Dr. Mark Thelen

Dr. Mark Thelen helps people who are feeling stuck by focusing on clear, workable steps. He meets people where they are and listens to what matters most to them. He has practiced psychology for four decades and brings steady, practical support to conversations about change.

He trained and is licensed as a Minnesota Psychologist (MN Psychologist 2992) and has worked in community mental health centers, hospital units, small group clinics, and in private practice. That range of settings shaped his plainspoken style and his focus on what helps day to day.

In sessions he centers the person’s own experience and strengths. He uses client-centered work to follow what the client finds important. He also draws on cognitive behavioral techniques to spot unhelpful thinking and try different behaviors.

He addresses a wide range of struggles, including stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, anger, depression, ADHD, addictions, relationship and family concerns, grief, intimacy-related issues, sleep problems, parenting strain, low self-esteem, and coping with life changes. He also works with issues such as abandonment, codependency, communication problems, and impulsivity.

People meet him for both short-term problem solving and longer work on deeper patterns. He aims to support and empower clients as they try new approaches, repair setbacks, and build more satisfying routines. To begin, prospective clients follow the site’s matching steps and schedule according to availability.

Approaches that translate well to online work

Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening and reflecting back what matters to the person. It helps people feel heard and clarify their priorities so they can decide what to try next. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is practical and structured; it helps identify unhelpful thoughts and test small behavior changes to reduce symptoms like anxiety or low mood. Narrative Therapy looks at the stories people tell about themselves and offers ways to rewrite those stories to support different choices.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will work with each person to choose methods that match their goals, comfort level, and the problems they want to address. That might mean combining client-centered listening with CBT exercises or trying short solution-focused steps to see what helps first.

Confirm current session options before booking because the biography does not name specific formats. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into busy days, avoid travel time, and use shorter check-ins when needed. It also lets people keep continuity of care while balancing work, family, and other responsibilities. Licensed professionals adapt exercises, homework, and pacing to work well in remote sessions, and the therapist can discuss what will fit best during the initial match.