About Annika Allen.

Annika Allen is a Clinical Mental Health Counseling intern practicing under supervision at Linking the Gap Counseling in Sioux Falls. She is completing her Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Northwestern University and works with teens and adults navigating anxiety, depression, burnout, relationship stress, life transitions, and questions of identity and self-worth.

Annika believes therapy should feel steady, safe, and human without feeling rushed or overly clinical. She creates a calm, reflective space where clients can slow down, sort through what they’re carrying, and better understand themselves. Her style is warm, thoughtful, and grounded in genuine curiosity, helping clients feel seen rather than “fixed.”

Clinical Focus Areas

Annika often works with clients who are:

  • Feeling anxious, burned out, or emotionally overwhelmed

  • Navigating depression or loss of motivation

  • Moving through life transitions or direction changes

  • Exploring identity, self-worth, or questions like “Who am I now?” or “What do I want next?”

  • Struggling with attachment, relationships, communication, or boundaries

She values the power of connection and offers both individual counseling and reflective support groups that help reduce isolation and foster growth.

Therapeutic Style & Approaches

Annika works from a person-centered, strengths-based, and trauma-informed foundation, adapting therapy to each client’s pace and goals. She draws from psychodynamic, Internal Family Systems (IFS), and narrative perspectives to help clients explore patterns, understand different parts of themselves, and reshape the stories they carry. Her work focuses on building self-awareness, compassion, and clarity in a space where clients feel safe to be honest, curious, and fully themselves. Her approach may include:

• Person-Centered Therapy
• Mindfulness-based practices
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
• Narrative and identity-focused exploration
• IFS-informed work
• Values and strengths-focused reflection
• Creative and expressive tools, including art therapy

Annika collaborates closely with clients to discover what feels most supportive, helping them develop insight, confidence, and a stronger connection to who they are so that change feels natural, meaningful, and sustainable.

What It’s Like To Work Together

Annika believes meaningful change happens through feeling safe enough to be honest, curious enough to explore patterns, and supported enough to try something new. Therapy with her is collaborative, gentle, and grounded in respect for each person’s unique lived experience.