Counseling Services

At Lakes Center for Youth & Families, we use a collaborative client-centered approach that’s designed to meet each client where they are at. Our offices provide an inviting comfortable environment and our therapists use creative strategies and evidence-based approaches to best serve our clients. We provide therapy to people of all ages, striving to equip people with the skills to heal traumas, manage symptoms, reduce stress, and improve their overall quality of life.


Services We Offer

  • Individualized treatment for mental, emotional, physical, and behavioral concerns; addressing symptoms of depression, anxiety, mood disorders, personality disorders, trauma/PTSD, grief and loss, addiction, attachment difficulties, family conflict and parenting.

  • We work with the whole family to provide skills, tools, and support as families learn to reduce conflict, enhance communication, understand generational family patterns, and build healthy boundaries.

  • Group therapy can be an ideal choice for addressing concerns and making positive changes. Groups are offered on site and in schools within the Forest Lake district. Group topics vary and include coping skills, connection building, and DBT.

  • Goals of couples therapy include strengthening connection, increasing intimacy, relationship discernment, co-parenting and uncoupling.

  • Lakes Center offers on-site counseling to students in Forest Lake Area Schools (District 831) to support social, emotional, behavioral and academic wellness.

  • Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an integrative therapeutic approach that has proven to be effective in reducing the long-lasting effects of PTSD, as well as in treating a wide range of other mental health symptoms.

Our Counselors

  • Christa Lachell, MA

    Christa holds a Master’s Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and is working toward her licensure in Professional Clinical Counseling.

    Christa has experience working with individuals, families, mothers in crisis, youth in foster/adoptive homes, emotional and behavioral issues, psychotherapy groups for adolescents, and individuals experiencing anxiety depression and trauma. She has previously worked in the inner city school system addressing emotional and behavioral disorders.

    With sensitivity and compassion, Christa draws from a variety of evidence-based research using integrative approaches such as narrative therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, internal family systems, and trauma informed care. She adapts her approach appropriately for young children by using play and narrative interventions. A supportive and safe therapeutic relationship is of utmost importance to her work. She brings warmth and security to counseling even when attending to difficult parts of client stories.

    Additionally, Christa is looking forward to beginning the process for EMDR certification and training for brain spotting.

Insurance Options

Lakes Center for Youth & Families accepts most commercial and all state-based insurance plans, including:

  • HealthPartners

  • BlueCross BlueShield

  • UCARE

  • Cigna

  • Medical Assistance (MA/MHCP)

  • Medica

  • United Health Care (UHC)

  • UMR

  • United Behavioral Health

  • Optum

  • Preferred One

  • EAP

If you have an insurance type that is not mentioned, we may still be able to provide services that are covered by your insurance. For more information, contact your member services number on the back of your insurance card to see if your benefits cover our services. We also offer private pay and sliding fee services. Please contact us to see how we can help at 651-464-3685 or fill out our contact form.