Ellen J. Anderson, Ph.D.

Ellen J. Anderson has been working in the mental health field for over 35 years. She started in Montana as a school psychologist and school counselor. She then spent 14 years at a child mental health center here in Northwest Ohio, before joining Person to Person Resources. She received her Master’s degree in Counseling from the University of Montana in 1980 and her doctoral degree in Counselor Education and Supervision from the University of Toledo in 1999. Ellen was the Ohio Department of Mental Health’s consultant to county suicide prevention coalitions for fourteen years. She also developed a series of Gatekeeper trainings for Ohio coalitions to increase community awareness about depression and suicide, and to help people learn how to intervene when someone they know is suffering from this deadly illness.

In the last decade, Ellen has focused on treating traumatized people, learning everything she can about trauma treatment. She has provided Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) for the last 12 years. For the last 2 years she has also been trained in Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, an approach that deals with the impact of trauma on the body. Healing from PTSD is possible, using appropriate trauma treatment methods.

Over the years, Ellen has presented many training workshops for professionals, parents, and school personnel. Topics have included suicide prevention, addiction issues, trauma and sexual abuse issues. She is enormously proud of her three grown children and eight grandchildren. Ellen loves singing, biking (the non-powered kind!), traveling, golf, racquetball, reading (sci-fi and mysteries), learning, walking, and believes that life should be enjoyed as much as possible. She is a life-long Presbyterian.

I first met Ellen in graduate school at the University of Toledo. While completing our Ph.D.’s we were both accepted (along with four other students) for training in family therapy at The Accademia di Psicoterapia Della Famiglia in Rome where we first discussed the possibility of someday working together. She began working in the practice in 2000. Ellen brings a breadth of experience to the practice, an occasional surprise hanging basket of flowers for our garden, as well as a great sense of humor.