PTSD

Heather Cargill, PsyD, LP

Biography

Following 22 years in the field as a licensed child psychologist, and 17 years in private practice, I am no longer providing direct care as an adoption-competent therapist. For my "second chapter", I am eager to join the team of HELP Specialists at Foster Adopt MN (FAM) in January, 2026. The HELP Program provides free, curated support services to any Minnesota adoptive, kinship or foster family; adopted persons, former foster youth and community professionals. 

Heather Cargill

Miranda Barker, LICSW, LCSW

She/Her/Hers
Biography

I’m a therapist who specializes in working with individuals going through life transitions (becoming parent, job changes, graduating college) and families touched by adoption, including birth parents, adoptive parents, and adoptees. I bring experience from both the clinical side and the child welfare world, and I love helping people of all ages feel seen and supported. I am an adoptive parent myself and with adoption in my family of origin.

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Brad Bonnett, LMFT

Biography

I am privileged to have a vocation where I can equip and accompany people on their journey toward healing, allowing them to live a life they were created to live. The path of adoption is an area where I have experience personally and professionally. I have seen how wonderful forming a family can be as well as how difficult. I am experienced in providing therapy to children and adults for over 12 years. My training in EMDR impacts much of what I do and how I supervise other mental health professionals. I understand people thru the lens of attachment, object relations and narrative therapy.

Brad Bonnett

Megan Benedict, LICSW

Biography

Attended Winona State University for a Bachelors in Social Work and minor in Child Advocacy Studies. Attended University of South Dakota for a Masters in Social Work. I previously worked at the Human Services Center in Yankton, SD on the long term adolescent unit and did Child Protection/Adoptions/Children’s Mental Health Case Management for a county prior to working with children at Western Mental Health Center.

Address:
Western Mental Health Center
1212 East College Drive
Marshall, MN 56258

Megan Benedict

Wendy L. Baker, MSW, LICSW

Biography

Wendy L. Baker, MSW, LICSW is co-founder of Family Circle Counseling, in St. Paul, MN. A family focused group practice with particular dedication to adoptive and foster care families and their unique and potentially intensive therapeutic needs. Wendy has over 40 years of therapeutic experience working with high needs children, teens, families and individuals of all ages with specialization in clinical work with trauma survivors who deal with issues surrounding childhood neglect, physical & sexual abuse and attachment traumas/disruptions.

Wendy L. Baker

Mike Arieta, MSW, LICSW, LCSW, LISW, PACC

He/Him/His
Biography

Currently, Michael is licensed in MN, AZ (LCSW), and Iowa (LISW), and is attending Tulane University and in the process of obtaining the Doctor of Social Work degree. Mike also works for the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus as a Financial Aid Counselor working primarily with at risk students who experience homelessness, foster care or adoption system involvement along with families who are going through crisis.

Michael Arieta

Brenda Anderson-Powers, LSW

Biography

Brenda L. Anderson-Powers, LSW is a Director of Transformation at the national non-profit, Alia Innovations. Team Alia are UnSysteming the child welfare system and shifting mindsets and practice to keep children safely with, not from, their families. Alia employs a community co-design approach, working alongside parents with lived expertise and innovative systems leaders as partners to co-create new solutions to longstanding problems, while supporting the wellbeing of leaders, teams, and caregivers.

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