll show you some practical ways to handle whatever hand life has dealt you.
I have a background in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and have run therapy groups for many years, which is just a fancy way of saying I can help you figure out some solid coping strategies no matter what you’re dealing with in life.
I’m comfortable working with personality disorders, complex trauma, and suicidality and I don’t get shocked or scared by things like some therapists do.
You’re not a bad person just because you struggle in life; there is no “right” or “wrong” way to do things as a human being. Some things are just harder or easier for people, and we have to learn how to deal with that while still being ourselves.
My professional background
I started my work as a therapist in 2016. I hold a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology from The University of St Thomas in Minneapolis, MN, and I am a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor in Minnesota. I’ve been running therapy groups since early in my career, which has been a lot of fun and showed me a whole range of what people go through in life. Learning from my clients has taught me more than any class or textbook ever could, and I really enjoy being a part of someone’s path towards having a better life.
My personal background
I was born in Saint Paul and have lived in Minnesota for most of my life. I love spending time outside in the spring, summer, and fall, and love spending time inside in the winter. My favorite things are comedy, basketball, and all kinds of music. I have two amazing (and completely opposite) cats, Hunter and Cookie Monster and you can usually assume I’m either playing or chilling out with one or both of them, depending on the mood in the house.
Shannon Robinson, MA, LPCC (she/her)
Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor #1648, Certified Yoga Teacher 500-HR
WHO AM I?
Finding a therapist who meets you where you are and with whom you can build a relationship of mutual trust and respect is an important aspect of therapy. So here is a little about me. I am a curious, compassionate, and quirky hippie who loves being outdoors, connecting with nature, paddle boarding, and walking our beagle, Cutlass. I enjoy camping & traveling with my husband, family & friends. I am a Marvel fan, collect and build Lego & love the color purple. As a community member, ally, and advocate, I strive to be inclusive, anti-racist, & LGBTQIA+-affirming.
PHILOSOPHY & APPROACH
The work I do as a therapist comes naturally to me, so I chose it as a profession. Having gone through difficult times throughout my life, I find it rewarding to share insights & practices that have been instrumental in my healing journey with clients. I enjoy connecting with clients and learning about their perspectives and experiences that may be different from mine.
My core values include kindness, mindfulness, honesty, curiosity, and self-development. As a therapist, I practice from a holistic, trauma-informed perspective. My goal is to create an environment where you'll feel accepted without judgment while being challenged, encouraged, and supported at the same time.
I believe that everyone has the information or resources they need to be their most authentic self. Occasionally, we may be unable to access what we need, do not understand why we are the way we are or are unable to make sense of what is happening to us. That’s where I come in! I see my role as a therapist as offering guidance alongside you on your journey to living your most authentic life.
EDUCATION & TRAINING
As a lifelong learner, I continue to enhance my knowledge & skill sets by attending conferences, workshops, trainings, reading, and listening to podcasts. I have various levels of training in theoretical approaches such as Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (mindfulness, distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness, & emotional regulation), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (acceptance & values work), Internal Family Systems (parts work), and Polyvagal Theory (Autonomic Nervous System). I have additional training in holistic trauma-informed yoga and am certified as a yoga teacher.
BS Family Development and Human Studies | UW-Stout | 2002
MS Human Development and Human Studies | UW-Stout | 2010
MA Counseling and Psychology | Saint Mary’s University | 2015
200-hour Holistic Yoga Teacher Training | Yoga Sanctuary | 2020
16-hour Solid Ground for Healing: Professional Trauma Informed Yoga Training | Terra Firma | 2023
300-hour Embody Yoga’s Roots YTT | Ignite Yoga and Wellness Institute | 2023
Lexi Schmidt, PhD, LP (she/her)
Licensed Psychologist #LP6109
ABOUT ME
I think of myself as an Emotions Coach — I’m not here to change who you are, but I am here to teach you a new approach to living your life. You don’t have to permanently adopt my way of thinking, feeling, or being in the world, but you can try it on temporarily and see if it works for you! After all, you’re here because the way you’ve been doing things so far hasn’t been working. You need something different.
MY APPROACH
When I’m talking to someone about their problems, I see things that other people don’t. I’m good at understanding complicated, complex emotional experiences and making people feel seen and heard. I’m also very open to being wrong and adjusting, revising, and trying again. I’m not discouraged by failure, and I’m not afraid of long, hard work in therapy. It took me a long time to figure out how I work and what I need to function and be happy in the world, and I’m ready to help you make that same growth and change in your own life.
EDUCATION & TRAINING
I am a Licensed Psychologist in the state of Minnesota (#LP6109) and have my PhD in Counseling Psychology from the University of Missouri - Columbia. My training emphasized the use of empirically supported treatment--therapy approaches that have been researched and shown to make real, measurable change in people’s lives--and a focus on multicultural competence and diversity.
My experiences helping people in the community include work at a domestic violence shelter, career counseling and student health services, and community mental health clinics. I have provided therapeutic services to children, adults, and families from all different walks of life and practice understanding people in their own context rather than making assumptions about them. My colleagues describe me as open-minded, empathetic, approachable, and adventurous and I use these strengths to provide a safe, secure space for you as we embark on a journey together.
I also constantly strive to further my knowledge and understanding in psychology so I have the best tools available to help you. Professional development is one of the most important aspects of my job and I make sure to attend conferences, workshops, and trainings to stay up-to-date in the field.
I approach therapy with you in a collaborative way. This means we work together to figure out what you want to change in your life and find a way to get you there. This may involve talking more to explore how patterns and behaviors in your life developed. I integrate a variety of specific therapy techniques including Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Emotion-Focused Therapy, Schema Therapy, and Mindfulness.
With these tools, you’ll increase awareness and understanding of yourself and your emotions, identify ways of looking at and thinking about the world that may be problematic for you, and learn and implement coping skills and strategies to make real, lasting changes in your life. My goal in therapy is to eventually work myself out of a job: I want you to leave therapy with the tools to feel satisfied and in control of your life, and with the ability to continue making positive changes in yourself and the lives of those around you.
PERSONAL BACKGROUND
I’m a cisgender, queer, poly, White woman who grew up in the Midwest and returned to Minnesota after completing my doctoral program in Missouri. Despite my more southern friends’ protests about the cold, the Twin Cities will always be my favorite home.
In my free time, I like to enjoy our beautiful state parks and will often take long weekends for camping trips in the more tolerable seasons. I also love playing and listening to music and while I am no longer actively involved in any professional gigs, I believe music can be an amazingly therapeutic tool and find that many of my clients feel the same. I am an equal-opportunity cat- and dog-lady and currently live with two wonderful kitties, Lucy and Ms. Bee, and my inexhaustibly loving and enthusiastic dog, Banga. I co-parent a wonderful tiny human with three other adults and have an insatiable love of coffee and naps.
Janel Coleman, MA, LPCC (she/her)
““The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance.””
Janel is scheduling new adult telehealth clients only in June 2024.
If you’re interested in child therapy or play therapy, please contact us to be placed on an interest list for future availability.
Navigating life’s transitions can be challenging, but you don’t have to face them alone. Whether you’re dealing with changes in your career, relationships, or personal growth, Janel is here to support you. Offering telehealth services, she provides flexible and convenient therapy that meets you where you are—both literally and metaphorically.
Everyone can benefit from therapy during pivotal life changes. Short-term, impactful support might be all you need to get through a difficult period in your life. Janel helps adults develop the tools they need to manage these transitions with confidence and resilience. With a compassionate and pragmatic approach, Janel assists her clients in understanding their current challenges and crafting actionable plans to navigate through them.
If you’re looking for a guide on your journey of change, healing, and empowerment, reach out to Janel today. She’s committed to understanding your unique circumstances and helping you make a plan that works for you as you walk into the unknown.
THERAPY WITH JANEL
Janel specializes in the areas of Experiential Play Therapy, complex trauma therapy, high-conflict familial situations, attachment, parental coaching, grief, loss, depression, anxiety, and helping others heal from past and present stressors.
Janel is passionate about helping children and families process traumatic experiences, learn how to understand and manage new and confusing behaviors, enhance family communication, and being an ally for children to be heard and validated.
Janel is a warm-hearted, kind, and compassionate professional who will take the time to fully understand and treat the needs of both the individual child and the family.
Janel graduated with a master’s degree in Counseling and Psychological Service from Saint Mary’s University in 2015.
While completing her graduate studies, Janel interned at Christian Recovery Counseling, where she provided psychological services and therapy for sexual offenders and victims of sexual abuse and trauma.
Later, Janel interned at Park Avenue Treatment Center, focusing her attention on the treatment and recovery of chemical use disorders, facilitating group and individual therapy sessions for male and female adults.
Upon receiving her master’s degree, Janel worked as a reunification and high-conflict play therapist for several years, providing services to families and individuals with highly stressful and traumatic circumstances.
EDUCATION & TRAINING
Reaching out to a new therapist can be terrifying, especially if you already had some bad experiences looking for counseling in Minneapolis. Therapy should feel like your place in the world where you can be 100% yourself without fear of judgment. At The Growlery, our therapists work hard to create this sense of safety; to create your refuge in therapy. Contact us today to get started.
Why “The Growlery” ?
Our name comes from the Phrontistery's Dictionary of Obscure Words, a list of outdated and antiquated terms and phrases. The word "growlery" comes from Charles Dickens' Bleak House (Chapter 8):
“Sit down, my dear,” said Mr Jarndyce. “This, you must know, is the growlery. When I am out of humour, I come and growl here.” ...“When I am deceived or disappointed in — the wind, and its Easterly, I take refuge here. The Growlery is the best used room in the house.”