Opening Up Health Care Services
GETTING CREATIVE: New Healing Center Reaches the Chippewa Valley
need some support? A new mental health center is here to help
Life – and the world – can be overwhelming and threaten to pull you under. With the Creative Healing Mental Health Center (CHMHC) opening in Lake Hallie, Jenifer Olson, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, hopes to help her clients not only stay afloat but ride the wave.
Having opened on Jan. 16, community members are already showing their deep support. “I’ve had clients and people from the community reach out and be like, ‘This is exactly what I’m looking for and what I’m needing right now,’” Olson said. “It’s been really exciting.”
With the center offering services to help with many forms of mental health struggles, Olson spreads the message of finding beauty in the journey. “Coming from your core values and from really who you are creating a great space for healing,” she said.
Arguably one of the most unique factors in Olson’s practice is her use of EMDR therapy, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy.
“Sometimes things happen and your body isn’t really sure how to process it,” Olson said. “This helps create a space for re-processing to happen, similar to that natural process of REM sleep.”
Her personal experience with EMDR has been the main reason for implementing it. “I had this therapist that was like, ‘Let’s do EMDR,’” she explained. “I am the woman I am because of it.”
There is nothing quite like the feeling of being able to let go and be yourself in an environment meant for healing. This is exactly what the Creative Healing Mental Health Center strives for. Olson herself emphasizes the need for transparency and vulnerability on both sides.
In her practice, she sees the value in being open and authentic where it feels natural. “It’s all about forming those healthy attachments and forming a relationship where it’s okay to know more about your therapist,” she said.
As she looks to the future, many things are on the horizon for the CHMHC. “I’m excited to create a space for other therapists to, kind of, come and practice,” Olson said. “I want to help therapists get back to their roots as well, and remember why they got started in therapy in the first place.”
The excitement and hope for healing in the Chippewa Valley is palpable. “It’s all about finding that connection to yourself. That’s where you can find healing.”
To learn more about Olson’s practice and schedule an appointment, visit creativehealingmhc.com.
