Prenatal and postpartum therapists & psychiatrists in Minnesota

I am a double board-certified family and psychiatric/mental health nurse practitioner. As a Family and Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, I believe that healing begins with understanding. My goal is to create a safe, supportive space where you can share your story without judgment and work toward meaningful, lasting change. I provide individualized, evidence-based care for adults facing depression, anxiety, PTSD, bipolar disorders, ADHD/ADD, and sleep disorders.

Hello, I’m Dr. Stella Essien, Welcome!

As a dual board-certified Nurse Practitioner (FNP & PMHNP), I have a passion for compassionate, equitable, and accessible mental health care practice that brings evidence-based, person-centered services to individuals and families across Minnesota.

Whether you're navigating anxiety, or addiction recovery, depression, or stress, I am here to support your path forward with warmth, professionalism, and purpose.

For the past eighteen years, I’ve had the privilege of supporting individuals, children, and families across both clinical and K–12 educational settings. My professional journey has included roles as a Professional School Counselor, 504 Coordinator/Learning Specialist, and Clinical Therapist, giving me a unique understanding of how emotional, cognitive, and learning needs intersect.

Over time, my view of mental health has expanded. I’ve always been interested in nutrition, movement, sleep, and lifestyle as contributors to emotional wellness. But everything shifted when I began integrating mindfulness, contemplative practices, and a deeper exploration of hormone health—both personally and professionally. Understanding how hormones influence mood, stress, and cognition opened an entirely new dimension of care.

I now approach therapy through a whole-person lens that honors the connection between mind, body, hormones, and environment.

My work is deeply rooted in empathy, lived understanding, and respect for each person’s unique healing process.

I am a survivor of domestic violence, and I understand firsthand the complex emotional impact of trauma, including fear, loss of control, self-doubt, and the long path toward safety and healing. I also experienced the loss of a parent during childhood, which gives me a deep appreciation for how grief, attachment wounds, and early loss can affect emotional development and adult relationships.

These experiences do not define my clients’ journeys, nor do I assume their experiences mirror my own. Instead, they allow me to sit with pain without minimizing it, rushing it, or trying to “fix” it. I understand how important it is to feel believed, respected, and heard.

Clients should also know that I value transparency, trust, and collaboration. Therapy with me is a space where your voice matters, your boundaries are honored, and your strengths are recognized. I am committed to providing trauma-informed care that is compassionate, steady, and grounded in both clinical skill and genuine human connection.

Welcome and I’m so proud of you for making it this far! Therapy can be intimidating, so I am here to support you and walk with you on your journey. My philosophy is that you are the expert in your own experiences and I am just along to help guide you as you need.

I specialize in working with children, aged 6 through 18, and adults facing diverse challenges. I have a specialty in working with individuals facing life transitions, anxiety, ADHD, OCD, grief/loss, perinatal/postpartum, confidence building, trauma, and social skills building.

I am a military veteran with over 20 years of experience in the mental health field, with a specialized focus over the past decade on men’s mental health, including court-ordered assessments and mandated treatment services. My clinical approach is grounded primarily in evidence-based modalities such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), which I utilize to support clients in developing emotional regulation, coping skills, and sustainable behavioral change. In my current role, I conduct comprehensive mental health screenings, coordinate and oversee integrated care services, and provide direct clinical support within a substance use inpatient treatment setting. Additionally, I dedicate part of my practice to serving a rural Tribal Native American community through a mental health clinic, where I provide culturally responsive and community-informed care.

I also strongly advocate for men navigating systems where they are often disproportionately penalized or misunderstood, working to ensure their mental health needs are appropriately recognized and addressed within legal, correctional, and treatment environments. My professional focus includes supporting fair, trauma-informed approaches that balance accountability with rehabilitation. I have specialized experience working with individuals diagnosed with psychotic disorders and mood disorders, providing psychoeducation to clients and their families—particularly during the early stages of diagnosis—and delivering life skills training to promote stability, independence, and long-term success in community living.

You’ve spent so much of your life holding space for others—showing up, pushing through, doing what’s expected. But where do you go when you need space to exhale? My practice is a sanctuary for high-achieving, heart-centered individuals who are tired of performing strength and ready to cultivate something deeper: true balance, ease, and self-trust.

As a therapist, I hold space for the complexities of your experience, offering both warmth and directness to guide you toward sustainable healing. I believe that transformation happens when we integrate mind, body, and spirit—where deep insight meets intentional action. Together, we’ll explore the patterns keeping you stuck and build a foundation for a life that feels just as good as it looks on paper.

Welcome! I am licensed in both Minnesota and Wisconsin as a LICSW and LCSW, with 9 years of experience helping people in many settings, including crisis intervention services, acute mental health settings, outpatient mental health services, and as a Clinical Director of residential treatment facility. I believe everyone deserves support and that asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness. My goal is to empower you as the champion of your own well-being. I work with individuals, families, and couples of all ages, and I am here to support you wherever you are on your journey.

I've long been drawn to the dance between the psychological and the spiritual. As I journeyed my own early path of discovery, it lead me to studies in psychology, classic literature, and theology in undergraduate, and then later Buddhist psychotherapy and meditation, and depth psychology in graduate school. I received my graduate degree from Naropa University's Transpersonal Counseling Psychology program in 2003, and am licensed in WI (LPC) and MN (LPCC). I am a practitioner of shamatha-vipassyana meditation, and have a well-established background of working for various therapy group practices in MN and WI.

Education

2003, Naropa University, MA in Transpersonal Counseling Psychology.

1998, College of St. Benedict, BA in Psychology; 1997 study abroad in Beibei, China.

As a lifelong student of East and West methodologies, I blend Person-Centered, CBT, Gestalt, depth psychology, somatic, and Buddhist psychology views. I also take a trauma-informed, IFS-informed, EFT-informed approach. I spent many years exploring Christian mysticism and theology before finding my own path and practice in Tibetan Buddhism for the past 20+ years, and I welcome heartfelt conversations about any psycho-spiritual path.

I have been a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker for over 10 years. I love meeting people where they are at and helping them get to where they want to be. I have found a lot of success with clients who are ready for change - signing up for therapy is the first step. If you are ready, let's begin.