QUOTES
"Most of the shadows of this life are caused by our standing in our own sunshine."
Ralph Waldo Emerson
CLIENT INFORMATION
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Biography of Crystal Hemesath, LMFT, LMHC
I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Licensed Mental
Health Counselor in the state of Iowa. I am also a Clinical Member of
the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy-AAMFT.
I received my master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from
Kansas State University in 1997. I also hold a bachelor’s degree in
Psychology from Iowa State University.
I have been practicing therapy post-graduate since 1998. For seven
years I was employed by Madison County Hospital where I provided
mental health services for Madison County. My clientele included adults,
couples, children and adolescents. Presenting problems included
chronic mental illness, medication management, personality disorders,
child and adolescent issues, family and couple relational difficulties,
depression, sexual abuse, domestic violence, anxiety and substance
abuse. Through my position at the hospital, I gained experience in
crisis intervention, emergency room consults, group facilitation and public speaking.
Additionally, I have been employed as a therapist with Children and Families of Iowa, Ankeny location, providing therapy to adolescents and their families who have co-occuring disorders.
I have been in private practice for 9 years where I have been providing mental health therapy to individuals, families and couples of all ages.
I grew up in a small rural Iowa community prior to receiving my higher education and landing in the Des Moines area. I am married and have three children.
Professional Affiliations and Licenses
- Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, State of Iowa
- Licensed Mental Health Counselor, State of Iowa
- Clinical Member of American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy-AAMFT
- Member of Iowa Association of Marriage and Family Therapy-IAMFT
- Former Legislative Chair of the Iowa Association of Marriage and Family Therapy-IAMFT
- Former editor of Iowa Marital & Family Therapist, publication of the Iowa Association of Marriage and Family Therapy
My Approach to Therapy
I believe my clients have the strength and resources to resolve their problems and are temporarily “stuck” when they decide to enter treatment. Although I believe it is best for clients to come to their own conclusions about what is right for them, I consider myself an active therapist who gives feedback. I work closely with my clients in creating goals and setting up a plan of action, which helps the client achieve these identified goals. I also believe that therapy does not have to be long-term to be productive. The therapeutic models I work from are Solution-Focused, Brief Therapy, Cognitive-Behavioral, Narrative, and Family Systems Theory. My treatment approach is determined by the presenting problem I am treating and the best fit for the client. I also utilize education to assist my clients in gaining skills that will help them realize their full potential currently and in the future. I value the importance of communication and collaboration with physicians or other helping professionals involved in my client's care that my client may want me to have contact with. I am also happy to refer to other professionals such as family physicians; psychiatrists or other providers who together we feel may be of benefit to my client's improved wellbeing. I will provide a straightforward approach to my client's treatment with guidance and practical solutions.
Who do I treat?
I treat a variety of clientele and presenting problems including, individual, couple, and family therapy. I specialize in family and couple relational difficulties, individuals, adolescents, adults, parenting, depression, anxiety, victims of sexual abuse, women's issues, and a variety of other emotional problems both male and female.
Biography of Haley Wedmore, MS
I received my Master of Science degree in the Couple and Family Therapy program through Iowa
State University (ISU) in 2011. I am an associate member of the AAMFT. I received my Bachelor of
Arts degree in Psychology through Grand View University in 2005.
In my clinical experience, I have provided treatment for individuals, couples, and families. I work
with adults and adolescents who present with a variety of personal/relational concerns. In my
previous experience, I have provided psychotherapy to a diverse clientele at the Couple and
Family Therapy Clinic through ISU. I have also provided psychotherapy for male inmates
experiencing a wide array of concerns within a controlled environment at the Fort Dodge
Correctional Facility. Through this experience, I was also able to teach a parenting/healthy
relationships class and to gain individual as well as group therapy experience. Prior to my clinical
work, I worked for ten years in the human services field providing supported community living
services for adults with intellectual disabilities and for adults living with mental health concerns.
Currently, I am working towards full licensure as a Marriage and Family Therapist. Concurrently, I am working towards my PhD in the Human Development Studies program at ISU. In my graduate work, I am able to work on behalf of the Child Welfare Project and have contributed to the development and implementation of a pregnancy prevention curriculum. I have been able to teach this curriculum at various high schools throughout Iowa. For my dissertation research I am studying attachment and parenting. I am also employed by Des Moines Area Community College as an adjunct faculty where I teach a marriage and family course.
I enjoy spending time with family and friends, crafting, exercising, hiking, travelling, and collecting children’s books to share with my child.
My Approach to Therapy
I view my role as therapist as being an advocate for your personal and relational well-being. Because the individual does not exist within a vacuum I am interested in learning more about how your family, friends, society, and other factors may influence you and impact the problem(s) you may face.
Each individual is influenced by internal factors (genetic predispositions, personality, attitudes) as well as by his or her relationships and other external factors (SES, gender, cultural background, race, societal expectations, etc.). Such factors can negatively or positively impact one’s situation. Each individual also plays an influential role towards many of these factors. I am interested in helping you to maximize the positives in your surroundings as well as the positive impact you can have on your surroundings. My goal is to empower you to change what can be changed and to learn to effectively cope with what cannot be changed.
I am trained to understand the complexities of both the individual and relational problems that clients may present with and to provide appropriate intervention. However, I believe that you as the client are the expert as well as the best resource for understanding and resolving your problems. Each client/couple/family is unique with unique circumstances to consider. My goal is to help you reach necessary insights in order to understand and tackle the problem(s) you are facing and then to help you to draw on/actualize your strengths and to move towards more positive outcomes in your life.
The therapeutic approaches I am most influenced by include, Family Systems Theory, Narrative, Solution-Focused, and Feminist. In my work with couples, I often incorporate elements from Emotionally Focused Therapy as well as from Gottman. The particular approach I take depends on the presenting problem as well as the unique needs of the client.
Who do I treat?
I treat individuals (adults and adolescents), couples and families. I see clients with a variety of issues including, Relational Problems, Mental Health Concerns, Intellectual Disabilities, Problems of Living, Marital/Relationship Enrichment, Premarital Concerns/Exploration, Parenting/Co-parenting, Blended Families, Parent-Child Conflict, Substance Issues, Stress Management, Personal Growth, Vocational/Academic Concerns, Issues Unique to Diverse/Minority populations, Trauma and Healing, Spirituality.
Rates
Most insurance plans have a mental health benefit. Often times you will owe a co-pay for each visit, similar to a visit to your family physician. Some plans require pre-authorization for coverage so be sure to call your insurance company prior to your first appointment. When you call your insurance company you may wish to ask if there is a deductible, if there is a co-pay and how many sessions you are allowed per year. Sometimes they will give you an authorization number to give to your therapist for use when submitting the claim. You may also contact your Human Resources department if you are employed to see if your employer offers EAP (Employee Assistance Program) benefits. Often mental heath therapy benefits are offered by EAP and you may be eligible for several no cost visits. We are providers for nearly all major insurance panels and EAP panels. You may check with us to see if we are covered on your plan. If you don't have insurance and you are in financial hardship, contact your therapist to discuss reduced rates.
For rates or more information, please contact Crystal Hemesath, LMFT, LMHC or Haley Wedmore, MS.
