Our clinical team.

SARA RANSSI, MA, MSW, LICSW, RPT-S, SEP

Sara Ranssi is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker with almost 20 years of experience working in the deaf community. Sara is also a Registered Play Therapist and Supervisor (RPT-S) and a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (SEP). She specializes in providing culturally and language specific mental health services for deaf, deaf/blind and hard of hearing individuals of all ages. Sara received her undergraduate degree in Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh.

Sara then earned a MA in Deafness Rehabilitation Counseling from Northern Illinois University, working in adult mental health, before going on to get her MSW from the University of Minnesota and finding great enjoyment working with children and adolescents. In addition to her therapy work, Sara provides clinical social work and play therapy supervision. She is the owner of Hope and Healing Family Counseling, LLC and a founding member of Safe Haven. Sara presents nationally on understanding and treating trauma in children and adolescents with hearing loss.
Fun Fact: Sara played basketball in college and still enjoys playing today. Sara’s other interests include yoga, running, restoring old furniture, and hiking in the mountains.
More information about Sara’s work can be found here.

MARIT APPELDOORN, MSW, LICSW, RPT-S

Marit Appeldoorn, MSW, LICSW, RPT-S is a psychotherapist, supervisor, and consultant in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Earlham College and a master’s degree in clinical social work from Smith College, and has over 25 years of experience providing mental health care to children, families, and adults. She also provides clinical social work and play therapy supervision, and has a particular interest in burnout healing and prevention for helping professionals. She loves teaching, training, and consultation, and specializes in a reflective and integrative approach to both therapy and supervision.

Marit is a TraumaPlay Certified Therapist and a Registered Play Therapist/Supervisor. She is also a co-owner of Safe Haven.
Fun Fact: When not at work, Marit enjoys good coffee, yoga, cooking projects, travel, and spending time with her family.

PATRICIA SANDKAMP, MA, LMFT

Patricia Sandkamp (also known as Patty or Ms. Patty) has a passion for working with children and their caregivers in service of the well-being and development during the early childhood and elementary aged years. Patricia has a Masters of Arts in Family Life Education (MA) from Concordia University in Minnesota, and completed a post-graduate Licensure Only Track for Marriage and Family Therapy through Adler Graduate School, in Minnesota. Patricia is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) who is in process of attaining the Registered Play Therapist (RPT) designation. Patricia has experience in working with family systems and children facing challenges related to anxiety, trauma, foster care or pre-adoption, self-esteem, ADHD, Autism, grief /loss, family life changes including a child’s adjustment to those planned and unplanned life changes.

Patricia applies play techniques from a child directive and/or therapist lead perspective, dependent on the approach needed for each child/family. Patricia believes a child’s success in therapeutic work is best supported through a perspective of partnering with the child’s primary caregivers in service of the child’s therapeutic growth. Being a caregiver/parent is the hardest and most important job in the world! From a system’s perspective, when one aspect of a system is challenged or stuck, the whole system feels it, so shifting just one part of a family system (i.e. a child), will affect the whole of the family; but is not the only solution as leaders within a family group will also have the opportunity for growth and renewal through the progress of the child client.

MIKAELA DUNN, MSW, LICSW

Mikaela is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) with over a decade of experience providing therapy to children, teens, adults, and families across a variety of settings, including crisis stabilization, intensive in-home, school-based, and outpatient therapy. She earned her undergraduate degree from the College of Saint Benedict and her Master of Social Work from St. Catherine University and the University of St. Thomas.

Mikaela currently works with adults navigating challenges such as anxiety, career stress, self-doubt, depression, panic, life transitions, PTSD and trauma, ADHD, and OCD. She is a certified EMDR therapist and takes an integrative approach, drawing also from Anchored Relational Therapy (formerly AIR Network), trauma and attachment focused modalities, I-CBT, and polyvagal theory.

Fun Fact: Outside of work, Mikaela enjoys exploring new restaurants, spending time near Minnesota’s beautiful lakes, and diving into her favorite podcasts, books, and shows.

DANA NAGEL, MA, LMFT, RPT-S

Dana is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and a Board Approved Supervisor. Dana earned her bachelor’s degree in Child Psychology from the University of Minnesota and a Master degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Adler Graduate School. Dana is a Board Approved Supervisor for the Board of Marriage and Family Therapy and Board of Behavioral Health as well as a Registered Play Therapist Supervisor.

Dana specializes in young children and their families providing evidence based therapeutic interventions. As a registered play therapist, she is rostered in Child Parent Psychotherapy (CPP), trained in Circle of Security (COS) and Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT). Dana has over 20 years of experience working with young children and their families, working collaboratively with the family system.

Dana has experience working with behavioral/relational issues, grief and loss, divorce/co-parenting, trauma, neurodiversity and anxiety. Dana utilizes directive and non-directive play therapy techniques with clients.
Fun Fact: Dana enjoys spending time with her family and two dogs going on walks and spending time exploring nature, doing puzzles, going to the movies, camping and traveling.

ABBEY GITZEL, MSW, PROVISIONAL LICSW

As a therapist, I am dedicated to centering my practice on the strengths and uniqueness of each and every one of my clients. My background in social work has instilled a perspective that views each individual from a holistic lens, taking into consideration the various systems that impact the clients I work with. I also strongly believe that we, as humans, are built with a profound ability to know what we need to heal. Sometimes we need extra support to get there and my passion is to guide my practice on this inherent wisdom from each individual. Central to this practice is a compassionate, understanding, and collaborative relationship between the therapist and the client. I am honored to walk, run, or fight alongside my clients as they dive into the beautiful journey to healing.

I am trained in Play Therapy and utilize non-directive techniques in my practice. My areas of interest and experiences include play therapy, trauma, loss and grief, anxiety, depression, life adjustments or disruptions, family conflict, and parenting support. I primarily work with children and their caregivers.

CHLOE BRITZIUS, MSW, LICSW

Chloe received her undergraduate degree in Human Development and Family Studies from the University of Madison and her Master’s in Social Work from the University of Minnesota. She feels honored to have worked with children and their families for more than a decade. During this time, Chloe has worked with the Minnesota Prison Doula Project, Washburn Center for Children’s Day Treatment program, and provided outpatient therapy in elementary schools and in-home.

Chloe believes that we all need each other and is amazed by the resiliency of humans. She utilizes different therapeutic modalities depending on each persons’ needs and interests, including directive and non-directive play therapy, mindfulness, and CBT. She utilizes a strengths based, relational, trauma informed lens throughout her work.

In her spare time, Chloe enjoys time in nature, biking, cooking, laughing and listening to music with family and friends.

EMILIA BENDLER, MSW, LGSW

Emilia (Emi) Bendler is a Licensed Graduate Social Worker who recently relocated to the Twin Cities from Iowa. She completed her Master's Degree in Social Work at the University of Iowa in 2024. With a background in community mental health, she is passionate about helping children, adolescents, and families in understanding difficult emotions and finding processing and coping strategies that work for them. While she enjoys working with all ages, Emilia specializes in treating older children and teens. She is trained in Child Centered Play Therapy, Sand Tray Therapy, and Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT). Emi also has experience in using modalities such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectic Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Exposure and Response Therapy (ERP). Emi's experience with ACT, DBT, and CBT combined with her training in play therapy techniques provides the opportunity for clients to process and explore feelings and experiences through a different lens that is personally suited to them.

Emi's background in PCIT has given her the unique experience of parent coaching and helping families build secure attachment in order to create a safe environment for children and teens to communicate, express, and cope with feelings in a safe way.
Fun Fact: In her personal time, Emi likes to write and perform music, travel, hike, read, take walks, and hang out with her husband and two dogs.

Lauren Brenny, MS, LPC

Lauren (she/her) is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) who is passionate about tailoring her approach to find what works best for each individual in their therapeutic journey. Lauren received her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Wisconsin Eau-Claire and a master’s degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from St. Cloud State University. She is trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR).

Lauren believes that people who experience mental health struggles and trauma are incredibly strong, resilient, and deserve to find peace. She prefers a more compassionate, empathetic, and gentle approach to therapy, combined with an intersectional perspective to consider all aspects of the situation and help you find your voice and be true to yourself. Lauren uses a person-centered, strengths-based, eclectic lens, combined with various therapeutic approaches and coping skills to create an experience that will fit each individual and their unique needs. Lauren enjoys working with a variety of mental health concerns including, but not limited to, PTSD, trauma, neurodiversity (Autism, ADHD), 2SLGBTQIA+ issues, gender issues, gender dysphoria, chronic pain, chronic illness, Disability, and career development.
Lauren prefers to work with individuals who are ages 6 and older. She is particularly passionate about working with individuals who are neurodiverse (ADHD/Autism), have disabilities, or identify within the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.