About Us

Ashley’s focus has been to expand and strengthen mental health services along the North Shore, with a commitment to meeting clients where they are at in their journey. She has over 15 years of experience as a mental health therapist, working with individuals across all ages and stages of life.

Ashley has specialized training in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and she brings a supportive, client-centered approach to her work. She is passionate about providing accessible, compassionate care to the communities of Silver Bay and Grand Marais, helping individuals and families build resilience, find balance, and grow through life’s challenges.

Living on the North Shore, Ashley enjoys being part of the close-knit community she serves. Outside of her work, she loves spending time with her family, exploring the outdoors, and appreciating the beauty of Lake Superior in every season.

Drea is an Art Therapist working out of the Duluth location. She graduated with a master’s in art therapy from the University of Wisconsin-Superior and is currently finishing a master’s in clinical mental health counseling at Capella University. Drea works with a wide range of clients who are interested in using creative expression as a tool for mental wellness. She utilizes play therapy, DBT, and ecopsychology techniques. Drea has experience working with kids, young adults, and the LGBTQIA2S+ community. She offers individual and family therapy. Drea often says ” You don’t have to be creative to make art, and you don’t have to make art to be creative.

Lydia Walker-Thoennes is a licensed LPCC therapist who holds a Master’s degree in clinical counseling and art therapy. She is a certified DCo-5 therapist who works with people of all ages through all stages of life. Lydia is trained in EMDR, Brain spotting, art therapy, play therapy, and movement therapy. Lydia offers individual, family, and group therapy. Lydia specializes in working with victims of trauma. Lydia likes to involve multimodal therapy techniques in her practice to bring balance to her client's lives in a holistic manner through mental, emotional, spiritual, physical, and social growth. 

I am a passionate advocate for human well-being, a dedicated professional, and a fervent proponent of positive change. My life's mission revolves around making a meaningful difference in the lives of others and aiding people in their journey to embrace each chapter of their lives. With over a decade of experience helping individuals create the lives they long to live, my approach to assisting individuals and couples is characterized by empathy, active listening, and a deep belief that each of us intrinsically possesses everything we need to achieve the life we desire.

As a Gottman-trained therapist, my passion lies in helping couples reconnect with what brought them together and respectfully craft the marriage they envision each day. I strive to create a safe and supportive environment where my clients can explore their inner strengths and develop the tools to navigate life's challenges. 

Ayla Ranta is a Clinical Mental Health Counseling intern and graduate student at the University of Wisconsin–Superior. With a background in nursing, Ayla brings a compassionate, holistic approach to her work, emphasizing the integration of mind, body, and spirit. She is especially passionate about supporting adults who have experienced trauma and works from an integrative, depth-oriented perspective. Ayla draws from a range of therapeutic modalities, including Carl Jung’s teachings, Transpersonal Psychology, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), mindfulness, Person-Centered Therapy, and Existential Therapy. She is also exploring the incorporation of Eco-Therapy and Somatic Experiencing into her future practice.

Melissa earned her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Minnesota Duluth and completed her Master’s degree in Co-Occurring Counseling at the Hazelden Betty Ford Graduate School of Addiction Studies. 

Melissa supports adults navigating anxiety, depression, stress, life transitions, and substance-related concerns. She has specialized training in co-occurring mental health and behavioral health challenges and works from a holistic, person-centered framework.

Her approach integrates Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Motivational Interviewing, strengths-based therapy, solution-focused techniques, and mindfulness-based strategies. Melissa also incorporates skills for emotional regulation, relapse prevention, healthy coping, communication, and goal setting. She values collaboration and partners with clients to build practical tools that support long-term growth and overall well-being.

Melissa is committed to creating a supportive, nonjudgmental environment where clients feel heard, respected, and empowered to move toward meaningful change.

Karyl DeWitt is a counseling intern pursuing dual licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT). She specializes in working with

couples and individuals navigating relationship distress, betrayal, communication breakdowns,

and life transitions. Her clinical focus is grounded in helping people restore emotional safety, rebuild trust, and create healthier, more connected relationships.

Karyl integrates evidence-based approaches, including the Gottman Method, Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Person-Centered Therapy, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT).

This integrative framework allows her to support clients in understanding both the emotional patterns that drive their relationships and the practical skills needed to create lasting change. She

is especially passionate about helping couples move beyond conflict cycles and toward deeper emotional connection, secure attachment, and meaningful communication.

 Clients often experience her as compassionate and grounded, creating a safe space for vulnerability while also offering structure, clarity, and direction.  

In addition to her clinical training, Karyl holds a master’s degree in management, bringing nearly 30 years of experience in healthcare leadership and community-based systems. This background gives her a unique appreciation for how stress, trauma, and life demands affect individuals and families. She approaches therapy as a collaborative process, empowering clients to identify their

strengths, clarify their goals, and move toward the relationships and lives they want to build.

Deb is a clinical therapist licensed in MN and FL. She has experience working with ages 5-85 on the diverse challenges life brings at different stages of life through in-person and teletherapy options. Deb was a teacher for 35 years and has a special interest in working with kids/teens

and with people who have experienced trauma, as well as veterans. Her perspective emphasizes the client and therapist working in partnership to address the client’s therapy goals

and personal needs. She incorporates active listening, guided meditation, affirmations, sand tray, play therapy, creative experiences, poetry, DBT, CBT, EMDR and psycho-education into

her sessions. Deb values diversity and is open to working with all ages, abilities, issues and cultures in therapy. Deb is also a lifelong learner and enjoys taking classes to continue growing

as a therapist. Since she loves the outdoors, Deb recently moved to Grand Marais and is actively exploring all the North Shore offers.

Anne is a preschool teacher who graduated with an Elementary Education Degree and Early Childhood Masters Degree who is working at the Duluth location. She is working on her master's in Clinical Mental Health at Minnesota State University Moorhead.  She looks forward to working with a variety of ages and enjoyed building relationships,emotional regulation skill building, and helping her students and clients to become expert problem solvers!s here.