Luke Borkenhagen, LICSW

Luke Borkenhagen is a licensed independent clinical social worker (LICSW) practicing in Minnesota with five years of professional experience. He approaches therapy as a partner in the work, offering practical support and new perspectives as people face hard moments in life.

He helps people manage stress, anxiety, anger, and low self-esteem. He also supports those coping with trauma, relationship strain, changes like separation, and compassion fatigue. Luke talks through everyday problems in plain language and focuses on steps clients can try between sessions.

Luke uses several approaches to tailor sessions to each person. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and attachment-based ideas shape much of his work. He also draws on client-centered and Jungian influences to honor personal meaning and growth.

In sessions he pays attention to physical feelings in the body and different parts of the self to better understand reactions. He offers tools for emotion regulation, coping with life transitions, and improving connection with others. Practical homework and experiments are common so progress can be tracked.

People often come for help with complicated topics such as intimacy-related issues, family conflict, dissociation, addiction, caregiver stress, autism and Asperger concerns, and sexual subcultures including BDSM and kink. Luke listens without judgment and works with each person to set realistic goals.

He communicates in English and works remotely from Minnesota. He invites prospective clients to share their story and explore whether his collaborative style would fit their needs.

Therapeutic approaches and how they work online

Luke often draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people notice unhelpful thoughts and test them with real-life experiments. CBT is practical and problem-focused, and it is useful for anxiety, stress, and anger. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is another core approach he uses, which helps people clarify values and take committed steps even when uncomfortable feelings persist. Attachment-Based Therapy is used to look at how early patterns influence current relationships and emotional responses, which can help with intimacy and family-related concerns.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. Luke works with each person to decide which methods match their goals and preferences. He adapts techniques over time, combining tools from different models so the plan fits the client rather than forcing a single method.

Online therapy offers flexibility for different rhythms of life. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation and real-time skill practice. Phone sessions can be simpler when bandwidth is limited or when someone prefers not to be on camera. Live chat and text-based messaging are useful for brief check-ins, ongoing support between sessions, and for people who like written reflections. These options make it easier to fit therapy into a busy schedule while working with a licensed professional from Minnesota.