Healing Souls
DR. RYAN WESTRUM
PhD, MA
Here's what others have said
We consider ourselves spiritual intellectuals who enjoy journeys that best help us discover deeper meanings to life, love, family, work and religion. Ryan consistently provides unique and fresh approaches to helping us with any of these issues and more. He’s brilliant, funny and thoughtful enough to earn our deepest trust and respect, even when telling us the most painful truths about ourselves. Ryan has helped us build an even stronger marriage by unearthing and resolving some very deep issues we were unable to identify with numerous other therapists.
- Tyrone and Keisha, Minneapolis, MN
After 22 years of marriage, my husband and I began to explore the idea of a non-monogamous relationship. I read a number of books to establish a basic understanding of the concept, but knew that years of monogamous conditioning would be difficult to unravel. In order to give this new structure adequate opportunity for success, we sought a therapist with Ryan's background to help us gain greater understanding of the real challenges and excitement that could come from an open relationship. We have been seeing Ryan for almost three months. We have found incredible value in his counsel, questions, and support as we explore our own personal needs and refine our relationship structure to build success in an open, loving relationship. Thank you Ryan for supporting our new life experience!
- Ronald and Marcie, Minneapolis, MN
I give the upmost thanks and gratitude to Ryan and the work he does. It has been just over 1 year that I have had the good fortune to work with Ryan at Healing Souls.
I can’t say enough about the support he has provided me on my journey to healthy sexuality and living. Our work together opened the door to transcending a pornography addiction, and even more importantly to discovering the inner strength and to move on to huge empowering changes in my personal and professional life.
If you are hurting because of any addiction or affliction and need a place where you will find the acceptance, insight and strength to move beyond it, you will find it with Ryan and in the safe environment of Healing Souls.
- Tobias, Minneapolis, MN
After a very difficult and life changing divorce and custody battle - I was introduced to Ryan through a family member. I am eternally grateful for his guidance, judgment, and help in helping me find my strength, courage, my inner self and where I belong. After seeing many therapists/Psychologist for many years I can say he has been by far the best I have ever worked with. Using his knowledge, education, and experience to give me the best care I need to get me through everyday life challenges, relationships, friendships, family, and trauma from childhood to adulthood. I feel safe, love, and kindness every time I speak with him. A true gift in his work, Ryan is amazing.
- Lorraine, San Diego, CA
We were in crisis when my husband found Healing Souls and Ryan. I had just leaned that he had acted on his bisexual feelings without my knowledge. I was devastated and knew we needed help to navigate the feelings associated with this situation. His finding Ryan/Healing Souls, has been a blessing for both my husband and myself.
Ryan creates a very safe environment for healing. We both feel our needs are being addressed as we work through this difficult time. Without a doubt, the investment in our marriage is the best time/monetary investment we've ever made. I only wish that this help would have been available to us years ago. We both now have hope that a better then ever marriage is in site! And we are already enjoying the benefits.
- Jonas and Michelle, St. Paul, MN
Through our therapeutic work together Ryan has been patient, kind, and unconditionally accepting of me regardless of how I present myself to him in session. More noteworthy than anything else, though, has been his startling consistency of engagement with me week in, and week out - To be heard and understood to the extent that I feel I have in session has given me the confidence and strength to truly be who I am authentically and without question in the course of my day-to-day life. Thank you, Ryan, for the work that you do, and for integrating who you are as a person so seamlessly into our experience together.
- William , Minneapolis, MN
So much in my life has changed for the better since we first began sessions.
Reflecting on our time together brings me to realize the degree to which you have encouraged me to make great strides without ever having been forceful.
You've said many times that your intention is never to keep a client in therapy for longer than they need to be there, nor build dependence on your services. Supporting someone by helping them to cultivate autonomy is the gold standard in counseling, in my opinion, but from what I hear is so often not the reality. I appreciate having the flexibility to go off into the world and continue to pursue more and more of what I want to do, and then circle back, and regroup with someone who is getting to be quite familiar with me.
Thank you for being there when I need you, and letting your support and presence be known even when we have long gaps between sessions. I look forward to whatever comes next.
- Mick, Burnsville, MN
I'm so grateful to have found someone like Ryan to help me navigate through many issues that have plagued me for years. I feel the greatest insight into dealing with all of it is to be authentic and asserting this concept into every facet of my life. It has truly changed how I go about my daily life. He has been a tremendous help in solidifying this deeply simple way of changing my life for the better.
Everyday I experience how much my life has improved with much thanks to Ryan!
- Xavier, New York City, New York
Ryan has developed a beautiful and intimate space in which I have felt at home to share pieces of me with him, allowing him to understand me fully. His ability to listen and make connections between my feelings, thoughts, and actions, with what I give out to the world and with how I am received, has helped me grow in ways I never saw coming. I've never felt so connected to a therapist; it is clear that the therapy Ryan offers is sincerely focused on helping me embrace the person I am, and accept all aspects of the truths surrounding the world and the people in it.
- Kendra , Minneapolis, MN
First of all I want to tell you that I absolutely love working together with you. I am so touched and moved by the openings and things that we have uncovered in my time with you. The depth that you bring me is remarkable. Having your guidance and witnessing your talent, caring, empathetic personality is a dream come true. Thank you for being you!
- Kim, Minnetonka, MN
Ryan creates a very safe place to share personal stories, thoughts and dreams. He meets his clients wherever they may be. He is a great listener and has an uncanny memory. I appreciate all his comments and advice.
Most of all, I feel comfortable talking to him.
- Christopher , Edina, MN
Ryan not only is a great listener, but he often surprises you with his humor and his passion for what he does. He cares deeply for his clients and listens intently. I feel like it’s like a movie trailer, “You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll leave a different person.” But… it’s true. During the process, Ryan gives you a safe place to run the gamut of your emotions so that you can effect positive change.
- Sonja, Minneapolis, MN
Ryan's knowledge makes him an informative counselor, yet it is his innate empathy that makes it possible for him to provide therapy in a compassionate and compelling way. He not only helped me discover the events and experiences that eventually formed my personality and ethics, but he leveraged the rapport he quickly developed with me to effortlessly and naturally provide me a comfortable emotional vantage point from which to embark on a sustained period of introspection and reflection that might otherwise have proven overwhelmingly uncomfortable, as it always had in the past. Through his nurturing I have been able to identify and dismiss root causes of introversion and anxiety without feeling foolish or regretful.
- Steven, New York, NY
I’ve referred several friends to Ryan because I believe in what he does. There is a level of comfort and respect that allows for open communication. It’s nice to have friends to talk to, but sometimes you need and unbiased ear… someone outside your sphere of friends, family, or acquaintances that can listen without judgments. Ryan provides that space beautifully and I would refer him to anyone I felt needed a soft place to fall.
- Jakob, Minneapolis, MN
In my work with Ryan, I feel extremely lucky to have found a truly nonjudgmental soul. He has created a space for one to explore what can be shameful and painful feelings and actions, and in a safe and open way bring the light of awareness to those dark places in order to find insight. It is a very difficult thing for many of us to admit we need help, to take the steps to seek it out, and to do the work required of us to heal. I believe that Ryan is a powerful support and guide as we do that difficult work.
- Laina, Los Angeles, CA
Ryan made it completely comfortable for me to be open and honest about what I was going through during a particularly tough time. It was amazing to have someone outside the situation to help me see things from a different perspective, to encourage me that I was making the right decisions, and to help me navigate through it on my own terms to come out on the other side.
- Sara, New York, NY
He makes a great connection with me, as a woman I have opened up about buried trauma, and have never felt safer and trusting of another person telling my story to regarding my healing.
- Corina, Minneapolis, MN
Group Shared Stories
In regards to the groups Ryan facilitates: We are very grateful to have the advantage of hearing the information and working with Ryan. He has a tremendous heart and ability to connect with both men and women groups. Our female clients have experienced talking with a safe male and trust him; which they never have trusted men. He has made a great impact in a short period of time.
- Dylan, San Francisco, CA
The clients at our program are very grateful to have the privilege of working with Ryan who is a deeply empathic listener and meets them all individually where they are coming from with all the varying backgrounds. He makes great connections and does it in a safe respectful manner.
- Thomas, Minneapolis,MN