Dawn McClelland, Ph.D., and Licensed Psychologist is co-founder of Minnesota Coalition for Healing. She is also co-director and co-founder of Midwest Center for Trauma and Emotional Healing in Minnetonka, Minnesota. Dr. McClelland has privileges at Regions Hospital Burn Center and has worked with burn and electrical injury survivors and their families in both the acute hospitalization and aftercare phases of recovery since 1997. With over 25 years of experience, Dr. McClelland provides supervision, consultation, and training to mental health and medical professionals, clergy, and other survivor-centered agencies regarding trauma neurology andthe biological basis of trauma. She also works with therapists and caregivers addressing compassion fatigue and secondary post-traumatic stress.

The focus of her work is to help people heal from the profound effects of trauma, sexual abuse, ritualistic abuse, political violence, including human trafficking and war experiences. She has extensive training in understanding post-traumatic stress, dissociation, and other complex trauma responses.

Dr. McClelland comes from a non-pathology based, integrative and holistic paradigm, that brings together the neurobiological processes of healing with narrative and competency based therapies. She is trained in EMDR, Alpha Stimulation, and neuro-biological trauma therapy models, which are foundational in addressing the impact of trauma upon the different parts of our mind, brain structures, and body/sensory systems.

Dr. McClelland is characterized by her sensitivity towards people and her respect for their integrity as they work through past and current issues. In her work she collaboratively integrates and explores alternative ways of working that respect the individual’s life experiences, wisdom, culture, and spiritual beliefs. She supports survivor’s resiliency and dignity in the face of profound grief and distress.

Gracious interweaving of the therapeutic relationship creates an emotional and physical space for survivors to gently neutralize the conditioning, systematic thinking, and automatic physiological response that are normal responses from fear, coercion, and control. She is sensitive to the subtleties and complexities of power in relationship. Her work specifically helps clients to gain an understanding of what happens in their emotions, their brain neurology, and in their bodies during and following abuse. She helps people move past frozen states and heal from fear, shame and humiliation, without being overcome by the trauma. She helps balance numbing and fear responses, helping clients reinstate their ability to be grounded and present with themselves and in relationships with others.

Dr. McClelland has done extensive international travel. She has participated and led medical teams to Haiti that provided medical care and reproductive health education.  Under the wisdom and leadership of the women of Tricotte, Haiti, Dr. McClelland helped co-develop a village based women’s health initiative organizing women’s groups and community support to manage physical and sexual violence. She gratefully acknowledges the many survivors, caregivers, and providers who have shared their true experience, wisdom, and teaching over the last two decades.

Patti is co-founder of Minnesota Coalition for Healing. She is co-founder and  co-director of Midwest Center for Trauma and Emotional Healing.   In addition, Patti is a EMDRIA consultant for Midwest Center for EMDR and Therapy.  In addition to clinical work, Patti does professional consultation and supervision.  

Patti received a bachelor of science from the University of Minnesota in Human Relationships with an emphasis in Family Dynamics in 1986.  After working in the corporate world for 5 years, Patti decided to get her masters degree in Counseling and Psychological Services.  She graduated from St. Mary’s Graduate Center in 1993.  She has been a Licensed Psychologist since 1996.

Patti has extensive training in working with complex trauma, dissociation and disorders created by profound stress. She is competent to work with anxiety, depression and eating disorders. Patti sees adults and adolescents and co-facilitates trauma skills groups. She is Certified in EMDR and has extensive training in Sensory-motor Psychotherapy. 

Patti approaches clinical work with collaboration and warmth. She understands suffering from a spiritual, neurobiological, and attachment perspective. Patti comes into a therapy relationship with a competency-based perspective.  She feels passionate about helping clients and students attain their goals.

Patti pursues humanitarian causes nationally. She has volunteered her services in several Church and school settings, speaking on issues of spirituality and body image. ln 2008 Patti went to New Orleans in the aftermath of hurricane Katrina. She worked with on going trauma recovery issues experienced by therapists. She also is a volunteer for EMDR’s Humanitarian Assistance Program.