Wendy Goffena , LCSW

Wendy Goffena is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with nine years providing therapy in clinical settings and a total of 24 years working in mental health services. She practices in a community mental health center in Central Montana and provides care to a wide age range of adults from 18 to 90. Her caseload includes military veterans, people needing additional support with common mental health concerns, individuals who are severely mentally ill or disabled, and court-mandated clients. She works with individuals and families facing depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, various forms of abuse and trauma, complex grief and loss, anger management, and interpersonal difficulties that affect home, family, and work life.

Goffena brings a broad base of clinical experience across multiple settings. Her background includes five years at a rural Montana county mental health center, two years in medical social work supporting patients with advanced chronic kidney failure, 16 years in an inpatient residential treatment program for youth ages 8 to 18, three years in a Department of Justice correctional facility serving adolescent girls, one year in Child Protective Services, and four years providing services and case management for partial and intensive outpatient day treatment programs in an alternative school.

A Montana native from a farming and ranching family, she completed an undergraduate degree in Elementary Education at Montana State University Billings and taught in small communities for seven years. She returned to graduate school in 2013 and graduated with honors in 2015 with a Master of Social Work from Walla Walla University Billings satellite campus. She completed licensure requirements and has held her LCSW for nine years. Her therapeutic stance is client-centered - she views clients as the experts on their own lives and works collaboratively to set the direction and depth of therapy. Using a strengths-based and motivational interviewing perspective, she integrates multiple modalities to build confidence and support goal achievement. She utilizes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to examine links between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors; Dialectical Behavior Therapy to teach mood regulation skills such as mindfulness, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness; Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to increase psychological flexibility through acceptance and values-driven action; and EMDR to address past trauma that affects relationships and daily functioning. Her goal is to help clients increase enjoyment in life and develop more effective ways of coping with stressors. Outside of work she enjoys the Montana outdoors - hiking, fishing, camping, exploring historical sites, rock-hounding, and gardening - and she is an avid artist who enjoys creating art.

Therapeutic Approaches for Remote Care

Client-centered therapy emphasizes an empathetic, nonjudgmental relationship where the client guides the pace and focus of work while the therapist supports exploration and personal growth. This approach can be especially helpful for clients seeking clearer goals, improved self-understanding, and stronger decision-making in relationships and life transitions.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a structured, problem-focused approach that helps clients identify and shift unhelpful patterns of thinking and behavior. CBT is commonly used for anxiety, depression, sleep difficulties, and many everyday stressors by teaching practical skills for managing reactions and building healthier habits.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) offers a targeted method for processing disturbing memories and the emotional responses tied to them. When applied by a trained therapist, it can support recovery from trauma symptoms that interfere with daily functioning and relationships.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. Licensed professionals will work with each person to match therapeutic strategies to their needs, goals, and preferences, adapting methods as progress unfolds. Online therapy using video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging increases flexibility and accessibility, allowing clients in rural or busy settings to fit care into their schedules, maintain continuity between appointments, and engage in therapy in formats that feel most comfortable.