Cody Helgesen, MS, LPC, NCC, CCTP, ASDCS
Cody Helgesen, MS, LPC, NCC, CCTP, ASDCS (they/them) is a Clinical Supervisor and Licensed Professional Counselor with M.J.A. Behavioral Health and Wellness in Connecticut. They are currently an Educational Doctorate candidate in Counselor Education and Supervision at Southern Connecticut State University, with a professional background spanning outpatient therapy, residential treatment, school-based counseling, and acute care settings. Cody has worked in the mental health field since approximately 2021 in increasingly advanced clinical and supervisory roles, including prior experience at Silver Hill Hospital and other intensive treatment environments.
Cody’s clinical specialty is eclectic and integrative, with a strong focus on individuals with complex learning and neurodevelopmental profiles, including ADHD, autism spectrum presentations, and specific learning disabilities, often alongside social, emotional, and identity-related challenges. They also work extensively with clients from historically marginalized or systemically impacted communities, supporting individuals across a wide developmental range from early childhood (around age 7) through older adulthood (65+). Their approach blends clinical mental health counseling with school-counseling-informed practices, emphasizing both therapeutic processing and practical, proactive executive functioning support such as planning, organization, and skills development. Cody’s work is not only responsive to present concerns but also intentionally structured to build long-term capacity and day-to-day functioning.
In addition to clinical practice, Cody is an active educator, supervisor, and scholar. They serve as an adjunct faculty member at both Southern Connecticut State University and Fairfield University, and have presented at local, regional, national, and international conferences. Their professional and academic interests include queer studies, family systems, neurodiversity, and lifespan development, with a particular focus on queer aging, intimacy, and sexuality in older adulthood. Cody is also visibly tattooed, pierced, and known for their long red hair, and they intentionally use their presence and identity to help create welcoming, affirming spaces where clients who have historically struggled to find understanding or relatability in counseling can feel seen, respected, and supported.
• Western Connecticut State University - BS, Psych
• University of Connecticut - BS, Psych
• Southern Connecticut State University - MS
• Southern Connecticut State University - EdD
• LPC
• Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC)
• Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP
• Autism Spectrum Disorder Clinical Specialist (ASDCS
• AMHCA Emerging Professional of the Year (2021-2022)
• AMHCA Mental Health Counselor of the Year (2024)
• Student and Emerging Professionals Award
• American Counseling Association (ACA)
• American Mental Health Counseling Association (AMHCA)
• Association of Counseling
• Sexology
• and Sexual Wellness (ACSW)
• Connecticut Counseling Association
• ACES
• Chi Sigma Iota: Sigma Chi Sigma Chapter
• NARACES
• SAIGE
• Team Member -
Relay for Life
Areas of Specialization/Expertise
- Neurodivergence (ADHD and Autism)
- Complex Learning Profiles
- Executive Functioning Support
- LGBTQIAP+
- Identity Development
- Life Transitions
- Trauma
- Social and Emotional Challenges
- Marginalized and Vulnerable Populations
What do you enjoy most about practicing medicine?
What I enjoy most about the work I do are the really tiny wins that I get to see over time - wins that the client doesn't always see because they're with themselves 24/7. There's something amazing about the humanness and seeing someone just slowly, over time, talk less negatively about themselves, catch themselves before they're about to go down the rabbit hole, and actually start shifting their mindset away from this perception that they are flawed and that they are the problem. I love seeing them accept and acknowledge that they're human, and it's hard, and that we can either go through difficult things by ourselves and feel lonely and alone, or we can try and be vulnerable and see who we can bring onto the journey with us. I also love hearing from clients I haven't worked with in some time, getting in contact with me just to share updates about their lives or about a goal we were talking about that they finally managed to manifest for themselves. I love being the biggest cheerleader for clients I see and don't see, and I do this 'come-brag-on-me' thing where if you want to share something you feel really proud of that was really hard or challenging and no one seems to have given you your flowers or honored you or celebrated you, I want to do that. Those are the things I enjoy the most - the small parts of humanness that we get to see. Even with telehealth, when their pets show up or when their kids show up and interrupt a session, it's human. They're doing therapy in their house, they're a single mom, and they're the only person there for their kid - why would I want to shut the kid out from having access to the parent?