Professional counseling services for teens and young adults in the Palmer - Wasilla area, Alaska.
Being an adolescent these days is more challenging than ever. The pressures coming at our teenagers are many, and as a result, it is all too common for adolescents to deal with difficult symptoms that negatively impact their ability to function. These challenges and pressures paired with hormones, the natural process of pushing against primary relationships, and the fierce pressures that result from living in a technology driven society, are just a few of the dynamics that fuel distress in today’s adolescent.
Our teen counselors are adept at navigating these challenging circumstance alongside you and your adolescent. We are skilled at coming along side, building rapport, and creating a safe place for your teen to process and explore the various challenges they are facing. Additionally, our counselors utilize brain based information to inform the work they do with teens, and are well versed on the changing and developing adolescent brain.
Our therapeutic processes focus on strengthening sense of self, exploring values, identifying goals, building skills, providing education, nurturing connection, tapping into strengths, and addressing the underlying causes of distress. Various interventions will be utilized to support your adolescent in this process, as our counselors utilize a wholistic and comprehensive approach that supports the creation of positive and healthy habits for life.
From diet and sleep, to mindfulness and movement, our providers will work to address the many variables that are likely contributing to your teens struggles. The family will be called upon to support the implementation and supervision of various interventions that will work collectively in supporting your teen towards overall heath and wellness.
Meet the team of professional teen counselors.
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Dr. Abigail Millard - PsyD
Abegail has been serving clients in the mental health field since 2017, and has experience working with people across the lifespan. She enjoys carrying a diverse caseload, and has worked with an array of clients across a variety of settings. As a 10-year Veteran of the United States Coast Guard, she is especially passionate about providing psychological support to Veterans, and Active Duty personnel. She is thrilled to call Alaska home, while taking advantage of every opportunity for adventure. When not at work, you will find Abegail practicing yoga, paddle boarding, ice fishing, or entertaining friends and family.
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Sarah Bannister - LPC
Sarah is a Licensed Professional Counselor with 22 years of experience working within the mental health field. Though she has served clients in a variety of settings, the last 8 years have been dedicated to offering counseling support to individuals, groups and families in the private practice setting. When not working, Sarah can most often be found outside; hiking in Alaska’s stunning mountains, training for her next long distance run, adventuring with her daughters, or enjoying the quiet of an outdoor space with a cup of coffee and a good book.
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Mary Kuepper - LPC-S
Mary has over a decade of experience working in community based mental health. Though she has worked with people across the lifespan, she specializes in work with kids, teens and families, as well as in maternal mental health. Mary is passionate about giving people the tools they need to not only function well, but to thrive in their everyday life. Though not native to Alaska, she has fallen in love with the abundant resources of this beautiful place. When not working with clients, Mary can be found adventuring, hiking and exploring. She loves to fly fish our local creeks, dig in the dirt of her backyard garden, and get in quality time with her friends, and beautiful family.
The structure of adolescent therapy sessions can vary greatly, depending on the circumstances that bring a family in for counseling. An initial session will vary depending on your wishes, and may include just the teen, the parent and the teen, or the parent and the provider.
Our Mat-Su Mental Health counselors serving Wasilla, and the surrounding areas, believe that as the parent, your involvement is essential in helping your adolescent make positive changes. While respecting confidentiality and being mindful of your teens privacy, our providers make a habit of facilitating open communication between you and your teen. There will always be the opportunity to do a “check in” either prior to or following session, to ensure everyone on the treatment team is “on the same page.” During this time, your adolescent will be encouraged to share their experience of session, what they learned, what they’re taking away, or what their “homework” is.
Generally, therapy sessions with teens and adolescents occur one time weekly for 50-60 minutes. However, depending on the circumstances that bring your teen into therapy and the interventions being used, it is at times helpful to flex this schedule according to your specific needs. It is not uncommon for adolescent sessions to occur two times weekly, or to occur in 90 minute increments rather than the traditional 60 minute session. These details will be discussed with you and your teen throughout the process.
What you can expect from teen counseling.
How long does professional teen counseling typically last?
The length of time an individual is in counseling is situation specific and can vary. However, we at Mat-Su Mental Health are passionate about giving our clients the tools and skills they need to thrive and function well. We will cast a wide net at the onset, looking for all the variables that may be contributing to your teens distress. We will build skills for managing symptoms and explore underlying root causes. We will take as little or as much time as they need, but we will do our very best to get your teen back about the business of living their life.
Could your teen benefit from counseling?
There are numerous emotional difficulties that your teen may be facing. From low self esteem, depression, anxiety and eating disorders, to engaging in risky decision making, such as substance abuse, these behaviors need to be addressed, not ignored. Common issues that bring teens and adolescents in for counseling include, but are not limited to:
Disordered eating patterns
Organizational and academic difficulties
Difficulty with focus, attention concentration
Difficulty with motivation, apathy, follow through
Bullying
Sleep problems
Behavior problems
History of abuse (physical, sexual, emotional)
History of trauma
Social skill issues
Coping with grief, loss
Coping with parents separation, divorce, transitions
Coping skills problems
Our providers serving Wasilla, and the surrounding areas, are experienced at exploring the underlying factors that may be contributing to your teen’s difficulties, and identifying the root cause of their behavior.
How to schedule a session with one of our teen counselors or therapists.
Ready to get started? Call or email us today. Our contact info is at the bottom of this page.
Once you reach out, our on-boarding admin will contact you to gather information regarding your specific situation. They will explore with you what provider will likely best meet your needs, and support you in getting set up in our electronic health record.
Mat-Su Mental Health uses Simple Practice, a medical record and portal system that will allow for confidential and HIPAA compliant messaging that ensures your privacy. You will be sent a portal link that directs you to online documentation to be completed prior to your initial session.
This is a great time to ask any questions you might have. After all, where you go for support is your choice, and we want you to feel empowered to assess whether or not we are the right fit for you! Here at Mat-Su Mental Health, our providers believe that a strong therapeutic relationship is essential in the process of creating change. These initial conversations are important in assessing fit, as therapy is not “one size fits all.”
Our MSMH office is conveniently located in Wasilla. Feel free to arrive a few minutes prior to your child’s scheduled session to grab a cup of tea and relax before session begins. We look forward to meeting you, and are honored you have chosen us to do this work alongside you.
FAQ’s
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Yes, we bill insurance on behalf of our clients. We also accept self pay clients.
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We do not offer a sliding scale fee for services. Many community based mental health agencies in our area, such as Denali Family Services and Matsu Health Services, do. We would encourage you to reach out to one of them if you are in need of/ looking for services offered on a sliding scale.
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We are in network with Premera, Blue Cross Blue Shield, United Healthcare, UMR, TriCare, TriWest and Moda. We bill most other insurances as a courtesy; many of which offer out of network benefits. If you are not insured with one of the above contracted payers, we would encourage you to reach out to your insurance company and find out the specifics regarding your out of network benefits for mental health services in an office setting. More often than not, our clients find out that services are covered, most often after having met their deductible.
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MSMH has a 24 hour cancellation policy. Though our providers certainly realize that “life happens” and late cancellations are sometimes unavoidable, we do ask that you do your best to notify your provider of a cancellation 24 hours prior to your scheduled session. Doing so allows us to fulfill other clients scheduling needs, and best serve our community.
This policy is in place out of respect for our providers, AND our clients. Cancellations with less than 24 hours notice are difficult to fill. By giving last minute notice, or no notice at all, someone else is prevented from scheduling into that cancelled slot, and a 60 minute hole is left in your providers schedule.
Please be aware that clients who no call/ no show or cancel last minute will be responsible for the full billable cost of their missed session.
In an effort to avoid such circumstances, MSMH does offer a courtesy contact, either by text or voicemail, 24 hours prior to your scheduled session. Should you receive this notice and realize you are unable to attend the following days appointment, please communicate that directly with your provider through a phone call, text or email.
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At MSMH, we do not have a psychiatrist or prescribing physician on staff. Unfortunately, we do not offer any medication management services at our practice. If you think you may benefit from medication, please reach out to your Primary Care Physician, and or a community based mental health agency, as they do have med management providers in house. We are happy to offer therapeutic supports to pair alongside med management services, but we do not do the prescribing.
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We do not offer court mandated evaluations. If you have been ordered by the court to receive an evaluation, you can likely get this completed at one of the community based mental health agencies in our area.
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Inform us as soon as possible about any insurance changes. Please bring your new insurance card to your next appointment and any related documents.
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We offer individual therapy, couples counseling, family therapy, group therapy, and specialized counseling for issues like anxiety, depression, and PTSD.
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Each counseling session typically lasts 50 minutes. We also offer extended sessions upon request.
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Yes, we provide online counseling through a secure telehealth platform. You can book these sessions just like in-person appointments.
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Confidentiality is paramount in our sessions. Information is only shared with your consent, except in cases of harm to self or others, as required by law.
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In emergencies, call 911 or your local emergency number. You can also contact crisis hotlines for immediate assistance.
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Bring any relevant documents, a list of questions or concerns, and be ready to discuss your goals for therapy. Think about what you want to achieve through counseling.
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Yes, you can choose your therapist based on their specialties and your preferences. We can also help match you with a therapist who fits your needs.