Behavioral Health Clinic

Hanging up on the wall of my office are 3 picture frames and next to them on a shelf is another. Across the room is a certificate and a professional license. There are also books, books, and more books. These framed, fancy pieces of paper signify years of education, education that came about from a couple of different factors. The first being that education was never optional in my family. It was an unspoken expectation that after high school, you do something. In order to do that something, finishing high school was mandatory. It didn’t matter what decision was made after high school, options included a 4-year degree, a 2-year degree, a technical certificate or diploma, or a job. The options were endless as long as it was  something . The second factor is a love for absorbing knowledge that I developed early. When I was growing up my dad called me a “sponge” because I would pull in any information I could. The library was one of my favorite places. I got my first library card when...

There are many reasons that can help explain why someone of any age is forgetful. I wish I could pin point it exactly and say “this is why,” but the truth is it is a little different for each person. There are some common difficulties that can contribute to forgetting things. These include symptoms of ADHD, depression, anxiety, trauma, bereavement… the list goes on. Working Memory is also known as short-term memory. These are things you hold in memory to complete a task. For example, you are packing up your child for school and need to send them with snowpants, boots, hat, gloves, and a lunch and mid-way through your list, your child reminds you that it is their snack day. They end up going to school with the snack, but you forgot to pack their gloves. Or you’re on the way out the door and you cannot recall where you left your keys. After all, they were right here, right? ADDitudemag.com says that research demonstrates that young children can only hold one or two items in memory. Worki...

Erinn McCabe, LPC, SAS, is a Licensed Professional Counselor with a Substance Abuse Specialty. She received her Master’s Degree in Mental Health Counseling from the University of Wisconsin-Stout. Erinn’s expertise includes providing individual, family, and couples therapy to address a wide variety of issues including anxiety, depression, relationship issues, LGBT struggles, parenting concerns, abuse and other trauma history, grief and loss, substance abuse, and other mental health concerns. Erinn provides play therapy for children ages 3 years and up and is trained in Theraplay-based methods to promote healthy attachment in children and adults. She is also trained in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) to help individuals that struggle with adjustment concerns and trauma. Erinn’s philosophy is grounded in interpersonal and cognitive behavioral therapy techniques, as well as mindfulness. Erinn is an open-minded individual who provides empathy and guidance to her clients...

The Behavioral Health Clinic provides counseling for couples who are concerned with their relationship functioning in the state of Wisconsin. We have counselors who can help you navigate many relationship stressors including differences in parenting, difficult personality and value clashes, repairing trust in the wake of infidelity, and unsatisfying or mismatched sexual relationships. We also work with individuals who are struggling with making decisions about his, her, of their relationship. Our counselors use evidence based couples interventions such as Emotionally-Focused Couples Therapy, Integrative Behavioral Couples Therapy, Behavioral Sex Therapy, and Gottman-informed techniques to promote the health and well-being of relationships and the individuals in them. If you’re interested in scheduling an appointment or you’d like more information, please  contact us .

Things can become chaotic in our lives, or at the very least, overwhelming at times and in those moments, we search for a sense of power and control. When we focus on what we have control over in times of distress we are better able to manage our mood, our thinking, and our actions. When we have power and control, we feel safe. This is no different for children. Children often attempt to control their environment which, when they are unsuccessful, can lead to them displaying negative moods and behaviors. A helpful way to guide your child through difficult moments is to share power with them when you feel it is appropriate. Continuing to use this technique even when the child is not in distress can also prevent negative situations from occurring. When I talk about sharing power and control, I mean giving your child some say over what occurs in their day-to-day life. You are the parent or caregiver, so you remain “the boss” in the situation however you can give the child control in small...

As much as you wish they could sometimes, your partner cannot read your mind. And you cannot read theirs either. We are very smart, perceptive creatures and often feel like we can pick up on patterns in our loved ones’ lives. Sometimes people become so predictable, it feels like we can anticipate others’ needs. Even though we get lucky with predicting or anticipating behavior or needs sometimes, we cannot do this in every situation. While predicting patterns can be harmless and even helpful at times; it is a precedent that can be harmful for people in relationships. Sometimes we may want our partners to ask the right question or say the right thing to make us feel better. No matter how long you have been in a relationship, this is not realistic for us to expect out of others. We may often be disappointed if we do set our expectations to this unrealistic standard. In addition, unrealistic expectations often lead to inaccurate assumptions about ourselves, our partners, or our relationshi...

Emily Peterson, MS, LPC is a Licensed Professional Counselor. She completed her Bachelor’s degree at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in Psychology and Interpersonal Communication. She then received her Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Winona State University. Ms. Peterson takes a humanistic and holistic approach with an emphasis in empathy and authenticity in the therapeutic environment. Her clinical experience is primarily with individuals and groups working on a wide spectrum of issues including Anxiety, depression, adjustment, personality disorders, mindfulness, and relationship issues. Ms. Peterson takes an affirmative approach with LGBTQ+ folks who struggle with issues related to gender and sexuality; she finds this work especially fulfilling. Ms. Peterson believes in maintaining a safe and collaborative environment where both the client and counselor can be their authentic selves. She aims to provide evidence-based treatments that are effective in cre...

Having children brought a whirlwind of change into my life that-if I am to be truly honest-I didn’t expect. Before the birth of our first child, my husband and I read all the baby books we could. We attended childbirth classes and spent countless hours on the Internet preparing for life with our baby. People told us that we were in for a big surprise. They told us our lives would change drastically. But only after our daughter, Molly, was born, did we discover just how unprepared we were for life as parents. Life with a baby was suddenly more complicated, intense, exciting, and overwhelming. Life’s high and low points seemed drastically higher and lower. I remember shedding tears of joy with the loving thoughts I had for Molly…and tears of desperation, because I just couldn’t keep up with everything that needed to get done. A few months later-just as Molly started walking, then running, then saying, “No”-we learned we were expecting again. My husband and I wondered how we would ever ma...

Coping with emotional health or learning issues is difficult for everyone and it is important to remember that you are not alone. If you or a loved one is struggling with mental health issues, Behavioral Health Clinic is here for you. We have a number of experienced licensed psychologists and licensed professional counselors with different specialties and will work with you to make sure you get the personalized care you deserve. Our clinicians can provide services in-person or online and will develop a plan for getting well that works for you! Click here   to schedule an appointment with us!