Gretchen Fernelius, MA, LADC

A cancer diagnosis in her early 30s helped Gretchen embrace her resilience and encouraged her to make changes that gave her greater sense of purpose and meaning in life. She partners with individuals 14+ who are navigating life transitions, anxiety, depression, trauma, health issues, grief and loss, or academic/career concerns. She also collaborates with couples and families experiencing relational issues.

Gretchen is trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and believes the mind, body, spirit connection can be a catalyst for healing, enhancing personal strengths, and identifying areas of post-traumatic growth. She leads therapeutic groups for breast cancer survivors that foster peer connections and help clients address challenges of post-cancer treatment. Gretchen is also a licensed alcohol and drug counselor (LADC) who has experience working in intensive outpatient settings and treating co-occurring disorders.

Gretchen is committed to creating a nonjudgmental therapeutic environment where clients feel comfortable being their unique selves. She also believes in being attuned to sociocultural influences that shape a client’s lived experience. She uses person-centered and trauma-informed therapeutic approaches to help clients address their challenges, emphasize their strengths, and find new solutions for solving problems. Through warmth, curiosity, humor, and authenticity, Gretchen helps clients make meaningful changes in their lives. 

In her free time, Gretchen enjoys traveling, hiking, writing, and spending time with family and friends.

Gretchen is currently working under the licensed supervision of Megan O’Brien, LICSW while she pursues her LPCC (Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor) in the state of Minnesota. She received her Masters of Professional Studies in Integrated Behavioral Health from the University of Minnesota.