“This process of the good life is not, I am convinced, a life for the faint-fainthearted. It involves the stretching and growing of becoming more and more of one's potentialities. It involves the courage to be.”
-Carl Rogers
Sherri Foster (she/her/hers)
“As long as you keep secrets and suppress information, you are
fundamentally at war with yourself...The critical issue is allowing yourself to know what you know. That takes an enormous amount of courage.”
― BesselA. van der Kolk
The Work
Hi! I’m Sherri. I’m a counseling intern, completing my Master’s Degree in
Clinical Mental Health Counseling through the University of Wisconsin. I understand that you are a complex, multi-faceted person whose mind, body, and spirit all need tending to, so my approach is holistic and uniquely tailored to you. I employ a variety of approaches (Person-centered, Narrative, Existential, Acceptance & Commitment, Attachment Theory, etc.) to help you gain awareness, practice self-care, develop self-expression, and overcome challenges. I respect your individual path to healing, so I’ll work with you to tailor an approach that fits you, specifically. If you’re looking to work with someone who is warm, open, compassionate, kinda funny (once you get to know me, of course), and genuinely interested in all people and things, then perhaps we’re a good fit.
I have specific interests in complex medical trauma (including diagnosis, treatment, recovery, and end-of-life); caregiver stress; grief and loss; stress & anxiety; life transitions; and intimacy/relationship issues (including nonmonogamous partnerships), and I see tweens, teens, adults, and seniors.
I recognize that therapy can be uncomfortable, and I have deep respect for
people who are willing to be open and vulnerable. My job is to provide you
with a safe, non-judgmental, and supportive environment in which you can
explore your experiences, manage challenges, and build the necessary skills
and confidence to make informed choices based on personal values. I hope
our time together enables you to achieve greater self-awareness and self-acceptance and prioritize personal growth. I also hope it empowers you to become a strong self-advocate. I’m in this with you, as a partner and an ally. I am excited to start our work together.
A little bit more about me:
Education/certifications:
• Master’s Degree in Women’s Studies from the University of Oxford
• PhD in Disability Studies from the University of Sussex
• Graduate Certificate in Neurodivergence from Florida State University
• currently pursuing a master’s degree in clinical Mental Health Counseling from the University of Wisconsin-Superior
Trainings/Readings:
• Introductory Narrative Therapy
• Safe Space trained
• Books that currently inspire me: Writing as a Way of Healing by Louise DeSalvo, The Story You Need to Tell by Sandra Marinella, The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk, Radical Acceptance by Tara Brach, Hold Me Tight by Sue Johnson and The Origins of You by Vienna Pharaon.
Fun Facts:
• I lived in England and Scotland for several years while pursuing my master’s degree and PhD.
• I am obsessed with gardening (even though I hate the summer heat), and I have a special collection of named irises.
• I have three lovable large doodles who actively and unapologetically prevent me from something else I love ... traveling.
• I am writing a memoir/novel/mish-mash creation about my personal experience with different types of loss
Groups I Vibe with:
• Disabled Person/Person with Disability
• LGBTQIAP+
• Neurodivergent
• Those who have experienced medical trauma or who are living with chronic pain/illness
• Caregivers, including medical personnel and first responders
• Those experiencing stress and anxiety
• Those experiencing grief and loss
• Young adults (tweens and teens)
• Adults and seniors
• Intimate partnerships, including poly
Would Refer to Others:
• Eating disorders
• Personality disorders
• Substance Abuse
• Medicine Management
• Active Psychosis
