Jessica Auel, MS, LMFTStaff

This is Jess’s fourth year as a mental health therapist at Gustavus. She previously worked at Nystrom and Associates in Mankato, MN. Prior to that she worked at a small private practice (also in Mankato), where she completed her practicum and internship and led a DBT-inspired therapy group. Jess has specialized training in Internal Family Systems (IFS), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), and most recently, Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART). Jess has experience working with diverse presenting concerns, and has particular interest in working with concerns related to stress, trauma, relationships, adjustment, executive functioning, and LGBTQIA+ identity exploration. She is passionate about working with first-generation college students and neurodivergent folks, as these are identities Jess holds herself. She takes a systemic approach to therapy, considering the context in which folks live to inform treatment decisions. She strives to foster a safe space for self-exploration and processing to help her clients be their most authentic selves. Jess leads the Divergent Discourse support group on campus for students who self-identify as neurodivergent. She also leads the Uniquely Wired Employee Resource Group for any Gustavus employee who self-identifies as neurodivergent.

Jess is a voracious consumer of audiobooks and podcasts, espcially in the true crime and fantasy genres. She loves music and enjoys attending concerts and making playlists. When she is not busy keeping her cats away from her yarn stash, Jess enjoys crocheting and other fiber arts. Jess also loves being outdoors with her spouse and dog.