Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristina Brummund.
Hi Kristina, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I grew up in rural southern Minnesota, attending a small parochial school, never thinking I would be where I am today. I ended up attending a 4 year college only because my good friend Chrissy asked me where I was going to college and guided me in college applications. No one in my immediate family had attended a 4 year college nor talked about a college education. The idea of attending college was foreign to me.
I always knew I wanted to help people, but I lacked the exposure as to what that translated into in the real world. As an adolescent I was always raising money for different fundraisers such as the American Cancer Society, MS, or March of Dimes. I always felt a deep sense of calling to be a part of people’s lives and to help make a difference. When I was 16 years old my mother received a diagnosis of cancer. She battled cancer for 2 years, sadly losing that battle when she was 40 years old. While she was in the hospital in her final days of life I met a hospice social worker. I was in my freshman year of college at the time. I remember how wonderful it felt talking to her, that she held a space for me to grieve, be seen, heard, and empathize with me. I changed my major to social work. Unfortunately I wasn’t admitted into the program due to my low GPA from my freshman year when my mother was gravely sick. I chose another path and became an alcohol and drug counselor. I truly believe that was the path I was supposed to take. I loved working with people, hearing their stories, supporting them through their own pain and trauma, and helping them find their own strength, perseverance, and grit.
Within 2 years of working as a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor I knew I was going to return to school to obtain my masters to become a clinical therapist. Again, the idea of attending school seemed scary. It took me 8 years to complete a 4 year undergraduate degree. So the thought of going back to school scared me and made me worry if I would ever finish. A professor from one of my undergraduate courses said to me “You are going on to graduate school right?” I literally said “Are you serious? It was shocking that I completed a 4 year degree (laughing uncomfortably). That one professor went on to tell me that I had great technical research and writing skills and would do well in graduate school (Please don’t let this story and my writing/grammar be a testament to my skills lol).
I returned to school 3 years later and obtained 2 Master degrees, one in Community Health and a Master’s degree in Social Work; both were obtained within 4 years. I felt vindicated (haha). At the time of completing my Master programs I never had any intention of starting my own private practice until I began working with my clinical supervisor while I was living in Florida. We both worked within a large school system and she also owned a separate private practice. She gave me the hope that I would one day be able to do the same. Honestly, I thought it would be a decision closer to retirement and working part-time to keep myself busy. Eventually I made my way back to Minnesota- my home.
After 4 years of working in Minnesota I found myself at a cross roads of wanting to be more available for my son Daniel’s schedule. He has struggled with his own mental health and I knew I needed to be that constant person for him that is with him every morning before and after school; helping him start his day off calmly, and at the end of his school day as a place for him to vent his frustrations and revel in his excitements. Ultimately, setting my own work hours would allow me the kind of flexibility I needed and that pushed me to find the courage to believe in myself. Within 6 months I opened my business, Hesed Counseling Services. My son was able to receive the supports he needed from me and I have been able to continue to do what I love daily for my career. It has been one of the best decisions I have ever made in my life up to this point. I feel very blessed to be able to hold so many spaces, not only for my son but for other people in need of mental health support. It is a privilege to be a part of someone else’s story and provide a space for them be vulnerable and fully accepted.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I don’t think any road towards a person’s goals are smooth. There will always be obstacles and challenges. My mentality is- everything is Figure-out-able. Although I it did take me years to adopt that mentality too (haha). At times I am my own obstacle; learning to believe that I can do something when my mind wants to go to the negative narrative. Other times it is a matter of logistics.
I think I had my hardest struggles getting through undergraduate school. Losing my mother to cancer and having to live fully on my own without any parental support was difficult. Thank goodness for my eldest sister Bobbi who taught me how to budget while living on nothing. One vivid memory was reoccurring issues with my college car. For several months I drove a 4 cylinder car running on 2 cylinders- seriously not kidding haha! The auto shop mechanic said I needed to junk it, but I still needed to find a way to get to school and work. So, I kept driving it. When I came to stoplight I had to have one foot on the gas and one on the break so it wouldn’t putter out and it only would get up to 40 mph on the highway. Yes, I was that person people drove past angrily for driving too slow (lol). There was no way my car could make it up in any of the large hills in Mankato- which I only discovered while trying to drive the hill to get to work one day, and having to turn around in the middle of the hill in order to avoid my car from literally being stopped in the middle or rolling backwards in a lane- No Joke, I was terrified! At one time my younger sister Teresa and I had only one working car between the both of us and even though we lived on opposite ends of the city we figured out our schedules to support each other and make it work. We were both attending college and working 30 plus hours per week.
Most definitely struggles that I can laugh at when looking back today. But I believe these experiences have helped me develop a perspective of perseverance and optimism 🙂
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I work primarily with adults in an outpatient setting, providing psychotherapy for individuals who are struggling with mental health on a spectrum of issues. I incorporate a variety of therapy modalities that addresses the whole body. I work with clients on connecting mind and body. Being aware of their thoughts and guiding them through strategies to change the negative narratives they hold about themselves and/or others; working on identifying unhealthy belief systems that negatively impact their present day. I also assist clients to be aware of how their body physically responds to mental health symptoms, utilizing mind/body techniques to calm their sympathetic nervous system; helping them to physically feel when their body is able to relax and feel safe.
I work with client’s in present day, meaning we may discover and know why they have specific narratives about self from past trauma, but instead of revisiting their trauma in detail we focus on incorporating present day strategies that address the mind and body to calm each and give a sense of agency back to the client that they have the skills and techniques to utilize daily, which in turn helps to teach the body and mind it is safe.
It has been a passion of mine to continue to learn how the body and mind respond and are impacted by trauma and negative narratives from our childhood and then connecting those mind/body reactions to interventions that are successful for the client. I think it is important to educate clients why specific interventions exits and how those interventions/strategies can help with subside mental heath symptoms.
What’s next?
In the future I would like to expand my business to create a couples program that is easily accessible, affordable, and offers individual and group coaching on the typical pitfalls within a significant relationship. I have the idea developed in my mind. It’s just a matter of time before all the logistics come together to access the program.
I am currently the only therapist at my practice but I hope in the future I may be able to expand or at the very least provide some consulting to aid other therapists in opening their own private practice as well.
Pricing:
- 55 min. Individual psychotherapy $160
- 55 min. Couples psychotherapy $170
Contact Info:
