THERAPIST . RELATIONSHIP COACH . SPEAKER
ABOUT MIKA
If we haven’t met, I’m Mika (pronounced MAI·kuh). Welcome! I have plenty of letters after my name, certificates, and licenses that say I’m qualified to do this work, but honestly, life has been my greatest teacher.
Our time together will be a place you can talk openly about money, relationships, mothers-in-law, spirituality, sex… anything, and feel comfortable, accepted, and understood. If you want to use the F-Bomb: drop it. If you want to throw a tantrum: throw it. If you need to cry: I have plenty of tissues. And, this part is very important, expect to laugh a little.
More details about education and training are below.
“Happiness is contagious. When you prioritize your happiness, it makes it easier for those around you to prioritize their happiness too.”
-MIKA ROSS
My Life & Education
I am a mom to 3 and have been married to my hilarious and Iowa-raised husband, Eric, for 18 years.
I’m a Nationally Board Certified, Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Missouri. I received a bachelor's degree in Psychology from the University of Missouri and a master's in Counseling from the Department of Counseling and Family Therapy from the University of Missouri (a CACREP-accredited program ranked 4th nationally in 2009 by Academic Analytics). I have also completed all advanced interpersonal (only researchy and statisticky classes left) coursework and training towards my Ph.D. in Counseling. So, everything that would help me (and you) in private practice has been completed at the Ph.D. level.
Professionally, I held the title of assistant editor for a peer-reviewed journal while in my Ph.D. program, was assistant to our Department Chair, taught Human Growth and…
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Development at the Master’s level for 6 years, and was an Academic Advisor at a University part-time while building my practice. This is why the Ph.D. program isn’t and won’t be completed; I was doing everything I wanted to do with a Ph.D. without it and realized I don’t have a huge desire to teach in academia or write for peer-reviewed journals. Did you know articles in a peer-reviewed journal are read by an average of 8 people?!
I LOVE teaching, but would rather break down BIG IDEAS in research into actionable and practical strategies for the masses and not write psychobabble for a few academicians and researchers.
I have received loads of post-graduate training in internal family systems theory, couples counseling, and relationships, and am a certified Gottman Couples Therapist…if you care 🤷♀️ I am also a Certified Integrative Mental Health Professional trained in nutrition and functional medicine as it pertains to mental health, though this is supplemental to my practice and not its main focus.
My greatest teachers, however, have been my own relationships. I didn’t come from a perfect background; both of my parents have been married 3 times! Finding and rearranging the beliefs and patterns I had getting in the way of my own relationships, happiness, and abundance has been a fascinating, compelling, ongoing, and not-always-easy but SO-worth-it process. I am passionate about sharing the best of what I’ve come across in my TENS OF THOUSANDS of hours of training and experience with my clients so that they can get to where they want to be in the most efficient way possible.
Be prepared to get out of your own way, heal your relationships, accept yourself fully, and live a life that doesn’t drain you. And…expect to laugh a little, too.
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