About Us

A new approach to therapy using art, body movement and the celebration of culture

Jamil Stamschror-Lott, LICSW

Jamil started his journey to becoming a mental health provider by receiving his bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Marquette University in Milwaukee, where he also played basketball. While in Milwaukee, Jamil also worked for Big Brothers Big Sisters as an outreach worker. After graduation, he returned home to the Twin Cities and worked as a case manager at a halfway house for adult males coming out of the prison system. This led to him becoming a probation officer for youth. He then transitioned to the Program Manager of the Evening Learning Program for youth involved in the probation system in St. Paul. From there, following his passion for educating underprivileged youth, he began working as a Behavior Intervention Specialist within St.Paul Public Schools. After years of working in “behavior”, Jamil decided he wanted to do more than discipline. He wanted a deeper understanding of mental health and the challenges that families face. He returned to school to obtain his Masters degree in Clinical Social Work from Augsburg University. While studying for his masters, he also participated in internships with Ramsey County and Neighborhood House. After graduate school, Jamil went on to work as a Social Worker on Special Assignment utilizing Restorative Justice practices for the St.Paul School District.

Currently Jamil can be found embedded in the community. He is working with numerous organizations to bring equity, social justice and mental health to the forefront of our society. Jamil has worked with All Square, Minnesota Private College Fund, Tech Dump, Metropolitan Council, Greater Minneapolis Council of Churches, multiple law firms, school systems and city municipalities. He has also worked as an adjunct professor for Augsburg University. Jamil has been featured in USA Today, Rolling Stone Magazine, New York Times and numerous other publications. Jamil is available for Mental Health Consultation, Transformative Justice Circles, speaking engagements, and therapy services.

Please reach out to book Jamil for any public speaking engagements in our “Contact” section on our homepage.

What's Diversity Inclusion?

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Sara Stamschror-Lott, MA, LMFT, CAIMHP

Sara received her bachelors degree in Family Social Science from The University of Minnesota. After working for a year in Hennepin County,she went on to obtain her degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. Sara worked at Edison High School and Northeast Middle School providing individual and family therapy services both in school, the community and in the client’s homes. Sara also provided in home therapy and skills services for youth involved in residential treatment settings through a program entitled “Bridging” with Hennepin, Dakota and Scott County. Her work in schools and in the community led her to becoming a site lead therapist, as well as program manager in a nonprofit health clinic.

Currently, Sara provides individual and family trauma informed therapy services using EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) art, body movement and client centered modalities to bring about healing. She also provides supervision for individuals working towards their LMFT and LPCC licensure. Further she serves as the Wellness Director at All Square, a civil rights org working to dismantle the barriers of oppression for individuals impacted by the “un-justice system”.

Sara’s work has been featured on numerous local news stations, in USAToday, New York Times and more. Sara is available for therapy, supervision, consultation.

Please reach out to book Sara for any public speaking engagements in our “Contact” section on our homepage.

ASHA WILLIAMS, MA

Asha received her bachelor’s degree in Intercultural Studies from North Central University. Post-graduation she worked for a year at a non-profit in Oakland, CA. where she tutored elementary children and helped develop the local community through service projects and providing meals. Following that she left for South Korea to teach English to K-12 students for 2.5 years. Upon her return she enrolled in graduate school at Bethel University to receive her Masters of Arts in Counseling psychology.

While studying for her Masters she completed her internship at a local college interning in their student success center, providing individual counseling for college age students. Since graduating she has worked as a Resident director, developing relationships, and providing crisis intervention and front line care for those she served.

She is currently working towards her Licensure as an LPCC with Family Innovations providing trauma informed in-home therapy to both individuals and families. She will be using the same skills as she excitedly joins the Creative Kuponya team.

Asha believes Therapy is a sacred space. It’s a time of learning (or relearning) who we are. She believes in helping people become the best possible version of themselves. The better we understand ourselves, the more we know our strengths, limitations and how to operate the best we can.

Working in multiple areas, though challenging, has been most valuable to her. It has given Asha the opportunity to learn many life skills. Through traveling, her perspective has begun to be broadened and think beyond herself and the culture in which she personally identifies with.

Anusha Ramaswami, MSW, LGSW, MT-BC

Anusha (she/her) is a licensed therapist and board certified music therapist who has a passion for working in and with her community. She believes strongly that creativity and art should be an essential part of the therapeutic process for anyone who connects with these modalities. She works to ensure that healing experiences are co-created between client and therapist. She believes firmly that community-building is essential in the work toward transformative justice and collective liberation for all oppressed peoples. Though there are many systemic barriers to wellness, Anusha believes there is always space for empowerment, healing, and growth. Anusha enjoys meeting and holding space for any client exactly where they are at. She has found herself most frequently pulled to healing work with marginalized youth and their families, individuals impacted by incarceration, immigration, and generational trauma, and those engaging in racial identity development at all stages of life.

Rebecca Dilley, MHPrac.

Becca graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in History and Spanish. She lived in Boston for several years working with youth before moving to Minneapolis and running a business in visual arts for over a decade.

She is currently working towards her Masters of Marriage and Family Therapy at University of Wisconsin-Stout.

Becca enjoys bringing creativity and energy to her work with families and individuals. She believes that people have great ability for growth, creativity, and resilience, and therapy can help to recognize and grow those capacities.

Brittane Geleske, M.A. Director of Operations and Wellness

Brittane holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Master of Arts in Higher Education Administration & College Student Development. She is deeply passionate about holistic care, wellness, and healing.

During the past decade, she has dedicated her career to excellence in college student development, leadership, justice, and equity. Brittane approaches any role by providing space for individuals to learn, feel understood, and receive access to necessary resources.

Brittane is excited to bring her administrative leadership, project management, and content curation expertise to Creative Kuponya in order to support organizational growth and further provide space for community healing, teaching, and mental health care without barriers.

Jasmine Ellis, MSW Intern

Jasmine is a Clinical Social Work Graduate Student at Augsburg University. She currently works as a CADI Waiver Case Manager at the Minnesota Brain Injury Alliance. Once Jasmine graduates next spring, she is most interested in working as a Child Therapist or School Social Worker. Outside of work and school, Jasmine enjoys spending time with my family and friends, reading novels, having picnics at the lake, and going for walks.

Julia Rodriguez, MSW Intern

Julia Rodriguez was born in Chihuahua, Mexico and moved to the United States when she was 4 years old. She is bilingual in English and Spanish. Julia started her path toward helping others through her local hispanic outreach program in Red Wing, MN doing policy work focused on bringing attention to immigration reform in Washington D.C, as well as doing mentorships with hispanic youth. Since then, Julia has had a variety of internship and employment opportunities focusing on mental health including crisis counseling, family focused group therapy with traumatized youth, case management for the DD Waiver, as well as targeted children’s mental health case management with CLUES. Julia is passionate about working through a holistic, person centered, and strengths-based lens. She understands the necessity for access to safe healing spaces in order to improve quality of life.

Julia has completed a B.A in Psychology from Winona State University with a minor in Spanish. She is currently enrolled as a graduate student at Augsburg University working toward a masters in multicultural clinical social work. Julia is additionally employed as a parent educator and mentor, as well as a CTSS skills practitioner with Minnesota CarePartner.

Shoshana Alexander-Daniels, MSW Intern

Shoshana (she/her) is an educator, teaching artist, improv performer, and learning healer. Shoshana earned her bachelor’s degree at Macalester College, and is earning her Master’s of Social Work at St. Catherine’s University. Shoshana focuses her studies on healing and liberation from oppression based trauma, using body awareness, movement, and improv.

Shoshana was born and raised in Minneapolis, and has worked and played in education, youth development, mental health care, and community organizing in Minneapolis, Brooklyn, the Bronx, and Los Angeles. Shoshana lives in Minneapolis with her partner and child. In her spare time, she enjoys working at the crossroads of joy, liberation, love, and creativity. Additionally, Shoshana enjoys playing in lakes, playing instruments, improv, and playing geeky tabletop games.

Melvin,

As a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker, Melvin has a passion for supporting people. Growing up in an environment where he saw many people needing some sort of help, he naturally gravitated towards where the need was evident.

Melvin has over 10 years of experience in the public and nonprofit sector working with youth, adults, and families. Currently, Melvin works in the public school system, as a high school social worker, primarily in special education. Melvin has a passion for teaching, learning, and fostering healthy environments where teaching and learning can coexist.

He completed his Bachelor of Social Work degree at Metropolitan State University; and Master of Social Work degree at Augsburg University.

Nina Barnes

My passion is to accompany others in navigating life. I consider it a sacred privilege to help people discover purpose and meaning, work through challenges, develop as leaders, and experience transformation on the journey.

Nina is a certified spiritual director with a passion for creating space for others to discern opportunities and challenges, along with responding to invitations from God. Through her spiritual direction and coaching practice, Transforming Journey, Nina considers it an honor to help others experience and embody love, hope, redemption, and transformation.

Also, Nina currently serves as a vice president at an organization based in the Twin Cities. She has extensive human resources experience, stemming from 30+ years of service within a variety of organizational settings. Nina earned a Master of Arts degree in Spiritual Formation & Leadership.

Beyond spiritual direction, Nina holds certifications in:
– Human Resources Management (SPHR-Senior Professional in Human Resources)
– Conflict Coaching/Mediation
– Unconscious/Implicit Bias Awareness and Mitigation
– Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) Qualified Administrator
– Enneagram Coaching/Training
– StrengthsFinder Training
– Spiritual Leadership Transformation

Outside of work, Nina desires to make a meaningful impact as she serves on the Advisory Council for an organization dedicated to forming global peacemakers and reconciling leaders who mend divides and on the Board of Directors for a Twin Cities non-profit. Yet, her most cherished roles are mother to an adult son and “daughter-in-love”, along with her newest role as “Gramma Nina” to her two granddaughters.

OUR SERVICES

Mental healthcare without barriers

INDIVIDUAL & FAMILY THERAPY

We’re thinkers and doers! We do not just focus simply on the individual, but all the items that surround the client in their lives.

MENTAL HEALTH, DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION TRAINING

By nurturing an awareness of other cultural beliefs and customs, educators can create a multicultural classroom that cultivates learning via cultural diversity.

community Transformative sessions

We’re stepping out into the community to address the heart of the issue and bringing healing through community sessions.