Our Providers - Brainerd Lakes Psychiatry

Compassionate care, close to home

Meet our care team

Experienced professionals committed to making every patient feel heard, supported,
and confident in their care.

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Twyla Gifford

Medical Director
APRN-CNP, FNP-C, PMHNP-BC

Twyla Gifford is the founder and Medical Director of Brainerd Lakes Area Psychiatry. As a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner and Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, she provides comprehensive psychiatric care to children, adolescents, and adults. Twyla opened the practice to meet critical needs in the community, offering personalized treatment for depression, anxiety, trauma, and other mental health concerns—including Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) and medication management.

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Sam Norwood
TMS Coordinator

Sam guides patients through our non-invasive, FDA-approved TMS treatments designed to provide relief from depression and other conditions when traditional approaches have not been sufficient. Sam is passionate about supporting individuals on their path to better mental health, offering compassionate coordination and education throughout the treatment process.

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Evonne Sirois
Psychotherapist MSW, LICSW

Evonne uses an integrated therapeutic approach that is client-centered and strengths-based. She incorporates methods of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Solution-Focused Therapy (SFT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy, Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART), Motivational Interviewing, and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) skills. She is also open to providing faith-based Christian counseling as desired.