Susan Gatto, LICSW
Therapist

Master’s Degree: University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
Bachelor’s Degree: St. Olaf College, Northfield, MN

Licensure: Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker

Special Clinical Interests:
• Anxiety Disorders
• Personality Disorders
• Grief and loss

I joined PrairieCare when the new hospital opened in February 2011. Children and adolescents give off a certain energy that is exciting and ever-evolving. I believe that children and their families are the experts, and my role is to support them in finding ways to not fix, but manage their daily lives and mental health in a more productive manner. My therapeutic approach is eclectic and based on the situation at hand, with a general emphasis on the strengths of the child and family. I believe in a collaborative approach that allows for all involved to have a say in the process going forward, but also focuses on the child or adolescent’s right to self-determination.

Therapist

Lauren Janey, M.S, is a licensed professional counselor. She obtained her Master’s Degree from Montana State University in Bozeman. She has worked in rural areas of Montana and Wyoming providing psychotherapy, advocacy, and crisis intervention.  She has spent several years working with youth, adolescents, and families over come life challenges and improving mental health.  Lauren uses a strength based and solution focused therapeutic approach to assist individuals and families in functioning more effectively. Lauren is passionate about helping people live the best life they can.

Family Liaison Social Worker

I am so excited to be joining the interdisciplinary PrairieCare treatment team at their new hospital location in Maple Grove!  I have a true passion for working with children, adolescents, and families; I find the experiences to be challenging, energizing, and hopeful.  I look forward to working with both children and adolescents affected by mental health issues and their respective families who support them and are often affected, as well.  My goal is to educate and empower the families and individual patients to utilize the many strengths and resources at their disposal while encouraging an active role in treatment.  I enjoy providing support and psychoeducation while recognizing that the clients and families are the true experts regarding their situations.  Utilizing a strengths-based and solution-focused approach, I hope to serve as an effective link between the treatment team and the patients’ families in order to facilitate understanding and effective treatment planning.

Therapist

I joined PrairieCare in August of 2009 as a clinical therapy intern, and was later hired as a therapist in our Child and Adolescent Partial Hospital Program located in Edina, MN. In June of 2011, I accepted a therapist position in our Maple Grove inpatient hospital. My approach is eclectic based on the needs of each individual and family, but I draw mainly from narrative therapy and solution-focused techniques. I focus on externalizing the problem from the person, deconstructing the problem, and guiding the patient and their families to identify and capitalize on strengths that weaken the problem-saturated narrative and bring about the patient’s preferred way of being. I am also a trained EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapist. EMDR utilizes bilateral stimulation to allow the patient to more adaptively process issues in the past that are affecting the present, including traumatic incidences. I believe in the resiliency of children and adolescents, and the family as a whole, and place great importance on collaboration and communication with all members involved in the therapy process.

Therapist

Social Work and Family Therapy Director

Andrea is a seasoned therapist, with over seven years of experience as a Clinical Social Worker. She believes in a "wraparound" treatment approach to therapy that includes the patient, as well as caregivers, siblings and significant others. In order for a patient to be successful in treatment, Andrea believes that his or her support system must play an active part in helping the patient maintain positive changes.