Group

Alec Vicenzi, PsyD, LP

Whether you are contemplating therapy for the first time or are resuming after taking some time away, therapy can be an anxiety-provoking experience. There is no other relationship in which we are asked to openly discuss some of the most painful aspects of our lives to a stranger. With that said, therapy can be a deeply healing process and I endeavor to create a safe and trusting environment in which clients feel supported to explore the various issues which bring them to my office. I am a highly relational therapist who actively collaborates with clients on developing therapeutic goals, creating meaning in their lives, and alleviating social-emotional distress.

My therapeutic approach is most strongly grounded in psychodynamic and existential principles. Psychodynamic therapy emphasizes the impact of interpersonal relationships, especially those from childhood, on our social and emotional lives. Existential therapy focuses on issues we all grapple with by virtue of being human, such as creating meaning or dealing with major life transitions. In addition, I am trained in EMDR therapy, an evidence-based treatment for addressing trauma, and utilize components of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) when necessary.

Education:

Doctoral Degree (PsyD) in Clinical Psychology, The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, 2020

Bachelor’s Degree (BA) in Psychology, The University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2014

Experience:

I have provided individual and group therapy in various settings, including a community mental health center, an Intensive Outpatient (IOP) program, an inpatient hospital, and a correctional institution. I also provided comprehensive psychological testing to children, adolescents, and adults at an inpatient hospital and community mental health center.

Specialties:

• Adolescent and adult individual therapy
• Group therapy
• Psychodynamic therapy
• Existential therapy
• EMDR
• Grief and loss
• Death-related anxiety
• Life transitions
• Identity issues and concerns
• Trauma
• Mood disorders, including depression and anxiety
• Personality disorders

Alejandra Aschittino-Rodriguez, MPS, LPCC, LADC

I believe personal agency is key to finding meaning in distressing scenarios and growing from them. I use both Existential and solution-oriented approaches when engaging with clients and strives to provide individuals and families with tools for self-awareness and self-empowerment through a mixture of theoretical models tailored to the client’s strengths and needs. I work to help clients establish more adaptive patterns of thinking with humor, empathy, and respect. While I will explore root causes of issues, I emphasize the importance of personal growth and identifying personal strengths.

I work with adults and teenagers who are experiencing life-phase transitions, substance and alcohol use, and grief and loss. I have experience in working with depression/anxiety, PTSD, and general stress management. I often utilize psychodynamic-Adlerian, existential, and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills with a culturally sensitive lens to provide a personalized care based on evidence-based practices.

I will do my very best to ensure you are seen in a holistic manner and with your personal history taken into consideration while we are working together. Your dignity, safety, and self-actualization are always a priority in my work. I currently work with adults, older adolescents in individual or family therapy.

Education:

• MA in Addiction and Mental Health Counseling – University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
• BA is Psychology and Philosophy – Grinnell College, Iowa

Experience:

I had the opportunity to work with individuals and institutions in Ecuador, South Africa, India, and Slovenia for a research project examining the effect culture has on grief as a Watson Fellow after graduating college. Additionally, I have worked with Family Means to create intensive training regarding working with Minnesota’s minorities in palliative care and collaborated with The Hubs Center for lifelong learning to create an education course on Job loss and grief as the Covid-19 pandemic elevated the unemployment rates across the state and nation. My latest project is being an Adjunct instructor at St. Catherine University, where I teach undergraduate students about theories, methods, and concepts central to Psychology and how cross-cultural and ethnic diversity must be considered before concluding the validity of psychological concepts or theories.

Specialties:

• Loss of meaning / “Existential anxiety”
• Spiritual and Life Issues
• Culturally Sensitive Therapy/Culturally Specific Issues
• Life’s transitions
• Grief
• Addiction
• Dual Diagnosis
• Depression
• Anxiety