About
Welcome to TouchingTrees.
Learn about our experience and approach.
The TouchingTrees Approach
Our practice and services are focused on helping individuals, couples, and families learn to manage stress from relationships. Some of the most stressful times, of course, are when a divorce or separation is going on, so that is often how we enter into someone's life. Our involvement can include individual therapy, couples therapy, family therapy, Discernment Counseling, decoupling counseling, and coaching.
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Our approaches include looking at the ways you are feeling "stuck" through emotional, physical, and financial attachments to a stressful relationship. From there, we work together to understand how you got to where you are, why you are motivated to change now, and how you can achieve your personal goals. Those goals may include goals related to parenting, to partnering, or to growing into a more authentic identity.
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We use strategies from Internal Family Systems, Adlerian therapy, systems theory, and structural theory, as well as values integration and vulnerability exploration. Sometimes the best vehicle for growth is a trusting relationship with a therapist, and we strive to provide that to every one of the people we work with.
First Sessions
Our first meeting or two is a great way for you to share as many thoughts and feelings as you want. The more we can learn from you, the better we can tailor your therapeutic experience to meet your needs. We'll be taking lots of notes during these sessions!
Next Visits
Depending on your needs, we will work together to figure out the patterns that are getting (or keeping) you stuck. We will also work together to create a plan to make the most of our time together. We want you to feel so much better after participating in therapy, and understanding and changing patterns and cycles is a great way to do that.
Therapeutic Orientation
We believe that the client's needs determine the type of therapy we do together. Generally, we like to integrate any number of theories and strategies into our work with you. We're always learning, too, so don't be surprised if we share with you some book or concept we just discovered if we think it would be a help to you.
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Jenni's Experience & Focus
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
M.A. in Marriage and Family Therapy, Argosy University
Recipient of a Lilly Endowment Fellowship to Indiana University for Secondary Education
B.A. in English Composition, DePauw University
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Jenni specializes in post-divorce issues related to emotional, physical, and financial attachment, as well as decoupling counseling. She is trained in Prepare/Enrich, Discernment Counseling, Mediation, and Parenting Consulting.
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* Author of Outsmart Your High-Stress Divorce
* Presenter of Outsmart Your High-Conflict Relationship
* Author/Presenter of "Divorce, Everlasting" to Minnesota Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (MAMFT)
* Experience providing therapy to young adults with developmental disabilities, as well as their families
* Author of Child Less Parent, Basement Daisies, Fence Pumpkins, Serotiny, and Cape of Leaves
Jenni McBride McNamara, LMFT
Pronouns: She/her
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Have you ever thought, "My ex or spouse or partner or parent or friend is driving me crazy! I can't handle this anymore!"? If so, you've come to the right place. Dealing with high-conflict personalities can be exhausting, depressing, and worrisome, but seeing a therapist with experience can make a huge difference. A therapeutic relationship with someone who understands can be the catalyst for positive, sometimes unanticipated, change. You don't have to be stuck, endure, or suffer forever. You can find your inspired self and be free of the stress of a high conflict relationship.
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At TouchingTrees, we offer a safe space and hope for the future for those of you who are tired of feeling overwhelmed by the craziness of a stressful relationship. We also love working with couples who are trying to decide what to do with their relationship; we have a proprietary process that gets us focused right away.
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Sometimes the best kind of therapist is the one who not only gets you, but also gets the situation you're in.
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Developer of High Conflict Relationships: Rescue, Recovery, and Restoration
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Developer of the High Conflict Relationship Therapy training program for professionals
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Author of Outsmart Your High-Stress Divorce
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Author of Child Less Parent, Basement Daisies, Fence Pumpkins, Serotiny, and Cape of Leaves
Keith Munson, LMFT
Pronouns: He/him
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Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
MS, Counseling and Student Personnel, Minnesota State University, Mankato
MFT, St. Mary’s University of MN
BA, Psychology and Family Studies, St. Olaf College
Serves:
Adults, couples, families, and adolescents.
Specific areas of interest:
Couples counseling; relational issues; anxiety and depression; separation, divorce, co-parenting, and blending families; men’s issues; life transitions; career exploration/search.
There are times in our lives when our challenges can feel overwhelming, and we find ourselves searching for ways to manage difficult times and improve our situation. This journey can be more manageable with a partner by our side. In my therapy, I work with my clients to form a strong partnership. Together, we will develop solutions to the challenges you face. We will discover ways to manage your stress,
improve communication, and work towards the life you hope for. Whether you are facing relationship challenges, separation and divorce, are overwhelmed by the challenges of parenting, or are searching for your ideal path in life, I hope to be your partner in this journey.
My style of therapy is very eclectic and I match my techniques with the needs of each client. I often draw from CBT, DBT, Gottmann concepts, Relational Life Therapy and EFT theories as well as others. I also am a very practical therapist and I strive to find realistic solutions to address client concerns. Lastly, I am empathetic to my clients. I have faced many of the same challenges as my clients and this allows me to draw on my own experience as well as theory and bring a unique perspective to therapy.​
Jenni's Experience & Focus
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
M.A. in Marriage and Family Therapy, Argosy University
Recipient of a Lilly Endowment Fellowship to Indiana University for Secondary Education
B.A. in English Composition, DePauw University
​
Jenni specializes in post-divorce issues related to emotional, physical, and financial attachment, as well as decoupling counseling. She is trained in Prepare/Enrich, Discernment Counseling, Mediation, and Parenting Consulting.
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* Author of Outsmart Your High-Stress Divorce
* Presenter of Outsmart Your High-Conflict Relationship
* Author/Presenter of "Divorce, Everlasting" to Minnesota Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (MAMFT)
* Experience providing therapy to young adults with developmental disabilities, as well as their families
* Author of Child Less Parent, Basement Daisies, Fence Pumpkins, Serotiny, and Cape of Leaves
Stephanie Nelson, LMFT
Pronouns: She/her
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Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
M.A. in Marriage and Family Therapy, Argosy University
I am trained and licensed as a Marriage and Family Therapist and have 12+ years of clinical experience working with children and families. The majority of my experience has been providing mental health support to children in school settings; however, I have also worked in day treatment, shelter, and hospital settings. I am a MN board approved clinical supervisor and I oversee multiple school-based mental health programs in St. Paul through another organization.
I am a systemic, relational therapist and prioritize the establishment of trust and safety in my relationships with clients. In my work with children, the use of games, sensory items, activities, art, and play help foster this relationship and provide means for self-expression. Not only do play and creativity provide metaphors for which children can process their experiences, they also build a child’s capacity for problem solving, self-esteem and expression of feelings. I am happy to discuss with you any questions or concerns you might have about my therapeutic style and approach.
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You may be thinking, "Hey Jenni -- does TouchingTrees take my insurance?""There's a short answer to that question, but I'd like to start with what would probably be your quick second question: "Why not?"
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"Why don't you take insurance?""You know, until I became a mental health practitioner, I had no idea there was a unique relationship between mental health and the insurance process. We all assume that our medical and mental health information is confidential, right? And that's true, except for when we sign that little authorization form that allows our medical providers to communicate with our insurance company. Now, I'm totally okay letting my doctor tell my insurance company that I've got a need for antibiotics -- that way my appointment and my antibiotics will get paid for (or at least applied toward my deductible). Over time, I've become less okay with the idea of insurance companies having information about relationship issues.
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"What's wrong with insurance companies to have information about my relationship issues?""That, by itself, isn't necessarily the problem. The problem is that insurance companies require a diagnosis of a mental disorder in order to process a claim for treatment. If I have an infection, it gets diagnosed and I get treated. However, relationship issues aren't infections. They are specific issues related to how we communicate, trust, attach, decouple, stress each other out, and interact. In order to use insurance, you have to receive a diagnosis of a mental disorder. If you're coming in as a couple in crisis, only one of you gets a diagnosis, which can be a problem because...
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"Because what if I'm a mess because my spouse is cheating and I show up anxious and depressed?""Exactly. In that case, you'd be the one who gets the diagnosis. What I've seen happen are a few things that can be a particular bummer for the individual who gets a diagnosis. A) The couple splits up and the diagnosis is used against the partner who has it... and/or B) The couple splits up and the individual with the diagnosis -- particularly if it's a diagnosis of depression -- has a more difficult time securing life insurance later (sadly, this is a real thing)..., or C) the couple stays together, but one of them has the label of being less mentally secure than the other -- tilting the balance of power in the relationship.
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"Okay, so you don't take insurance. Why should I come see you then?""Thank you for asking! The fact that I DON'T take insurance benefits you in 4 specific ways. ​ a) Your protected health information is ALWAYS private and confidential. With rare exception, an ex can't use a diagnosis against you. From a financial standpoint, you don't have a diagnosis that can cause you to pay higher rates for other types of insurance. b) Your therapy plan is designed to meet your needs and is not dictated by an insurance company's algorithm of how long it "should" take to treat a specific issue. c) My rates are slightly lower because I don't have to split fees with the insurance company. d) You can still submit my fees to your Health Savings Account for reimbursement.
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"Great, when can I come in for an appointment?""Email info@touchingtrees.com or call 612-888-2522 at any time and we'll get back to you within 24-48 hours. We always try to get you in as soon as possible. Please know, though, that sometimes it can take 2-4 weeks for an opening. Thanks in advance for your patience!