THIN BLUE LINE. Holly Hakes, center in white shirt, was joined by law enforcement officers at a ribbon-cutting for her new clinical practice in Chippewa Falls, Hakes Wellness Solutions.

The pressure placed on law enforcement personnel is tremendous, and one local resource aims to help officers handle the stressors they encounter in the line of duty.

Hakes Wellness Solutions, a clinical practice that exclusively serves law enforcement officers, first responders, and their families, opened its doors this July in Chippewa Falls.

The tiny home converted into an office, located at 200 N. Rural St., is the brainchild of licensed professional counselor Holly Hakes, who has been surrounded by law enforcement officers her entire life.

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The reason I am passionate about starting my own practice is to be able to stand on a mountaintop and say we support police officers, law enforcement families and people who are working hard every day to make the right and best decisions. All cops don’t make poor decisions, in fact, most cops make hard, heart-wrenching decisions. I feel honored to support them through those things. 

Holly Hakes

owner, Hakes Wellness Solutions

“We know firsthand what the stressors of living and working in a law enforcement are all about,” Hakes said. “The reason I am passionate about starting my own practice is to be able to stand on a mountaintop and say we support police officers, law enforcement families and people who are working hard every day to make the right and best decisions. All cops don’t make poor decisions, in fact, most cops make hard, heart-wrenching decisions. I feel honored to support them through those things.”

Hakes opened the business with the help of her husband, Lee Hakes, who served as a police officer for 27 years. Hakes’ mother served as a 911 dispatcher when she was growing up and her brother-in-law is Chippewa Falls Police Chief Matthew Kelm.

“We want to thank Holly for dedicating her life to something that is so important to law enforcement, which is the mental health of our officers,” Kelm said. “So much is being talked about right now on the state and national theaters about what our law enforcement officers go through on a daily basis, and I know my officers have utilized your services in the past after they’ve experienced critical incidences. Having a resource like this in our background is a tremendous asset.”

Hakes has a master’s degree in counseling from UW-Stout and a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from UW-Eau Claire. She brings a diverse background of personal and professional experiences, including work in the industry herself, fueling her passion for aiding law enforcement officers any way she can.

“I know the people I support will feel comfortable here,” Hakes said.

You can contact Hakes Wellness Solutions for more information through Hakes’ Facebook page and at (715) 861-3045.