Therapy doesn't have to feel clinical, awkward, or like you're sitting across from a robot.
I'm Rena Cross, MS, LPC — a licensed psychotherapist and the owner of Phoenix Mental Health Services, LLC. I've been doing this work for over a decade, and that's one thing I know for sure.
It isn't about rising from the ashes on command. It's the quieter part of the myth: something survives the fire, and with warmth and time it can become something that's genuinely yours. That's the work.
Sometimes life is really damn hard.
Sometimes you know exactly why you feel the way you do but still have no idea what to do about it. And sometimes you're doing everything you're "supposed" to be doing and are left wondering why you still feel stuck. That's where we start.
I specialize in trauma and work with people navigating PTSD, anxiety, depression, ADHD, major life transitions, and complex issues that don't always fit neatly into a diagnostic box. My approach is evidence-based and trauma-informed, incorporating EMDR, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and other strategies based on what actually makes sense for you.
Therapy with me can be serious when it needs to be, but it can also include laughing at something completely inappropriate, or sitting with uncomfortable truths. We're here to help discover why your nervous system is losing its mind. Sometimes that means coming to realize that a coping strategy that once kept you alive may now be making your life harder.
Most importantly, I am a real person in the room. I use humor. I swear. I'll celebrate the hell out of your progress, but I'll also gently call you on your bullshit when it's getting in your way — and you should always be able to call me on mine. Therapy should feel safe enough for you to tell me when I got something wrong, when something I said didn't sit right, or when you just straight-up disagree with me.
This is your space. You don't have to protect my feelings or tell me what you think I want to hear. You don't have to censor yourself, impress me, or feel like you have to have the right words. You just have to show up as you — we'll do the rest together.
Rena Cross, MS, LPC
- Licensed Professional Counselor, Wisconsin
- MS, Community Counseling — University of Wisconsin–Whitewater, 2012
- BS, Psychology (minor in Sociology) — University of Wisconsin–Whitewater, 2006
- EMDR trained since 2015
- 10+ years of clinical practice
- Adolescents ([13]+) and adults
- Families, when an assessment says that's the right step
- Anyone physically located in Wisconsin
I keep a limited caseload on purpose. It means consistent, intentional care — and it also means availability comes and goes. Ask and I'll tell you honestly where things stand.
Professional affiliation
Rena Cross, MS, LPC is the owner and psychotherapist of Phoenix Mental Health Services and is also affiliated with Trauma Life Consulting, LLC as an independent clinician. Phoenix Mental Health Services, LLC remains a separate and independently owned practice.
Trauma-informed isn't a slogan here.
It shows up in checkable ways: I ask before changing pace, I explain a technique before using it, and I take "I'd rather not" as a complete answer rather than a problem to solve.
You'll always know what we're doing and why. If something isn't working, I want to hear it — changing course is part of the plan, not a failure of it.
Stabilize before you process
We build coping capacity first. Reprocessing work starts only when you have reliable ways to come back down afterward.
Collaborative, genuinely
Goals get written together, said out loud, and revised whenever your life or your priorities shift. You're allowed to disagree with me.
We check whether it's working
Brief check-ins tell us if therapy is actually helping, so we can change something early instead of a year from now.
Connected to your care team
With your written permission I'll coordinate with prescribers, physicians, and schools so you're not the messenger between them.
Think we'd work well together?
Tell me a bit about what you're looking for and I'll give you an honest answer about whether I'm the right place to start.