Mike Arieta, MSW, LICSW, LCSW

Mike Arieta has been practicing Social Work since April of 1995 as a Licensed Social Worker after he graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire with his Bachelors of Social Work in December of 1994. At that time he spent four years working with victims of domestic violence and working with families who experienced domestic assault. It is at this time he developed a passion for all things Social Work and found a calling within the field. Since that time, Mike has worked in the field of mental health with those experiencing mental illness and chemical dependency, Teen fathers and their families and groups who experience addictions of all sorts. Mike continued his journey with all things Social Work by earning his Mater’s of Social Work degree from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities campus in November of 2004. It is there that he furthered his interest in clinical mental health work working with additions and clients dealing with sexual offences. He obtained his clinical experience working in the community with Walk in Counseling Center and with an agency serving those with mental and chemical health issues. Mike continued his journey by working in the community serving people who dealt with a wide variety of issues. He obtained his Independent Clinical License in Social Work April of 2011 in Minnesota and is also licensed in clinical Social Work in Arizona. Mike then opened his own clinical social work practice in the winter of 2011. He works with a variety of people from pre-teens to older adults and couples. Mike has gone on to receive the Permanency and Adoption Competency Certification (PACC) from the University of Minnesota as a post graduate and certification from the Centers for Adoption Studies and Education (C.A.S.E.).

Mike is also trained in Phase I of Brain Spotting. This is a therapy technique designed to assist people with releasing trauma from the body.

Mike also works for the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus as a Financial Aid Counselor working primarily with at risk students who experience homelessness, foster care or adoption system involvement along with families who are going through crisis.

Mike has let the principle of “Going toward what challenges your point of view” guide his path and he focuses on how the brain and body work together to assist clients to become whole persons.