About us
Our Practice and Practitioners
At Praxis, we strive to create the “best fit” for each patient that walks through our door. 80% of the progress in therapy is dependent on the relationship between the patient and their provider. We take that seriously.
We welcome and encourage prospective clients to peruse, judge, question, ponder, and study our bios, in order to learn more about each of our interests and specialities. We welcome & appreciate curiosity.
Meet our experienced clinical team
MSW, LCSW, ADHD-CCSP
Ashley Olsen | Founder
Bachelors of Psychology and Research, Black Hills State University, 2000 | Masters of Social Work, Colorado State University, 2003
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Ashley founded “The Praxis Group” in 2009, once she saw the need for improved relationships and collaboration between the medical and mental health community. Her vision was to improve patient health outcomes through improved mental health. This year marks 25 years of training and experience in both mental health & medical health settings. Specifically, Ashley has extensive background in healthcare counseling, including: living with chronic pain, autoimmune disorders, cancer, neurological disorders, FND, medical trauma, multiple sclerosis, undiagnosed & complicated (mystery) illness, brain injury and post-concussive syndromes, sleep disorders, dysautonomia, connective tissue and hypermobility disorders, and all other auto-immune conditions and inflammatory disease. She also specializes in couple’s work where health has impeded closeness and family stability.
Ashley specializes in medical complexities, trauma, and the neuroscience of attachment. She has extensive training in PRT, neuroplasticity, EFT/EFIT, attachment neuroscience, MI, ACT, and CBT.
She feels her greatest gift is an ability to quickly understand a patient, or their provider, and has a quick ability to reconcile trust, communication, and advocacy.
Ashley sees adults only. She finds great interest and pleasure in sharing in the diagnostics and research of her patient’s medical conditions. She strives to help patients make sense of the medical complexities that can plague their coping. She finds a significant part of her practice is walking alongside those in ambiguous grief as they understand their health loss and changing bodies, while also encouraging and training patients to advocate for themselves within a complicated healthcare system.
Ashley also devotes time to training new therapists on the medical/mental health model. In addition she writes and provides education and consultation to medical providers in order to help with improved patient outcomes through improved patient relationships. She has written and presented on the topics of: The Psychology of Pain and Ambiguous Grief, and has a coaching/consulting practice that serves to teach and train providers on how to improve their treatment and relationships with complex patients.
Ashley is described as inquisitive, confident, relatable, kindly challenging and fun.
MSW, LCSW
Steve Wellington
Bachelors of Communication and Education, James Madison University, 2002 | Masters of Social Work, University of New Hampshire, 2010
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Steve Wellington, LCSW joined Praxis in 2011. For 15 years Steve has been working in a variety of therapeutic, medical and educational settings to provide the care that individuals need to work through life's difficult moments. With a strong background in collaborative social work, he provides healthcare counseling for those affected by adjustments to long term illness, men’s health, aging, new medical diagnoses, sleep disorders, grief/loss, anxiety, depression, and trauma. Steve bases treatment off of current research and science based approaches to healing, and works closely with the other health care providers on an individual's team. Steve draws from a variety of therapeutic modalities, including CBT, somatic experiencing, EFT, and neuroplasticity. Steve works with young adults, adults, and older adults—meeting with clients where they are while skillfully and creatively using an integrated approach to therapy that will be most effective for an individual. He strives to be both compassionate and to use a client's time as efficiently and effectively as possible. Clients over the years have described him as passionate, knowledgeable, caring, curious, energetic, and fun.
Of other interest, Steve is a consultant for Thrive in Bozeman, helping develop and train professionals for their in-school programs throughout Montana and Wyoming. He is also a facilitator for a Men’s Cancer Support group at the Cancer Support Community
MSW, LCSW
Jessica Lenneman
Bachelor of Arts, Gonzaga University, 1998 | Masters of Social Work, San Jose State University, 2005
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Jessica Lenneman, LCSW joined Praxis in 2013. Jessica’s approach to psychotherapy is client-centered and strength-based. Jessica has over 19 years of extensive training and specialization in trauma recovery, as well as family and interpersonal conflict resolution. She believes her most important contribution is to provide a space where patients feel securely safe to do this work.
Jessica specializes in supporting those with depression, anxiety, grief and loss, school or work struggles, burnout, and parenting challenges. She also specializes in supporting those dealing with a difficult life event, such as trauma or physical, sexual, emotional and partner abuse, or conflict within a relationship. Jessica utilizes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Trauma-Focused CBT, and Psychodynamic approaches as well as Polyvagal theory and mindfulness practices. She works with adolescents, adults, couples and families; as well as the LGBTQ community.
Jessica is also an experienced clinical supervisor for those seeking supervision in their final year of their Master of Social Work program or during the LCPC or LCSW licensure process.
MSW Intern
Christine Knoff
Bachelor of Science, Portland State University, 2005 | Masters of Social Work Intern, Walla Walla University
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Christine joins The Praxis Group in Fall 2024, coming from extensive experience working in medical settings and community-based social service agencies.
Christine is well-versed in working alongside those who are experiencing significant health changes, perinatal and infant loss, teen pregnancy & choice counseling, infertility, grief, medical trauma, anxiety & depression.
She enjoys supporting all ages, and has experience with 16-99+.
Christine can be described as warm and inviting, reflective and confident.
MSW, SWLC, CGIP
Laci Mottice
BS. Human Development & Family Sciences; Montana State University, 2016 | MSW, Walla Walla University, 2024.
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Laci is a native Montanan and joined The Praxis Group in early 2023.
Prior to coming to The Praxis Group, Laci’s background was working within the nonprofit sector. Her time was spent working alongside homeless families and teens and on the front lines of community mental health, supporting those with significant mental health challenges through crisis stabilization.
Laci's interest and specialty is rooted in helping adults, young adults & older teens navigate life transitions & health challenges that create a deep confusion. Confusion that can often better be defined as grief.
Grief can exist between where a person expected to be and where they actually are. This can easily happen through health changes, trauma events, unexpected life events, and changes to routine activities or circumstances. It can happen at any age. It exists in everything. Examples often include, changes to health & body, infertility/miscarriage, aging, cognitive changes, career goals, gender identity, childhood experiences, caregiving, etc.
Laci specializes in all types of grief, and especially enjoys ambiguous grief work. She specializes in helping those that have faced any unexpected and unwelcomed life detour, to find meaning and new direction, especially when it is painful and unwanted.
Laci also focuses on perfectionism, OCD, and neurodivergent minds; helping patients optimize the greatest parts of these, while learning to adjust for areas that may impede progress toward a more meaningful definition of personalized success.
She is naturally skilled at creating an ease in the room & values an environment that allows for a deeper exploration of: what happened to me? Who am I now? Where do I go from here?
Laci is certified as a grief specialist, trained in neuroscience, attachment, CBT, trauma-informed CBT, MI, and many health-processing modalities.
Laci can be described as relatable, perceptive, perfectly analytical, and naturally open-minded.
MSW, CDP, LCSW
Aubrey Hancock
Bachelors of French, University of Montana, 2000 | Bachelors of English, University of Nantes, France, 2004 | Masters of Social Work, University of Montana, 2015
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Aubrey joined The Praxis Group in 2020. She came to the Social Work profession via a long career (10+ years) in adult education, training adults of diverse educational and professional backgrounds in countries around the globe. As a graduate student in social work, she served low-income retirees, by providing case management to those with more complex health and mental health-related needs. She became familiar with the many trials that aging adults face as they struggle with role changes, feelings of loss & purpose, helplessness, and declining health. Aubrey specializes in those who are in middle to older adulthood. She specializes in high anxiety; attachment, grief/loss, aging, chronic conditions, and caregivers. She is passionate about helping adults navigate the increasingly complex healthcare and long-term care systems. She also has a special interest in memory loss, and executive dysfunction. She is skilled at working with adults as they learn to recognize, celebrate, and promote their unique strengths, no matter where they are in their life. She celebrates clients wanting to find their most authentic and confident selves, and finds honor in walking alongside that journey. Aubrey is bilingual in French and has a unique worldly view. Aubrey can be described as gentle, thoughtful, intuitive, encouraging, and fiercely supportive.
Aubrey also owns Elder Tree. Her services include; in-home care, respite care, private & public dementia education, options counseling, and care management. Aubrey is a nationally certified dementia practitioner. She is passionate about helping families and individuals facing chronic and terminal illness, including memory loss.