OUR TEAM - Sun prairie
At Healing Hearts Family Counseling Center, we focus on the root causes of your thoughts and emotions, not just the symptoms. Our welcoming environment ensures you feel cared for and understood. Our dedicated staff is passionate about helping you navigate feelings of being stuck. Let us walk with you through the issues that are holding you back.
Pat Ann St. Germain, MA, LPC
Founder and Clinical Supervisor
Pat Ann St. Germain, MA, LPC is the Founder and Clinical Supervisor of Healing Hearts Family Counseling Center, providing clinical leadership in the development of an integrative, neuroscience-informed approach to mental health care. She has extensive experience in attachment, adoption, foster care and out-of-home placement, complex trauma, sensory processing and regulation, and animal-assisted therapy, and has worked with individuals and families across the lifespan.
Pat Ann’s work has consistently focused on understanding how trauma, attachment, and sensory system functioning influence emotional regulation, behavior, and therapeutic progress. Her clinical experience includes working with individuals impacted by severe neglect, abuse, abandonment, multiple placements, developmental and sensory integration challenges, anxiety, depression, and related mental health concerns.
Through her leadership at Healing Hearts, Pat Ann has been instrumental in advancing the clinic’s integrative model of care, with a growing emphasis on how sensory processing, timing, and nervous system regulation influence therapeutic outcomes and long-term progress. Her work reflects a deep understanding of how traditional talk therapy alone may fall short when underlying neurological and sensory factors are not addressed, and she continues to guide the clinic in developing approaches that support sustained gains beyond symptom reduction.
Pat Ann has advanced training in HEG and EEG neurofeedback, HeartMath, Interactive Metronome, and sensory processing and regulation interventions, in addition to her foundational training in attachment-based treatment. She was originally trained through the Attachment and Bonding Center of Ohio with Arleta James, has trained with Dr. Arthur Becker-Weidman and Dr. Ed Hamlin, and has additional training in the treatment of OCD through the Behavioral Training Institute.
She previously served on the Board of the Association for Treatment and Training in the Attachment of Children (ATTACh). Pat Ann is also an author. Her memoir, I Forgot How to Make Eggs: A Therapist’s Brain Injury, and the Recovery She Had to Build Herself, shares her own experience of living with and healing from a brain injury, and will be released in early 2027. Her recovery showed her firsthand what it’s like to keep looking for answers when the usual routes haven’t worked. She is also completing Travel Doesn’t Have to Be This Hard, a guide that shows people living with brain injuries that travel is still possible. Pat Ann speaks regionally and nationally on topics related to attachment in relationships, trauma, sensory processing, brain injury recovery, and the integration of neuroscience-informed approaches into mental health care.
Pat Ann no longer carries a personal caseload. Her focus is on clinical leadership, supervising and mentoring the Healing Hearts team, writing, and speaking, so that every family who walks through our doors benefits from the approach she has built.
Areas of Expertise:
Attachment • Adoption • Foster Care • Complex Trauma • Sensory Processing and Regulation • Neurofeedback • HeartMath • Interactive Metronome • Animal-Assisted Therapy • Brain Injury Recovery
Ashley - MS, LPC
Ashley loves working with preschool and elementary school kids. When she meets kids, she gets excited about helping them meet their full potential. She excels at looking beyond the behaviors and identifying underlying strengths. Ashley enjoys the energy kids bring to sessions and loves using a creative approach to make a change. As an empathic listener, she seeks to genuinely understand kids and their families. Ashley holds a Master’s in Art Therapy and enjoys utilizing the creative process as a means of facilitating the exploration of difficult emotions, regulating mood, and promoting personal growth.
Ashley has had five years of experience using ABA techniques with young children on the autism spectrum. She has also facilitated art therapy groups for individuals living with cognitive and physical disabilities and has worked to address trauma in youth and adults who experienced homelessness. Ashley utilizes a person-centered approach while drawing upon techniques from CBT, DBT, and play therapy.
Ashley is available Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.
Lauren - MSW, LCSW
Seeking out therapy can feel daunting. Lauren’s work as a therapist is motivated by the understanding that everyone has skills to develop and could use a supportive environment to grow. Lauren holds a Master’s of Social Work and Bachelors of Arts in psychology and social welfare from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her main experience involves working with adults experiencing substance-abuse-related concerns and crisis mental health. Most recently she worked with adults who were coming out of the prison system that was struggling with addiction and general mental health concerns.
She primarily uses cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) but can incorporate a variety of other approaches including dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) skills, problem-solving and suicide prevention, person-centered planning, and more. Lauren wants to incorporate important elements of your identity including your culture, faith/spirituality, and unique characteristics of yourself.
Lauren has worked with individuals suffering from depression, anxiety, adjustment and stress, family development and parenting, trauma and abuse, suicidal thoughts and self-harm, personality disorders, identifying issues and self-confidence, as well as substance abuse concerns.
Lauren is available Monday-Friday via telehealth.
Lexi - MSW, APSW
Lexi believes forming a positive relationship with you is one of the most valuable steps in the therapeutic process. With compassion at the core of her approach, she wants to make sure that you feel comfortable in a vulnerable setting. Lexi loves to meet you where you are and help you focus on what is possible.
Lexi believes therapy is a wonderful support for anyone and everyone, not just those who may be experiencing a difficult time. Therapy allows us to better understand our thoughts and emotions and how to positively deal with them as we go through life.
Lexi has a passion for working with children, teens, and young adults and encourages parent interaction. Lexi has experience in a multitude of settings working with school aged adolescents and their families. She has experience working with individuals with depression, anxiety, self-esteem concerns, and social-emotional development. Lexi uses a strengths based approach, motivational interviewing, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
Lexi is available Monday-Friday.
Brittany - MSW, CAPSW
Brittany believes that you are your biggest advocate and support! She loves empowering you and helping you reach your fullest potential! Brittany strives to build trusting therapeutic relationships and believes that this is a crucial factor to successful treatment. Brittany engages with you through different therapeutic approaches. She has extensive experience working with adults with IDD, mental health, and other medical diagnoses. In addition, Brittany has experience working with children and adolescents in a residential treatment environment. She has worked with individuals of all ages. Brittany has her Master’s in Social Work from UW-Madison and a Bachelor’s in Social Work with a Child Advocacy minor from Winona State University. Brittany is thrilled to be a part of the Healing Hearts team!
Brittany is available Monday – Friday,
Kirsten - MS Ed, LPC-IT
Kirsten is a counseling graduate student at the University of Wisconsin–Superior, pursuing her M.S.Ed. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. With over eight years of experience as an educator and Infant Mental Health Specialist, Kirsten has supported neurodiverse children and families through trauma-informed, strengths-based care.
She specializes in early childhood development, attachment, and family support. Guided by her values of fairness, empathy, and optimism, Kirsten is passionate about helping children and individuals with exceptionalities grow through understanding, connection, and hope.
Sarah - MS, LPC-IT
If your child or teen is struggling with big emotions, anxiety, attention challenges, or the impact of trauma—you’re not alone, and there is a way forward.
Sarah works with children, adolescents, and families who feel stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure how to help their child move forward. Whether your child is navigating ADHD, anxiety, family transitions, or past trauma, Sarah focuses on helping them build emotional awareness, develop regulation skills, and feel more confident in themselves.
With over 30 years of experience supporting children and families—including work in foster care, crisis settings, and schools—Sarah understands how complex these situations can be. She doesn’t just focus on behavior at the surface level. She works to understand what’s underneath, helping children make sense of their experiences while supporting parents in responding in ways that create lasting change.
Sarah has spent much of her career walking alongside families during some of their most challenging moments, including experiences with adoption, out-of-home placement, and family disruption. She brings a steady, grounded presence and helps create a space where both children and parents feel supported, understood, and not judged.
Her approach integrates cognitive and play-based strategies while meeting each child at their developmental level. Sessions are designed to help children build skills they can actually use in real life—not just talk about change, but begin to experience it.
Sarah is currently completing her training as a Licensed Professional Counselor through UW–Superior and brings a depth of real-world experience that allows her to connect quickly and effectively with the families she serves.
OFFICE TEAM
Yulisa - Receptionist
Amanda - Billing Manager
Ellen - External Operations Manager
INTERNS
Kailee - BS, Clinical Intern
Kailee brings a warm, patient, and thoughtful presence to counseling. She wants to understand how your experiences affect your daily life, what your journey has been like, and what you hope therapy will offer you. She makes room for your questions, concerns, and goals as you begin working together.
With training in supporting people with anxiety disorders and OCD, Kailee helps you better understand your experiences and build practical skills for responding to distress. Her work at Rogers Behavioral Health has included helping individuals practice coping and distress-tolerance skills, understand therapeutic approaches, and work toward their treatment goals.
Kailee is naturally curious and thorough. She listens carefully, asks thoughtful questions, and takes time to explore what may be helpful for you. Her commitment extends beyond the session: she prepares thoughtfully, seeks out information, and continues learning so she can bring an informed, individualized approach to your care.
You can expect a collaborative relationship where your perspective matters. Together, you’ll explore what feels difficult, recognize your strengths, and identify manageable steps toward the changes you want to make.
Kailee earned her bachelor’s degree in Psychology, with a minor in Biology, from the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire. She is currently pursuing her master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Bradley University, with graduation expected in 2027.
Denise - BS, Clinical Intern
When your child is struggling with emotions, your family is navigating change, or you’re feeling overwhelmed yourself, finding someone who truly listens can make a difference.
Denise believes counseling begins with a relationship where you feel safe, understood, and accepted. Whether you’re navigating anxiety, depression, life transitions, or simply feeling stuck, she creates space for you to explore what’s happening at your own pace and begin identifying a way forward.
Her experience supporting children in school, residential, and applied behavior analysis (ABA) settings has shown her that each child brings different strengths, needs, and ways of communicating. She values getting to know the person behind the challenges and building a connection that helps them feel comfortable being themselves.
Denise brings a patient, compassionate presence to her work. She focuses on listening without judgment, recognizing your strengths, and working together toward meaningful changes in everyday life.
Denise is currently completing her master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Concordia University Wisconsin. She has a particular interest in continuing her education in trauma-informed therapies and deepening her understanding of how to support people affected by trauma.
Information coming soon