Iridescent Care Collaborative

10/02/2026

Having a great day catching up with friends old and new at Minnesota Counseling Association annual conference!

09/21/2026

Happy Monday everyone! Today's Iridescent Care Collaborative spotlight is on Patrick Perry. We chatted with him last week and invited him to share a bit about who he is as a therapist and some of his work-related passions. If you are interested in working with Patrick please head over to our website and fill out a contact form!

I am first and foremost a behavioral therapist, because I believe in giving skills and I expect my clients to use them! I am seasoned therapist (over 20 years in practice). I had a therapist one time say, when I just had my private practice in the past, my clients got better and they would leave. I'm not one of those therapists who holds onto a lot of people for a long time. I don't believe it in. So people come in and out of therapy, if something comes up and they need help they come back. That's just how I like to work. And I have this very natural knack that rarely backfires on me for being able to make people feel comfortable, and usually within five minutes. It doesn't take long at all. For me that's very natural. I'm also a good clinical hypnotherapist (for over 20 years) and I love doing that as well, especially for people with trauma. I use reiki on some of my clients when they want it because it's extremely fast at calming somebody down. I really enjoy when I can see results, and feel very fulfilled by it. I love to give presentations as well: I like the attention (LOL, I’m a performer, of course I like attention) and enjoy getting the audience engaged.

As a veteran I love to work with veterans. I am a self-identified trans man and also love working with the LGBTQ+ community.

08/24/2026

Our weekly spotlight continues over here at Iridescent Care Collaborative. Today the spotlight is on Danny Shaheen as he brought us into some of what brought him to this field. If you are interested talking to Danny further or working with head over to our website and fill out a contact form!

What drew you to the field of mental health and therapy?

This is likely true of most people who become therapists, though ever since I can remember people have unburdened themselves to me very soon after meeting them. Even as a young child I remember adults telling me very personal information about their lives in such a way that I recognized as being distinct, and not typical of the experience most others my age were having in their interactions with others. As I considered what careers would be a good fit for someone with traits like mine, pursuing therapy seemed like a natural choice. I love that it is a skilled trade that I can practice getting better at every year.

What theoretical approaches or modalities do you use most often?

I was trained in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) right out of grad school, and eventually served as the clinical director of a DBT agency earlier in my career. DBT is rooted in a synthesis of Zen Buddhist philosophy and Western psychotherapy practice. In order to learn DBT you’re instructed to follow its curriculum yourself, and develop examples of how to practice various coping skills rooted in your own experience.
At this stage in my career, I’ve been exposed to other modalities as well, however, DBT was so fundamental to me learning to be a therapist I filter everything else I learn through a DBT lens.
I appreciate how practical and down to earth the curriculum is, and still pull from it routinely in my present day work with individuals and couples alike.

What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?

On day one of grad school one of the instructors told us that we should expect to be overwhelmed by the amount of information we’d be taking in. Rather than putting pressure on ourselves to retain everything (and freak out when we couldn’t), we were given the instruction to get really curious about the information that did stick and build off of that. It’s a subtle mindset shift, though emphasizing what resonates with you rather than being self-judgmental for how much you don’t know is a game-changer - at least in my experience. I incorporate the above into nearly every client relationship I have, and try to use it in my personal life daily.

08/17/2026

We are so excited about all of the fantastic folx we have at Iridescent that we decided it's time to do a weekly spotlight series so you can get to know our group members a bit more.

First up is Morgan Messer!

My specific brand of therapy centers around it not feeling like therapy. Though I try to cater my approach to each person, I generally talk to my clients and supervisees just like I would talk to anyone else in my life: lots of banter, jokes, and care in the form of tough love (plus plenty of expletives). I thrive on helping folks take up space and building confidence in their own authenticity, which is exactly why I practice in a 'what you see is what you get' kind of style. Though I often say that therapists are professional hypocrites, letting that true self shine through is one area where I always practice what I preach!

Outside of my therapy work -- and occasionally in tandem with my sessions -- I'm an avid crocheter. I usually create stuffed critters for my kids and friends, but I've also made blankets, doll clothes, and winter gear over the years. Anyone that knows me also knows that I am a die hard Packer fan. (I was born and raised in Wisconsin, so you can't be mad at me for it!) During football season, I schedule both my work and my social engagements around not missing the Packers game of the week.

One final thing to know about me up front: I'm a Latin q***r mama in a beautiful blended family, raising three girls (6, 4, and 3 months old) to be just as proud to rep the Green and Gold as I am! Coming off of my maternity leave, I am excited to get back to clinical work and am currently accepting new clients and supervisees (both LPCC and LMFT track clinicians welcome!). Feel free to reach out if any of the above resonates with you and your needs!

08/07/2026

We are thrilled to announce that Karmen is joining our group! 🎉

Karmen is a therapist who specializes in working with women, young adults, parents, and caregivers. If you've been feeling exhausted from always showing up for everyone else, or find yourself stuck in repeating relationship patterns, Karmen offers a warm, relational space to help you feel genuinely understood and empowered to move forward.

What to Expect Working with Karmen:

An integrative approach: She combines psychodynamic therapy and Internal Family Systems (IFS) to uncover where past patterns began, alongside practical CBT tools to help shift stuck thoughts and behaviors.

A pressure-free space: You don't need to have everything figured out before your first session. Karmen focuses on making you feel at ease and meeting you right where you are.

Flexible rhythm: Sessions adapt to what you need in the moment, balancing deep reflection with practical, actionable support.

Karmen is currently accepting private-pay clients for virtual sessions.

08/07/2026

We are so excited to welcome Ben Speiker to our group! 🎉

Ben is a therapist who specializes in working with neurodivergent kids, teens, adults, and parents supporting them. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by systems that weren't built for your brain or spent years trying to fit into a mold that just doesn't work, Ben offers a grounded, non-judgmental space where you can drop the mask.

What makes Ben’s approach unique:

No rigid scripts: He meets clients where they are, diving into their worlds, whether that’s gaming, graphic novels, or hyper fixations, to use those passions as powerful tools for emotional growth.

Creative & flexible: Combines art, play, and sand tray techniques with evidence-based approaches like CBT, DBT, TF-CBT, and ACT.

Support for every stage: Ideal for school avoidance survivors, creative minds, and anyone tired of being told to "just try harder."

Ben is currently accepting private-pay clients for both in-person and virtual sessions.

07/19/2026

Iridescent's Owner, Sherry L.M. Merriam, is an admitted Brené Brown fan. She has reviewed Brené's "Atlas of the Heart" on Goodreads:

"It took me two years to read this, so it's kinda hard to review. It's gorgeous, lavish, rich, thoughtful, deep. Tons of pages for full-color art that I just gazed at, but not every full-color page of art or a pull-quote needed to be there. I learned so much, most of which I'm sure I've forgotten, but I hope it's living somewhere in my mind or soul, because every page is full of stuff that I found enriching and meaningful. She slices through nuance and goes deep, which is not for everyone, but I loved it. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐"

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5215297075

Sherry knows that Brené and her work are pretty divisive; what's your stance? Have you read this one yet?

07/01/2026

Ever notice that sleep gets harder as you age? You give yourself the time in bed you need to get enough sleep, but your body doesn't clue in? Our resident sleep expert, Chris Chiros, will talk about sleep and aging in her free online class, July 7 at 6pm. She'll share the latest research and a few tips to maximize healthy sleep as you age so don't miss it!

Getting good sleep is so important, and as we age that can feel like too much to ask. Learn how age can impact sleep and get some tips!

05/19/2026

"There are few legislative or regulatory guardrails around how developers refer to their products — or even whether the products are safe or effective, said Vaile Wright, senior director of the office of health care innovation at the American Psychological Association. Even federal patient privacy protections don’t apply"

With high demand for mental health care, a wave of artificial intelligence-powered chatbots are being marketed as therapy apps — with little evidence they work and few regulations.

04/17/2026

Welcome to Friday folx! Do you ever hit the end of your personal work week with a few loose ends, tasks you've been avoiding, phone calls to make, or other things on the checklist that would just feel great to have finished? We are declaring today Finish it Friday! There are a variety of strategies to get things done, and maybe there's a longer piece that's going to get written soon to help but here's one strategy: accountability buddies! Naming the thing you want to accomplish to someone else can help increase the likelihood of completing it. Feel free to drop your task in the comments and we will be sure to cheer you along today. Remember, the task can be right sized for your energy and situation.