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Our Wellness Team

Sheila Russell, LISW, CADC

 

Sheila is an experienced therapist and community lecturer, as well as the founder and operator of Front Line Therapy, LLC.


She is a Certified EMDR Therapist and EMDRIA-Approved EMDR Consultant.  She has expertise in EMDR and trauma treatment of simple and complex PTSD focusing specifically on working with First Responders, Military Personnel and Veterans, and their family members.


Currently, Sheila is a board member with Iowa’s First Responder Peer Support Foundation, a board member for Crisis Canines of the Midlands, a Yoga for First Responders Ambassador, a peer support member and/or consultant for several Iowa Emergency Responder Departments, a lecturer for Iowa Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA), a vetted Fraternal Order of Police provider, and a therapist and presenter with National Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.).

Summer Hall, LISW, IADC

Summer began her career at House of Mercy, dedicating over six years to their residential and outpatient substance abuse programs. 


In 2015, she earned her Master of Social Work degree from the University of Iowa. She then spent two years at MercyOne as a Trauma Social Worker, collaborating with the trauma team and supporting patients in the neuro/trauma/medical intensive care unit.


Most recently, Summer worked with the VA for more than seven years, providing care for Veterans in both domiciliary (residential) and outpatient mental health therapy settings. She has extensive experience assisting Veterans facing PTSD, depression, anxiety, ADHD, substance use challenges, homelessness, and other complex needs.


Summer is trained in EMDR, Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Depression (CBT-D). As a certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (IADC), she is committed to working collaboratively with you to identify your personal goals and guide you through the therapy process.

Lindsay Smith, LMSW

Lindsay is a Licensed Master Social Work (LMSW) and is currently working towards her LISW.  She is additionally trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR).


Lindsay's career path started as an EMT where she worked in a major hospital Emergency Room until she switched gears to social work and graduated from Wichita State University with a master's degree in social work (MSW).


She has over a decade of various professional experiences including work in a juvenile detention facility, schools, hospital, behavior consultant for the AEA, bereavement and community awareness for infant death and SIDS, equine-assisted therapy, hospice, and most recently in the field alongside First Responders as part of the Alternative Response for Community Health (ARCH) team in Ames, IA.


Lindsay’s counseling style combines empathy and support with a straightforward approach. She doesn’t shy away from difficult topics or situations and finds value in helping others navigate life’s complexities with resilience and purpose. Providing a safe place to be present and transparent, Lindsay utilizes evidence-based practices and candid conversation to foster desired growth and wellbeing. Outside of work, Lindsay enjoys family, friends, crafting, reading and all things animals including fostering kittens.

Troy Bliss, Clinical Mental Health Counseling Intern

 

Troy is currently completing his Master's Degree from Southern New Hampshire University.  Troy’s diverse experiences as a first responder have made him intimately aware of some of the unique challenges and demands that this line of work can have on one’s life.  


Family stressors, substance abuse, burnout, trauma, compassion fatigue, and even suicide, are just some of the very real risks that first responders experience and are often all too familiar with.


Troy operates from a person-centered approach believing that within each person exists everything that one needs to live a life of happiness, success, and fulfillment. Through empowering clients, emphasizing the power of positive relationships, and using trauma informed practices 


Troy aims to help other first responders become the best versions of themselves, and in doing so continue to serve and protect others in the most meaningful way!

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