Menu
Ronda Disch, MA, LPCC
Initially working as a mental health therapist and crisis clinician for clients with a wide range of mental health care needs in a hospital and community mental health system, Ronda began a treatment program for sexual offending. After relocating the Minnesota in 2016 Ronda founded Emergence Behavioral Health which quickly became known for the foundational tenant that treatment should be respectful, individualized, and backed by the latest research. Emergence quickly grew to 4 outpatient locations when the opportunity to become the Executive Director at Alpha Service Industries and Alpha Human Services presented itself. Emergence and Alpha joined forces in 2021 and Ronda now focuses her efforts on continuing the mission she first envisioned for Emergence. With a strong background in business and business development, Ronda hopes to expand and refine the services Alpha Emergence offers and to make AEBH known as the premier treatment provider in the field of sexual behavior treatment.
Sara
Heisel
She has worked in the sexual offense treatment field for over 15 years, mostly in a correctional setting. Kelly worked as a therapist, lead therapist, and program director for the OASIS sexual offense treatment program at the Rush City Correctional Facility. Prior to working in the sexual offense treatment field, she worked in a psychiatric setting with clients with serious and persistent mental illness. Kelly joined Alpha Emergence in early 2021 and has provided therapeutic services in both the residential and outpatient programs. She is a member of ATSA and MnATSA. Kelly believes that treatment is an essential component to community safety, as well as an opportunity for clients to make genuine and lasting positive changes in their lives.
She also earned a trauma certification in 2013 and has applied to become a board-approved supervisor. She joined the AEBH team in April 2022.
Lisa began working with adolescents with sexual behavior problems in 2010 at an outpatient program in Wisconsin. After 4 years, she worked in a community setting and served clients spanning ages 3-70 with a multitude of diagnoses. Lisa then worked as a program therapist for 3 years in the Sex Offender Treatment Program at Minnesota Correctional Facility-Red Wing. After serving as a clinical director at a youth services center in Colorado, she returned to the Midwest to work in an adolescent IOP program at United Hospital.
Lisa works with clients from a systems perspective, recognizing how all aspects of a person’s life are intertwined. She also follows a client-centered, trauma-informed approach – helping clients both accept responsibility for their choices and also recognize that change is possible. People’s past behaviors do not have to define who they are in the future. Lisa’s overall goal is to work with the whole person to not only make healthy decisions moving forward, but also build upon strengths they already possess.
In her career, she has provided outpatient therapy and crisis services to a diverse range of clients in a community mental health setting and worked with children and families involved in the child welfare system. She has also taught a variety of psychology courses as an adjunct professor, and has created group treatment content for the Minnesota Sex Offender Program. Heather believes that every client deserves the opportunity for growth and change, and is dedicated to applying a holistic approach to help clients find solutions that work in their own lives.
Since then, her career has spanned from working with men with cognitive impairments or serious and persistent mental illness in a community-based agency to the Minnesota Department of Corrections’ prison-based treatment program. Alison enjoys helping her clients find success and happiness following an offense, and has experience identifying and addressing the unique needs of her clients to support individual and community safety.
He has extensive clinical experience working with all gendered adults, juveniles, and their families in a variety of settings and in the areas of drug addiction and forensic mental health. Since 2012, he’s provided treatment, therapy, care coordination services, and court testimony to adult offenders and adolescents that have engaged in problematic sexual behavior. His treatment approach is rooted in attachment-based therapy, motivational interviewing, schema therapy, CBT, DBT, and trauma-informed mindfulness. Dr. Nakumbe is intentional about providing culturally competent care to diverse and LGBTQ clients. He’s most often described by his clients as an insightful therapist who utilizes a humorous and direct approach that is both affirming and compassionate. In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Nakumbe is an international motivational speaker and conducts training on topics related to mindfulness, relationship conflicts, addiction recovery, and understanding risk & protective factors in culturally diverse family systems.
He is a Minnesota State Approved Supervisor with the boards of marriage and family therapy and behavioral health. His areas of expertise and clinical focus include court ordered clients, individuals with harmful sexual behaviors, sexual addiction, impulse control disorders, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, trauma recovery, post-traumatic stress, resiliency, forgiveness of self and others, self-esteem, dissociation and the integration of spirituality and psychotherapy. Matthew’s approach is strengths-based and client-centered and focuses on the inherent value of humans and the power within each of us to bring about our own change. He also works from a family systems approach by incorporating family of origin into individual therapy and being aware of family structures and roles while working with families and couples. He is trained in EMDR. Matthew appreciates and values the opportunity to work with clients at all stages of change and from all faith backgrounds.
She works with both those who: have committed sexual harm and those who are survivors of sexual abuse. She also works with support persons (family and friends) to perpetrators and/or survivors.
She began working with Alpha Human Services in 2018 as the inpatient administrative assistant. In 2021, Samantha was promoted to Case Supervisor. She looks forward to continuing to develop her professional practice while at Alpha Emergence Behavioral Health.
Since 2009, he’s provided treatment, therapy, care coordination services, evaluation and court testimony to adult offenders and adolescents that have engaged in problematic sexual behavior. His treatment approach is rooted in cognitive-behavioral therapy, solution focused therapy, trauma-focused techniques. He has extensive experience working with compulsive behaviors, intrusive thinking, anxiety, and trauma. Stephen’s approach is strengths-based and client-centered and focuses on the inherent value of humans and the power within each of us to bring about our own change. His use of humor and his straight forward approach has been successful in engaging with clients and creating a safe and positive environment to work on change.
He earned an undergraduate degree in Criminal Justice from Metropolitan State University and his graduate degree in Community Counseling from St. Cloud State University. His graduate internship was working in an outpatient sex offender treatment program, where he worked with individuals and families and facilitated sex education courses. After graduating with his master’s, he worked in various sectors serving people who experience serious and persistent mental illness (SPMI) within underserved communities. For the past seven years, he has worked in non-profit organizations, which has led to extensive work with different cultural backgrounds within the community. Kou is passionate about working with clients and assisting them on their journey to being self-sufficient by creating support, hope, and faith. He believes these are foundational for anyone who wants to change and become a contributing individual in their community. He also believes that everyone deserves a second chance and can thrive with the proper foundations to assist them along the way.
Andrew completed his pre-doctoral internship at the Federal Medical Center in Rochester, Minnesota, where he provided psychological services to individuals diagnosed with severe and persistent mental illness. Prior to internship, Andrew worked for the Minnesota Department of Corrections for six years as a licensed professional clinical counselor, providing mental health services to the incarcerated population. Andrew is excited to gain additional experience working with those who have offended and provide services to assist clients in reaching a more meaningful and fulfilling life in the community.
Most of her experience involves working with vulnerable adult populations with mental health conditions and children K-12 in the school setting. Her most recent work involves working with court-ordered guardianship. Since 2017, Nisreen has helped support individuals by offering a high-quality person-centered approach to care and decision making. Nisreen takes pride in knowing she has made a positive change in someone’s life and believes it’s essential to treat each individual unique based on their needs. She appreciates learning about diverse cultural backgrounds and likes to incorporate a strengths-based approach when working with clients to underline their true potential.
She has extensive experience working with adult males that are incarcerated in state prisons. She also has worked at the Minnesota Sex Offender Program (MSOP) both within the treatment facility and at the Minnesota Correctional Facility in Moose Lake (DOC Site). She is interested in continuing to work with adults that have committed sexual offenses, focusing on providing treatment although has extensive experience conducting psychosexual evaluations as well. Her mental health experience has been working with those that have been diagnosed with depression, anxiety, psychosis, and personality disorders as well as concerns related to trauma, grief and loss, life changes, and establishing positive supports. Dr. Sheeran mostly focuses on providing a safe and validating environment in her therapy sessions and hopes to also bring some humor to her meetings.
She works full time as a psychologist for the Minnesota Department of Corrections and works part time as an outpatient therapist at Alpha Emergence’s office in Coon Rapids.
He has been working with people who have engaged in problematic sexual behaviors for the past 16 years. He currently works in the Department of Corrections after spending time with the Department of Human Services. Eric has been trained in the areas of Dialectical Behavior Therapy, TruThought, Motivational Interviewing, Trauma-Informed Therapy, and Behavior Therapy. He also has experience working with adults experiencing crisis or trauma.
Eric believes that people are the best conduits to helping themselves and others and pull from a broad range of experiences. He spent four years teaching social studies at the high school level, and also spent five years working with juveniles involved in the justice system employing the Positive Peer Culture program.
She graduated with her
Master’s Degree in Addiction Counseling from Hazelden Graduate School for Addiction Studies. She has
experience working with adolescence, adults, couples, sex offenders, and incarcerated individuals. In
addition, she is trained in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) through EMDRIA. At
this time, she is pursuing further EMDR certification. Her areas of expertise are trauma, addiction,
depression, anxiety, suicidality, severe and persistent mental illnesses (i.e., schizophrenia, major
depression, etc.) and mindfulness techniques.
Mary also has extensive experience in the field of forensic mental health, working initially with court ordered juveniles and currently with adults with serious and persistent mental illness and under civil court commitment. Mary works full-time for Hennepin County Behavioral Health and part time as an outpatient therapist at Alpha Emergence. Mary is MN Board Certified to provide clinical supervision.
He initially went to work for the Minnesota Department of Human Services before transferring to the Department of Corrections. While working in corrections, he worked in mental health and sexual offender treatment with men and women. He returned to the Department of Human Services in 2017 and currently reviews treatment progress for clients petitioning to be discharged from their civil commitment. Alex started working with Alpha Human Services in 2015 and has subsequently facilitated a variety of conventional, specialized, and aftercare groups. He is excited to continue his work with Alpha Emergence. Alex takes a positive approach to treatment and assists his clients in seeing themselves as more than just their offense. He stresses individual responsibility and challenges his clients towards stability in all aspects of their life, not just sexuality. He strives to form strong therapeutic relationships with his clients and helps them develop a healthy and fulfilling outlook for their lives.
She has been working with men that have engaged in problematic sexual behavior since 2005. She was a clinical supervisor at Minnesota Sex Offender Program (MSOP). She currently works as a release planner for the Department of Corrections. Tara is a MN State Board Approved Supervisor for marriage and family therapy.
Terrel
Backes
Adam
Gierok
Jessica
Riggs
Judy
Yang
Andrew
Hull
John
Heisterkamp
Kacie
Duncan
Zainabu
Kargbo
Samuel
Langiewicz
Catie
Danzl
Alynn
Langiewicz
Susan
Snyder, R.N.