Elena Fosness

My name is Elena Fosness and I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) in Minnesota. I work with teenagers and adults and specialize in depression, traumatic experiences, and anxiety.

My approach

My approach to therapy varies based on the needs of my clients. Modalities that I use most frequently are Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR). These modalities allow me to help my clients overcome their struggles.

My focus

I see my approach to therapy as a good fit working with teens and adults who experience challenging life transitions and difficult times managing their mental health symptoms. This often comes in the form of depression, anxiety, stress, and trauma experiences. I work to help my clients in navigating through difficult life periods and learning skills that help them to feel better about themselves and the world around them.

My communication style

My communication style is warm, approachable, and supportive. I want my clients to feel comfortable talking to me about anything that concerns them without fear of being judged.

My journey to mental healthcare

My journey in becoming a therapist began when I first started noticing the effect our emotions and feelings have on our behaviors, choices, relationships, and life in general. I wanted to learn how to approach and overcome different life situations in a way that is positive, constructive, and that helps me to grow as an individual. I also noticed that hurtful experiences sometimes have a tendency to keep people from moving forward with their lives. I was interested in learning about healthy ways of overcoming those situations. That and my natural drive to help people led me to choose this field.

My goals for you

My approach to goal setting with clients is about helping them to define what they want to accomplish in therapy. The first couple of steps in that process are building trust between us and learning what it is like to be in therapy. After that, we focus on defining goals together and start working toward them.

My first session with you

In our first session, we will talk about your life situation and how you've been feeling lately. The first session helps us to build an initial connection and gives me some understanding of what direction we may take in our future work together.