Meet Andrew Qualy

I believe counseling works best when it is collaborative, practical, and grounded in respect for the person sitting with me. You bring your history, priorities, questions, and ways of making sense of life; I bring professional training, careful listening, and a commitment to understanding your perspective. I do not assume that one explanation or one method will fit everyone. Together, we can clarify what has been weighing on you and consider what kind of support fits your goals.

I also believe you do not have to wait until a situation feels unbearable to talk with someone. People often keep functioning at work, show up for family, and carry responsibilities while privately feeling anxious, disconnected, exhausted, stuck, or uncertain about what comes next. Reaching out can be a thoughtful way to make room for your own experience. Counseling is not a judgment about your strength, and you do not need to prove that your concerns are serious enough before beginning a conversation.

My work is informed by my experience as a U.S. Army combat veteran of the Iraq War, as well as my educational background at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota. As a Master of Social Work student, I completed specialized training in the University of St. Thomas’s Area of Emphasis in Military Practice (AEMP) program. I make room for the parts of work and service that can be difficult to explain, including changes in identity and purpose, occupational stress, sleep challenges, grief, relationship strain, and the pressure to keep going.

I have also worked at every level of healthcare in the United States, including hospital experience in an emergency department, intensive residential treatment settings, crisis stabilization, partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient group programming, and outpatient community care settings. That experience has enabled me to work in many interdisciplinary settings alongside doctors, nurses, psychologists, fellow therapists, case managers, peer support specialists, and others.

I have seen the many challenges facing the healthcare system and the people who provide the care, as well as the challenges facing populations such as military members, veterans, first responders, fire, EMS, frontline healthcare workers, and individuals facing the grind associated with everyday life. This background informs how I listen to adults, veterans, military community members, first responders, public safety professionals, and healthcare professionals, while recognizing that every person's story is different.

I use evidence-based approaches in a flexible way. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy can help us look closely at the connection among thoughts, emotions, and actions. Dialectical Behavior Therapy can offer practical skills for managing intense emotions and navigating relationships. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy can support attention to values and meaningful choices. Mindfulness-Based Therapy can help you notice present-moment experience with greater steadiness. I have specialized training in Cognitive Processing Therapy for trauma and PTSD, and I will explain any approach we consider in clear, everyday language so you can make informed choices.

I want our work to be a place where you can speak honestly without having to perform, minimize, or organize your experience perfectly. I will ask questions, reflect what I am hearing, and invite your feedback about the pace and direction of counseling. If something does not feel useful or does not fit, I want us to be able to talk about that directly. Trust can develop over time, and I respect that it may take more than one conversation to feel comfortable.

My role is not to tell you who you should be or to make decisions for you. My role is to help you understand your experience, identify what matters to you, practice skills that may support day-to-day life, and consider next steps with care. We can make space for both immediate concerns and deeper patterns, while staying attentive to what feels manageable.