Let’s face it - life is hard. And relationships, which provide shelter from the storms of life, can sometimes disappoint. You feel hopeless and empty and may be reaching the end of your rope. You’ve lost your way and are losing faith and confidence in yourself, others, and/or your purpose in life. You are not alone. Challenging circumstances and particular seasons of life have the potential to distract and throw us off course, causing life to feel out of control and confusing. Sometimes a fresh perspective can remind you of who you are, point you in the right direction, and provide new tools and resources to get you where you want to go and bring balance back into your life. 

Together you and your therapist can explore your goals, strengths and weaknesses, and unique personality in order to make sense of your current struggles and leverage new opportunities for growth and change. Kelly’s style is warm and empathetic, and her approach is collaborative and tailored to your particular needs and values.  

Give yourself permission to take the time you need, in a safe and accepting environment, to discover the best version of yourself and to unleash the awesome power within you to create a life that is fulfilling, intentional, authentic, and meaningful. It would be my privilege to walk with you on this leg of your journey. During a free consultation we can briefly discuss your hopes and plans for therapy to see if we’d be a good fit. I look forward to hearing your story.

I’ve loved writing and stories all my life, but my favorite stories have the plot line of life change. I am passionate about helping individuals and couples understand their story, own their story, and choose a better ending. I enjoy working with anxiety, depression, eating disorders, premarital couples, marital strife, infertility and women’s health, trauma, and parenting—particularly fostering, adoption, and resettling children from hard places. Working with clients who want to grow in self-awareness and self-efficacy gives me great joy. 

I earned my master’s degree in marriage and family therapy from Richmont Graduate University and specialized in trauma-informed care. My work with clients is underpinned by my Christian faith; I see every client not as a diagnosis but as imago Dei, made in the image of God.

My approach to working with clients is heavily influenced by attachment theory and Emotionally Focused Therapy, a method which emphasizes the human need for connection and secure, loving relationships. I believe we are pre-wired for attachment and the misdirected drive for security in relationship is often at the root of our brokenness. 

Under the Clinical Supervision of Jennifer Stuckert MA MFT, LPC, ACS, CPCS

Life has many challenges; some we create ourselves and others that seem to be thrust upon us! You may be feeing ill-equipped to handle them and overwhelmed; or alone and feeling that no one understands. Perhaps you have tried to ignore your circumstances and pain and hoped it would just go away. Unresolved issues can re- surface at another time, in another way!

I know this from professional and personal experiences! Having been through a divorce I did not want; raising 3 children as a single parent; transitioning to an empty-nest; transferring to a new state and starting over again; leaving one career and beginning another; providing care for both my parents through to their deaths. All major life transitions! Some were my choice, most were not!

I have witnessed and experienced God’s promise to draw near and “bind up the brokenhearted”. When we are at our weakest, God restores our strength. He gives us hope and walks with us step by step.   

In pastoral counseling I model this by providing a safe environment, listening, discerning and helping you get past the “why”. It is my passion to be walking alongside you through the process of restoring health and wholeness

Testimonial comment: "Everyone needs a Sandi."

The challenges of life can be overwhelming, with anxiety, depression, stress, anger, abuse, hurt relationships, wounds from childhood experiences…. The list of the harms that we experience can feel endless. Relationship stress, with family and couple conflict is common. To counter this, communication, listening skills, and conflict resolution can be learned in therapy. Disagreements can become invitations to step into someone else’s shoes to gain their perspective, and for them to step into yours. Understanding and caring can deepen.

The heart-changing gift of working through forgiveness and healing can lead to personal freedom. My approach is holistic, based on scientifically validated approaches that blend well with a Christ-centered worldview. My hope is to create a safe therapeutic alliance as I come alongside you on your journey to wholeness.

Together we can explore your story, and what is holding you back from being all that you hope to be, as we access your personal strengths, grow resilience, and work to develop coping skills to empower you to achieve your goals. I hope that you will reach out and allow me to join you in your healing process. Peace be with you on your journey!

I accept clients no matter their race, gender, ethnicity or background. I love to work with teenagers and young adults stuck in the stress of life, anxiety, past trauma, depression, or life transitions. Children as young as five are also a great fit at my practice whether experiencing behavioral difficulties, family conflict, or past abuse. A crucial piece of my practice is incorporating the family unit. There is no broken family or person, and I want to come alongside you or your child to journey back to a place of wholeness and healing.

I love working with clients to help them see and believe their value and worth as a person and to gain an ability to use their own strengths to live a healthier life. No two people have the same circumstances or story, and it is important to me that each person has the opportunity to be heard and work together with me in therapy to seek positive growth.

Sometimes going to therapy can be seen as a weakness, or looked down upon by society. However, I know that therapy is the place in which healing can begin and lives can be transformed. My therapeutic environment is a safe place for discussion, processing, honesty, and openness. I look forward to talking with you!

I believe that radical change is possible through effective therapy. I work with adults, couples, teens, and pre-teens to provide counseling for those experiencing anxiety, depression, psychosis, and substance abuse. I also work with many people who are struggling to cope with a difficult life experience such as a chronic health issue, recent loss, relationship or school problem, or other life transition. I have over 12 years' experience working with individuals experiencing mental health or other life challenges. I keep up to date with the latest evidence-based research and practices in the field. Evening hours available.

I have experience with a variety of treatment modalities including CBT, DBT, Mindfulness, Motivational Interviewing, Harm Reduction, Psychodynamic, and Solution Focused Brief Treatment. I approach all therapy with a strengths-based approach.

I know how hard it can be to take the first step in deciding to pursue therapy. I believe that feeling understood and supported by your therapist will allow you to develop the courage and skill to grow and change. I offer a free, brief telephone consultation for all clients.

Some people say that your middle school and high school years should be the easiest and most fun years of your life. But let’s be honest- that’s not always the case. In fact, these years can be some of the hardest and most confusing. You may suddenly find yourself in an awkward phase of life where your body feels out of control as it changes and your feelings are all over the place. You start discovering insecurities that you never thought of before. Teachers and parents and coaches may start putting pressure on you to perform well in academics, athletics, and activities. It’s a pressure you’ve never experienced before. The friendships that always came easy during elementary school are now changing and becoming confusing and complex. You’re confronted with a culture of meanness, as bullies will do anything and everything to tear you down in order to build themselves up. As a result, maybe you’re finding yourself wanting to be a bully or harm yourself just to try to find a sense of control. The meanness is fierce and relentless. To top it all off, you’re trying to discover how to gain independence as you prepare for adulthood, but you still crave security and support from your parents. It’s like a juggling game of independence and dependence. Before you realize it, you’re beginning to act in ways you never would have before. You start to lose yourself while trying to find yourself. I say all of this just to say: I get it. I’ve been there. Quite frankly- it sucks. I want to come alongside you during the journey of these tough and confusing years. During this journey, I can help you in discovering who you are and who you were meant to be. We can get through this together.

Parents, if you went through middle school and high school without a phone, you may really struggle to understand many of the current issues middle school and high schoolers face through the eyes of social media. The smallest events such as a “like” or a photo being viewed but not commented on are very stressful. 

Other life stressors such puberty, moving to a new school, breaking up with a first love, family changes that may happen through a divorce or death will really take a toll on a preteen and teen. Many parents are just trying to survive as well though these stressors and miss their child’s pain and only see the behavioral and emotional issues. I desire to work with your family and your child by using a variety of techniques to help them discover their emotions and behaviors and learn to channel them in healthy ways.  

Going to therapy can seem intimidating and scary. However, I am confident both you (the parent) and you (the child/teen) will feel so much better after our first session. I look forward to the opportunity to partner with you and create a healthy and supportive therapeutic relationship!