Therapist Profiles
Heather Budzien, LPC CSAC
Education: M.S. Community Psychology from Alverno College, B.S. Psychology from UWM.
Specialties: Veteran’s issues, identity and relationship concerns, self-esteem, mood disorders, anxiety, trauma and PTSD, grief/loss, addiction and substance use, and psychosis.
Clinical Style: I work with individuals, couples and groups, and draw from a number of evidence-based approaches to assist clients in exploring challenges and moving through barriers to wellness and fullness. I desire to offer a space of warmth and compassion where natural strength and resiliency can be celebrated and directed toward healing.
Clinical Interests: Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR), Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Mindfulness, Psychodynamic Therapy, Trauma Informed Therapy, Person-Centered Therapy.
Personal Interests: Traveling and experiencing other cultures, being outdoors, yoga, weightlifting, spending time with loved ones. I am also an animal lover and will gladly show you pictures of my dogs!
Clinical Style:
Clinical Interests: I strive to apply evidence-based treatment approaches to presenting issues with tailored interventions. I work with clients as active participants in exploring the depth of their challenges so that we may collaboratively develop helpful strategies for positive outcomes. I greatly enjoy using a laid-back, conversational style to explore the many known and hidden strengths, talents, and resources of those with whom I meet. In providing therapy, I sincerely hope to offer a warm, accepting, and empathic relationship that clients may use for their personal growth, feel cared about, and be deeply heard. Further interests include the therapeutic use of metaphor and the art of story-telling to promote experiential learning and lasting change.
Dr. Wayne Chen, PsyD
Education: Doctor of Psychology & Master’s of Science—Clinical Psychology/Wisconsin School of Professional Psychology, Milwaukee, WI; Bachelor of Arts—Psychology/University of Wisconsin- Eau Claire, Eau Claire, WI
Specialties: Depression, anxiety, grief, anger management, relationship issues, parenting, couples/marital challenges, issues of self-esteem/codependence, clinical narcissism, and trauma/dissociation. I use cognitive behavioral, psychodynamic, client-centered, solution-focused, and psychoeducational modalities.
Personal Interests: Spending time with my family, both teaching and learning from my two young children; bicycling, playing video games, watching comedies, reading poetry, and trying new foods, reading about most things in psychology and to become a better/different therapist every year.
Clinical Interests: I work primarily with adults and adolescents, but also enjoy working with families, couples, and some younger children. I work with individuals who have experienced extensive trauma and dissociation, with those experiencing adjustment concerns as well as depression, anxiety, grief and loss, and substance use concerns. I use an integrative approach in my therapy with techniques including cognitive-behavioral therapy, trauma-informed techniques, mindfulness, person-centered, psychodynamic, Internal Family Systems (IFS), and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), among others. I always want to be working in a helping profession where I’m continuously challenged and have a positive impact on others.
Karen Drexler, MS, LPC
Education: Master of Science— Education Counseling/Concordia University-Wisconsin, Mequon, WI; Bachelor of Arts— Journalism/University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
Specialties:
Clinical Style:
Personal Interests: I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, volunteering at a Farmer’s Market, working out, photography, and ballroom dancing with my husband.
Clinical Interests: Individual, Adolescents, Adults, Families, and Groups
Personal Interests: Spending time with family, singing, shopping, volunteering in church and community, and movies.
Markeena Gilbert, MS, LPC
Education: Master of Science—Rehabilitation Counseling/University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI; Bachelor of Arts— Community Education/University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI
Specialties: Depression, Anxiety, Self-Esteem, Behavioral Issues, Loss/Grief, Sexual Abuse, Family Conflict, Domestic Abuse, Relationship Issues, Parenting, Anger Management, and Coping Skills.
Clinical Style: I use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Family Systems, Motivational, Solution Focused, and Interpersonal Therapy.
Personal Interests: I enjoy spending time outside and staying active. I love anything related to hiking, running, and weightlifting. I am passionate about animals and have four rescue cats who are the center of my life!
Aubrie Gorski, MS, LPC-IT
Education: Bachelor of Arts- Psychology with a minor in Counseling/University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Trauma Informed Care and Cultures & Communities Certificates/University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Currently pursuing a Master of Educational Psychology in Clinical Mental Health Counseling/University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Clinical Interests: I love working with adolescents and adults in both individual and couples-based counseling. I am passionate about helping LGBTQ+ individuals navigate their identities through a firsthand experience. Other clinical interests of mine include trauma, anxiety, depression, and adjustment concerns
Clinical Style: I have a strong interest in DBT informed counseling as well as ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy). I take a trauma informed and person-centered approach while emphasizing each person’s unique strengths.
Clinical Style: Person-Centered, Somatic & Mindfulness-Based, Trauma-Informed.
Personal Interests: Yoga, Meditation, Philosophy, Walking in Nature, Poetry/Creative Writing, Travel.
Katharina Hren, MA, LPC
Education: MA in Foreign Language & Literature, UW-Milwaukee & Freie Universitaet, Berlin, Germany; MS Community Psychology, Alverno College; Certified Yoga & Mindfulness Teacher.
(Languages studied: German – native speaker, French, Spanish, Italian, Norwegian, Sanskrit, Turkish.
Specialties: Trauma-Informed Care, Dissociative Disorders, Mindfulness Approach and Practices, Somatic Psychology/Yoga, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, Compassionate Inquiry, Hypnotherapy, Creative Writing/Mindful Journaling, Storytelling, Eco-Therapy.
Clinical Interests: Dissociative Disorders, Trauma, Depression, Trauma, Racial and Multicultural Issues, At Risk Youth, Spirituality, Grief.
Dr. Richard Hohfeler, PsyD
I have been a licensed Psychologist since 1987 and have specialized in the field of trauma and dissociation. My affiliations include active membership of Roger’s Memorial Hospital Medical staff, American Psychological Consultation, and certification by the National Health Service Providers. I have spent many years developing and running hospital treatment programs for children, adolescents, and adult victims of abuse. I am the clinical supervisor for all of APC’s therapists. We strive to provide a continuous learning environment for our agency, and this has created a high-quality staff.
Clinical Style: I take a multicultural, integrative approach in my therapy, recognizing that everyone’s experiences and needs are unique. I incorporate evidence-based techniques such as Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), trauma-informed and mindfulness-based approaches to create a personalized treatment plan for each client. I am also trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Clinical Hypnosis, which can be particularly effective for processing trauma and promoting healing.
Annamaria Iskandarani, MA, LPC
Education: Master of Arts—Clinical Psychology/Cardinal Stritch University, Milwaukee, WI; Bachelor of Arts— Psychology/Alverno College, Milwaukee, WI.
Specialties and Clinical Interests: My clinical interests include the complex relationship between trauma, anxiety, stress, and coping. I am particularly interested in how these challenges impact an individual’s overall well-being. I also explore how unresolved trauma, and chronic stress can contribute to difficulties such as depression, and other unhelpful lifestyle patterns. Additionally, I am passionate about helping individuals navigate the emotional and psychological effects of health issues, providing support for adjustment and coping.
Personal Interests: I am currently pursuing a doctoral degree in Counseling Psychology. Outside of school and work, I enjoy spending time with my family, being outdoors, doing yoga, and listening to country music.
Clinical Style: I see therapy as a collaborative process where we work together to better understand your experiences, challenges, strengths or just you as a whole. I believe that you are the expert in your own life, and my role is to support you, ask thoughtful questions, and help you find what matters most to you. I often describe it like you’re the one driving the car, and I’m in the passenger seat. You’re choosing the direction and how fast we go, if we need to slow down or stop, while I’m here to help you notice things along the way, explore different routes, and stay with you through the twists and turns.
So, who are you? And where do you want to go?
Nicholas Kernen MA, LPC
Education: Master of Arts – Clinical Psychology/Cardinal Stritch University, Fox Point, WI; Bachelor of Arts – Psychology/University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI
Specialties: Anxiety, Depression, Trauma and PTSD, Relationship Issues, Self-Esteem and Positivity, Sex-Positive, LGBTQIA+, Suicidal and Homicidal Ideation, Self-Harming, Personality Disorders, and Behaviorial Issues
Clinical Interests: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), Dialectic Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Client-Centered Therapy, Play Therapy, Strengths Based, Attachment Based, Mindfulness. I also use psychoeducation frameworks to supplement my style and support clients.
Personal Interests: Spending time with my orange tabby, writing short stories, drawing anime, spending time with family and friends, experiencing new cultures/travelling, visiting nature preserves or botanical gardens, playing video games and tabletop games, and catching up on my favorite tv shows.
Personal Interests: Traveling, hiking, listening to music, watching movies, and spending time with her family and friends.
Chris Krzyston, MS, APSW
Education: Master of Science—Clinical Psychology/Illinois State University, Normal, IL; Bachelor of Arts—Psychology/University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee; Milwaukee, WI
Specialties: I enjoy working with adolescents and adults who are affected by mood and anxiety disorders, traumatic experiences, grief/loss issues, eating disorders, and relationships issues.
Clinical Interests: I use a compassionate, client-centered, strength-based approach with clients and is continually inspired by their resiliency. I have worked in several mental health settings, including a college counseling center, a county child and family services agency, inpatient behavioral health, residential care, day treatment, and intensive outpatient programs.
Clinical Style: I see therapy as a collaboration. You are the expert on you and your life, and I bring a certain set of skills and knowledge. Working together can make it easier to face, (tackle, deal with, embrace, overcome or accept) those things that are painful or difficult and to be better equipped to lead the life you want. When working with young children I use a playful, nurturing approach to assist in processing difficult feelings and experiences and learning new ways of coping.
Personal Interests: That all things are connected and how they connect is an endless fascination. I love to observe and interact with nature and wildlife through gardening, hiking, traveling to beautiful natural places, walking my dog and simply being outdoors. I am also interested in how our daily activities and what we eat impacts our well-being individually and collectively. This has led to learning more about food and cooking as well as different types of physical, social, and spiritual activities. Really, I am interested in anything that helps me feel connected to myself, others, and the natural world because that is when I feel the best.
Jessica Lovely MSW, LCSW
Education: I earned my Master of Social Work degree from Loyola University in Chicago, IL in 2002. Since then, I have been learning through experience and study with an emphasis on trauma-informed, mind body and attachment practices.
Specialties: Children, Adolescents, and Families. Trauma and attachment informed care.
Clinical Interests: I am most interested in what works. For that reason, my goal is to partner with people and take a holistic approach to find what will be most effective for that individual or family. Depending on the needs or wants of the individual or family, I utilize cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness, imagery, somatic or body-based practices, and play therapy as well as psychoeducation. I also use attachment therapy principles to explore how our early life experiences impact our relationships and the way we interact with the world. With this awareness, we can decide if we want to make changes, which changes we want to make and explore how to make those changes. I am also interested in elements of art and nature therapy
Personal Interests: I love hiking and spending time outside. I consider myself a travel enthusiast; two of my favorite destinations are Amsterdam and Zion National Park. I enjoy balancing my adventures with quality time spent with my friends, family, and two cats.
Emily Miller, MSW, APSW
Education: I am currently completing my Master of Social Work at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, with an emphasis on trauma-informed care and substance use counseling. I hold a Bachelor of Science from Carroll University, where I majored in Psychology and Sociology.
Specialties: Trauma-informed care, substance use disorders, mood disorders, and women’s issues.
Clinical Interests: I work with adults and youth experiencing a variety of concerns, including PTSD and trauma-related disorders, substance use issues, mood and anxiety disorders, self-esteem challenges, relationship conflict, and stress management.
Clinical Style: I strive to maintain a person-centered and culturally responsive approach with a harm reduction lens. I enjoy adapting my therapeutic practice to support each client’s individualized needs. I utilize trauma-informed care, dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and motivational interviewing.
Personal Interests: I enjoy spending time outdoors and with my family. I love to camp, hike, swim, and spend time with friends as well.
Mackenzie Moebius, MS, LPC
Education: Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at UW-Stout
Specialties: Alcohol and other Drug Abuse, Crisis, and Trauma
Clinical Interests: AODA, Trauma, Adults, and youth.
Clinical Style: I take a person-centered approach to therapy. Building a relationship by having conversations to create a safe and welcoming environment. Psychodynamic and CBT approaches.
Clinical Style: Do you like to laugh? I do too. Humor is very important to my work as a therapist, and if it is important to you – you’re in the right place. Healing and growth can be uncomfortable, sad, and hard – but there can also be joy in the therapeutic journey.
Personal Interests: Travel, swimming, dancing, eating, cats, dogs, whales, gardening, nature, audiobooks, music, standup comedy, movies, TV, learning, podcasts, doodling, staring into space, and laying down.
Morgan Tonner, MS, LPC
Education: Knox College in Galesburg, IL – Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology; Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI – Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Specialties: Substance use disorders, trauma (PTSD and CPTSD), anxiety, depression, self-esteem issues, LGBTQIA+, cultural transplants, those who have been incarcerated, veterans, dissociative disorders, and mood disorders.
Clinical Interests: I emphasize the use of evidence-based treatment modalities: Mindfulness, Somatic Processing, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Motivational Interviewing (MI), Internal Family Systems (IFS), Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Gottman’s Method. My approach emphasizes person-centered and trauma informed practices
Clinical Interests: Adults, couples, and groups. Focus on enabling individuals to build healthy and flourishing lives through improvements in self and in relationships with others.
Personal Interests: In my spare time, I enjoy running. I have run several marathons including the Boston Marathon. I also write fiction and poetry.
Annette Towler, MSW, LCSW
Education: Masters in Social Work, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee; Masters in Experimental Psychology, San Francisco State University; BsC in Psychology and Anthropology, University of London.
Specialties: Anxiety and depression, grief, relationships and attachment, substance abuse and co-occurring disorders, abuse, and trauma-related issues
Clinical Style: Person-centered, attachment and commitment therapy (ACT), motivational interviewing, and strengths-based approach. I have a compassionate approach to helping clients through showing empathy and increasing client self-determination.
Clinical Style: I strive to understand each person’s individual story as well as their unique goals and motivations for engaging in therapy. I offer a collaborative and conversational approach and believe authenticity and empathy are crucial in the therapeutic relationship. I often focus on how our thoughts influence our feelings and behaviors (cognitive-behavioral therapy) within a trauma-informed and strengths-based framework. However, I also incorporate elements of additional evidence-based therapies (acceptance and commitment therapy, solution-focused, motivational interviewing, person-centered) depending on each client’s needs.
Kristen Vareka LPC, CSAC, NCC
Education: Master of Arts – Marquette University, Bachelor of Science – UW-Green Bay
Specialties/Clinical Interests: I work with adults on a variety of issues including substance use disorders; anxiety; depression/mood disorders; psychosis; anger management; and overall stress management for life transitions. I also have additional training in harm reduction – this approach can be helpful when someone isn’t ready to stop using substances but wants to minimize risk/consequences.
Personal Interests:I enjoy reading, traveling, vegetarian cooking, and spending time with my family, friends, and pets
Hobbies/Interests: Spending time with family and friends, going for walks with our two King Charles Spaniels, spending time up in Door County, being outdoors, traveling and experiencing other cultures, long-distance bicycling, golf, racquetball, snowboarding, technology, and brewing Kombucha tea.
Michael Weidman, MSW, LCSW, SAC
Education: Master of Social Work (MSW)/University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI; Bachelor of Science— Human Services Leadership/University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, Oshkosh, WIy
Specialties: ADHD, Addiction, Anger Management, Anxiety, Bipolar Disorder, Depression, difficult life adjustments, Grief and Loss, Trauma and PTSD, Relationship Issues, Shame, and Stress Management
Clinical Styles: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), Dialectic Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Mindfulness, Motivational Interviewing, Psychodynamic Therapy, Person-Centered Therapy