REGIONAL- Scenic Rivers has recently added a new mental health provider at their Cook, Tower, and Floodwood clinics. Charlene Colwell joins the staff with 12 years of experience.
Colwell is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker licensed through the Minnesota Board of Social Work. She obtained a master’s degree in clinical social work from the University of St. Thomas/St. Catherine University in 2012 and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from North Central University in 2009. She grew up on the Iron Range and has enjoyed working as a therapist in the Iron Range area for the past eight years and in the mental health field for the past 12 years.
“I’ve always loved being a counselor; it’s a privilege to be a part of people’s lives and helping them meet their goals,” she said. “One of the most fulfilling things in my job is being able to come alongside someone and help them access their inner resources of courage, compassion, clarity, and calm and use these resources to attend to anything they may be struggling with in their life.”
If you’re not sure if you need help or are hesitant to make an appointment, Colwell said you can always call a therapist to ask a few questions and see if it is something you would like to do.
Pandemic help
Colwell said that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, struggles with mental health have been on the rise. “The pandemic can bring stress, increase symptoms of existing conditions, or bring on new ones. In this time, isolation is needed but it backfires in terms of mental health,” she said.
Colwell said the clinics have the capacity to help.
“There are four counselors now at Scenic Rivers. It’s a growing department and we’re all able to help and can be seen via telehealth,” she said.
To make an appointment, call Scenic Rivers in Tower at 218-753-2405 or Cook at 218-666-5941. Colwell is at the Cook clinic Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and the Tower clinic on Tuesdays.