Professional counselors and therapists in the Palmer - Wasilla area that specialize in addressing PTSD, sexual assault, and other traumatic events.
Trauma happens when life experiences elude a person’s natural ability to process something in a healthy way. When someone’s system becomes so overwhelmed with threat, that their sense of safety and belonging in the world is compromised. This threat can at times be to their physical person, such as when one is in a car accident or a natural disaster. Or, it can be a mental or emotional threat, such as the loss of a loved one.
Trauma can occur in circumstances of abuse (physical, sexual, mental, emotional), when one has witnessed or been exposed to domestic violence, situations of loss or grief, car accidents, natural disasters, house fires…all kinds of things can be traumatic.
Our Mat-Su Mental Health providers in Wasilla are adept at navigating symptoms that often result from traumatic experiences. These symptoms can include, but are not necessarily limited to; flashbacks, insomnia, nightmares, fear, anxiety, mistrust, hyper-vigilance, agitation, irritability, hostility, self-destructive behaviors, social isolation, loss of interest or pleasure in activities one once enjoyed, guilt, loneliness, emotional detachment and unwanted thoughts.
Meet the team of professional trauma 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.
What you can expect from trauma counseling.
At Mat-Su Mental Health, you can expect a comprehensive approach to treat the troubling symptoms you’re dealing with. Whether distress related to a single incident trauma brings you in, or you have a more complex history, you and your provider will work together to better understand how unresolved elements from your past, impact your present. Therapeutic inventions will most likely include the use of cutting edge modalities, such as EMDR, Brainspotting or Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, all modalities that address trauma on a nuerobiological level.
As we are always working to offer care in wholistic and comprehensive manner, other areas of focus when addressing sytmpoms of trauma will likely include, but are not limited to:
Psycho-education and brain based science to help you understand what’s happening with trauma on a physiological level.
Coping skills to support you in managing difficult symptoms when they arise.
Ongoing discussion and evaluation of lifestyle choices that may be contributing to or exacerbating your symptoms. Areas of exploration may include:
Sleep
Diet/ nutrition
Supplementation
Exercise/ movement
Connectedness (time with family, friends)
Play
Time in nature
Self care
A practical and effective self-care plan to support you in managing your symptoms prior to them becoming overwhelming and unmanageable.
Can specialized trauma counseling really help?
It’s worthy of noting that trauma comes in all kinds of shapes and sizes. Yes, there are “Big T traumas”, such as war and assault and all the terrible things you think would qualify. But there are also “little t“ traumas, such as repeated incidents of shaming, chronic feelings of being unsafe or uncared for due to having an alcoholic parent, or totally bombing a speech in the 9th grade that left you feeling exposed and vulnerable and stupid. That speech experience, for example, might keep one from public speaking opportunities in the future. Or, it could be even more insidious, like keeping someone from speaking up in team meetings at work, because just the thought of sharing an opinion evokes the exact same physiological experience of panic, shame, and vulnerability that became embedded in that person’s nervous system during that 9th grade speech.
Trauma is awful, and it can impact a person’s life in all kinds of ways. Much like anxiety and depression, it is not a respecter of persons, and does not discriminate. If not addressed, trauma can lead to a cascade of issues that can be incredibly disruptive and debilitating to one’s health and happiness. If you, or someone you love is dealing with troubling symptoms that may be rooted in a traumatic experience, please reach out. Our providers in the Valley would be honored to come alongside you as you work towards healing, health and wholeness.
How long does Trauma 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 contributing variables. We will build skills for managing symptoms and explore root causes that may be underlying your distress. We will take as little or as much time as you need, but we will do our very best to get you back about the business of living your life.
How to schedule a trauma counseling session in Wasilla.
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 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.