Meet Our Cedar Rapids Therapists

Alicia Gerber, LMHC, RPT

Master's Degree: Clinical Counseling Psychology, Loras University

I am proud that my practice is diverse in age and diagnosis. Life is full of possibilities and having the right person as you begin that journey is crucial. People, especially children who process through emotions and events differently and having a flexible approach allows for a smoother transition. I make it my professional goal to meet my clients where they are at, create a safe environment for them to work through the events or problems that my clients face allowing them to emerge with new strength. I promise to collaborate with you, your children, and your family to find, foster, and increase your strengths as a tool to help overcome any challenge should you engage in therapy with me.

I have been working with children, adolescents, adults, and families in the mental health field in Cedar Rapids for 10+ years. I have experiences with a variety of families from diverse cultures. My qualifications make me effective in my therapeutic work with children. I utilize a variety of approaches guided by training: AutPlay, Adlerian Play Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, & trauma. I specialize in working with children ages 3-18 and adults, who are experiencing: anxiety, mood disorders, trauma, divorce, separation anxiety, school anxiety & more. I have unique experiences and training to work with children with significant health barriers including cleft-lip & palate, diabetes, birth defects, and I can integrate Christian-based counseling & prayer into my therapy sessions.

Works with: Children (3+) and Adults

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Skyler Postel, tLMFT

Master of Art Degree: Marriage and Family Therapy, Mount Mercy University

I am an Iowan native born and raised in Monticello. When I am not at work I like to sit down and read a good book, or you can find me out fishing listening to music. I graduated from Mount Mercy University with my Bachelor of Science in psychology, I then returned to Mount Mercy and got my master's degree in Marriage and Family therapy.

I believe that therapy should be a collaborative adventure. Which is why, I use a variety of tools and interventions to help all clients navigate any terrain. I am hoping to work with all types of clients. I enjoy what I do and appreciate being able to do it every day that I can. With my systems knowledge I can bring in multiple perspectives to an adventure. I enjoy incorporating play therapy-based techniques in sessions to help foster a sense of safety and emotional nurturing, especially when working with children and adolescents.

If you were to walk into my office you would see me playing with children on the floor or chatting with teenagers or adults on a couch, probably with a blanket. I believe that adventures can be both challenging and rewarding. I hope to help clients relish in the good and hike through the difficult.

Works with: Children (4+), Adolescents, Couples, and Adults

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Mellette Maurice, tLMFT

Master of Art Degree: Marriage and Family Therapy, Mount Mercy University

I am a Cedar Rapids, Iowa native, I worked as a social worker for many area non-profits and found a deep passion within serious mental illness work with adults and teenagers. My desire to pursue my Marriage and Family Therapy degree began with the awareness that there is a lack of clinical services available to individuals who are under insured and have difficulty accessing quality care. As a social worker, I learned about the mental health system as a whole and now practice therapy from an advocacy and inclusivity framework. I have crisis intervention skills that influence how I view and treat major mental health symptoms to decrease stigma around finding and keeping ongoing care.

I hope to mesh the worlds of social work and therapeutic intervention to provide a well rounded experience to individuals in unique circumstances. I am here to lift a burden, gently nudge, and validate all of your experiences. I like to think outside of the box and welcome my clients into this world of learning and growing alongside each other. In a way that both comforts and challenges people during their moments of pain, I believe in strengths based and empowerment techniques above all else to facilitate healing.

In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my family and pets as well as cultivating friendships near and far. I love any kind of coffee, singing to no one, going for walks/exercising, thrifting, reading, writing poetry, and relaxing with a good TV show or movie as time allows.

Works with: Adolescents and Adults

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Samantha Jacobo tLMFT

Master of Art Degree: Marriage and Family Therapy, Mount Mercy University 2024

I am a compassionate listener and have experience working with couples and individuals. I have experience working with infidelity, blended families, individuals with ADHD and grief from brain injury/trauma and stroke diagnosis.

People who interact with me say that I am calm and peaceful person to be around. I genuinely care and work hard to provide a safe space for those who are suffering and struggling. I honor and deeply respect anyone who has the courage to pursue therapy and encourage everyone to find a therapist who feels like a good fit.

I am a trauma informed and trained and have extensive experience working with complex trauma. For couples work I use the Gottman Method, psychobiological approach to couples therapy and emotion focused therapy. For individuals I use cognitive behavior therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, emotion focused therapy, gestalt, sand tray and experiential therapy.

Works with: Children (5+), Individuals, Couples, and Families

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Chelsea Smorstad, LISW

Master of Social Work from St. Ambrose in Davenport, Iowa

I am a Licensed Independent Social Worker (LISW) who received my Bachelors in Social Work from Luther College and my Master's in Social Work from St. Ambrose. I am passionate about creating a supportive space where clients are seen, heard, and valued. I believe that every person has inherent strengths and the ability to grow beyond what they can see.

My focus is to walk with you on the journey of discovery and help you develop your individualized path. My practice is rooted in a person-centered approach which means I focus on your unique experiences, values, and self-identified goals while helping you build the resilience you already possess! I provide individual therapy for children, teens, and adults, from this person-centered lens. I love to integrate play therapy techniques to support emotional expression and healing, especially with younger clients.

Whether you're navigating life's challenges, processing difficult emotions, or seeking deeper self-understanding, my priority is to offer a compassionate and collaborative environment where meaningful change can take place. Together, we'll work toward fostering growth, building coping skills, and creating patterns that you are proud of.

Works with: Children (4+), Individuals, Preteens, Adolescents, and Adults

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Jessie Boekhoff, intern

Masters of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Walden University

"Be the light." Those three words are my personal mission statement - my why. I want to be the light in someone's darkness - the person who believed in them when no one else did.

Maybe anxiety or depression has taken over more of daily life than you'd like to admit. Maybe ADHD has you or your child spinning without traction, or life has thrown enough at you lately that stress management feels like a full-time job. Here's what I want you to know: those patterns have an expiration date. They don't have to keep running your life. Whether it be ADHD, anxiety, depression, relationship issues, or even just stress management, I am here to tackle it alongside you.

I work with kids, teens, and adults - ages 6 and up - to help them get out from under what's been holding them back and start actually moving forward. I have a particular passion for working with older kids, teens, and adults who are struggling in ways that don't always get recognized or understood.

Works with: Kids (6+), Teens, Adults

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Caitlyn Hanna, tLMHC

Masters of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, University of Iowa

Born and raised in the Cedar Rapids area, I aim to provide mental health services to those within the area. I know this community, and I care deeply about the families in it. I earned my Bachelor of Arts in Psychology at the University of Iowa with a certificate in Resilience and Trauma-Informed Perspectives, then returned to earn my Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. I am passionate about the work that I do. I genuinely believe that therapy can provide a safe space to explore current struggles and develop new skills or strategies to build on people's existing strengths.

As a counselor, I believe that therapy should be collaborative and designed to meet each person's unique needs. Using a person-centered approach, I find that people have it within themselves to reach their fullest potential. My role as a counselor is to provide support and acceptance of every person that walks through my door as we work together to move towards healing and growth. In supporting people through meaningful change, I often incorporate techniques from other approaches to best address the goals of each individual. By tailoring sessions to meet you where you're at, our work remains relevant and incorporates what matters most to you.

I have an interest in working with children, teens, and adults navigating life's challenges and transitions. Life often has a way of throwing new obstacles in our paths, making it difficult to cope with. Whether you or your child is experiencing anxiety, depression, behavioral challenges, trauma or another concern, you deserve to have someone in your corner to help you overcome the struggles that keep you feeling stuck. It takes a lot of courage to reach out for support, and you don't have to face things alone.

Works with: Children 4+, Adolescents, and Adults

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Dan Chute, LMSW

Master's Degree in Social Work, Aurora University

You know something needs to change. Maybe you've been white-knuckling your way through anxiety that never fully lets up, or you're stuck in the same argument with your partner for the hundredth time. You have been told to "just push through it" your whole life, and pushing through has gotten you successful on paper but exhausted, disconnected, or one bad day away from blowing up. Maybe ADHD has you running at full speed with nothing to show for it, or addiction has quietly taken over more of your life than you'd like to admit.

Here's what I want you to know: Those patterns have an expiration date. They don't have to run your life forever.

I help people get unstuck. Not in some abstract, feel-good sense. Free as in you actually sleep at night, your relationships stop feeling like a minefield, you trust yourself again, and the thing that's been weighing on you for years finally loosens its grip. That's the work we do together, and I've watched it happen hundreds of times.

Works with: Individuals 14+, Couples, ADHD, Anxiety, Depression, Addiction, Relationship Issues, Men's Mental Health

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