Tracey Wilkins, MSW, LICSW
Co-founder and President and Therapist
Sometimes people are hurting, confused and unsure where to turn. They are often afraid to seek help because they don’t think anyone will understand and they feel alone with their pain. They may be afraid of being judged as they have so many times in their lives. Or they simply don’t believe their lives can improve.
Simply put, I believe in everyone’s capacity to heal. It is important to be in a safe and respectful environment free from judgment to do the necessary work. I am passionate about partnering with people to break down barriers to healing and finding ways to build hope.
You can’t escape the fact that the brain and body have a significant role in emotions and mental health, therefore, I have a holistic approach in my work that includes nutrition, movement, mindfulness and other holistic methods to improve the functioning of the brain and body. The work will draw from DBT, CBT, EMDR, Ego State and sensorimotor and other somatic therapies. I believe strongly in evidence-based strategies so it is a mission of mine to stay abreast of the research for treatment modalities, though I am also open to incorporating healing strategies without the means for empirical research. My goal is to find a way to effectively help people build or restore their lives to the fullest capacity in whatever way we can.
Specialty Areas
Trauma and Abuse * Post-traumatic stress * Borderline Personality Disorder * Substance abuse * Dissociative Disorders * Stress Management * Depression * Anxiety * Women’s Issues * SPMI
Healing doesn’t mean the damage never existed. It means the damage no longer controls our lives.
~ Akshay Dubay
Hilary Mueller, OTR/L, MSW, LICSW
Director of Clinical Services, Therapist
Life can feel like too much some times. Confusion, fear and anxiety can start to become our primary experience. Therapy can help sort through these experiences to gain a better understanding of how things came to be the way they are as well as where to go from here. I view therapy as a process of understanding and healing. Often times we discover that there are parts of ourselves that we do not acknowledge, we cannot acknowledge, because the pain is too great. Finding a balance between acceptance and change, while sustaining compassion, can help us grow stronger, strong enough to take a look at that which we desperately avoid.
Therapy work can be some of the scariest and most difficult work one may ever do. This is work that needs to be done together, in a safe space, at a safe pace. We know that if your brain is overloaded it is not able to learn…there is no reason to increase suffering while trying to heal. This work is hard enough!
My practice is strongly informed by dialectical behavior therapy. Sensorimotor principles, internal family systems, mindfulness, meditation and trauma theory (the biology of trauma and impact on functioning) are also evidence based bodies of knowledge that guide my practice. I have over ten years of experience working with people with eating disorders, avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder, sensory integrative dysfunction, borderline personality disorder, trauma-related disorders, traumatic brain injury and chronic illness. I am currently working on furthering my training in trauma sensitive yoga and often incorporate this into my work. I have seen the impact of trauma on daily life…and I have seen people heal by doing this work. I would be honored to be a part of your process.
Specialty Areas
Trauma and Abuse *Dissociative Disorders *Borderline Personality Disorder *Eating Disorders including Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) *Stress Management *Depression *Anxiety *Substance Use Disorders *SPMI *Traumatic Brain Injury *Chronic Illness *Veterans, Military Service members and their families *Sensory Integrative Dysfunction
For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.
~ Nelson Mandela
Kelly Vruwink, DC
Chiropractor
I am Dr Kelly, a chiropractor for over 12 years, specializing in helping people of all ages heal their traumas and maximize their human potential! I graduated with a Bachelors of Science from the University of Wisconsin in 2003 and a Doctorate of Chiropractic from Northwestern Health Sciences University in 2010. In addition, I have completed hundreds of hours of post-graduate work learning a specialized gentle technique of chiropractic called NetworkSpinal. I live with my husband, our two energetic kiddos, and our very big, very hairy furbaby in West St Paul. And when I am not immersed in further refining my craft, I love to cook, bake, garden and generally soak up all the warm sun possible in our brief Minnesota summers!
Glenn Pearl
Administrative Assistant
You are cared for and matter.
The compassionate mission of Willow Tree Healing Center is primarily carried out in the context of a therapeutic relationship with one of our highly skilled therapists. My role is to assist the therapists in administrative functions, usually carried out behind the scenes.
It is also important that a sense of belonging and care is conveyed to all clients in the non-clinical aspects of our practice, as well. How you are treated over the phone, your experience while in our waiting area, getting your questions answered in a satisfactory manner–all of this matters. You matter. If there is anything out of tune in one of these areas, please let us know. Really.
My background includes administrative roles in hospital and nursing home settings, as well as an editorial stint covering provider regulatory issues, fiscal planning, and health reform. I like to chill with knitting, playing classical guitar, as well as reading and writing poetry.
As a client, there is a standing invitation being held open for you, when or if you choose, to step into your own sense of belonging at WTHC–at your own pace and in your own manner.
So glad you’re here!
