Therapist Spotlight: Julia Howard, LSW, MSW, RYT

Julia is a psychotherapist at Wildflower. Julia’s clinical areas of specialty include anxiety/OCD, high sensitivity, and relationship issues. She has specific interest in working with athletes/former athletes, career issues/burnout, and those who identify as highly sensitive and/or neurodivergent. Additionally, Julia is currently pursuing certification in perinatal mental health. Julia obtained her bachelor’s degree from Lafayette…

Therapist Spotlight: Natasha Slavin, MSW, LSW

Natasha is a psychotherapist at Wildflower. In her clinical work, Natasha draws on psychodynamic theory, relational therapy, narrative therapy, and trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy. She emphasizes emotional safety and collaboration as key components of the therapeutic endeavor. Natasha’s clinical areas of interest include working with queer, trans and gender nonconforming clients, sexuality, trauma, relationships, domestic…

Tending to Your Emotional Bonfire

Difficult and intense emotions can certainly feel like a bonfire raging in our mind and body. Painful emotions like anger, shame, or fear can seem like they will consume us or be impossible to control. It can be difficult to know what to do when these emotions come up, and they can make us feel…

Expanding Your Window of Tolerance: Understanding the Optimal State for Emotional Well-being and Healthy Relationships

Have you ever experienced a day when a seemingly minor inconvenience suddenly morphs into an unbearable burden? Perhaps you have been consumed by an intense rage that caused you to take out your frustration on a loved one inadvertently. Alternatively, you may have felt emotionally numb and disconnected during a crisis. If any of these…

Therapist Spotlight: Anthony Zwaga, LSW

Anthony is a psychotherapist at Wildflower. He completed his Master of Social Work degree with a major in mental and behavioral health and a minor in trauma informed care at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. He has worked with individuals with special needs, individuals experiencing homelessness, convicts, BIPOC population, LGBTQIA population, immigrants, high risk populations, and…

Care Coordination: The Benefits of Collaborative Healthcare

What Is Care Coordination? Care coordination is the sharing and exchanging of information about your health and mental health among your healthcare providers to ensure that you receive the most effective treatment possible while minimizing any unnecessary costs, delays, or misunderstandings in the process. During care coordination, members of your healthcare team work collaboratively towards…

Your Body is Talking, Are You Listening? An Introduction to Body Language

Listen to your gut is a phrase that often gets dismissed as cliché, but actually refers to deeply ingrained internal processes that have evolved over hundreds of thousands of years. Below, I will explore the idea of “listening to your gut,” provide examples of how to decode what your body is communicating to you, and…

A Partner’s Guide to Supporting a Successful Perinatal Journey

The transition into parenthood is a profound and transformative experience. The months leading up to bringing baby home are often filled with anticipation, joy, fear, anxiety, and more. And once you welcome that tiny, new family member into your home, those emotions only tend to magnify — understandably so. Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs)…

Therapist Spotlight: Regan Kasprak, MA, LPC

Regan is a psychotherapist at Wildflower. Her clinical interests include anxiety, depression, perinatal mental health, OCD, life transitions, relationship challenges, self-esteem, trauma, and gender and sexuality concerns. In her practice, Regan draws on various evidence-based theories, primarily Psychodynamic Theory, CBT, and ACT. Regan graduated from Northwestern University with a master’s degree in clinical mental health…

8 Benefits of Attending a Support Group

At Wildflower, we recognize that the idea of attending a support group can feel overwhelming and intimidating. We also recognize the many benefits that a supportive environment can provide while you are navigating the various stressors and experiences that life brings up. As a practice, Wildflower prioritizes creating these spaces for our clients. Below we…