Nancy K. Edwards, LICSW, MPH Professional License verified 5-3-05  by Find-a-Therapist.com. Verified annually thereafter.

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Nancy Edwards, LICSW, MPH

3065 North Shore Drive
Wayzata, Minnesota 55391



952-471-9332

 


Personal Statement

I am a seasoned therapist, meaning I've seen it all in the 30  years I've been  in the field. All of my clients come from the cultural belief that you're supposed to pull yourself up by your bootstraps.  Have you?  Unfortunately, many of us were simply not given the tools to make this happen as adults . . . that's where hiring on a change agent or personal guide can make all the difference in the world.
 
If you could've figured out how to resolve self defeating behavior or how to make relationships work, you would've by now.  People who finally take the risk of entering therapy almost always say that they regret not doing it years earlier.  Even this makes sense to me in that most of us have to repeat our mistakes enough times to finally realize that outside input may be needed in order to get a different result. 
 
The average age upon entering therapy is 40.  If you're younger that this, you've got a head start; if you're older, it is never too late to bring your life into peace and joy.  I once worked with an 80 year old man to overcome agoraphobia. One might say, "Why bother - he's going to die soon anyway."  I say, "Why not have even one month or one year of really feeling good and leaving this miracle for your survivors to remember you by?" 
 
Here is how therapy works.  You need to be emotionally uncomfortable enough to even do this work; then you need some kind of support for  your courage to do it ( friend, spouse, family member, etc.); finally, you will need a way to do it.  This is where a good therapist comes in.  It's kind of similar to a stool needing three legs.  Every therapist does this process differently, but it's critical that you feel comfortable, safe and respected by him/her.  Most people feel this right away or not at all.  The way I work with clients is to help them - most for the first time - tell their stories.  At first, it seems we can only identify chapter headings, but a good therapist will help you read your own book over time.  You may wonder, "Why does this matter?"  It matters because our present problems were not born in a vacuum.  Understanding how we got to be the way we are is critical to forgiving ourselves, feeling compassion for the child inside, and then making healthier choices for the future.  It is said, ( I don't recall by whom) that an unexamined life dooms us to repeat forever.
 
Therapy should not be a mystery.  It is, put simply, relief and growth from telling your life story to another human being who knows well how to listen, what to ask, what to say or not say. Another cultural belief is that we shouldn't dwell on the past; it can't be changed anyway. This is both true & untrue! Obviously, we can't "redo" the past BUT in exploring it and finally releasing our feelings about it, we CAN undo the grip our pasts still have on our lives in the present. This is the tricky part: most people are simply unaware of how powerfully their pasts still impact the present. A good therapist will help you navigate these waters and serve as a tether to reality along the way.

We have all been wounded along the way. The gift of therapy can be priceless if you have the courage to try it. The bottom line is really this: we must "feel" the woundedness in order to "heal". 

***Note for those seeking couple's counseling:
 
I've observed over and over how, when a couple's relationship is failing, one person tries to get both people into counseling. This can be daunting task.  Often the other person denies that there are problems, or has shut down so completely as to not want to even try counseling.

Fortunately, there’s a way out of this common dilemma: Individual therapy.  Although it takes two people to mess up a relationship, it only takes one to start getting the relationship back on track. I can help you see the whole picture, as well as  helping you get the participation of your partner.

As Ann Landers has said for years: "If your partner won't get help with you, go alone!". She couldn't be more right. There is no good enough reason to sit alone with the pain of a failing relationship when there's something you can do about it!

You may not be able to get your partner to seek help, but you can surely get it! No matter what the outcome of your relationship conflict may be, YOU can come through with clarity, resolve, and a sense of having done everything you could.

If trying to change your partner hasn't worked, it may be time to change YOURSELF.



Services Offered: 
Individual therapy, relationship therapy. adolescent counseling, Grief and Loss therapy, Depression and anxiety treatment, family of origin pain resolution, and much more . . .

Languages:
English

Client profile: 
M/F

Payments/Conditions:
My hourly rate is $110 for a full 60 minutes. I will provide a free half hour phone consultation prior to making an appointment.  I have a home office overlooking Lake Minnetonka and will conduct our sessions by the shore if asked. Sun block is extra.  I see clients during normal business hours and on Saturdays.  I am available by phone around the clock for emergencies.  

I accept Out-of Network insurance.  Most people aren't aware that they have such benefits, so I'll explain OON.  After meeting a small annual deductible, OON will usually cover 80% of up to 40 therapy sessions.  One of the best features of OON is that your confidentiality is protected because there is NO exchange of personal information between the therapist and your HMO.  Using in-network benefits results in a therapist repeatedly having to justify getting a few additional sessions by using your session records to build a case.  This can actually result in getting a lot fewer sessions each year.  Most HMO's do include OON - just call and ask about it.

Credentials/Training:   

Masters Degree in Social Work - University of Minnesota
Masters Degree in Public Health - University of Minnesota

License: #3766Professional License verified 5-3-05 by Find-a-Therapist.com. Verified annually thereafter.


Listed:
5-3-05

 

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