St. Thomas Alumna Leads Change Through Therapy and Advocacy

For Kerrie Mohr, ’98, her journey into social work started with an early passion and desire for purpose, advocacy, and a deep conviction for justice. A graduate of the University of St. Thomas BSW program in the Morrison Family College of Health's School of Social Work, Mohr has dedicated her career to creating systemic change while also meeting individuals where they are. Today, she is the founder, executive director and a practicing therapist at A Good Place Therapy, a private practice with offices in San Francisco, Palo Alto and New York City. 

“Growing up in a politically conservative family, I was drawn to learning environments that aligned with my values and that would give me the tools for meaningful change and to make a difference at the systems level,” Mohr said. “I wanted what I did for a living to reflect my personal mission.” 

St. Thomas gave her that foundation. During her undergraduate years, Mohr pursued both macro and direct practice, including a formative internship in her senior year at the Children’s Defense Fund in Minnesota. There, she helped compile the nationally recognized “Kids Count” data book, which measures child well-being across all 50 states, and . The experience sparked an early and enduring commitment to systems-level change.  

Mohr’s experience in the Bachelor’s in Social Work program at St. Thomas stood out for its intimacy and rigor. Small class sizes fostered close relationships with faculty, whose mentorship helped shape her professional trajectory.

“Their mentorship not only strengthened my confidence but also encouraged me to continue my studies at Columbia,” she said. 

At Columbia University, she studied advanced generalist practice and programming, engaging in projects that served immigrant families navigating New York City’s child welfare system. The initiatives she helped launch were funded by grants and remain in place today.  

“St. Thomas gave me a springboard to what I could confidently pursue and study at Columbia, as well as really influence change,” she said. 

Over the years, Mohr has worked in nonprofit leadership across fields—from child welfare to family homelessness to dual diagnosis of adult populations. In the process, she balanced clinical oversight with grant writing, team leadership, and program design.

“The training I received in both advocacy and direct service shaped my entire career,” she said. 

Since founding A Good Place Therapy in 2015, Mohr has built a thriving, mission-driven practice that supports a diverse range of individuals, couples and families. In addition to her own clinical work, she supervises and coaches social workers and marriage and family therapists, facilitates professional development and training groups, and oversees all aspects of care and service delivery. Her leadership is rooted in the belief that therapy should be clinically excellent and relationally grounded for clients and for the clinicians providing care. 

“My own journey—from my Midwestern roots to New York City’s nonprofit world, and from the grassroots energy of the Bay Area to spiritual explorations abroad—has reinforced my belief that growth doesn’t happen in isolation,” she said. “We heal in connection with ourselves and with the people who matter most.” 

In recognition of her contributions to the field, Mohr was recently honored with the 2024–2025 Sandy Chernick Award of Excellence from the Ackerman Institute for Family Therapy. The award is given to a therapist who embodies the humanity and clinical strengths that defined Chernick’s legacy. Receiving the award, Mohr said, was a profound honor and fuels her commitment to helping couples and families find new ways to understand and heal their relationships. 

“I still draw on the skills I learned at St. Thomas,” she said. “It gave me the tools to align my work with my mission—and that’s something I carry with me every day."