I want to walk alongside you, your partner, or family as you experience and adjust to transitions in your life. I hope to help you feel more balanced in your identity as together we build a solid foundation of love, care, and kindness for yourself that can help positively impact the relationships that are most important to you.

I use a systemic experiential model to help you recognize family patterns in order to connect with yourself or your partner, to help you feel grounded when anxious, and to create trustworthiness with yourself and others. This creates an important foundation to engage in the work of relational wellness through better communication, increased intimacy, and connectivity with the people who are most important to you.

Kim's Education and Certification:

B.S. Music Therapy, Saint Mary of-the-Woods College, December 2006

M.A. Marriage and Family Therapy, Christian Theological Seminary, December 2018

Neurologic Music Therapy Level 1, 2008

Gottman Family Systems Certification- Level 1, 2017

Restoration Therapy - Level 1, 2017

Kimberly O'Connell receives direct supervision under Jacqueline Braeger, Ph.D. (License #: 35001317A), and site supervision with Laurie Budlong-Morse, LMFT (License #: 35001974A).

I have a passion to journey with individuals and couples as they seek to restore love and trust in their life and relationships.

I specialize in working with couples struggling with communication, intimacy (including sex), life transitions, and conflict (including infidelity, addiction, abuse, and trauma).

I also work with men who may be experiencing anxiety, depression, life transitions, paternity, and relationship struggles.

All clients (individual and couple) will come to understand their behavioral responses caused by our internal experiences of pain, what we refer to as our pain cycle. We will then map out new opportunities for personal responsibility and predictability, referred to as our peace cycle, and seek together how to practice and strengthen making decisions within our peace cycle instead of making decisions while coping with our pain cycle.

Mike's Education and Certification:

B.A. Theology & History - Marian University

M.A. Marriage and Family Therapy - Christian Theological Seminary

PREPARE-ENRICH certification - 2021

Restoration Family Therapy certification II - 2020

Restoration Family Therapy certification I - 2017

FOCCUS Facilitator - 2017

Gottman Family Systems certification I - 2015

Hello! I am here to make your time at Joyful Counseling as stress-free as possible, helping you schedule appointments and answer questions. I am a graduate of Marian University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Graphic Design with a minor in art history.

In my free time, I enjoy reading or practicing my craft as an artist and designer. Currently, Mike, Kim, and I are in the process of creating a brand mirroring their vision for their business. I also help manage and design posts for their social media.