Casey Lemieux
Casey Lemieux
Youth Development Specialist
QUOTE
“My passion lies in doing kind things for others. If just one small kind gesture can help someone, then I feel I am succeeding. I also strongly believe in paying it forward, one kind gesture deserves another. To me, hope means you can always change your way of life. There is always the hope to improve our circumstances. I also feel that hope signifies strength from within, to never give up on happiness, and security.”
DETAILS
- Specialty: Positivity and Child Development
- Education: Associates in Applied Sciences, Major in Health Information Management, WITC; Currently pursuing Bachelors at UW Green Bay
- With Northwest Passage since 2014
Lizzy Lennartson
Kyle Lexen
Kyle Lexen
Transportation Coordinator
Favorite PassageWay Elements
Nature | Relaxation | Exercise
“The way life has always been is not the way it has to be in the future. Change and hope is possible & attainable.”
PROFILE
Kyle has spent his entire professional career devoted to building meaningful relationships in the work he does. In his nearly two decades of service he has played many roles at Passage and with that experience, brings excellent perspective to the teams he works with. He has built strong connections with the resources in our community that ensures our kids have the best access to health providers possible, which ensures our kids get the prompt service they need. Kyle is driven to create a seamless transition between sites creating the best experience possible for our kids.
“It is exciting to see that the way that things have been for our clients in the past is NOT the way things need to continue to be in the future. Hope and change are possible, and I love being a part of demonstrating and communicating that to kids and families.”
DETAILS
- Specialty: Logistics, Coordination
- Education: BA, Psychology (Bethel College)
- With Northwest Passage since 1997
Erin Liljenberg
Lucy Locke
Lucy Locke
Youth Development Specialist
Favorite PassageWay Elements
Nature | Exercise | Relationships
“These elements keep me happy on my good and not so good days. I love being outside, spending time with myself and others. I think building healthy relationships and creating bonds are so important for mental and physical health. I love that Northwest has many opportunities for exercise and creating endorphins to keep my mind and body engaged and healthy!”
QUOTE
“Hope to me means not giving up. When you fall down you get back up and try try again.”
DETAILS
- Education: Unity High School, 2018
- With Northwest Passage since 2022
Becky Lorsung
Becky Lorsung
Teacher
QUOTE
“Hope is knowing not that just that hardship is temporary but that I can be strong enough to thrive in spite of it.”
DETAILS
- Specialty:
- Education: Bachelor of Science, UW – River Falls, English & History
- With Northwest Passage since 2018
Erica Lumley, MFT
Erica Lumley, MFT
Therapist
Favorite PassageWay Elements
Relationships | Nature | Spirit
“I see relationships as an opportunity for deeper understanding, mutual growth, and FUN! We need to feel safe in order to be vulnerable and we need to be vulnerable to truly engage in the power and synergy of relationships. I grew up in the lakes, woods, and rivers of Minnesota and Wisconsin. It only takes 10 minutes in a canoe on the Namekagon river to remind me who I really am, and how I am supposed to be in the world. Nature helps to reset and renew. I have a deeply rooted belief that every aspect of this planet is connected, and I know this comes from a wisdom that is way beyond myself. When I travel through the world with this knowledge at the forefront, and I relax into it, everything seems to be effortless. I strive to relax into this greater experience, to notice and honor the divine in others, peace within nature, and the energy that fuels me.”
QUOTE
“I am passionate about supporting the truth as spoken from the perspective of the children we work with. Often times they have much more information and insight than we adults realize. It is important to me that we both maintain their safety and their voice to play a major role in their wellness.”
DETAILS
- Specialty: Family Systems, DBT, Trauma-Informed, Relational, Strength-based, LGBTQIA+, and EDI
- Education: MA in Marriage and Family Therapy, St. Mary’s University of Minnesota
- With Northwest Passage since 2014
I draw upon a variety of philosophies and approaches to inform my practice.
The client is the expert on self, and the family system is the expert on their family. My top priority is to consistently center client voices throughout their treatment process. The story of each individual and family is impacted by social location, or the intersectionality of race, class, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, culture, and religion. Healing begins when we create space for the entire story as meaning is made by each individual within a family system, and ultimately held and understood by all members.
15 years of youth work with adolescents in the Twin Cities Metro Area informs my practice as a Marriage and Family therapist. From this experience, I bring knowledge of healing circles (Phil Gatensby), strength-based “Sparks” (Peter Benson), and a passion for Equity, Diversion, and Inclusion.
Therapeutic approach is trauma-informed (with emphasis on Somatic and IFS), relational, and draws from Symbolic-experiential family therapy (Carl Whitaker), and Structural Family Therapy (Salvador Minuchin). Other approaches include DBT, CBT, and TF-CBT.
Amanda Lundquist
Amanda Lundquist
Program Coordinator
PROFILE
Amanda became employed full-time at Northwest Passage and began her experience working directly with youth as a primary counselor. This experience, as well as being a part of the development of Prairieview, has been invaluable to her in her current positions of Case Manager and Program Coordinator for Prairieview’s program. Amanda strongly believes in the collaborative approach at Northwest Passage and working with a multi-disciplinary team to strengthen youth and families. She is dedicated to empowering youth and families to become active participants in their treatment and increasing their resiliency to facilitate change. Amanda enjoys working with adolescent females and helping them find strength to overcome their unique challenges.
DETAILS
- Specialty: Program Development
- Education: MS, Social Work; BS, Social Work
- With Northwest Passage since 2003
Taylor Mathias
Taylor Mathias
Teacher
Favorite PassageWay Elements
Relationships | Nature | Spirit
“I love exploring new trails, breathing in fresh air, and enjoying Wisconsin’s four seasons. I share these moments with the ones I love the most, while praising the One who made all of it.”
QUOTE
“I believe learning doesn’t just happen within the four walls of a classroom. Innovative lesson plans and hands-on project-based learning are a crucial part of the class structure. Nature and outdoor recreation are strategically woven into our curriculum as well. Lessons that involve passing around pheasant feathers and tasting samples of pure maple syrup help the students grasp concepts and truly learn. As an Assessment teacher, I get the opportunity to impact many lives. With that being said, I give my full effort day in and day out to ensure that everyone who enters my classroom feels safe, accepted, and heard. After all, when we boil it down, shouldn’t learning be fun?”
DETAILS
- Specialty: Outdoor Recreation, Coaching, Science
- Education: Winona State – Communication Studies; St. Mary’s University – Special Education
- With Northwest Passage since 2016
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