Meet Our Team

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JUST LEAF

Highly Skilled Therapists

When you reach out to Ascent Therapy Group to schedule an appointment, you can expect to be connected with a compassionate, experienced, professional therapist who will help to guide you to mental wellbeing.

Andrew Beer

Andrew Beer, Ph.D., LMFT, RPT-S

Contact: [email protected]

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Specialties:

  • Children; Autism Spectrum Disorder, Self-harm, and suicidal ideation, Families, College Students, Adults

Personal Statement:

  • On our journey through life, everyone has particularly difficult times or where we are ready to grow as people. When those times come, everyone deserves a space to work on and take care of themselves. My passion as a therapist is to help guide you or your loved ones toward that desired growth and help manage hardships life throws your way.

  • I am a doctoral level Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with over six years of clinical experience working with children, adolescents, adults, college students, and families. Each person is unique, and as such, not all approaches are appropriate for everyone. As a result, I have dedicated myself to becoming a well-rounded therapist that can use a specific approach appropriate to the individual, family, or group that I am working with. To help meet these needs, I have been formally trained in Adlerian Play Therapy, AutPlay® Therapy, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical-Behavior Therapy (DBT), Family Systems Theory, Mindfulness, Narrative Therapy, Sandtray, and Solution-Focused Therapy.

    I have experience working with ADHD, anxiety, autism, behavioral problems, college students, Conduct Disorder, depression, families, low self-esteem, ODD, self-harm and suicidal ideation, social skills, and trauma. I enjoy working with these populations individually, in the family setting, and group therapy. I would be honored to help you and/or your loved ones reach your goals and move toward your full potential.

Education:

  • Bachelor of Arts degree from Mountt Mercy University in Psychology

  • Master of Arts degree from Mount Mercy University in Marriage and Family Therapy

  • Doctor of Philosophy from The University of Iowa in Couple and Family Therapy

Tina Patterson, LMFT

Contact: [email protected]

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Specialties:

  • Children, Teens, Adults, Couples, and Families

  • Developmental concerns including ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Anxiety, Depression, Adjustment to Life Events and Changes

Personal Statement:

  • Making that initial connection to set an appointment is one of the hardest things you will do in therapy. I want to be there to support that first step, and all the steps beyond that lead to your mental wellbeing. The therapeutic relationship between the therapist and client is vital to a successful outcome. I enjoy meeting new clients and helping them to see the capabilities they already have to make the best life possible. Together, we will develop a plan and craft the steps to make your path easier and help you achieve your goals.

  • I am here for individuals, couples, and families. I employ a variety of therapeutic approaches as needed by the individual client, including aspects of Mindfulness, Play Therapy, AutPlay, Family Systems, Solution Focus, Experiential, and Narrative therapies.

Education:

  • Bachelor of Science degree from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in Special Education

  • Master of Arts degree from University of Iowa in Education/ Rehabilitation Counseling

  • Master of Arts degree from Mount Mercy University in Marriage and Family Therapy

Adults Therapist in Cedar Rapids
Children's Therapist in Cedar Rapids

Tonya Niehaus, LMSW

Contact: [email protected]

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Specialties:

  • Adlerian-play therapy, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Narrative

Personal Statement:

  • My first responsibility is to create a safe and comforting space for people to share their stories. We are all faced with difficult and overwhelming challenges in life. Therapy is a place and time where a person who is facing overwhelming life challenges comes for non-judgmental and honest but empathetic care.

    My ever-evolving approach includes a variety of evidence-based therapeutic approaches, always starting with person-centered, strength-based, and including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), motivational interviewing, mindfulness, and trauma-focused therapies.

    It is also a collaborative space in which you are the driving force behind where you want therapy to take you. We work together to identify goals for our therapy and then a therapeutic plan to move toward those goals. This is a dynamic process of working on your issues, assessing progress, and adapting the approach where needed.

    When a person decides to engage in therapy, they have already made a brave and healthy choice. I deeply believe that everyone has unwavering value, interpersonal dignity, and a compelling purpose. I consider it my privilege to help others find freedom and meaning and to live life to the fullest.

Education:

  • Bachelor of Social Work from Mt. Mercy University

  • Masters in Social Work from St. Ambrose University

Abby Seyfer, LISW

Contact: [email protected]

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Specialties:

  • Adlerian Play Therapy (both individual and family), Mindfulness-Based Therapy, Sand Tray therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Narrative Therapy, continued learning and interest in somatic-based therapies

Personal Statement:

  • As I work with clients, I strive to create a warm and inviting environment in which all of our parts are welcome. The part of you that is motivated; the part of you that is hurt; the part of you that is doing whatever it needs to do to keep you safe.

    I am most passionate about inviting the ‘inner child’ within each of us to “come out and play” in our work together, as this is a part of us that is not often valued or cherished in our society but that holds significant truth and meaning.

    Through my work, I have realized my calling of nurturing and mending ‘old wounds’ that may have been forgotten about in everyday life but that are still ringing true in our hearts and in our beliefs about who we are as an individual, as a child, as a parent, as a co-worker. My hope is that clients are able to walk out of my office knowing that they are valued, cared for, and possess endless resources within themselves to be their most authentic, healthy selves.

Education:

  • Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and Sociology from Luther College

  • Masters in Social Work from University of Iowa

Abby S