Brenda R Benning, MSW, LICSW

A little bit about Brenda...

Brenda is a licensed, independent social working practicing family therapy. She focuses on adoptive families as it seems to be a unique population that is misunderstood and underserved. Brenda has a unique view of adoption as an adoptive parent of nine and a biological parent of one. Brenda and her husband have parented children from foster care to adoption, sibling adoption, interstate adoption, and infant adoption. Her children have varying difficulties with attachment and traumatic histories.

Through her own experiences with professionals in the field of mental health and adoption/trauma competency, she has discovered the issues facing families, especially parents, of traumatized children and those with severe attachment issues. This realization keeps her focused on training and educating professionals in the field and working with parents who are fighting to hold their families together.

Currently, Brenda works with families in their home, where they are most comfortable. She has worked with families in Minnesota and neighboring states, both in person and through phone consultation. Brenda also trains around the state through MNAdopt and independently in other states. Brenda continues to write in order to help bring awareness and create an environment of hope and empathy for families struggling with their children’s difficult behavioral and emotional struggles.