Luverne counselors Jill Boltjes and Skie Peltier-Anderson are expanding their business and now own the building where they see clients at Healing Path Counseling & Wellness.
Since 2019 they rented space in the round building at 215 N. Cedar Avenue where Luverne’s medical clinic first operated, and they recently bought it from Ronnie and Lowell Feit.
“They bought the building to help small businesses get started by having lower rent,” Boltjes said about the Feits. “That is what helped us get started.”
The women also were helped by the Southwest Initiative Foundation’s (SWIF) Business Finance and Microenterprise Loan Program.
“Mental health services are in high demand in our region, and we’re happy to support Jill and Skie in growing their business,” said SWIF economic development officer Jackie Turner.
Peltier-Anderson said Healing Path fit the Feits’ goal for the building.
“They actually came to us specifically because they love our cause and they wanted the building to go to people who would use it in the same kind of way they intended,” Peltier-Anderson said.
Both Boltjes and Peltier-Anderson are licensed professional clinical counselors with master’s degrees.
Their therapies can help with domestic and sexual violence, adoption- and attachment-related issues, sexual orientation issues, PTSD, anger problems, depression and anxiety.
They also focus on birth to age 5 interventions, crisis intervention and parent education.
Therapy dogs in training, Ray and Koda, work alongside Boltjes and Peltier-Anderson, who currently have nearly 30 clients under their care.
“As Healing Path grows, we want to thoughtfully expand our services to meet the community's needs,” Peltier-Anderson said.
“We’re thinking about what whole person wellness means to our clients and exploring different types of services like massage therapy, reiki or trauma-informed yoga that could help them feel better.”
An infrared sauna room equipped with different colored lights can improve circulation, heart health and immune function.
And "brain spotting," "ART therapy" and "EMDR" therapy can help clients identify sources of trauma and anxiety. Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) are therapy approaches to assist in processing painful or distressing memories.
Boltjes said having several options for therapy is important because everyone responds differently.
“No one journey or path to healing is alike,” Boltjes said. “And we’re here to guide individuals and families who need support on their journey.”
She said the building has space available to lease to businesses interested in wellness. “We’re looking for a massage therapist, especially someone trained in trauma,” Boltjes said, adding that health and beauty businesses would also be a good fit.
SWIF microloan clients receive free technical assistance from SWIF staff to improve business management skills. Areas of support include business planning and financials analysis, QuickBooks training, marketing assistance and other training opportunities for the life of the loan.
This microloan program receives funding assistance from the U.S. Small Business Administration and U.S. Department of Agriculture.
About Southwest Initiative Foundation
Southwest Initiative Foundation (SWIF) is a nonprofit community foundation connecting people, investing in ideas and building communities in southwest Minnesota.
Since its founding in 1986, SWIF has distributed more than $97.8 million through grants and business finance programs.