HI, I AM MARKELA ​(she/her)

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist

I am passionate about making a positive impact in the lives of individuals, couples, and families. Advocating for and empowering the marginalized voices in the community, as well as breaking dysfunctional Intergenerational patterns are central to my work as a therapist.

Markela Banks, MA, LMFT

HI, I AM MARKELA ​(she/her)

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist

Markela Banks, MA, LMFT

I am passionate about making a positive impact in the lives of individuals, couples, and families. Advocating for and empowering the marginalized voices in the community, as well as breaking dysfunctional Intergenerational patterns are central to my work as a therapist.

More About Me

Background

I am a Marriage and Family Therapist passionate about helping individuals (ages 16+), couples, and families heal through connection, authenticity, and resilience. My work is rooted in a systemic, trauma-informed perspective that recognizes healing does not happen in isolation—it occurs within the context of our relationships, families, cultures, and communities.

I earned my Bachelor of Arts in Child Psychology from the University of Minnesota in 2017 and my Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy from National University (formerly Northcentral University) in 2022.

Throughout my career, I have had the privilege of working with diverse populations across multiple levels of care. My professional experience includes: supporting children with complex trauma and autism, working with adults living with intellectual, developmental, physical, and mental health disabilities in supervised living settings, facilitating substance use recovery groups for men and women, and providing outpatient psychotherapy in private practice for the past three years.

These experiences have strengthened my ability to understand the complex ways trauma, identity, family systems, and social environments influence emotional well-being across the lifespan.

My therapeutic approach is collaborative, culturally responsive, affirming, and strengths-based. I believe every person possesses an innate capacity for healing, and I strive to create a space where clients feel seen, heard, challenged, and empowered to reconnect with themselves and the relationships that matter most.

My long-term vision is to contribute to a more inclusive and equitable mental health landscape by integrating evidence-based therapy with creativity, advocacy, community education, and culturally responsive care. I aspire to help clients heal not only from trauma, but also from the systemic barriers that have shaped their lived experiences, fostering wellness at the intersection of body, identity, relationships, and culture.

Specialties

As I continue to grow as a clinician, I am developing specialized expertise in the intersections of Black mental health, reproductive mental health, sexuality, trauma recovery, expressive arts, and family systems. I am particularly passionate about supporting individuals (age 16+)  navigating experiences related to:

  • Trauma (Family-of-origin, complex PTSD, medical)
  • Sexuality and intimacy
  • Chronic reproductive health conditions (PCOS, fibroids, infertility, perimenopause, hysterectomy recovery)
  • Relationship diversity (polyamory, ENM, BDSM, queer relationships) 
  • Identity development for Black adults
  • Unique stressors faced by marginalized communities
Personal Interests

When I am not at Invigorate, I like to spend my time hiking/biking through one of our many local parks. I love to be anywhere that there is good food and good music. I also have a deep affinity for the arts and enjoy reading and writing for fun. I’m looking forward to traveling abroad in the future and seeing what new and exciting people I can meet!

Education, Trainings, and Affiliations
  • Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Minnesota Board (License #4917)
  • Masters of Arts Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy, National University (formerly Northcentral University), Minneapolis, MN
  • Bachelor’s of Arts Degree in Child Psychology, College of Liberal Arts, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 
  • Member, American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy

More About Me

Background

I am a Marriage and Family Therapist passionate about helping individuals (ages 16+), couples, and families heal through connection, authenticity, and resilience. My work is rooted in a systemic, trauma-informed perspective that recognizes healing does not happen in isolation—it occurs within the context of our relationships, families, cultures, and communities.

I earned my Bachelor of Arts in Child Psychology from the University of Minnesota in 2017 and my Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy from National University (formerly Northcentral University) in 2022.

Throughout my career, I have had the privilege of working with diverse populations across multiple levels of care. My professional experience includes: supporting children with complex trauma and autism, working with adults living with intellectual, developmental, physical, and mental health disabilities in supervised living settings, facilitating substance use recovery groups for men and women, and providing outpatient psychotherapy in private practice for the past three years.

These experiences have strengthened my ability to understand the complex ways trauma, identity, family systems, and social environments influence emotional well-being across the lifespan.

My therapeutic approach is collaborative, culturally responsive, affirming, and strengths-based. I believe every person possesses an innate capacity for healing, and I strive to create a space where clients feel seen, heard, challenged, and empowered to reconnect with themselves and the relationships that matter most.

My long-term vision is to contribute to a more inclusive and equitable mental health landscape by integrating evidence-based therapy with creativity, advocacy, community education, and culturally responsive care. I aspire to help clients heal not only from trauma, but also from the systemic barriers that have shaped their lived experiences, fostering wellness at the intersection of body, identity, relationships, and culture.

Specialties

As I continue to grow as a clinician, I am developing specialized expertise in the intersections of Black mental health, reproductive mental health, sexuality, trauma recovery, expressive arts, and family systems. I am particularly passionate about supporting individuals (age 16+)  navigating experiences related to:

  • Trauma (Family-of-origin, complex PTSD, medical)
  • Sexuality and intimacy
  • Chronic reproductive health conditions (PCOS, fibroids, infertility, perimenopause, hysterectomy recovery)
  • Relationship diversity (polyamory, ENM, BDSM, queer relationships) 
  • Identity development for Black adults
  • Unique stressors faced by marginalized communities
Personal Interests

When I am not at Invigorate, I like to spend my time hiking/biking through one of our many local parks. I love to be anywhere that there is good food and good music. I also have a deep affinity for the arts and enjoy reading and writing for fun. I’m looking forward to traveling abroad in the future and seeing what new and exciting people I can meet!

Education, Trainings, and Affiliations
  • Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Minnesota Board (License #4917)
  • Masters of Arts Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy, National University (formerly Northcentral University), Minneapolis, MN
  • Bachelor’s of Arts Degree in Child Psychology, College of Liberal Arts, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 
  • Member, American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy

Contact Markela

Web Contact Form

Contact Markela

Web Contact Form