Find a therapist in Rochester, MN — covered by insurance

Hello, I’m Shelia Ransom Jenkins, MSW, LCSW, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with extensive experience supporting adolescents, adults, couples, and families through life’s challenges. I offer a compassionate, trauma-informed, and client-centered approach to therapy, creating a safe space where individuals feel heard, supported, and empowered.

I hold a Master of Social Work and a Master of Science in Criminal Justice, and my professional background includes work in community mental health, educational settings, and clinical leadership roles. I have experience helping clients manage anxiety, depression, trauma and PTSD, relationship and family conflict, behavioral concerns, life transitions, and stress related to work, school, and personal growth. I also have specialized training in perinatal mental health, supporting individuals experiencing postpartum depression and related mood disorders.

My therapeutic approach integrates evidence-based practices such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), trauma-informed care, and strengths-based interventions, tailored to each client’s unique needs and goals. I believe therapy is most effective when it is collaborative, practical, and rooted in trust.

Whether you are feeling overwhelmed, navigating a difficult transition, or seeking deeper self-understanding, my goal is to support you with empathy, clarity, and encouragement as you work toward healing and lasting change.

I have worked collectively for 31 years in public safety, crisis work, training and mental/chemical health. During my 16 years in law enforcement (LE) my experiences included being a Sergeant, SWAT Team Leader, Negotiator, Critical Incident Facilitator and Trainer. My experience in LE has led me to my passion in how trauma impacts our first responders. I have used my own experience as a first responder and woman in recovery, to transcend into my current role of a mental health and chemical health therapist working with not only first responders - police, fire, military, dispatchers, front line workers and corrections officers, but also any survivor, individual struggling with LGBT issues, addiction, relational struggles or trauma. I am able to be a conduit of change, sharing the journey with those who face the everyday stressful events, trauma or finding one's true identity. We are never alone. I am here to be a safe place and safe person to share and divide your pain. I am here to honor your experiences, share your success and build your resilience and healing.

I am empathetic, compassionate and listen actively to my patients.

As a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) and Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LADC), I bring over 15 years of experience supporting individuals through significant life challenges and personal transformation. My background includes working in crisis mental health, emergency department settings, substance use treatment, and behavioral health, giving me a deep understanding of how mental health impacts every aspect of wellness. While I do have experience and can work with individuals wanting to address their overall mental health, I specialize in supporting individuals who are on a transformation journey, whether that involves weight loss surgery, GLP-1 medications, recovery from emotional eating patterns, improving self-esteem, managing anxiety or depression, or creating sustainable lifestyle changes. Major physical changes often bring unexpected emotional challenges, and many people find they need support adjusting to their “new normal.

Grief is my specialty. I've lived it, not just studied it. I was a guardian and caregiver for my parent through Bipolar Disorder and Alzheimer's Disease, which means I understand what it's like to grieve someone who is still here, to navigate a complex medical system on someone else's behalf, and to carry your own needs while holding everyone else's.

I'm a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 17 years of experience across mental health, child welfare, hospice, and hospital settings, and I hold a Doctorate in Health Sciences. I work with individuals facing grief at every stage: life cycle changes, chronic illness, and end-of-life. I'm also trained as an end-of-life doula and hold certifications in palliative and trauma-informed care.

I'm licensed in Indiana and Minnesota.

Choosing a mental health provider is an important decision, and I believe the best care begins with feeling heard and understood. I'm a triple board-certified Nurse Practitioner with certifications in Family Practice, Emergency Care, and Psychiatric-Mental Health. My background includes over two decades of experience caring for patients in both emergency medicine and psychiatry, which has given me the opportunity to work with people during some of their most challenging moments.

I founded Kraken Psychiatry because I wanted to create a practice that looks beyond symptoms and diagnoses. I believe mental health is influenced by many factors—including biology, life experiences, relationships, sleep, nutrition, stress, and physical health. My goal is to understand the whole person and help you develop an individualized treatment plan that reflects your unique needs and goals.

I work with adolescents and adults experiencing conditions such as ADHD, anxiety, depression, trauma, PTSD, OCD, mood disorders, and other complex mental health concerns. I also have a special interest in integrative and precision psychiatry, combining evidence-based psychiatric care with lifestyle medicine, nutrition, and other complementary approaches when appropriate.

Whether you're seeking medication management, looking for answers after years of struggling, or simply hoping to feel like yourself again, my goal is to partner with you and provide compassionate, thoughtful care every step of the way.

People come to me in the middle of ordinary weeks. A door slams somewhere in the house and the chest goes tight. The dishes have been in the sink since Sunday. Someone died and everyone stopped asking about it in March. The drinking stopped and the feelings stayed. A marriage that talks about the calendar, the money, the dog, and never the thing underneath. Some people have carried theirs since childhood. Some were handed theirs last month. Children, teenagers, adults, couples, whole families, people in their eighties who were told it was too late for this. If you found one of your own weeks in that list, you are welcome here.

Grief doesn't follow anyone else's timeline, and neither does healing. I work with children, adolescents, adults, and seniors across a wide range of life experiences, with particular depth in grief, maternal mental health, anxiety, and the emotional weight of chronic or physical health challenges. As a certified Grief Support Specialist, I bring focused training to one of the most isolating things a person can go through, and I approach every person with genuine curiosity about their whole life, not just their symptoms.

For the past eighteen years, I’ve had the privilege of supporting individuals, children, and families across both clinical and K–12 educational settings. My professional journey has included roles as a Professional School Counselor, 504 Coordinator/Learning Specialist, and Clinical Therapist, giving me a unique understanding of how emotional, cognitive, and learning needs intersect.

Over time, my view of mental health has expanded. I’ve always been interested in nutrition, movement, sleep, and lifestyle as contributors to emotional wellness. But everything shifted when I began integrating mindfulness, contemplative practices, and a deeper exploration of hormone health—both personally and professionally. Understanding how hormones influence mood, stress, and cognition opened an entirely new dimension of care.

I now approach therapy through a whole-person lens that honors the connection between mind, body, hormones, and environment.

I am a clinical psychologist and licensed alcohol and drug counselor. I specialize in treating social anxiety and trauma, especially in neurodivergent teens and adults. Loneliness and social exhaustion are not acceptable because we are all made for love and community. Ongoing disconnection can cause despair. Addictions of all kinds frequently develop as a way to cope. I can treat anyone with these problems, but I would be an especially good match for those who know or suspect that their struggles may be related to late-identified autism, ADHD, or dyslexia.

I provide therapy for children, teens, adults, families, and groups, and I strive to create a space where clients feel genuinely seen, respected, and supported.

My clinical work focuses heavily on anxiety, depression, trauma, eating disorders, ADHD, self-esteem concerns, and life transitions. I also work with individuals navigating grief, substance use concerns, emotional dysregulation, relationship difficulties, and trauma-related symptoms. I use a collaborative, client-centered approach and tailor treatment to each individual’s needs, goals, and strengths.