LICSW

Kristle Chase, LICSW

She/Her/Hers
Biography

I provide focused practice on Prenatal (pregnant birthing person) through childhood and the family support along the way. I am certified in TF-CBT. I will be working on my perinatal certification and EMDR Certification. I have extensive training in TBRI, play techniques, nature based techniques, and mindfulness.

Address:
True Compass Counseling
126 Fourth St. North
Atwater, MN 56209

Kristle Chase

Sarah Brunner, MSW, LICSW

She/Her/Hers
Biography

I work in Child Welfare as a Social Work Unit Supervisor in Ongoing Child Protection.

Address:
Hennepin County
300 South 6th St.
Minneapolis, MN 55487

Logo for PACC

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.

Logo for PACC

Sharon Bonnett, MSW, LICSW, RPT

Biography

I am a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker and Registered Play Therapist providing therapeutic services for children, adolescents and families. I received my Bachelors Degree in Social Work from Bethel University, St. Paul, a Masters of Social Work from Minnesota State University, Mankato . I am passionate about helping children and families work together toward positive change and healing.

Sharon Bonnett

Kaysie Bergum, MSW, LICSW

She/Her/Hers
Biography

I have been working as an Adoption Resource Worker with HI have worked in the area of Permanency with Hennepin County since 2019. Currently, my title is Permanency Resource Worker (PRW) where I support children 0-18 who are in foster care. In this role, I help children achieve permanency by supporting paths toward a Transfer of Permanency Legal and Physical custody (TPLPC) or adoption when concurrent permanency planning is necessary.  ennepin County since 2019.

Logo for PACC

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

Melissa Batalden Mendez, MSW, LICSW

Biography

Melissa joined the University of Minnesota School of Social Work’s Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare (CASCW) in February 2013 as the Title IV-E Child Welfare Field Coordinator. In this role, she works directly with the IV-E MSW scholars who are focusing their studies and field experiences in child welfare practice, and with public and private agencies that provide child welfare services.

Melissa Batalden Mendez

Christina Bast, MSW, LICSW

Biography

I believe that working with adoptees should include their whole family, as adoption is a whole-family experience. I practice from a strengths and systems theoretical perspective, and see relationships as the key to therapeutic progress.

Address:
Fraser
6458 City West Parkway
Eden Prairie, MN 55344

Christina Bast

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