Co-Owner of The Karuna House, Psychotherapist, Consultant, Speaker and Business Coach. She is a lead trainer and consultant at The Karuna House Trauma Training Institute, Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor and Clinical Supervisor, M.Ed., PCC-S, Certified EMDR Therapist, EMDR Approved Consultant and Level 2 Trained Sensorimotor Psychotherapist.

“Mirror the light to the person that doesn’t see the light in themself.”-Judith Royal.

Every human being has their own governing intelligence and their own path of self discovery, growth and healing. Meeting her client’s with authenticity, Gretchen works with her clients to help them to explore and discover their path and  the pain that may be blocking their path.  She has a boundless capacity for holding light for  people as she elucidates what has been adaptive for them while they work to transform the pain inside. 

Over the past 25 years, Gretchen von Seggern has accompanied individuals and couples in their process of healing past and present psychological pain, opening them to the concept that life can be different.  Understanding that our past informs our present and how we respond and embody our current pain shapes our present well being  is at the core of Gretchen’s work with her clients. 

Gretchen is a trained EMDR Psychotherapist and an expert in the field of trauma and attachment trauma, supported by her interdisciplinary approach that includes EMDR therapy and Sensorimotor psychotherapy. Gretchen is passionate about her work in the field of Trauma, understanding that when people understand their trauma they can begin to understand and heal their pain. She maintains a continuous commitment to her professional training in the field of Mind-Body Trauma Psychotherapy and provides training in the field of trauma and consultation and certification in EMDR therapy to therapists around the country.

She is the Northwest Ohio EMDR Regional Network Coordinator and is actively involved in expanding trauma awareness, training and treatment within the community, school settings, police, fire and rescue departments.

Whether your healing work exists in your personal life or professional world, all transformation begins with attachment to oneself and others. It involves the authentic expression of who we are and who we are to become.  She welcomes the opportunity to work with you on your healing journey in both.

419.466.9891 | gretchenleu@karunahousellc.com

Co-Owner of The Karuna House, Lead Trainer and Consultant at The Karuna House Training Institute, Therapist, M.A., PCC-S, Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor and Clinical Supervisor, Certified EMDR therapist, EMDR Approved Consultant, Level 2 Trained Sensorimotor Psychotherapy.

"Because I deeply believe that counseling makes a profound positive impact in people’s lives, allowing for transformation, healing and growth, I have co-founded Karuna House, a wellness center, where practitioners’ work will embody ‘Karuna,’ any action taken to diminish the suffering of others."

It's not about the rupture but the repair. Andrew believes therapy is about the repair that allows us to unshackle ourselves from the procedural ways of responding to the world which no longer serve us. During the course of our experiences as humans, we are faced with varying degrees of challenges that causes us to have to adapt to survive. Sometimes these adaptions become ways of responding to the world that no longer work for us in our adult life, but we need assistance in resolving the wounds that caused them in the first place. It is in this place that Andrew believes counseling/therapy makes a significant difference. When one is going on this type of journey, it is important to have a guide who is well versed in the terrain and can assist in shining a light into those areas that are difficult to see, in order to illuminate areas that may need attention and healing… Healing one’s trauma doesn’t happen alone or magically but by having someone there to bear witness, offer support, empathy, validation and understanding, things that may have been missing.

After two decades in the mental health field, Andrew utilizes a variety of counseling and healing modalities to aid his clients as they move to achieve lasting and meaningful changes in their lives.

Andrew deeply holds that each one of us has the capacity to heal, change, and grow. This fuels his commitment as a counselor. His work is informed by his ongoing practice of the Japanese martial art Aikido, meditation and yoga. Aikido is often translated as the way of harmony, a concept that Andrew cultivates with clients to aid in the process counseling. Andrew trains at Shobu Aikido of Ohio regularly, teaching classes there twice a week.

Andrew has also reached out to a wider audience co-presenting at the American Counseling Conference, the All Ohio Counselors Conference, Wood County NAMI and radio spots on mental health and decreasing stress, as well as offering hypnosis seminars and numerous talks on mindfulness, coping with stress, grief, and humor.

Andrew continues to pursue professional training in Sensorimotor Psychotherapy and EMDR Therapy while developing professional and community based educational trainings to help broaden perspectives and knowledge bases on trauma and mental health issues with Karuna House co-founder Gretchen Leu.

419.467.9406 | andylesniewicz@karunahousellc.com

MSW, LISW-S, Certified EMDR Therapist

“...Connecting is the nature of human nature...the loss of connecting is our deepest trauma, the trauma behind all traumas; and our life agenda is to restore connecting.” - Harville Hendrix and Helen LaKelly Hunt authors of Doing Imago Relationship Therapy: In the Space-Between

Trauma is inevitable. Healing is possible. I would be honored to guide you on your journey to heal. Through the innate healing powers of the body and mind and the restoration of human connection, I believe that people can overcome the deepest traumas including childhood abuse and neglect, abandonment, loss of relationships, grief, and more.

As part of my treatment approach, I use a holistic perspective and integrate the mind, body, and spirit into my work with clients, believing that healing takes place starting with the body. As part of this approach, I utilize Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy. EMDR is an evidenced based psychotherapy proven to help people recover from trauma and distressing life experiences including PTSD, anxiety, depression, eating disorders, OCD, panic disorders, and other mental illnesses.

I am a certified Imago Relationship Therapist. Imago Relationship Therapy is a form of relationship and couples therapy that focuses on transforming conflict into healing and growth through relational connecting. Some ways to restore connections include using dialogue, the concept of zero negativity, and appreciation. In conjunction with Imago Relationship Therapy, I am training to become a Certified Sex Therapist who helps couples and individuals with sexual issues and concerns including sexual function and dysfunction, sexual pleasure, sexual development, sexual abuse, and more.

As a Licensed Social Worker, I strive to create a safe, relaxed environment to work collaboratively with clients on healing and recovery from trauma. I have worked with a wide variety of people including veterans, first responders, the elderly, and people with developmental and intellectual challenges.

I currently see adults (18 years and older) and couples.

419.455.1009 | Rebeccabrown@karunahousellc.com

M.A., LPC, EMDR Trained

“Do not compare, do not measure. No other way is like yours. All other ways deceive and tempt you. You must fulfill the way that is in you” -Carl Jung

Lexi believes that every individual has within them a universal intelligence with the capacity to guide them through healing. Her empathy and warmth help to create a safe, nonjudgmental space where individuals seeking healing can process and grow. She utilizes an integrative approach to therapy, collaborating with each individual to fit their unique needs. Lexi is a Licensed Professional Counselor who provides psychotherapy to adolescents and adults. Lexi obtained her Master’s Degree in Counselor Education with a concentration in Clinical Mental Health at The University of Toledo, as well as her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology at Lourdes University, where she was also awarded Psychology Student of the Year.

Lexi started her work in community mental health, and continued gaining experience for three years in a dual-diagnosis treatment center where she facilitated day treatment groups and created a 15-week group curriculum to help individuals struggling with severe persistent mental health concerns and addictions. Lexi also has experience providing counseling services to college students at The University of Toledo. She also gained experience counseling children ages five through 15 at Lial Catholic School, focusing on behavioral concerns and mental health challenges that developing youth commonly face. Through her experiences, she observed trauma disconnecting people from themselves and from others, leaving its mark on the mind, body, and spirit. This led her to adopting a holistic lens through which she views the healing and growth process. Lexi is committed to incorporating wellness into her daily practice through utilization of the eight dimensions of wellness and mindfulness. She completed EMDR therapy training in 2022 and is honored to experience the growth and healing alongside her clients as they embark upon their journey.

567.395.5891 | Lexidouville@karunahousellc.com

MSW, LSW, EMDR Trained Therapist

"Our job is not to deny the story, but to defy the ending--to rise strong, recognize our story, and rumble with the truth until we get to a place where we think, 'Yes. This is what happened. And I will choose how the story ends.'" - Brené Brown

You may not know when it happened exactly, but now it’s become your normal. Every day feels like an effort at times and you really try to push through it. You want your life to be different, make big changes, take risks, but there’s something that’s holding you back. You’ve tried everything, and maybe it provides short-term relief, but here’s the problem: it’s still there. You can see that life and those around you continue to move forward. All the while you feel stuck, helpless, haunted by the memory of what’s happened and bracing for what next tragedy is around the corner.

But what if it was possible to live without fear of the future or the weight of the past? To live life embracing the full extent of human emotion—grief, pain, fear—but also joy, hope, and love. To witness your children and their children thrive because you chose to take charge and make a change in your family’s history. To become the hero of your own story and feel fully alive once more.

Joy Herrera is a licensed, EMDR-trained therapist with 5 years of experience working in substance abuse, inpatient hospital, and outpatient individual and group therapy settings. She received her bachelor’s degree in social work from Eastern Michigan University and completed her master’s degree in social work from Spring Arbor University. She has received extensive training through Postpartum Support International to assist families dealing with perinatal mood disorders, traumatic births, perinatal loss, and infertility struggles. Her areas of specialty include working with a variety of women’s issues—such as childhood trauma, intimate partner violence, and human trafficking. Joy believes in partnering with others on their journey to wholeness by incorporating the body, mind, and the spirit into treatment. Her approach involves tailored, person-centered care that promotes resiliency and each person’s inherent worth.

815.207.1278 | joyherrera@karunahousellc.com

LPC, M.A., EMDR Trained

“What you most want to be found will be found where you least want to look… If you gaze into the abyss long enough, you will see the light, not the darkness.” -Jordan Peterson

Emma is a Licensed Professional Counselor who earned her Master’s Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Bowling Green State University as well as her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology. She is currently a member of the U.S. Air Force where she serves in the Air National Guard as a medic and welcomes all current and past military members.

Emma works to help her clients better understand themselves and how they relate to the world around them. Her clients learn how to increase their self-awareness with gentle curiosity and leave behind self-criticism. They discover how to live authentically and find stability in their own uniqueness. She helps her clients create meaning in their lives by bridging past experiences into current everyday living. With each individual client, Emma walks with them as they find healing and relief.

419.740.0275 | emmablum@karunahousellc.com

M.Ed, PCC, LPCC

“I believe that we all need someone to listen....really listen, and that is the power of the relationship between a client and a therapist. We all need someone to guide us, walk with us and help us through difficult times that are either happening now or have happened in our past. I strive to be that for my clients.”

Six years ago, Lisa DeClark switched her life course by leaving a career of 20 years to become a licensed clinical mental health counselor working with children, teens and adults in a community mental health environment. Her passion in the field of psychotherapy led her to yet another transition into the private practice sector at the Karuna House. Lisa has extensive knowledge working with teens and adults who have experienced abuse and trauma. Lisa uses a variety of different modalities and interventions to help her clients process abuse and trauma and cope with the impact the experience is having in their current life and relationships. Lisa believes that helping a client understand him or herself better, understand how trauma has impacted their mental health and assist them in finding the tools they have to cope with their pain is the path to recovery and healing. Lisa also has extensive experience, through individual and group therapy, in helping clients who are experiencing grief and loss as well as depression and anxiety. Lisa believes our mental health is strongly connected to our physical health as well as our relationship with others and ourselves.

419.376.6059 | lisadeclark@karunahousellc.com

Front Desk Administrator- Super Nova, Chief Compliance Officer

frontdesk@karunahousellc.com