Dawn Rodgers DeFouw

Dawn is a Licensed Professional Counselor and a National Board Certified Counselor who is interested in the biological, psychological, social, and spiritual well-being of individuals. She is passionate about walking alongside those traveling on a grief journey. Dawn approaches grief counseling from a companioning model because each individual knows best what their grief means to them.

Individuals experience grief for many reasons. Sometimes grief is complicated by past experiences and expectations, either expectations we have of ourselves, or other people’s expectations of us. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can help us discover if what we are thinking is true. If what we are thinking is true, we can learn to understand that truth and accept it into our lives. If what we are thinking is faulty thinking, CBT can help us discover the truth and begin behaving and feeling in accordance with the truth.

The events that lead to our experiencing grief can be traumatic. As a certified clinical trauma specialist, Dawn believes the majority of people, given personalized support, will experience post-traumatic growth. We can become stronger and more resilient through our grief experience.

Grief can also cause us to use unhealthy coping mechanisms. Motivational interviewing can help people discover how unhealthy coping mechanisms are further complicating their grief journey, and explore ways to replace unhealthy coping mechanisms with healthy coping skills.

Grief is a journey. You are not alone on that journey. Dawn would like to walk with you, no matter how far along you are on that journey.

Education and Experience:

Dawn has a Bachelor of Science in Health Communication and a Master of Arts in Professional Counseling. She has been teaching psychology at the university level for the past ten years.  She volunteers with a local grief ministry, facilitating spousal loss and adult loss support groups. She also volunteers with Give-an-Hour, providing mental health care for military families. Dawn offers free suicide awareness training in the community.

Dawn is a wife, mother of 8, grandmother of 17, and great-grandmother of 2. She enjoys swimming, cardio-drumming, reading, and quilting.