Children wearing colorful traditional Native American attire at a cultural event or ceremony, featuring fringed clothing and headdresses.

Counseling

The Little Earth Counseling Program is focused on providing responsive, trauma-informed, relationship-based care for Little Earth residents of all ages. Our Youth, Teen, and Integrative Adult and Family Counselors provide mental health services in one-on-one, family or group sessions and programming offered by the Youth Empowerment Program and Adult and Family Empowerment Program. Children, teens, adults, and families can access counseling services in whatever capacity they feel most comfortable, which is a critical step in breaking down barriers to mental health services and promoting community resilience.

Our program empowers residents to promote their own well-being by accessing the mechanism of healing that they personally find to be the most valuable. We offer a wide variety of opportunities for healing and allow residents to choose which options best meet their needs. We have found this structure to be profoundly trauma-informed; by placing counselors directly into the programs that residents attend, we are literally meeting the residents of Little Earth where they are at.


  • Post-Doctoral Adult and Family Therapist

    Meet Suzy, our Two-Spirit/Nonbinary Post-Doctoral Adult and Family Therapist. They are a descendent of the Southern Cheyenne and have been working in the community since 2023. Suzy received their undergraduate degree from Southeastern Oklahoma State University in Psychology with a minor in Biology in 2018, and graduated with their PhD in Clinical Psychology from Palo Alto University in 2026. They specialize in working with Native American and queer populations from a relational and compassion focused perspective. In their spare time, they enjoy birding, beading, doing their nails, strength training, yoga, and snuggling with their cats, Harley and Major.


  • Pre-certified Therapy Cat

    Meet Major Armstrong, our pre-certified therapy cat! Major is a former Little Earth resident and enjoys being able to give back to his community. He is currently being supervised and trained by Suzy Hickey, PhD in animal-assisted interventions, and comes to the Counselling Center with them every Tuesday and Thursday. He’s a friend to all, and especially enjoys belly rubs and treats from the local aunties. He is skilled at emotional support, stress reduction, and pest control. At home, he loves to play with his older sister Harley, watch the birds, and dig through the trash for extra snacks.

A person with curly hair and glasses standing in front of a graffiti wall, wearing a gray knit sweater.


  • Counseling Director

    Meet Daniel, our driven and outgoing Counseling Director. Daniel grew up in Minnesota and went to school at the University of Minnesota- Twin Cities to receive his Bachelor's degree in Developmental Psychology. Starting in 2020, he worked as a preschool teacher at Baby Space for two a half years. Since then, Daniel has stepped into the Director role of the program. He has formed many meaningful and positive relationships with the kids, adults, and staff. Daniel loves to spend time with his fiancé, Rachel, his two dogs, and add to his Jordan 1 collection!

  • Group of children gathered together, some standing and some sitting, engaged in conversation and activities inside a room.

    Youth Counseling

    All the counselors are dedicated to providing trauma-informed, relationship-based care to the children of Little Earth. The Youth Counselor conducts one-on-one counseling sessions with children and families at Little Earth, breaking down traditional barriers to accessing mental health services.

  • Child wearing a beanie and mask using a tablet and holding a robotic ball; two more robotic balls on desk.

    Teen Counseling

    Our team works closely with teenage residents to promote identity building and lifelong well-being. The Teen Specialist visits surrounding middle schools and high schools to strengthen relationships and serve as an advocate and resource for teens.

  • A smiling man with glasses holds a child on his shoulders and another child in his arms, standing outdoors by a white picket fence and trees.

    Integrative Adult and Family Counseling

    Our therapists provide individual adult and family-centered mental health services is a variety of different ways. The Integrative Adult and Family Therapy teams offers one-on-one and family sessions. Together they bring art therapy, play therapy, as well as plant medicine, energy healing, and other holistic approaches to mental health care.