About Us
Trauma & Attachment Institute
Offering In-Person and Online counseling in Bismark & Mandan, North Dakota.
The Trauma & Attachment Institute was founded by Jenise Wilson, a licensed professional clinical counselor with a deep commitment to helping people heal and grow. Today, she is joined by co-owners Candace Ell and Karissa Kautzman, both experienced therapists with strong backgrounds in trauma- and attachment-focused therapies.
Together, our team provides compassionate, evidence-based counseling for the Bismarck and Mandan communities—as well as Teletherapy for clients across North Dakota.
Our goal is to guide you as you navigate your past, build resilience, and step into a life of growth and connection. We’re here to help you not just survive, but truly thrive, and we believe deeply in the power of resilience.
Building relationships, understanding and trust through Therapy
We’re all wired for connection, and our goal is to help individuals, families, and organizations build the bonds that allow them to thrive—fostering relationships grounded in understanding and trust.
In addition to therapy sessions, we also offer trauma-informed training for organizations and supervision for therapists seeking guidance as they grow their own practices.
Our mission is to help individuals overcome trauma and attachment wounds that are holding them back.
We value authenticity, genuine connection, and the belief that everyone deserves to feel understood and supported.
Together, we'll create a compassionate, non-judgmental space where you can explore your past, embrace your present, and look forward to a brighter future.
An Integrative Approach
Types of Therapy We Offer
At The Trauma & Attachment Institute, we understand the impact of trauma and attachment on your mental health. As licensed and experienced therapists we are committed to providing personalized therapy tailored to your unique needs. We embrace an integrative approach, combining various methods to enhance your therapy experience.
Trauma Therapy
Engaging in counseling surrounding current or past adverse experiences that are still negatively impacting someone through various modalities, primarily finding the one(s) that work best for the client to overcome past or current traumatic experiences
Attachment Therapy
Attachment and connection are vital to our humanness, and through experiences or adversities, we can develop insecure patterns of attachment to those and the world around us. Attachment therapy aims to work on those attachment wounds.
EMDR
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy focuses on changing the way memories are stored in the brain, rather than directly altering the emotions, thoughts, and responses that result from traumatic experiences.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
A therapeutic approach where negative patterns of thought about the self and the world are challenged in order to alter unwanted behavior patterns or treat mood disorders such as depression and anxiety.
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy
DBT is a structured counseling experience with a strong educational component designed to provide skills for managing intense emotions and negotiating social relationships. This modality helps with mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotional regulation, and interpersonal dynamics.
Person-Centered Therapy
This counseling is grounded in the idea that people are inherently motivated toward achieving positive psychological functioning. The client is believed to be the expert in their life and leads the general direction of therapy
Polyvagal Theory
This counseling looks at the physiological / psychological states which underlie our daily behavior as well as challenges related to our wellness and mental health. This theory really utilizes the nervous system, especially the vagus nerve, to help regulate our health and behavior.
Somatic Therapy
A therapeutic approach that helps people heal from trauma and stress-related disorders by focusing on the body's natural responses to trauma. We use the body to help process through any stuck traumatic experiences.
Clinical Hypnosis
Clinical hypnosis is a focused state of deep relaxation that allows clients to explore underlying motivations, past experiences, or patterns related to their concerns. Through guided imagery and tailored suggestions, therapists help clients align with their goals, fostering insight, growth, and positive change in a safe, supportive environment.
Intensives
A Therapy Intensive is an accelerated form of therapy designed to help clients go deeper and get results faster. Instead of attending therapy one hour per week for a year, why not carve out a weekend or a week for Therapy Intensives? It’s a cutting-edge approach to help people feel better faster. No need for a weekly therapy appointment.
Group Therapy
A group experience is usually a longer session (90-120 minutes) that involves a group of individuals who are coming together to work on a similar purpose (attachment, DBT group, trauma group, etc)
Accelerated Resolution Therapy
ART is an evidence-based therapy that helps individuals resolve emotional distress quickly, often within one to five sessions. It uses eye movements and voluntary image replacement to reprogram how distressing memories are stored in the brain, reducing their emotional impact without altering factual recall. ART can effectively treat trauma, anxiety, depression, phobias, and grief.
Internal Family Systems
IFS is a transformative, evidence-based therapy that views the mind as comprised of various "parts" and a core "Self." It helps individuals understand and heal these inner parts (e.g., wounded, protective), fostering self-compassion and restoring inner harmony under the guidance of the innate, wise Self. This approach empowers clients to resolve internal conflicts and enhance overall well-being.
Ego State Therapy / Parts Work
Ego State Therapy is a form of "parts work" that recognizes the mind is composed of various sub-personalities, or ego states, each with its own feelings and memories. This therapy helps clients identify and communicate with these inner parts to resolve internal conflicts and heal past wounds. By fostering a collaborative relationship with each ego state, it promotes inner harmony and personal growth. This approach is highly effective in treating trauma, attachment issues, anxiety, and depression.
Motivational Interviewing
MI is a client-centered, collaborative approach designed to strengthen an individual's motivation for change by exploring and resolving ambivalence. Rather than imposing change, MI helps clients identify their own reasons for pursuing a healthier path. Through empathetic listening, reflective dialogue, and supporting self-efficacy, it empowers individuals to move toward their goals, particularly in areas like addiction, health behaviors, and lifestyle shifts.
