MENTAL WELLNESS COUNSELING

A MICHIGAN COUNSELING PRACTICE

 

You’re here because you know that life can be better. Through counseling, we’ll help you identify how best to make progress toward creating a life of wellness. Our mental health therapists take a whole health approach to help individuals, couples and families find balance. Click on ‘Our Traverse City Counselors’ Tab or read about our clinicians to find the right therapist for you. We are really glad you are here.

We know it takes a while to decide you need counseling. No matter what that final thing was that made you come here, we want to help.  Our therapists offer face to face, virtual or phone sessions to best meet your needs and serve clients all over the state of Michigan.

 

If you’re ready to start a better life, we’d love to join you in this journey!

For more information or to schedule a session please CONTACT US

MEET THE WELLNESS TEAM

SEE THE QUICK PROFILES BELOW OR CLICK ‘Our Traverse City Counselors’ TAB or read about our clinicians TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR MENTAL HEALTH THERAPISTS

To inquire about our services call us at 231-714-0282

Referrals can be send via fax at 231-216-7921

Nicole Ball

Nicole Ball

Counselor and Owner of Mental Wellness Counseling
Nicole works with clients that are dealing with anxiety and want quick results to get back to life. As well, clients that value a holistic approach to therapy tend to be drawn to Nicole, especially if they are working through a transition such as divorce, life change, or relationship change. Lastly, Nicole takes a compassionate and holistic approach to teaching parenting, working through past trauma, and building coping skills to find more peace in life.
Emmy Hendry

Emmy Hendry

Mental Health Therapist
Emmy believes that your well-being relies on achieving balance in all aspects of your life. Emmy specializes in trauma; specifically sexual, violence, and grief. She has extensive experience working with children, teens, families, LGBTQIA+ community; as well as working with individuals struggling with addiction and recovery. Emmy is passionate about helping individuals process and work through their traumas, anxiety, depression, and various mental health symptoms.
Jeanice Knight-Bogatz

Jeanice Knight-Bogatz

Mental Health Counselor, EMDR Certified Therapist, and Brainspotting Certified Therapist
Jeanice has extensive experience providing clinical services to children, adolescents, individual adults, and families. Her hope is for clients to achieve wellness through healthy integration of life elements, heal from past trauma, and become empowered to overcome anxiety, depression, life stressors and grief. Jeanice also offers EMDR and Brain Spotting Therapy.
Chris Genther

Chris Genther

Mental Health Therapist
Chris specializes in working with youth and young adults who struggle with anxiety, life changes, sexuality, and
trauma. He draws from various evidence-based practices including person-centered, trauma-informed
care, and solution-focused approaches.
Steve Greenman

Steve Greenman

Mental Health Counselor

Steve’s specialty centers around the topics of addiction, families in difficult situations, cognitive awareness of bettering oneself and burdens from anxiety, depression, low self-esteem and working with couples.

Emily Hale

Emily Hale

Intake Coordinator

Emily is the voice on the other end of the phone when you call to schedule an appointment or inquire about counseling services. One of her favorite things to do is to help anxious people get their questions answered quickly, and provide a safe space for patients to voice their concerns and get the help they need.

She looks forward to talking to you, and to helping to match you and your family to the best therapist to meet your needs.

Marilyn Fitzgerald

Marilyn Fitzgerald

Mental Health Therapist
Dr. Marilyn Fitzgerald has long believed that creating a safe, compassionate, confidential environment, will enhance the individual’s ability to be vulnerable, take risks and benefit from interpersonal growth. She works with individuals, families and couples.
Erin Johnson

Erin Johnson

Mental Health Therapist
Erin specializes in work with children, families and individuals who are experiencing anxiety, depression, grief and loss, child/teen/adolescent concerns and family issues. Erin works with those in life transitions, as well as those working through past and current trauma.
Christina Walsh

Christina Walsh

Mental Health Therapist

Christina (She/Her) takes a holistic whole health approach to guide those looking to find
balance and stability within many areas of their lives including self-worth, identity, family,
relationships, careers, school, substance recovery, and mental health symptom management.

Bobbi Harding

Bobbi Harding

Mental Health Therapist
Bobbi believes that committing to path of overall wellness and self-growth is the start of a new life. She works with at risk youth, transitioning youth, pregnancy, parenting, anxiety, depression, medical maintenance, health related illness, end of life, survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, childhood trauma, life transitions, and a variety of other mental health conditions.
Theresa Carey

Theresa Carey

Mental Health Therapist
Theresa uses a therapeutic approach grounded in mind/body theory. She assists those in crisis, feeling fragile, facing a difficult decision, addressing habits that no longer serve, struggling with anxiety, abandonment, depression, anger, domestic violence, loss and grief, life transitions and recovery from trauma.
John Boonstra

John Boonstra

Mental Health Therapist
John uses a person-centered and strengths based approach to his work with children, teens, and adults addressing anxiety,
depression, self-harm, prevention, trauma, anger, and life transitions. John brings years of experience to
his practice having worked in various fields from juvenile justice, suicide prevention, hospital settings,
and experiential groups.
Sydney Wendels

Sydney Wendels

Mental Health Therapist
Sydney works with individual’s experiencing anxiety, depression and low self-esteem. She specializes in providing services to those struggling with addiction, substance use disorder and providing support to those finding and maintaining their path to recovery.
Angela Merriman

Angela Merriman

Mental Health Therapist
Angela works with ages 13 and up, as well as adults, approaching treatment with a focus on individuality and recognizing the client as the expert on their life. She specializes in treating symptoms of depression, anxiety, self-harm behaviors, and body-focused repetitive behaviors. She also works in substance use treatment, supporting individuals on their journey to recovery, advocating for community acceptance, and teaching shame resilience.
Samantha Garcia

Samantha Garcia

Mental Health Counselor

Samantha works with those experiencing anxiety, depression and family or relationship conflicts.  She also works with those who are dealing with the complexities of caring and advocating for loved ones with disabilities. Samantha also works with couples who are seeking efforts for better communication in their relationship.

Brendan O’Donnel

Brendan O’Donnel

Mental Health Therapist
Brendan helps those who are experiencing anxiety or depression, seeking better self awareness and understanding, coping with complex medical concerns, confronting mortality, or distress related to some aspect of sexuality. He offers a safe and supportive environment to explore pathways to balance and well-being. Brendan also works with couples who are seeking efforts for better communication in their relationship.
Jeannine Wilkinson

Jeannine Wilkinson

Mental Health Therapist
Jeannine specializes in work with teens, adolescents, and young
adults. Jeannine has helped this
population manage anger, anxiety, low self-esteem, depression, cognitive impairments, attention
deficit hyperactivity disorder, emotional impairments, autism, and impulse control concerns.

WELCOME

MENTAL WELLNESS COUNSELING

FROM WORRY TO WELLNESS

DEPRESSION TO HAPPINESS

FRUSTRATION AND CHAOS TO HAVING A PLAN FOR PEACEFULNESS

We help parents who are getting too many calls from the principal to have a plan for their kids and get fewer calls from the school.

Through counseling couples that are disconnected and fighting find that spark that was there and learn how to build the fire of their relationship.

When life seems chaotic and confusing we help to guide and direct you to find peace and happiness.

Clients that are depressed and sad work to create a plan to get out of the house, exercise more, and build happiness into their life.

We’re in the business of transformation! Through counseling, we join you in the process of moving from frustration, anxiety, depression, and hopelessness to having a clear plan for creating a happier and better life. People come to Mental Wellness Counseling for a variety of reasons from depression to divorce, parenting to probation, anxiety to anorexia, we cover a lot of issues. We help people to set goals for their life and find more happiness and fulfillment, will you join us in helping you make life better?

GETTING STARTED

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

How do I pay for counseling?

Understanding counseling, insurance, and payment can be confusing. If at any time you want our help, just let us know. Call or email us to see if we can directly bill you insurance, help you seek reimbursement through your HSA account or get information about private pay rates. We’d love to walk you through the process of getting counseling started.

Is counseling confidential?

In Traverse City, it’s usually not a big deal to run into someone. It’s sort of the charm of the area. But when that person is your counselor, you should know exactly how confidential your information is! We take your confidentiality very seriously! 

Not only is counseling protected by federal law, but we go well beyond what is required. We’d love to tell you more if you have questions.

Right Counselor for me?

You always get to choose your counselor. Even if you start with one, you can always switch. We want you to have the very best fit at our Traverse City counseling practice. When we look to bring on new counselors, we look for people that can cover a wide variety of issues. We have counselors that work from infant mental health all the way to retirement. You always have a choice!

TESTIMONIALS

OUR CLIENTS SAY

  • “[My counselor] was a good listener, and could readily focus on the core matter(s) at hand. He was able to address my key issues, and was able to guide me towards a perspective I may not have considered otherwise.”
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  • “The approach was very comfortable and accessible… meaning, it was easy to open up right away, which allowed the progress we made happen more quickly.”
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  • “[I learned] better ways to communicate.”
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  • “He didn’t force me to [change] but was like a motivational speaker.”
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  • “My counselor does a great job and should continue with their present strategies.”
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  • “I made changes in my life as a direct result of counseling to be more positive.”
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  • “My counselor helped me make some very valuable changes in my parenting choices.”
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COUNSELING BLOG

ADVICE FROM THE COUNSELORS

  • Why Don’t People Go To Therapy

    Read more
    Why don’t people go to therapy? We go to the dentist every six months for cleanings and check-ups. We go to the doctor when we are sick. We get our hair cut or our nails done as needed, or as desired to feel and look our best. We get a massage or go to the…

  • Dating your Spouse

    Read more
    Whether you have been with your spouse for 2 years or 20 years, it’s normal to hit a period of boredom in your relationship. The everyday responsibilities of life like taking care of the household, going to work, taking care of the pets or children and the many other roles each partner may take on;…

  • Battling Negative Thinking

    Read more
    Many times you may catch yourself with negative thoughts running rampant through your head. Although it may feel that these thoughts have a mind of their own, you have much more power than you may believe. The good news is that you are able to switch out those negative thoughts for positive ones with the…

  • Stress: Being on the Offense

    Read more
    Deadlines, busy schedules, taking care of others, dysfunctional relationships, unrealistic expectations for ourselves and others can all bring about feelings of stress. Even through intensely stressful times many of us can function, go to work, care for their families, and even participate in social events; all while ignoring the need to care for ourselves. Oftentimes…

  • Creating Our New Normal: Shifting From Fear to Strength during the Health Crisis

    Read more
    Our New Normal: Originally published in the Traverse City Record Eagle Nicole Ball, LMSW Life has changed Life has changed. For everyone. In so many ways. Many of us are now working from home. Maybe trying to balance parenting while working; and we are struggling. Many of us have lost our jobs or our businesses;…

  • Grief During the Holidays

    Read more
    The holiday season is considered ‘the most wonderful time of the year’. But for those who have lost loved ones, it can be the most difficult time of the year. The approaching holidays can feel discouraging and often come with a complicated mix of sadness, sorrow, anger and pain as we miss the ones we…

  • Practicing Gratitude during a time of Uncertainty

    Read more
    By: Nicole Ball, LMSW Mental Health Therapist and Owner of Mental Wellness Counseling: A Traverse City Counseling Practice Things are tough right now. Many of us are struggling to see the brighter side of things. When we do, it might come in waves; one day we are productive and feeling optimistic about the future, and…

  • Winter Blues or Seasonal Affective Disorder: When To Seek Help

    Read more
    For many of us, winter brings what is sometimes called the “winter blues” or “cabin fever”.  Most of us in Northern Michigan are familiar with these feelings. Lack of sunlight and being cooped up in our homes for months can cause low energy, frustration and the longing for warm summer weather. The promise of spring…

  • It might be depression

    Read more
    Summer is upon us, the air is warming, the flowers are in bloom, and the winter blah is over…or is it? Maybe someone you love is dealing with the “summer blues.” We assume that when the weather improves, so will our feelings of isolation and lethargy. But for over 16 million American adults, depression is…

  • How to Handle Anxiety

    Traverse City counseling practice
    Read more
    Imagine your boss tells you that you need to go to a networking event. What is your first emotional response? For many people they may not want to go, but they would make it work. Some would be excited. For about 18% of the population, it would probably trigger their anxiety. According to the Anxiety…

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