Holistic Jungian therapist specializing in trauma and relationships
It is a pleasure to meet you and have the opportunity to work with you. I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 9 years of experience providing therapy services in a Clinical setting, and cumulatively, 24 years in mental health services.
I am currently employed in a Community Mental Health Center in Central Montana, providing services to
a diverse population of clients ages 18-90 seeking assistance for their mental health and well-being. My client caseload is comprised of Military Veterans, people needing extra support cop8ng with common mental health issues, the severely mentally ill and disabled, and court mandated clients. I treat Indiduals and families affected by depression, anxiety, PTSD, victims of many types of abuse/trauma, complex grief and loss, anger management, and interpersonal relationship challenges related to hone, family, and work life.
I have a passion for helping others and my experience encompasses a wide range of therapeutic settings providing Individual, Group, and Family Therapy services to clients.
Experience: 5 years in a rural Montana County Mental Health Center,
2 years in Medical Social Work providing Therapeutic Support Services to patients, diagnosed with Stage 4/5 Chronic Kidney Failure,
16 years in an inpatient Residential Treatment Center for Emotionally Disturbed youth ages 8-18,
3 years in Department of Justice Correctional facility to Adolescent Girls 1 year in Child Protective Services, and
4 years providing services/case management to a partial and intensive outpatient day treatment programs in an alternative school.
A Montana native, I have lived in Montana most of my life and come from a farming and ranching background. I was raised in a hard working, law abiding family with strong values and beliefs. I earned my undergraduate degree in Elementary Education from Montana State University in Billings, Montana; and taught in small communities for 7 years. I returned to Graduate school in 2013. Graduated with Honors in 2015 with aMasters degree in Social Work from Walla Walla University Billings Satellite campus. I completed licensure requirements and have held a professional license for Licensed Clinical Social Work for 9 years.
My approach to therapy is client centered: clients are the experts on their lives and are the key instruments of integrating change into their lives. Working in collaboration with my clients to determine the direction and depth of therapy. Through a strengths-based and Motivational Interviewing perspective, I draw on multiple treatment modalities to guide clients in identifying strengths and developing treatment goals that help build confidence and empower them to accomplish their goals. I utilize Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), to assist clients in exploring relationships among thoughts, feelings, and behaviors to aid in discovering dysfunctional thought patterns leading to self-destructive behaviors and beliefs. Utilization of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), I support clients through development of mood regulation skills that include: mindfulness, positive coping skills, distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness, and modulating emotional regulation. Action and Commitment Therapy (ACT) utilizing client strengths, acceptance and mindfulness strategies to increase psychological flexibility in inducing behavioral change. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR) offering effective tools for processing past trauma experiences that impact interpersonal relationships and day to day functioning. My goal is to assist clients towards a life where they feel more joy and freedom from mental health symptoms and the ability to cope more effectively with the stressors of life .
Outside of my work as a therapist, I have many varied hobbies and interests. I enjoy the great Montana outdoors engaging in hiking, fishing, camping, exploring historical sites, rock-hounding, and gardening. I am an avid artist and enjoy expressing my creativity in many ways: drawing, painting, crocheting, and crafts. I also enjoy merging creativity with my therapy pursuits.
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SPECIALTIES
•Management of Stress, Anxiety
• Depression
• PTSD-military and diverse trauma events
• Self-Esteem, Confidence, Empowerment
• Coping with Terminal Medical Illness and End of Life:Individual & Family
• Coping and Adjustment to adverse life events
Additional experience:
Trauma and abuse, Domestic violence, Interpretation Challenges: Relationship issues related to marriage & family, Intimacy, Parent/Child relationships Anger management , Career difficulties , Sleep Difficulty, Bipolar disorder , ADHD, Schizophrenia
Years of Clinical Licensed Experience: 9
Years of Mental Health Experience: 24
Licensed · Professional · Cancel Anytime
Wendy Goffena is a licensed clinical social worker in Montana and Wyoming who brings nine years of clinical therapy experience and a total of 24 years working in mental health services. She currently works at a Community Mental Health Center in Central Montana, serving a wide age range of adults from 18 to 90.
Her caseload includes military veterans, people needing extra support coping with common mental health concerns, individuals who are severely mentally ill or disabled, and court-mandated clients. Wendy provides care to individuals and families affected by depression, anxiety, PTSD, various forms of abuse and trauma, complex grief and loss, anger management concerns, and interpersonal challenges across home, family, and work life.
Wendy offers individual, group, and family therapy and draws on a strengths-based, client-centered approach that treats clients as the experts on their own lives. She uses Motivational Interviewing to support engagement and goal setting, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to examine links among thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, Dialectical Behavior Therapy to build mindfulness and emotional regulation skills, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to increase psychological flexibility, and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy to process trauma that affects daily functioning and relationships.
Her professional background spans multiple clinical settings: five years in a rural Montana county mental health center; two years in medical social work providing therapeutic support to patients diagnosed with Stage 4 and Stage 5 chronic kidney failure; sixteen years in an inpatient residential treatment center for emotionally disturbed youth ages 8 to 18; three years working in a Department of Justice correctional facility serving adolescent girls; one year in child protective services; and four years providing services and case management for partial and intensive outpatient day treatment programs in an alternative school.
A Montana native from a farming and ranching family, Wendy earned an undergraduate degree in Elementary Education from Montana State University in Billings and taught in small communities for seven years. She returned to graduate school in 2013 and graduated with honors in 2015 with a master’s degree in social work from Walla Walla University’s Billings satellite campus. She has held her clinical social work license for nine years.
Wendy is passionate about helping others build confidence and achieve meaningful change. Her goal is to help clients experience greater joy and freedom from distressing symptoms and to strengthen their ability to cope with life’s stressors. Outside of her clinical work she enjoys Montana’s outdoors through hiking, fishing, camping, exploring historical sites, rock-hounding, and gardening, and she is an avid artist.
For many common concerns such as stress, anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, or major life transitions, online therapy has been shown to be as effective as traditional in-person care. Research and clinical experience support its value for addressing these widely experienced problems.
One major advantage is flexibility – clients can choose the method of connection that feels most comfortable and that fits their schedule, whether that is a video visit, a phone session, live chat, or in-app messaging. This adaptability helps people maintain consistent care even when life is busy or travel is difficult.
Licensed professionals provide online therapy, and clients have the option to request a different therapist at any time if they want a better fit. For many individuals, online therapy offers an accessible, effective way to work on mental health goals while staying connected to a trained therapist in a format that suits their needs.
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