Menu
MSW, LISW
Mikki is passionate about supporting kids and individuals as they discover their path to emotional wellness. She has dedicated her career to treating children, adolescents, and young adults with mental and behavioral health needs, and understands that all of our paths look a little different. Some of our journeys to wellness are filled with winding roads, some with large barriers, and some are hidden deep in the woods. Mikki’s goal is to partner with children, families, and individuals as they walk these paths, because nobody should have to do this work alone.
Mikki has built her life around her passion, both at work and at home. Her career is filled with knowledge gained from years of working in child welfare, to serving children who have experienced trauma, abuse, and neglect, and finally through supporting children and adolescents with more acute mental health care needs requiring higher levels of intervention through outpatient or inpatient hospitalization. At home, Mikki and her wife are raising five amazing and wild boys. Each of their sons has their own distinct strengths, needs, and struggles, whether it be with anxiety, ADHD, trauma, or developmental diagnosis. She has an intimate understanding of the challenges these struggles present, and of the various techniques and therapeutic interventions to support the unique needs of each of her children. As a member of the LGBTQIA+ community herself, Mikki is a LGBTQIA+ affirming therapist and has experience working with individuals of all identities, backgrounds, and intersections.
Mikki was born and raised in a small town in Eastern Iowa. She grew up on an acreage outside of town, the oldest of four girls. After high school, Mikki attended Central College where she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology. She then went on to pursue her master’s degree in Social Work at St Ambrose University. Mikki is currently a Licensed Independent Social Worker (LISW) in the State of Iowa. In her free time, Mikki enjoys spending time with family, going for bike rides, spending time outdoors, cheering for the Cyclones, and watching all her children’s activities.
ARNP, FNP-C
Brittni is a board certified family practice provider. She began her career as a nurse and went on to obtain her Masters of Nursing through Clarkson College in 2016. Brittni has been working as an ARNP for the last seven years, focusing on all aspects of care with an emphasis on mental health care. Throughout Brittni’s career she has worked to support those of ages 18 and older navigating anxiety, depression, disordered eating, and members of the LGBTQ+ community. As a mother of 4, Brittni understands the struggles of motherhood and balancing the many obstacles during this phase of life. She recognizes that utilizing a care team including both psychotherapy and psychiatry can have a positive impact on every person’s health and wellness.
Brittni’s goal is to increase access to care for patients with mental health needs. She strives to establish a relationship with her patients while forming a collaboration of care between their mental health therapist and medication manager. Brittni joins our practice to serve those who need help managing anxiety, depression, ADHD, sleep disorders, and perinatal mental health in individuals ages 18 and older.
Brittni and her husband Chad, along with their kids live north of the metro. Outside of work, Brittni enjoys spending time with her family and keeps busy with their many activities. She enjoys running, gardening, and exploring new parks with her kids chasing them through all of their outdoor adventures.
DNP, ARNP
Erica followed the professional footpaths of her mother and mother-in-law into the field of nursing, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Her nursing career quickly turned toward maternal-child nursing, and in a desire to help new mothers, she earned her specialty certification as an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC). After more than a decade in the nursing field, she returned to the University of Iowa to pursue her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree. While there, she was mentored by professors working in the field of developmental behavioral pediatrics, with a focus on Autism Spectrum and other neurodevelopmental disorders. In a desire to help families struggling to find support for their children with Autism and other developmental challenges, she focused her doctorate research on deceasing wait times for diagnostic evaluations and early referrals to therapies and other support services.
Erica has worked to serve the needs of families raising children impacted by Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD, anxiety, and other neurodevelopmental challenges. She is available for diagnostic evaluations for both ADHD (with or without hyperactivity) and anxiety disorders, to prescribe and manage associated medications, and to provide referrals to additional therapies, such as speech therapy and occupational therapy. Erica recognizes that the decision to seek medication support for children is complex and often emotional; she desires to help families understand all options in a supportive, caring environment where both children and their families feel comfortable in asking questions and sharing concerns. Her treatment goal is to help children feel valued, happy, and secure.
Erica and her husband, Jon, are raising their two children who are growing way too quickly. When not shuttling her kids to activities, she enjoys time with her family, attempting to train (contain?) her golden retriever, reading, and working on home remodeling projects.
MPA
Jennifer is passionate about helping individuals, couples, employees, and companies discover and find comfort in taking a leap to their next desired level. With years of experience in leadership, direct services, conflict resolution, and coaching, Jennifer has gained a wealth of knowledge motivating and inspiring others to claim their vision and create action plans to achieve their goals.
Jennifer and Mikki are parents to five wild and wonderful boys. Their house is never quiet and rarely put together. They work multiple jobs on passion projects to better the world, so since they don’t get to spend enough time together at home, they decided to open a small business together. Trust me, they have weathered the ups and downs of life and understand the importance of communication, respect, a mutual vision, and a plan. To stay sane, Jennifer trains for races and triathlons.
Jennifer runs behavioral health programs at Blank Children’s Hospital. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Iowa State University and her Master’s in Public Administration from Drake University. Jennifer is currently enrolled in the University of Iowa’s Master of Social Work Program with an anticipated graduation date of May 2025. Jennifer and Mikki have spent years working to create a robust mental health foundation for children and young adults in the greater Des Moines area. They founded Cascade Clinical Connections in 2022 to further this vision in exciting ways for both individual/family mental health services and businesses across our community.
We will respond to your call or email as soon as we can.
If this is an emergency, please call 911.
1400 Walnut Street
Suite 107
Des Moines, Iowa 50309
