I believe therapy should be a safe place to process difficult emotions with a therapist who is supportive, compassionate and able to reflect things back to you, but always in a way that is empathetic and thoughtful. I do not “drag” information out of clients and I will always tell clients during our first session that they have the right to tell me if something is too painful to talk about right now or if there are topics that they do not wish to discuss with me, and I will always respect that boundary.
I want to assist my clients in reaching their goals and making the changes they feel are necessary to improve their lives. I operate from the belief that the client is the expert in their own life, therefore; it is up the client to determine what should be discussed in our sessions and what items we will work on next. I am simply there as a resource to provide reflection, feedback, helpful suggestions and to help define goals. I will never tell a client what he or she should do with his or her life, but I will assist in identifying and defining what is the best option for them. My business is called Visionary Mental Health Services, and visionary is defined as, “thinking about or planning the future with imagination and wisdom”, and I do my best to help clients do this. Therapy offers an opportunity to release the hurt and bonds of the past, while developing healing and hope for a beautiful future. It is my honor to work with clients in developing their own beautiful future, planned with imagination and wisdom.
I also tell my clients that there is no wrong or right way to do therapy because it is an individualized process that we develop collaboratively to meet their specific needs. Therapy can occur weekly, biweekly, once a month, or as needed. As our therapeutic relationship grows, we will determine together, how often a client wants and needs to attend therapy.
Background Information About Lindsay Bruckner:
I’ve spent much of my life in the Pierre, SD area. My family hails from the Pierre and Winner areas and I graduated from T.F. Riggs High School in Pierre. I went on to attend Black Hills State University where I completed Bachelor’s degrees in Sociology and Human Services. After graduation, I lived in the Spearfish, SD area for five years and worked as a Victim’s Advocate at Artemis House before I made the move back to Pierre.
I have a passion for working with the elderly and individuals with disabilities and I was fortunate to have a position with South Dakota Housing Development Authority that allowed me the opportunity to work with many diverse clients while I also worked towards my Master’s degree in Social Work. During my graduate program, I completed two 8-month long internships in Pierre, the first of which was at Oahe Inc. where I assisted case managers in working in various aspects of assisting individuals with disabilities to dream, plan, believe and achieve. My clinical internship was completed at Capital Area Counseling Services, where as a clinical specialist, I worked with families and individuals to provide case management and therapy. I graduated in December 2015 with my MSW degree. In 2016, I transitioned to South Dakota Urban Indian Health as their outpatient therapist, which gave me experience in working with trauma, survivor’s of domestic violence, and allowed me to gain a better understanding of various cultures and how mental health is supported through cultural and spiritual activities. I also provided collaborative care to clients in conjunction with medical staff at the clinic.
In late 2017, I realized my dream of working in private practice and opened Visionary Mental Health Services, LLC. I am passionate about the work I do with clients in my community and the surrounding communities where I provide outreach. I feel blessed to be a part of people’s lives to assist them in working to improve their quality of life through processing experiences and feelings in therapy and to identify their life goals for the future.
As a social worker, I feel called to give back to my community and I am active in a variety of volunteerism efforts. Since 2016, I’ve served as a member of the Board of Directors for Missouri Shores Domestic Violence Center. I’ve also served as a past member of a board for the South Dakota Coalition Ending Domestic and Sexual Assault. I also serve as a committee member for Vista Care (formerly Oahe Inc) on the Human and Legal Rights Committee and Positive Action Committee that reviews policies, restrictions and restoration criteria to ensure clients are being treated ethically and fairly.
In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my Dachshund, Solomon, my family and friends doing outdoor activities such as camping and spending time on the river. I also enjoy mentoring and teaching other social workers and teach Human Services for the Lower Brule Community College. One of my favorite pass times is reading and I enjoy anything that involves suspense, mystery and surprise twists.