Our People
Aaron Geringer
Aaron Geringer is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor and has been practicing mental health counseling since 2017. At the core of his work is the belief that everyone possesses inherent resilience, wisdom, and compassion. Even when these traits feel out of reach, Aaron collaborates with clients to help them tap into these inner qualities and guide their lives in meaningful directions.
Aaron is passionate about serving college students, recognizing emerging adulthood as a transformative life stage centered on gaining independence, exploring identity, and discovering new passions. Aaron is passionate about supporting students as they navigate trauma, major life transitions — such as adjusting to college or preparing for life after graduation — burnout, and cultivating self-compassion. Alongside this emotional support, he helps students manage practical daily challenges by strengthening executive functioning skills, mastering time management, overcoming procrastination, and building sustainable study habits.
To guide his work, Aaron draws from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), as well as multicultural and feminist frameworks. He holds specialized training in trauma-focused modalities — including Internal Family Systems (IFS), Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART), and Brainspotting — and offers energy work as a certified Reiki practitioner to complement traditional therapy.
Aaron firmly believes that systemic change is essential to promoting both individual and community well-being. Driven by this belief, he is passionate about training campus community members to better understand and support the mental health of their peers. As part of this work, Aaron runs the Counseling Center’s RESPOND program, which promotes mental health literacy across campus. He welcomes opportunities to collaborate with campus departments on mental health workshops, training, and well-being initiatives.
Outside of Gustavus, Aaron is an avid ceramic artist and loves spending time in nature, reading, cooking, gardening, and hanging out with his cats and corgis.
Our People
Aaron Nienow
Aaron was born and raised in St. Charles Minnesota, a small town between Winona and Rochester. He attended St. Mary's University in Winona Minnesota where he met his wife, Amanda. After St. Mary's he took some time off before enrolling in classes at the University of Minnesota. Aaron began working at Gustavus in 2007.
He has three children and enjoys listening to baseball games, reading a books, riding bike, putting puzzles together, and coaching soccer.
