Northwest Iowa Counseling

04/04/2026

Happy THREE year anniversary to Deb Estes!

Deb holds a special place in the story of Northwest Iowa Counseling. She was the very first therapist to join our team after Amy and Anne took over ownership in 2022. She took a chance on us, trusted the vision, and has been part of building what NWIAC is today as we’ve continued to grow and evolve.

Deb has been a steady, compassionate presence from the very beginning, showing up day after day with care, intention, and a deep commitment to the clients she serves. She cares deeply- not only for her clients, but for her colleagues as well- and that kind of presence creates a ripple effect throughout our entire team. Her ability to meet people where they are and create a space that feels safe and supportive does not go unnoticed.

We are so grateful for the role she plays on our team and the impact she continues to make in the lives of so many. Thank you, Deb, for taking a chance on us and for all that you do. We’re so lucky to have you.

Happy 3 years! To many more!

03/04/2026

Happy TWO YEAR anniversary to our receptionist, Melissa Bendlin!

Melissa is the first voice you hear when you call and the first face you see when you walk through our doors, and she sets the tone for everything that follows- Calm. Kind. Steady.

In a field where people often arrive feeling overwhelmed, uncertain, or vulnerable, Melissa meets them with warmth and reassurance before they ever sit down with a therapist. That matters more than most people realize. Behind the scenes, she keeps our days moving, supports our clinicians, and handles a million moving pieces with skill.

Melissa, we are so grateful for the care you bring to this role and to our team. Northwest Iowa Counseling is better because you are here. Happy two years & to many more!

02/28/2026

Maybe you’ve been thinking about therapy for awhile…
But the drive, your work hours, kids’ schedules, or not knowing who to call kept getting in the way.

We want you to know: You can access Northwest Iowa Counseling from anywhere in Iowa.

We currently have immediate telehealth openings with several clinicians and can often schedule quickly.

Sometimes the hardest part is starting. We’ll help with the rest. Give us a call at 712-262-6111 or visit our website at www.nwiac.com and select “Get Started”.

02/27/2026

At Northwest Iowa Counseling, we believe therapists do their best work when they feel supported.
We’re adding another clinician to our team - school-based + outpatient therapy, built-in referrals, supervision available, and NHSC loan repayment eligible.
We would love to meet you.

02/15/2026

Our hearts are truly heavy as we hold the Iowa Lakes Community College baseball team, their families, and the entire ILCC community in our thoughts following the recent bus accident.

Estherville is more than just the location of one of our offices- it is a community we care deeply about. Moments like this remind us how closely connected small communities are, and how quickly grief, fear, and uncertainty can ripple through students, families, faculty, and neighbors alike.

To everyone impacted- directly or indirectly- you are seen, and this community stands with you. In hard moments, communities take care of each other.

02/05/2026

A great opportunity for local families! Special service conferences available to schedule next week when you’re scheduling regular conferences with your student’s teacher. Thank you Spencer Community Schools!

We are looking forward to welcoming families for parent-teacher conferences on February 11 and 12! This round of conferences includes new, expanded options designed to better support students and families. 🌟

Along with classroom check-ins, families can schedule optional private support meetings to connect with staff in these areas:

➡️ Disability resources
➡️ Food and community resources
➡️ Healthcare resources
➡️ Mental health resources

If any of these supports would be helpful for your family, please be sure to sign up for a support meeting in addition to your student’s academic conference.

To schedule parent-teacher conferences and optional support meetings, visit the Spencer Community Schools conference sign-up page: https://ptcfast.com/schools/Spencer_Community_Schools

01/16/2026

Happy TWO YEAR Anniversary, Melissa!

Today we’re celebrating two years with Melissa, and what a gift she has been to our team and to the clients she serves.

Melissa brings such specialized, thoughtful training into her work, using targeted therapeutic modalities that truly meet clients where they are. Pair that expertise with her laid-back, easy-to-talk-to presence, and it’s no surprise that clients feel safe, supported, and understood in her space.

She carries a calm, grounded energy that feels full of zen- the kind that helps people exhale a little easier the moment they walk into the room. Above all, Melissa cares deeply about her clients and the work she does, and it shows in every session, every interaction, every step of the therapeutic process.

We’re so grateful for the compassion, skill, and steady presence you bring to Northwest Iowa Counseling. Happy two years, Melissa! To many more.

01/07/2026

🎉 Happy Birthday, Amy! 🎉

Today we’re celebrating one of the hearts behind Northwest Iowa Counseling. Amy’s loyalty to this practice, her steady calm in even the most high-stress moments, and her genuine care and compassion for our clients, our team, and the business as a whole are truly unmatched.

She leads with intention, integrity, and a quiet strength that keeps everything moving forward- often behind the scenes, always with others in mind. These are exactly the qualities you hope for in someone helping lead a private practice, and we’re incredibly grateful to do this work alongside her.

Wishing you a birthday filled with the same care, support, and appreciation you give so freely to others. Happy Birthday Amy!

01/06/2026

If you’ve been waiting for a sign, this is it!

We have immediate openings for therapy in both office locations - Spencer and Estherville - and via telehealth. We have therapists available to see children, adolescents, adults, couples, or families with little to no wait time. This is a rarity, and we anticipate these spots will fill quickly, so if you’ve considered reaching out for therapy services, now is the time!

Give us a call at 712-262-6111 or visit our website at www.nwiac.com.

*Specific providers and/or treatment modalities (ex EMDR, etc) may still have a wait time

01/05/2026

✨ Welcome Back, Jaime! ✨

We’re excited to officially welcome Jaime Lair back to Northwest Iowa Counseling as our Billing & Credentialing Specialist.

Jaime is a familiar and much-loved face around here- she served as our Office Manager from 2022–2024, right as we stepped into ownership, and played a key role in helping the practice grow and stay grounded during that time. In 2024, she stepped away to pour her heart into her beautiful blooms at Double Feature Flower Farm, and we’ve loved cheering her on from afar.

With the continued growth of our practice, we’re thrilled to welcome Jaime back in a part-time capacity (don't worry, the flower farm isn't going anywhere!) and she will be supporting billing and credentialing behind the scenes. Her knowledge, steadiness, and attention to detail make her such a gift to our team.

So glad to have you back, Jaime- we’ve missed you!

01/04/2026

Calling all Breast Cancer Survivors! 💕

Join us for our next Strong in Sisterhood: Breast Cancer Support Group on Wednesday, January 7th at 10 AM at Medlar Coffee Co.

Northwest Iowa Counseling will be joining us as our guest speakers this month to talk about mental health.

For more information or to sign up for our Breast Cancer Support Newsletter, email Darcie Follon at dfollon@spencerhospital.org or call 712-264-6380.

01/01/2026

✨ 2025 HIGHLIGHTS - NORTHWEST IOWA COUNSELING ✨

As we look back on 2025, we’re filled with gratitude for the moments, relationships, and quiet courage that shaped this year.

Throughout the year, our therapists had the honor of sitting with countless moments of courage- first sessions, hard conversations, small steps forward, and meaningful change. We walked alongside children, teens, adults, couples, and families as they showed up for themselves, often on the hardest days, in our offices, in schools, and through telehealth.

We welcomed three new therapists to our clinical team and now have 10 incredible clinicians on staff. With the growth, Heather and Kristen stepped into new clinical leadership roles, and we expanded how and where we serve- moving into a larger Spencer office, relocating to a new Estherville space, and growing our school-based therapy program into a third district (Cherokee, HMS, and Spencer).

Community remained at the heart of our work. We welcomed hundreds of families through Cider, Sweets & Smiles in October for a fall celebration, delivered 450+ stockings to local children this Christmas, and were honored to be voted Gold in the Spencer Radio Group People’s Choice Awards- for the third year in a row. We also proudly expanded services to include spanish speaking clients this year.

At the heart of it all was a shared commitment to showing up with care, presence, and compassion.

Thank you for being part of our 2025.