Behavior Health

Michelle Blackmer

Michelle Blackmer is a lifelong resident of Whiteside County and has a deep commitment to the residents in our community and their physical and mental health. She has been seeing patients from school age to geriatrics as a Nurse Practitioner for over 25 years, with over a decade in Whiteside County. She has a strong passion for working with women and children. She has advanced mental health training from Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard for these two populations. She also has a special place in her heart for clients with developmental disabilities and treats many clients in the area that live in homes and facilities that specialize in care for this population. She will work closely with the patient’s therapist in all aspects of a patient’s care, especially for those adults and children that have a history of trauma. Using her years as a nursing educator, she individualizes the patient’s care by providing educating on the diagnosis and available treatment options, but most of all, by using their strengths as a foundation for better health.

Steve Braasch

Steve Braasch is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor with nearly two decades of experience in counseling children and adults. He sees individuals ages five and above, couples, and families. Steve has extensive experience in working with children and adults struggling with anxiety, depression, trauma, divorce adjustment, ADHD, grief, and many other behavioral health concerns. He does not have the expertise and specialized training to assist those with Autism or Intellectual Disabilities.

Steve believes in a straight-forward, realistic approach to counseling. He recognizes a clear distinction between behavioral concerns and mental health concerns. He will use this to drive his treatment approach. In some cases, his approach towards working with children, especially young children, may involve collaborating first with the parents so that parenting skills and approaches may be strengthened and supported.

Steve has unique experience with the school system, serving as a School Counselor for 11 years and as a leader and mentor for other Counselors. In addition to talk therapy and therapy involving play, he has received training in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) treatment, Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), and Internal Family Systems Therapy (IFS).

Christina Lutz

Christina Lutz is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor. Her vast experience has ranged from being a personal care assistant, working with individuals with TBI and ID, and now individual counseling for the last 20 years. She will work with individuals from their late teens through adulthood.

She has had success treating patients with a wide array of diagnosis including  Schizophrenia, Schizoaffective Disorder, PTSD, Bipolar Disorder, OCD, Panic Disorder, Anxiety Disorders, Depressive Disorders, Adjustment Disorders, and Personality Disorders.

By utilizing Motivational Interviewing, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Humanistic Therapy, Existential Therapy, and Solution Focused Therapy, Christina believes coping skills can be learned and developed as we work to decrease symptoms and enhance strengths in one’s life.

Crystle Liebhart Meggenberg

Crystle Liebhart-Meggenberg is a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner who treats patients across the lifespan, from school age to 100+, for psychiatric medication management. She has over 11 years of experience as a Registered Nurse. She graduated with a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree from the University of Iowa, specializing in Adult and Geriatric Primary Care. During that educational journey, She discovered that mental wellness is a significant key to physical health which fueled her passion to further her education and specialize in mental health. 

People are complex beings, and it is essential to maintain balance among physical, spiritual, mental, and emotional health to achieve holistic well-being. Crystle believes that health & wellness in life is a delicate art shaped by daily decisions, resilience, and perspective/mindset. She is prepared to be your partner to support you in exploring what mental health means to you, in guiding your decisions, strengthening your resilience, and offering a new perspective to support you in finding wellness based on your needs and vision.

Jessica West

Jessi West is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with vast experience from working in a wide array of institutions in the mental health field. Jessi uses a strength-based approach to therapy and believes that the client is the expert of their life, not her. She likes to tailor her approach to the needs of the individual client and works to make sure each client feels safe, supported, and respected.

Jessi has a passion for working with children, adolescents, and their families. She enjoys working with people of all ages. She works with a variety of issues, including but not limited to, anxiety, depression, adjustment disorders, PTSD and trauma-related disorders, self-esteem/identity issues, self-harm, blended family/co-parenting issues, attachment disorders, divorce, and family issues. Jessi is trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) to help clients process traumas and other life stressors..