Garlena Rumsey

Garlena Rumsey is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Idaho with 40 years of experience supporting people through a wide range of mental health concerns. She is also a Qualified Mental Health Professional (QMHP) in Oregon, and lives in a border community where Oregon is nearby. Her work includes a strong focus on trauma, supported by her certification as a Clinical Counselor Trauma Professional 1 (CCTP-1), and she frequently helps clients navigating PTSD, depression, anxiety, fears, abuse, substance use challenges, and sexuality-related concerns.

Across her career, she has worked with adolescents, young adults, adults, and older adults, including LGBTQ clients, sex offenders, and individuals who are developmentally challenged. She has extensive experience with teens in multiple settings, including shelter care, foster care, and group homes. In sessions, she draws from approaches such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), narrative work, and creative methods like art and games, tailoring the process to the person in front of her. She emphasizes that people are unique and that the most effective counseling approach can vary from one individual to the next, especially when working with adolescents where the therapeutic relationship matters.

For couples, Garlena may incorporate CBT, art, narratives, and structured homework to build insight and strengthen relationships. She highlights the value of honesty, education, boundaries, communication, and active listening as partners work toward greater understanding together.

Garlena identifies as Christian and describes her work as guided by her faith, while remaining accepting of religions different from her own. She aims to treat everyone with respect and dignity, and approaches counseling with cultural openness, declining services only when she believes she cannot be helpful.