Kelly Betsworth, LISW

Licensed Independent Social Worker

Kelly strives to provide hopeful, helpful interventions that are personal, creative, and trauma informed. She focuses first on building an individual connection with each person she meets. With experience in outpatient, community, home, school, health care, and residential settings, Kelly is skilled in working with individuals from diverse backgrounds and with a wide range of concerns. She specializes in working with children and families and incorporates a strong adaptive information processing and attachment-based lens in her work. Kelly also uses play, mindfulness, somatic experiences, narrative, art, dialectical, and cognitive behavioral interventions. She is an active and open communicator and will work with you to develop a treatment plan that is comfortable for you and supports your goals.

Kelly received a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and psychology, with a minor in social work, from Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa. She later studied social work at the University of Iowa Des Moines Campus and received her MSW in 2007. Kelly is a Licensed Independent Social Worker in the State of Iowa.

Kelly’s primary specialty is Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). She is a Certified EMDR Child Specialist and EMDR Consultant.  EMDR therapy uses bilateral dual attention stimulation to support adaptive information processing and reduce distress connected to negative thoughts, memories, and beliefs. Kelly has completed Theraplay Level One training and enjoys incorporating this lens in her work with children and families. Theraplay is a dyadic family therapy model designed to support healthy child-caregiver attachment, build resilience, and promote healing through active experiences. Kelly is also certified in AutPlay Therapy, a behavioral play-based approach for engaging with neurodiverse children and caregivers to emotional regulation, connection and social skills.  Kelly is also trained in and uses Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in her work with individuals, families, and groups.

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lly specializes in working with families, parents and caregivers as well as children to support strengthened connection and communication, address anxiety and trauma, and promote attunement and acceptance.  Kelly provides a directive and compassionate approach and enjoys working with those motivated to gain insight and grow along their emotional wellness journey.  Other clinical specialty areas include trauma, anxiety, emotional intensity and mood disorders, neurodiversity, adolescence, women’s issues, and stage of life transitions. 

In her free time, Kelly enjoys her roles as wife, mother, daughter, friend, and lifelong learner. She loves animals, especially her golden retrievers Leia & Ahsoka, as well as music, thrift shopping, scary movies, caring for her houseplants, quiet time at home crocheting, and girls’ nights in or out. As a mom to two boys, Kelly enjoys Star Wars, Marvel, Legos, concerts, family vacations at the lake, and attending all their extracurricular events.

* Call to be added to Kelly’s waitlist *