Therapy in Apple Valley, MN for Individuals, Couples & Families
We are your neighbors. We know what life in the South Metro looks like; the full, beautiful, complicated reality of it. And we are here to help you build a life you love.
You Deserve to Be More Than a Number in a System.
You have probably tried things that did not work. Maybe a big health system where you waited weeks and felt like just another appointment. Or a brief online program that scratched the surface. Maybe nothing at all. You were not sure anyone would actually understand.
What you were missing was a real relationship with a skilled clinician who genuinely believed in you and took the time to understand your life, your goals, and your story.
That is what we do here
Therapy That Is Built Around You
Carnelia Mental Health is a group practice of master's-level therapists in Apple Valley, MN. We are not generalists. We are specialists in the relationships, transitions, and challenges that define life in the South Metro. We work with individuals, couples, teens, families, and older adults, in person and online, using evidence-based approaches tailored to your goals.
Our therapists are trained in specialized methods including EMDR, ART, ERP for OCD, Gottman Method couples therapy, perinatal mental health, and trauma-informed care.
You will not be assigned whoever is available.
We match you with the right clinician for your needs.
How We Can Help
Our specialties include:
• Couples Therapy & Marriage Counseling in Apple Valley, MN
• Perinatal & Postpartum Mental Health : For birthing and non-birthing partners
• Trauma Therapy: EMDR and ART
• OCD & Anxiety Treatment : ERP, ICBT, Perfectionism
• Men's Mental Health
• Teen Therapy
• Parent Coaching
• Therapy for Older Adults & Caregivers
Specialized Therapy for Every Stage of Life
We are not a clinic that does a little of everything. Every therapist at Carnelia Mental Health carries a specific area of expertise, which means when we match you with a clinician, you are getting a specialist, not a generalist who will figure it out as they go.
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We help partners in Apple Valley and the South Metro break out of the same arguments, rebuild trust, and find their way back to each other. Gottman-trained therapists. In-person and online.
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Pregnancy and the postpartum period are not always what you expected. We support birthing parents and non-birthing partners through anxiety, depression, birth trauma, identity shifts, and the reality of new parenthood.
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Trauma changes how you experience the world. We use EMDR and Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) to help you process what happened and stop being controlled by it.
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We use Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) and Inference-Based CBT the evidence-based treatments that actually work for OCD alongside approaches for anxiety, perfectionism, and panic.
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We work with men who are ready to understand themselves better, manage what they are carrying, and show up more fully in their relationships and their lives. No judgment. Your pace.
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Teenagers need a therapist who actually listens to them not to their parents' version of events. Our clinicians connect with teens and help them navigate anxiety, identity, relationships, and everything else that comes with being 13 to 17.
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Parenting is one of the hardest jobs there is and one of the least supported. We help parents develop strategies, reset their approach, and find more confidence in how they show up for their kids.
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Life after 60 brings its own transitions, losses, and meaning-making. We provide therapy for older adults navigating grief, health changes, retirement, and the complex experience of caregiving.
Therapy for the South Metro
Your Community, Your Neighbors
We Live and Work Here Too.
We are not a national platform or a telehealth-only service. Carnelia Mental Health is rooted in the Apple Valley and the South Metro community. Our therapists live here, raise families here, and understand what it means to be a parent in Lakeville, a spouse in Eagan, a teen in Burnsville, or an older adult navigating life in Rosemount.
We know what it means to drive through a winter in southern Dakota County, to navigate the school system of District 196, to feel the particular pressure of life in a close-knit suburb where you want to keep things together.
We serve Apple Valley, Lakeville, Burnsville, Eagan, Mendota Heights, Rosemount, Savage, Prior Lake, Farmington, and the broader South Metro Minneapolis area.
If you are looking for in-person therapy close to home, or telehealth that actually feels personal, you have found it.
Communities We Serve
We provide in-person therapy from our Apple Valley, MN office and telehealth across Minnesota.
We regularly work with clients from:
Apple Valley, MN
Lakeville, MN
Burnsville, MN
Eagan, MN
Rosemount, MN
Mendota Heights, MN
Savage, MN
Prior Lake, MN
Farmington, MN
And the broader South Metro & Minneapolis/ Saint Paul area
Whether you are five minutes away or commuting from across Dakota County, our office is designed to feel like a place you actually want to be. Private rooms, a calm atmosphere, complimentary tea and water, and clinicians who will make the drive worth it.
From our Clinical Director, Elizabeth Kittleson MS. LMFT PMH-C
"My vision for Carnelia Mental Health was simple: build the kind of practice I would want for my own family. A place with real therapists who truly listen, believe in their clients, and never give up. A place where you feel seen, understood, and genuinely cared for from the moment you walk in the door."
What Makes Carnelia Mental Health Different
There are a lot of therapy options. Most of them will tell you that they are warm, experienced, and client-centered. We think the proof is in the details.
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We do not assign you whoever is available. When you reach out, we take the time to understand what you are looking for including the specialty, the style, the availability and we make a thoughtful match. If the first clinician is not the right fit, we help you find someone who is. We do not just hand you a list of names.
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Working with a group practice means you have access to a team of specialists across a range of needs like couples therapy, trauma, OCD, perinatal mental health, teen therapy, men's mental health, and more. If your needs change, we can adjust your care without you having to start over somewhere new.
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EMDR, ART, ERP, Gottman Method, ICBT: our clinicians are trained in the methods that research supports. You will not just be talking in circles. You will be working toward something specific.
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This is not a platitude. It means that when you show up uncertain, stuck, or ready to give up your therapist is the person in the room who has not given up on you yet. That relationship is the foundation of everything we do.
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We are not a remote service or a national directory. We live here. We chose to build a practice here. When you walk into our Apple Valley office, you are walking into something that was built for your neighbors and for you.
Our blog
Frequently Asked Questions
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We are located in Apple Valley, MN and serve clients throughout the South Metro including Lakeville, Burnsville, Eagan, Rosemount, Mendota Heights, Savage, Prior Lake, and Farmington. We offer both in-person and online therapy.
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Yes. We accept several major insurance plans and also offer private pay options. Contact us directly to confirm your specific coverage.
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We take the matching process seriously. When you reach out, we gather information about what you are looking for and connect you with the clinician whose specialty, style, and availability best fits your needs.
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Yes. All in-person sessions take place in our comfortable Apple Valley office with fully private rooms. We also offer telehealth for clients across Minnesota.
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We specialize in couples therapy, trauma therapy (EMDR and ART), OCD treatment (ERP & ICBT), perinatal mental health, men's mental health, teen therapy, parent coaching, and therapy for older adults.
