Meet Our Staff

Amber Couleas

Amber Couleas serves as part-time bookkeeper for The Refuge Center. She grew up in western Kentucky and is a graduate of Murray State University where she obtained a Masters of Professional Accounting. After graduating, she worked in public accounting for Ernst & Young, LLP in St. Louis and since has worked in retail and agricultural industries as Controller, as well as consulting and serving on the Board of a large agricultural retailer. She is currently an inactive CPA.

After continuing to advance her career, she decided to take a step back in the business world in 2012 to devote extra time to her growing family and worked part-time as a bookkeeper for an engineering firm in Franklin before joining The Refuge.

While she enjoys working on the “business” side of organizations, she is passionate about aligning her business acumen with her lifelong desire to advocate for mental health and those affected by ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences) and trauma. She believes that advancing mental health services and changing the way we think about mental health is the most important need for our society.

Amber and her husband Cullan, along with their three active children, live in Franklin and love calling Tennessee home. In her free time she enjoys traveling and giving her children the chance to experience different cultures, cooking, yoga, reading, and learning more about body-based meditative and mindfulness practices.

Amber McClurkan

Amber McClurkan received her BS in Sociology from Tennessee Tech University and is now pursuing her Master of Science in Social Work degree from the University of Tennessee Knoxville.

She believes each person was created to live in relationship and healing happens in the context of relationship. Amber uses a Strengths-Based approach and is grateful for the opportunity to partner with clients in pursuing authentic living.

In her spare time, Amber enjoys reading, playing board games with friends, hiking, backpacking, and traveling with her husband of seven years.

Amy Alexander, LMFT

Amy Alexander is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of The Refuge Center for Counseling. The Refuge Center for Counseling began in 2005 and presently provides more than 25,000 counseling sessions for over 3,000 clients annually. Services are offered on a sliding-fee scale, based on income, so that everyone has access to care. Amy believes that the counseling process empowers people to become free of the burdens, barriers and shame stories that prevent them from experiencing freedom in their lives. She believes with all her heart that every person, no matter what they can pay, where they live, or what they have been through, deserves access to the very best care for their emotional wellness. Affordability, excellence and compassionate care are hallmarks of the services at The Refuge Center. As the Executive Director, Amy encourages and supports a culture of connection, character and continuous growth within the organization.

Amy is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who has been in the field for eighteen years. Her areas of clinical focus include trauma, domestic and sexual violence, grief and loss, and identity work. Brennan Manning once said, “Many people between the ages of thirty and sixty-whatever their stature in the community and whatever their personal achievements- undergo what can truly be called a second journey. The second journey begins when we know we cannot live the afternoon of life according to the morning program.” Amy deepest passion is helping people as they begin their “second journey.”

Amy is trained in EMDR, Brainspotting, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Trust-Based Relationship Interventions. She is an American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) Approved Supervisor and a Clinical Fellow of the association.

Amy has been married to Dan for fifteen years and they have three children, ages 12, 7 and 4. Amy enjoys many self-care practices including yoga, mountain biking, hiking, reading, and travel. She loves dark chocolate more than anyone in the world and her favorite place to visit is Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada.

Amy Cochran

Amy Cochran grew up in Birmingham, AL and is a graduate of Auburn University – War Eagle! Amy started her career out of college in retail, as a buyer for a corporate gift catalog, then in planning and advertising for a regional department store based in Alabama. A move to Nashville followed in 2007, and she decided to “work in the home” when her boys were very young. She filled those years planning fundraising events and projects as a volunteer in the community for The Junior League of Nashville, her church, and her children’s school PTO.

When she decided to “re-enter” the workforce, Amy put her social media skills to use for a social media start-up focused on health care practices. After that, she turned her attention to the non-profit sector and joined a local non-profit as their marketing and social media coordinator.  Now, in her current role as Communications, Special Events & Grants Acquisitions Coordinator, Amy is excited to connect with the community to support and share the message of hope The Refuge Center for Counseling offers to those in need. Amy is a firm believer in the importance of counseling and mental health. Her favorite project to work on at The Refuge Center is the annual video with clients when they share their personal stories of hope and healing. See the stories here.

Amy is married to her college sweetheart Ryan and they have two middle school age boys. When she is not driving boys to music or sports practices and events, she enjoys Orangetheory, hiking, reading healthy cooking blogs, planning her next vacation adventure, and spending time with her family and friends.

Anita Pringle, LPC-MHSP

Anita Pringle is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC-MHSP) and Clinical Director at The Refuge Center. Her passion is to walk with hurting people to a place of health, wholeness and hope. She previously worked at The Ranch as a primary therapist for the Center for Relationship and Sexual Recovery program. The clients in the program struggle with sex, love and relationship addiction/issues, chemical dependence, codependence, lack of boundaries, eating disorders and trauma. Prior to her time at The Ranch she served for 30+ years as an ordained United Methodist minister.

Anita is a graduate of Trevecca Nazarene University with a MA in Counseling, a Certified Sex Addiction Therapist, Certified Daring Way Facilitator and a Board Certified Pastoral Counselor. She is a member of ACA, AACC and TLPCA. Anita is trained in EMDR. She enjoys working with people who struggle with depression/anxiety, grief/loss, addiction, faith issues, codependence, boundaries and relational issues. She enjoys doing group work and leads Grief Share groups.

Anita enjoys cooking, reading, traveling, and spending time with friends. She was married to the love of her life for 8 1/2 years and has been widowed for 13 years. She parented her nephew although she does not have biological children of her own. Anita is blessed to journey with her clients here at The Refuge Center.

Ashley Ofosu

Ashley Ofosu is a Master’s level intern at The Refuge Center. She is currently working to complete her Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health at Trevecca Nazarene University. She is a member of both the American Counseling Association and the Tennessee Counseling Association.

Ashley believes in the process of therapy and that every person should be able to benefit from it regardless of their background. She has a genuine passion for helping those in need and believes that there is always hope even at times when things may seem hopeless. She is so happy to be apart of The Refuge Center family where everyone’s passion matches her own.

Ashley enjoys working with young adults and adult clients and is dedicated to walking alongside them as they evolve and heal through there therapeutic journey.

In her free time, Ashley loves to travel, hike, bicycle ride and spend quality time with her close-knit family.

Aubrey Witt

Aubrey Witt serves as a contract therapist at the Refuge Center and holds a Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Lipscomb University. She is currently pursuing licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor Mental Health Service Provider.

As a therapist, Aubrey feels honored to walk alongside individuals on their journeys towards growth and healing. She strives to create a space where clients feel valued and safe to show up authentically while working through difficult seasons of life.

Originally from New York, Aubrey became a Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor after receiving her Bachelor’s degrees in Psychology and Substance Abuse Counseling from SUNY Brockport. She has additional training in Play Therapy, Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), and EMDR. Aubrey enjoys working with clients from all walks of life, but finds special passion in working with children, adolescents, and young adults struggling with trauma, relationship issues, and substance abuse.

Outside of The Refuge Center, Aubrey enjoys frequenting local coffee shops with a good book, baking, hiking with her dog, and cheering on the Buffalo Bills!

Beth Blinn

Beth Blinn has a Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Trevecca Nazarene University and is a Post-Master’s volunteer therapist at The Refuge.  Beth strongly believes in the power of relational healing.  She works with individuals, couples and families, to help them identify and heal the wounds they have.  At the core, Beth’s goal is to help her clients to become everything they were created to be, in whatever stage of life or role they are in at the present.

Beth uses an integrated approach that is molded to the client but is rooted in attachment theory, weaving in aspects of narrative therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, emotionally-focused therapy, and other modalities. Beth is certified in the Prepare/Enrich premarital therapy.

Beth has a B.A. in journalism and has worked in the music, travel, publishing, and energy industries, and had a personal chef business for 5 years. Beth is also the bookkeeper at The Refuge Center.

Brandy Walker, MMFT

Brandy Walker is serving as Post Master Volunteer at The Refuge Center for Counseling. Brandy earned an M.A. in Marriage and Family Therapy from Trevecca Nazarene University and a B.A. in Psychology from Fisk University. She is currently working towards licensure as a Marriage and Family Therapist.

Her passion is to provide a safe and nurturing environment for the processing of grief, loss, and trauma. Brandy believes that most of the pain we carry around stems from different aspects of grief and loss. This can start to show up in our lives somatically, emotionally, spiritually, or interpersonally, and can even begin to affect our identity. She believes in creating a judgment and shame-free space where clients can safely acknowledge, address, explore, and heal their pain. She strives to help clients ultimately rediscover their sense of self and purpose. She works from a systemic and strengths-based perspective while integrating methods of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Mindfulness. She also likes to implement elements of cognitive restructuring, which helps clients redirect harmful and intrusive thoughts, address their childhood “programming”, and modify their emotion regulation. Her specialties include management of anxiety, depression, anger, boundaries, and relationship issues.

In her spare time, she enjoys running, connecting with nature, singing, and reading.

Caitlin Coile

Caitlin Coile is currently serving as a Contract Therapist at the Refuge Center. She holds a Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Lipscomb University and is pursuing licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor Mental Health Service Provider. As a member of the American Counseling Association and the Tennessee Counseling Association, she is dedicated to making the human experience both constructive and meaningful for her clients by creating a warm therapeutic environment in which they can experience growth and support.

Caitlin has training in Play Therapy as well as Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT). She incorporates multiple modalities of treatment into her practice to give each client a unique experience that meets their specific needs. She is passionate about working with individuals of all ages who are dealing with life transitions, identity, anxiety, and depression.

Outside of her time at The Refuge Center, Caitlin enjoys doing yoga, exploring the Tennessee mountains, listening to live music, cheering on the Dawgs, and spending time with friends and family.

Caroline Berl

Caroline Berl has her Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Trevecca Nazarene University and serves both an Administrative Assistant and Post Master’s Volunteer at The Refuge Center.

Caroline is passionate about helping individuals obtain a greater sense of peace and cultivate deeper connection with self and others. Utilizing a collaborative, integrative approach, Caroline draws from person-centered, cognitive-behavioral, and narrative approaches to explore and meet the needs of each specific client. Caroline has training in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Trust-Based Relational Interventions, and Brainspotting and has experience working with anxiety, depression, self-esteem, identity, relational issues, boundaries, addiction and grief, and loss. She is a member of both the American Counseling Association and the Tennessee Licensed Professional Counselors Association.

She feels truly honored to be a part of a profession, and organization, in which individuals can receive the support and space necessary for experiencing life and relationships most fully. Originally from New England, Caroline received her undergraduate degree in English Literature at The State University of New York at Geneseo. Outside of Refuge, Caroline enjoys cooking, painting, traveling, being outside and spending time with loved ones.

Catherine McCreary

Catherine McCreary serves as an administrative assistant and a Master’s level intern at The Refuge Center and is currently studying Marriage and Family Therapy at Lipscomb University.

Catherine is passionate about joining with clients through empathy and compassion on their own journey of healing and change, empowering them to be the best they can be and to live healthy, meaningful lives. She is especially interested in the mind-body-spirit connection and aims to use her integrative experiential therapeutic approach to guide clients to more holistic healing and transformation. Catherine has training in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Trauma Sensitive Yoga, and Play Therapy. She is particularly passionate about working with children, adolescents, and young adults with anxiety, depression, trauma, grief and loss, relational distress, autism spectrum, and child/teen behavioral issues. Catherine’s desire is to create a safe, sacred space where clients feel seen, heard, and free to share their stories and experiences.

In her free time, Catherine enjoys practicing yoga, taking long walks outside, swimming, baking, and spending quality time with friends and family.

Daryn Thompson

Daryn Thompson is a Post-Master’s Fellow pursuing his license in professional counseling. He received his undergraduate training at LaGrange College and holds a double major in Psychological Science and Sociology. Daryn is a member of the American Counseling Association and a former member of the Association of Psychological Science. His internships include pediatric forensic interviewing, inpatient residential treatment, and outpatient therapy with adolescents and adults. Daryn has contributed to personality research at the universities of Emory, Auburn, and Vanderbilt, and has held teaching posts at Peabody College, Vanderbilt University in the Dept. of Human and Organizational Development.

Prior to college, Daryn committed his time to working with humanitarian organizations in the U.S. and abroad. His experiences include natural disaster recovery in support to FEMA, American Red Cross, and the National Guard, search and rescue with police and fire departments, medical outreach in Haiti in partnership with the United Nations, and assistance to NASA in the Space Shuttle Columbia Mission STS-107 Disaster Response. His service allowed Daryn to encounter an array of people, worldviews, and life experiences that deepened his appreciation for the commonalities and differences across the human family.

Daryn’s counseling philosophy is guided by his vision to see beauty liberated where it is hindered within persons as an act toward their fulfillment and of service to others. He encourages clients to broaden their aim beyond the alleviation of current symptoms to cultivating an ethos of growth toward the ongoing release of their individuality. His belief that counseling can benefit from the best science available is balanced with the assurance that we can move beyond the province of science to the realms of what it means to be a person, to live, and to help others do the same.

Daryn deeply values joining with another in pursuing growth, and he enters each relationship with honor and curiosity. He seeks to affirm each client for facing the risks and mysteries of exploration. He endeavors to help people feel increasingly safe in being themselves in the counseling relationship to foster confidence to do the same beyond it. Daryn prioritizes listening to and understanding the client’s story as a restorative element of healing and contending with the universal challenge of being awakened to life. He helps each person utilize their strengths toward overcoming present blockades to pursuing a lifestyle of growth and service to others through the expression of their beauty.

Debra Partee MSN, APRN-BC

Debra Partee MSN, APRN-BC is a Psychiatric Advanced Practice Nurse with over 30 years of assessing, evaluating, prescribing, and educating those who are struggling with mental health issues and may need medication, or wish to restart medication.

Debra knows the importance of counseling and works closely with therapists and other support systems. She believes a thorough evaluation is needed to determine if medication is indicated, and will then develop a treatment plan with the client. Debra has experience treating adults and teens in many different settings, with expertise in young adult/college populations, integrative (Mind/Body) response, acute stress reactions, anxiety and depression, and stays up to date on current research.

Debra earned her nursing degrees from Vanderbilt University School of Nursing and was an Assistant Professor there for over 25 years  She has practiced in inpatient, outpatient, private and non-profit agencies. She also enjoys traveling, spending time her family, and doing anything outdoors- especially when the sun is out!

Diana Casella, MA, LMSW

Diana Casella, MA, LMSW, graduated with her Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Tennessee in 2016 and is a Licensed Master Social Worker. She served as a counselor and treatment coordinator in the field of addiction treatment before joining The Refuge Center as a contract therapist in 2019. Diana believes that effective communication skills, supportive relationships, healthy habits, and a work/life balance are some of the keys to mental health and wellbeing. She has experience treating individuals suffering from addiction, PTSD, co-dependency, depression, and anxiety. She provides compassionate, trauma-informed care and is trained in EMDR. She often incorporates elements of Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Internal Family Systems into her work with clients. Her non-judgmental and supportive approach helps create a safe space for her clients to heal.

Diana has an interest in diversity that began when she received her Bachelor’s Degree in Spanish and her Master’s Degree in Latin American Studies many years ago. She enjoys seeing clients from diverse backgrounds and makes a special effort to work within her clients’ cultural framework during the therapy process.

Diana’s favorite form of self-care is to get out in nature with her husband, three children, and their
three dogs.

Dr. Weston Crafton, Ph.D, LMFT

Dr. Weston Crafton is a Licensed Marital & Family Therapist, AAMFT Approved Supervisor, and serves as the Director of the Contract Program at The Refuge Center. He earned a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) and Master of Arts degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Northcentral University, where he published research on the topic of gender roles among millennials in relationships. In his role at The Refuge Center, Dr. Crafton oversees the team of Contract Therapists, provides clinical and administrative supervision to team members, and provides therapy for individuals, couples, and families. His areas of clinical focus include men’s issues, relational distress, trauma and PTSD, sexuality, gender, and identity.

In addition to serving at The Refuge Center, Dr. Crafton is an Adjunct Professor in the Graduate Counseling program at Trevecca Nazarene University, and an Adjunct Professor and Core Faculty member in the Marriage and Family Therapy program at Touro University Worldwide.

Elizabeth Burton, LCSW

Elizabeth Burton, LCSW, is a Contract Therapist and Licensed Clinical Social Worker. Elizabeth holds her Bachelor’s and Master’s in Social Work from Indiana University. Elizabeth has helped adolescents and adults recover from the trauma of adoption & attachment related issues, childhood abuse & neglect, domestic violence, eating disorders, grief & loss, pregnancy & postpartum, self-harm, sexual assault, substance abuse & other addictive behaviors.

Elizabeth believes therapy is the space where one is able to safely enter into their life story and address present and past areas of pain that contribute to unwanted thoughts, emotions, behaviors, and relational issues.  As a social worker, she hold a person-in-environment lens that shapes her approach to the therapeutic process, operating holistically from a systems perspective she meets clients where they are presently and tends to offer an exploration of earlier relational patterns and experiences that may have influenced one’s view of self, others, and the world around them.  She is passionate about helping clients journey toward healing and wholeness by building greater compassion for self, connection with others, and God, if so desired.

Elizabeth is an active member of the National Association of Social Workers and the National Association of Perinatal Social Workers. She is certified in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) and a trained EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapist.  Elizabeth has additional training in Brainspotting Levels I & II and Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI).  In her spare time, Elizabeth enjoys reading at coffee shops, yoga classes, traveling, and quality time with family and friends.

Elizabeth Schuler Edwards, LPC-MHSP (temp)

Elizabeth Schuler Edwards is a therapist at The Refuge Center and serves as the Director of Compassionate Care. She holds a Master of Education in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Middle Tennessee State University. Elizabeth is a published author in the 3rd edition of Crisis Assessment, Intervention, and Prevention (Jackson-Cherry & Erford, 2017) textbook. She is trained in Level I and II EMDR, Brainspotting, and Trauma-Focused CBT.

Elizabeth has a passion for working with children, adolescents, and young adults. She utilizes a variety of techniques to explore the relationship between thoughts, behaviors, and emotions to facilitate client growth and awareness. She views herself as a collaborator, advocate, and nurturer in the counseling relationship. Elizabeth seeks opportunities to better support and empower clients on their journey towards a more hopeful, healthier life.

As part of a collaborative partnership, Elizabeth also provides counseling services for staff at the Hope Family Health clinic in Westmoreland, TN.

Hannah Harriman

Hannah Harriman is a Master’s level intern studying Marriage and Family Therapy at Trevecca Nazarene University. She received her undergraduate degree in Elementary Education & Art History at Vanderbilt University. She is a member of both the American Counseling Association (ACA) and the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT). Hannah has spent the past two years working with Cru, a campus ministry, in New York City and at Vanderbilt University counseling high school & college-age women of diverse backgrounds. Following this experience, Hannah realized the need for the whole healing of an individual- physical, mental, emotional, & physical- to experience the fullness of life.

Hannah is excited to serve in the mission of The Refuge Center’s to help individuals navigate the storms of their daily lives by finding hope and healing. She believes that every individual is capable of growth and change in order to experience the fullest life that each of us is created for. Hannah strives to create a safe space that is filled with warmth & empathy so that each client experiences feeling seen and known. Hannah desires to work alongside families, especially with adolescents, young children, and elderly clients who are experiencing grief, loss, and other transitions. Hannah is interested in working alongside children and adults who are struggling with depression, identity, transitions, relationship and family issues, trauma, and navigating different stages of life.

In her spare time, Hannah enjoys teaching Zumba & Indoor Cycling classes, journaling & reading. She also enjoys trying new recipes in her kitchen and tasting new ice cream flavors with her husband.

Hannah Owens, LCSW

Hannah Owens, LCSW is a contract therapist at The Refuge Center who aims to integrate the whole person into the healing process- mind, body, and spirit. Holding a strong belief that every person is capable of change and healing, she is excited about helping people live as their true selves by working through barriers to authentic living.

Hannah is trained in the EMDR and SomEx models of trauma treatment and uses a variety of approaches in practice that include the strengths-based model, experiential therapy, DBT principles/skills, and somatic work. She has experience working with addictions and co-occurring disorders, trauma survivors, mental health problems, and family/relationship issues.

Jenna Elrod, LMFT

Jenna Elrod, LMFT, is a contract therapist at The Refuge Center. She obtained her Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy from Lipscomb University. Jenna is trained in EMDR levels 1 and 2, Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI), Brainspotting, and is a certified Prepare and Enrich facilitator.

Jenna believes that we all have the ability to impact each other’s lives for the better and can do that through authentic relationship and empathy. She has felt honored to walk alongside family and friends in their times of need and has enjoyed the opportunity to do the same for her clients. Jenna integrates Narrative Therapy with Internal Family Systems and utilizes Play and Art Therapy interventions when working with children and adolescents. She has seen how therapy is a sacred space for wounds to heal and people can walk towards being fully known and fully loved.

In her spare time, Jenna enjoys spending time with her husband and their church community. She is filled with joy when she is hiking, painting, reading, or spending time at coffee shops with loved ones. Jenna is also an advocate for human trafficking victims and spends time volunteering with local organizations. She has been privileged to go overseas to work with children coming out of labor trafficking in Ghana and hopes for similar opportunities in the future.

Jenny Robinson

Jenny Robinson is a Masters level intern at The Refuge Center. She received her undergraduate degree in Communication Studies from Trevecca Nazarene University and is working to complete her Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy at Trevecca. She is a member of the American Counseling Association and the American Counseling Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.

Through her own journey, Jenny has found that healing is possible in the safety and connection provided through therapy and finds hope in the beauty of the personal growth it can inspire. She believes that incredible opportunity lies within the difficult moments we face and aspires to create a space for clients to feel seen and heard as they transition through these moments in life. Jenny looks forward to walking and working together with individuals, couples, and families as they navigate their unique journeys of becoming.

In her free time, Jenny enjoys recharging with a good book, going to the gym, making up her own recipes, and gardening. There are not many things that bring her more joy than coming home to her happy little dog, Theo.

Jill Batson

Jill Batson serves as a Contract Therapist at The Refuge Center and holds a Bachelors in Family Relations and a Master’s in Marriage & Family Therapy from Lipscomb University. She is currently pursuing licensure as a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist. A member of the American Association of Marriage & Family Therapy, Jill is passionate about helping her clients feel seen, heard, valued, and validated as they journey towards the healing they desire in their relationships with both self and others.

Jill works with individuals, couples, and families. She enjoys helping people with issues including anxiety, depression, grief & loss, trauma, parenting, couple, and marital issues. Through an attachment lens, Jill uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT), Internal Family Systems (IFS), Core Emotions, Narrative Therapy, Bowen Family Systems Therapy, Client-Centered Therapy, Play and Expressive Arts Therapy. She works to integrate these modalities to meet her clients on their level of need as they explore their story.

Jill is a Nashville native and enjoys all things outdoors- hiking, yoga, reading, music, photography, art and football. She and her husband have been married 21 years, they have four children and live on a small farm south of Nashville.

Jill Fields

Jill Fields is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and earned a Master’s degree in counseling from the University of TN in 2005. Her experience is working with children and women recovering from trauma and historical domestic violence. She is passionate about meeting her clients where they are and empowering them to a more fulfilling life.

Thanks to collaborative grants from The Healing Trust and The Community Foundation, Jill is one of two therapists from The Refuge Center at the Center of Hope in Columbia, TN. Free counseling services are provided at this location for adult victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking or human trafficking. She also facilitates a weekly domestic violence support group at Maury Hills Church.

Joel Guiness

Joel Guinness is a master’s level intern studying Marriage and Family Therapy at Liberty University. He has extensive experience working with both engaged and married couples. He also enjoys working with families with teenagers, as well as men who struggle with emotional connection in marriage and fatherhood. Joel is certified in both PREPARE/ENRICH and SYMBIS, and uses these assessment tools to help couples understand and explore their differences.

Joel has a passion for helping couples and families get unstuck from their negative interactional patterns through understanding their attachment needs and engaging in healthier dialogue. He draws from Systems Theory, Emotionally Focused Therapy, and Solution-Focused Family Therapy to help couples and families enjoy the satisfactory relationships they long to have.

Joel has been married to his incredible bride for 24 years and together they have three uniquely wonderful children – ages 16, 14, and 9. In his spare time, Joel enjoys playing basketball and dabbling in photography.

Justin Williams, MSSW

Justin Williams, MSSW, has a master’s from the University of Tennessee’s College of Social Work and prior to joining The Refuge Center as a contract therapist, Justin spent multiple years as an individual and group therapist at a residential treatment center among women seeking recovery from myriad forms of trauma and mental health challenges.

With a decade of experience in the field of holistic healing across a broad spectrum of care—ranging from community-based nonprofits engaging issues of addiction recovery, social marginalization, and spiritual wounding to an inpatient hospital setting focused on co-occurring mental health and substance use challenges—Justin has a passion for partnering with both women and men in the pursuit of authentic living and he emphasizes an empowering belief in human value and resiliency through a client-centered and strengths-based approach.

Justin has had training in EMDR (Levels I and II), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, trauma-focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), and Motivational Interviewing and seeks to prioritize the relational components of wounding and healing.

Though not a native of the South, Justin has enjoyed reconnecting with his family’s Tennessee roots through camping and dirt-biking and maintains a daily dependence on hummus and peanut butter while enjoying hobbies of film, photography, and ice hockey.

Kaitlin White

Kaitlin White is a Masters level intern studying Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Vanderbilt University.  Kaitlin is originally from Virginia and spent her undergraduate years at The University of Mississippi.  Upon completion of her degree in psychology, she moved to Nashville, Tennessee where she lives with her beloved rescue pup, Remi.

Kaitlin has always considered herself to be a pursuer of people, and she feels extremely grateful to be able to pursue those who come to The Refuge Center to seek support and peace.  She desires to create a space of security and safety for people from all walks of life, through which true healing can come to fruition.  Kaitlin uses an eclectic approach to help individuals, families and couples work on their own sets of goals and desires.  Her wish is for clients to feel seen, heard, valued and respected.

In her spare time, Kaitlin enjoys listening to vinyl records, trying new recipes, spending time with friends, and being outdoors.  She deeply believes that people never get too old to learn new things, so she recently began learning to play the ukulele!

Katelyn Lover

Katelyn Lover is a contract therapist at The Refuge Center and is on the LMFT licensure track. She has her Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Lipscomb University.

Katelyn works with young to mid adult individuals, and she specializes in processing through trauma, grief, and anxiety with clients. Katelyn is trained in EMDR Levels 1 & 2, Brainspotting Levels 1 & 2, and Trust-Based Relational Interventions. She integrates Narrative Therapy with Internal Family Systems to help her clients own and author a brave new ending to their story.

In her free time, Katelyn enjoys the outdoors, yoga, travel, a good cup of coffee, and eating as much Indian food as possible.

Katherine Hofstetter, LMFT

Katherine Hofstetter is a Richmond, Virginia native who now calls Nashville home. After graduating with her bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Religious Studies from the University of Virginia, she has spent her career working in donor engagement/development for several faith-based, non-profit organizations including International Justice Mission in Washington, DC, Blood:Water in Nashville, and most recently, Show Hope in Franklin. Katherine holds a Master’s degree from Trevecca University in Marriage and Family Therapy and is a licensed marriage and family therapist in the state of Tennessee. She also serves on The Nashville Fellows Program Board as Secretary. Katherine counts it a privilege to walk with people of good will and faith in helping them connect their passions to the ministry of generosity.

Katherine has been married to David (a Nashville native) for five years. They have a four-month-old daughter, Selby Claire, and a spoiled doodle mix pup, Trigger. In her downtime, you may find her enjoying a coffee date with a friend, hosting gatherings, walking in Percy Warner Park or relaxing on her back deck while David cooks a delicious meal on the Green Egg.

She is thrilled and honored to be joining the unique and inspiring Refuge Center team!

Kathleen Farr, M.Ed., NCC

Kathleen Farr is a Post Master’s Volunteer at The Refuge Center.  She obtained her master’s degree in Human Development Counseling (Clinical Mental Health) at Vanderbilt University and is currently working toward licensure as an LPC-MHSP.  Kathleen draws from a variety of therapeutic models when working with clients.  She possesses specialized training in EMDR Level 1 & 2 and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).  She is also a certified Prepare/Enrich facilitator.

Kathleen has a passion for working with adults, older adolescents, and couples.  She strives to create a warm, nurturing, and supportive space in which her clients can heal and gain new insights into their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.  Kathleen aims to empower clients as they pursue authentic, hopeful, and meaningful lives.

In her spare time, Kathleen enjoys spending time with family and friends, hiking with her dog, going to Zumba classes, and traveling.

Katie Day

Katie Day is a Master’s level intern studying Marriage and Family Therapy at Liberty University. After years at home teaching her own children she decided to pursue her dream of becoming a licensed therapist and is excited to work with The Refuge Center.

Katie believes that everyone longs to be seen and heard and she works to create a space where this is possible. She understands the courage it takes to begin therapy and considers it an honor to walk alongside her clients on their personal journey. Katie is passionate about helping couples in all stages of marriage to find health and hope. She also enjoys working with individuals and adolescents struggling with anxiety or walking through life transitions.

Outside of the office and textbooks, Katie still stays busy teaching her four kids, traveling, and running around with her husband. She loves being in nature where she feels closest to her heavenly Father and more than enjoys a great cup of coffee.

Katie Johnson

Katie Johnson is a contract therapist with a Master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy from Trevecca Nazarene University. She is currently working towards licensure and is honored to be a part of The Refuge Center’s mission in helping people find hope and healing from the storms of their daily lives. She strives to create a space where each person feels heard, seen, and known. Katie is a Trust-Based Relational Intervention Caregiver and desires to help children and teens find, understand, and grow their voice.

Katie is also trained in Emotion-Focused Therapy for couples and families and loves working with teens, young adults, couples, and families struggling in many phases of life, including relationship/family issues, transitions, identity, and trauma. She employs IFS, Narrative Therapy, and the Spiritual Roots system. Katie believes in the inherent value of every individual, as well as their capability to grow and change.

Originally from South Carolina, Katie has a background in art history and college ministry. In her spare time, Katie enjoys traveling, reading, watching theatre, doing yoga, trying new restaurants with her husband and friends, and spending time with her dog and cat, Max and Moose.

Katie Ledbetter, LCSW

Katie Ledbetter is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and earned a Master’s degree in Social Work from the University of TN in 2011. She has experience working with survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault as a counselor and an advocate, having worked in this field since 2008. She has counseling experience helping individuals with addictions and co-occurring disorders, personality disorders, and other mental health problems. She enjoys using Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and mindfulness as well as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help clients with emotion regulation due to trauma. Katie believes in focusing on strengths and self-determination during the journey to healing. She feels honored and inspired to watch someone find their own path on their journey to empowerment.

Thanks to collaborative grants from The Healing Trust and The Community Foundation, Katie is one of two therapists from The Refuge Center at the Center of Hope in Columbia, TN. Free counseling services are provided at this location for adult victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking or human trafficking.

Katie Scott

Katie Scott is a Contract Therapist with a Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy from Trevecca Nazarene University. She received her undergraduate degree in Psychology and a minor in Family Studies at Trevecca as well. Katie feels privileged to be a part of a profession that meets people where they are, invites them into a process of discovering their authentic selves, and allows them to experience healing through the awareness and realization that who they are is enough. She is passionate about creating a space where people can feel valued, heard, and accepted.

Katie is interested in working with adolescents, individuals, and couples struggling in many phases of life. Particularly she enjoys helping people with issues including domestic and sexual violence, life transitions, identity, trauma, anxiety, and depression. Katie is trained in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Trust Based Relational Interventions (TBRI), Brainspotting Level 1 and 2, has completed EMDR basic training, and attended an externship for Emotionally Focused Therapy.

In her free time, Katie enjoys reading, writing, being active, and spending time with her family and friends.

Kelcie Silva, LMFT

Kelcie Silva is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and serves as a Contract Therapist at the Refuge Center. She obtained her Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Auburn University. She is trained in Emotion Focused Therapy, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and EMDR Levels I & II. Kelcie is a Clinical Fellow of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy.

Kelcie is passionate about working with couples, families, and adults. She considers it a true honor to walk alongside her clients in their journeys. She aims to provide a safe space for her clients to feel seen, heard, and valued. Kelcie uses a strengths-based integrative approach to counseling to help her clients reach growth and healing. Her areas of clinical focus are marital and relationship issues, trauma, identity issues, life transitions, grief and loss, anxiety and depression.

Kelcie enjoys spending time with friends and family, running, rock climbing, reading, and trying new restaurants/coffee shops in the area.

Kimberly Kooy

Kimberly Kooy is a Masters level intern studying Marriage and Family Therapy at Lipscomb University. She is a member of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (AAMFT). Kimberly has a BS in Communications from Oral Roberts University and a Masters of Arts in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) from Columbia University’s Teacher’s College. Her master’s degree led her to travel to many parts of the world teaching English as a Second Language. She has volunteered for women’s projects in Ethiopia, Mozambique, and India.

Kimberly uses a client-centered, integrative and relational approach to help individuals and families achieve their therapeutic goals. She is passionate about working with all individuals but is especially interested in working with women through their transitional stages of life.

Kimberly grew up in British Columbia, Canada. In her free time, Kimberly enjoys hiking Nashville’s trails with her chocolate lab, Bailey. She loves to cook for her family and friends and enjoys traveling the world.

Kinsey Morgan

Kinsey Morgan is a Contract Therapist at The Refuge Center. She holds a Master of Science degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Lipscomb University and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology with a minor in Human Services from Harding University. Currently, she is pursuing licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor Mental Health Service Provider.

Kinsey developed a passion for this work after experiencing the power of healing and transformation in her own journey, and she considers it an honor to walk alongside her clients during the counseling process. Kinsey utilizes a highly relational Cognitive Behavioral approach. In this, she strives to foster a warm, compassionate environment while also providing tools available to each individual. Kinsey is also trained in Level I and II EMDR. She is inspired by the individuals she has worked with in the past and looks forward to the privilege of working with others in the future.

Kinsey is passionate about providing hope and healing for adolescents, young adults, and adults who are seeking counseling services. She is a member of the American Counseling Association and is also trained in AMSR Suicide Prevention.

In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her friends, journaling, sketching, hiking, and being a dog mom to her giant Bernese Mountain Dog, Koda.

Kristen Patel

Kristen Patel is a native of Indiana and loves living in Tennessee. She is a mom to three middle schoolers and has been teaching Spanish in the Williamson County School system for the past six years.

Her education and work experience include a degree from DePauw in Communications, Masters in Business from Loyola and Masters in Spanish from Middlebury. The bulk of her work experience has been with HCA in Miami as Marketing Director for Cedars Medical Center. There she also oversaw the hospital’s public relations and community event programs.

The first time she set foot in The Refuge Center she felt drawn to the people and their mission. She volunteered for almost a year and is now thrilled to be part of The Refuge Center to help the clients and counselors.

In her free time, you will usually find her hanging out with her children, traveling near and far, creating new concoctions in the kitchen or on her yoga mat.

Kristin Finch

Kristin Finch received her Master’s of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Trevecca Nazarene University and her B.A. in Sociology and African-American Studies from the University of Virginia. She is a member of the American Counseling Association, Tennessee Licensed Professional Counselors Association, Eating Disorders Coalition of TN, and Nashville Psychotherapy Institute. Kristin’s approach to therapy is collaborative and relational. While woundings often occur in relationship, she also believes that healing happens in relationship. In navigating life woundings, she and her clients join together as a team to create safety, security, and trust in order to understand what brought each client into therapy. A firm believer in the power of discovering one’s own voice and core identity, Kristin’s hope is that clients leave feeling more connected to the person they were created to be. A true extrovert and lover of conversation and exploration, she aims to have clients feel understood and heard.

Therapeutically, Kristin has experience with individual, couples, and group therapy, trauma intensives, experiential therapy, equine therapy, grief and loss, eating disorder recovery, substance abuse recovery, and 12-Step programs. Additionally, she is trained in Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT).

Kristin is committed to the belief that full recovery is possible. Using techniques from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Narrative Therapy, Systems Theory, Internal Family Systems (IFS), Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), and Person-Centered Therapy, she seeks to use the chapters of one’s story to guide the direction of her sessions. Through her cumulative background, Kristin is adept and passionate at connecting with people from all walks of life. Kristin is married, has a 10-year-old stepson whom she adores, and an 8-year-old Pug named Aurora.

Lauren McCoy

Lauren McCoy is a Master’s Level Intern studying Marriage and Family Therapy at Trevecca Nazarene University. She is a member of both the American Counseling Association and the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. Lauren received her Undergraduate degree in Psychology with a minor in Counseling at the University of South Carolina. Upon graduating, she moved to Nashville to be a part of the Fellows Program where she taught at St. Paul Christian Academy. She has been coaching and teaching at St. Paul for the last four years.

Lauren is thrilled to be a part of The Refuge Center. She believes that everyone has a story, and their story has value and a voice. She desires to create a trusting environment for her clients to be safe and vulnerable in order for them to dig deeper into their story. Lauren wants to walk with teenagers and adults working through relational, family and identity issues, life transitions, codependency, trauma, and addiction.

In her free time, Lauren loves to play outside and spending time with her dog, Sidda. She enjoys trying new restaurants, being at the beach, and spending time with her friends.

Lauren Milikin

Lauren Milikin is a Post-Master’s Volunteer Fellow at The Refuge Center. She holds a Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Lipscomb University, specializing in Play Therapy and Expressive Arts Counseling, and is a member of the American Counseling Association. She is currently pursuing licensure as an LPC-MHSP and Registered Play Therapist.

Lauren has been trained in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) and has experience working with trauma, anxiety, depression, identity, self-concept, and grief and loss. She is passionate about re-introducing the importance of play to her young to middle-aged adult clients by using expressive techniques to create safe spaces to hold hard stories. While primarily working from a client-centered perspective, Lauren is dedicated to integrating a variety of therapeutic techniques that will best serve the unique needs of each client.

In her spare time, Lauren enjoys spending quality time with her husband and their cat, sipping good coffee, learning to watercolor, and eating pizza any chance she gets.

Lauren White

Lauren White is a Master’s level intern studying clinical and mental health at Trevecca Nazarene University. Lauren is a part of the American Counseling Association, the Tennessee Licensed Professional Counselors Association, as well as the Nashville Area Association of Christian Counselors. She received her undergraduate degree in nutrition and dietetics from Middle Tennessee State University.

Lauren has a passion for hope and helping others see and receive hope even in the darkest of circumstances. She is honored to be a part of the Refuge Center team, whose foundation rests on creating a healing a sacred space for people to feel heard and cared for. She has an interest in working with eating disorders and helping individuals and families navigate the difficult obstacles they present both individually, socially, emotionally and amongst the family system. Lauren also has a deep empathy for females in their later teen years transitioning into young adulthood and the identity and adjustment turmoil that can be associated with this process. Lauren is a believer that though relationships hurt us, they also heal us and that no one is ever alone in the struggles they are facing.

Lauren is very involved in her church community, serving on the Greeter Team, the Prayer Team, and the Nursery and Pre-school. She has been on four different mission trips to the Dominican Republic and alongside her family, sponsors a little boy named Nefy from the community of Puerta Plata. In her spare time she loves to run, knit, read shop and relax in a warm bubble bath. She also adores a good book, and a cup of coffee at her favorite coffee shop in downtown Franklin.

Lisa Martin

Lisa Martin serves as The Refuge Center office manager and executive assistant. Lisa has a BS in Marketing from Lipscomb University. She comes to The Refuge Center with a diverse background, but most of all with a heart for ministry and serving others. She believes in the mission and ministry of The Refuge Center and is passionate about her role in extending support and care to the therapists and the Refuge community.

Lisa Stevens

Lisa Stevens earned her Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Counseling/Therapy from Trevecca Nazarene University and received her B.S. in Psychology and Christian Counseling from Liberty University. She is passionate about helping people thrive as they navigate their way through our difficult culture to become all that God created them to be. Using trauma-informed and attachment lenses, she considers it a privilege to walk alongside families, couples and individuals who are hurting and provide them with a sense of hope that healing is possible. Life experiences, coupled with her previous work at Show Hope (a 501c3 non-profit) have spurred Lisa’s passion for coming alongside adoptive and foster families to provide them with support, encouragement and practical tools to do the sacred work of caring for children from hard places. She also has a heart for military families and understands from her personal journey the unique challenges faced by both the spouses and precious children of active duty military.

Lisa is trained in Trauma-Focused Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Level I, Brainspotting Level I,  Theraplay ™ Level I, and has completed TBRI (Trust-Based Relational Intervention) Caregiver Training. Additionally, she has received specialized training in Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy.

Lisa holds active memberships with the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, the American Counseling Association, the Nashville Area Association of Christian Counselors, and the International Center for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy.

In her spare time, Lisa enjoys spending time with family and friends and training a naughty red Standard Poodle named Pippin to be a therapy dog.

Lori Williams

Lori Williams grew up living the small-town life in Southeast Alabama. She is now a very happy resident of rural middle Tennessee. She is the mother of one adult son and two almost adult twins, a son and a daughter. Early in her marriage, Lori started her own medical transcription business out of her home when their first son was born. She was in this business for almost twenty years. Lori also has fifteen years of experience working as an administrative assistant in ministry and healthcare. Most recently, she has worked at a residential treatment program for teenagers in North Alabama.

Lori attended the Healing through Connection Conference in April of this year and began following The Refuge Center for Counseling on social media. A deep appreciation grew for The Refuge Center and when she learned of an opportunity to work with Refuge she enthusiastically applied! Lori is very excited to be a part of the work and vision of The Refuge Center.

In her free time, you might find Lori taking long walks with her husband in the Tennessee hills or wading in the creek. She loves to read, write and spend time with her family and friends.

Madeleine Shore, MA, NCC

Madeleine Shore, MA, NCC serves as a staff therapist and the Assistant Clinical Director. She holds a Master’s Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Trevecca Nazarene University.

Madeleine uses an integrative, strengths-based approach to counseling. She is passionate about working with individuals of all walks of life, but some of her areas of focus include trauma, domestic and sexual violence, anxiety, relationship issues, and grief and loss. She is trained in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI), Brainspotting Phases I & II, and Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR) Level 1 & 2.

In her free time, she enjoys reading good books, watching movies with her husband and two cats, and spending time in nature. She is a member of the American Counseling Association.

Madison Gentry

Madison Gentry serves as a post-graduate volunteer at The Refuge Center. She graduated from Lipscomb University with a master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and a specialization in Play Therapy. She currently holds a full-time crisis counselor position at Mental Health Cooperative where she can help individuals who are in crises.

Madison is working towards licensure as an LPC-MHSP and hopes to attain her temporary license soon. She has experience working with addiction, codependency and relationship issues, self-esteem and identity development, anxiety, and depression. Since she currently works in a crisis center, she works well with individuals who are in crises and is adaptable to each individuals’ needs. Although incorporating evidence-based approaches and interventions into counseling, she is humanistic and client-centered. She meets individuals where there are at while having the authenticity and strength to walk through difficult periods of life with her clients.

In her spare time, she loves to go home to visit her family and dog, Addie. She also enjoys reading books on theology and spending time with her friends, going to the Farmer’s Market or having game nights. Madison is currently learning how to cook, so she spends a lot of time Googling “quick and easy recipes”.

Marlee Harb

Marlee Harb is a Master’s Level Intern, pursuing her degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Trevecca Nazarene University. She graduated with a B.S. in Psychology from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. She is a member of both the American Counseling Association (ACA) and the Tennessee Licensed Professional Counseling Association (TLPCA). Prior to beginning her degree, she taught preschool at The Montessori school in Chattanooga and worked for a retail startup there. She relocated with her husband and daughter to settle back into the Nashville area, which is where she is originally from.

Marlee considers it an honor to be a part of others’ brave journey in counseling towards living a full life rather than just surviving. She recognizes that we all carry experiences of pain–the pain of not being seen, of being mistreated, of unfulfilled desires, and the list goes on. She views therapy as an opportunity to discover areas that need healing, and is passionate about the integration of the mind and body as she believes that we all hold the stories and answers that we seek within. She is passionate about working with individuals who are experiencing relational trauma, anxiety, depression, self-esteem issues, and addiction.

Mary Keith Skinner

Mary Keith Skinner received her Master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy from Lipscomb University and is a Post Master’s Volunteer Fellow at The Refuge Center.  Mary Keith has a B.A. in Theology and Literature and a minor in Fine Arts from Georgetown University.  Before getting her MFT, Mary Keith was an Elementary teacher for 10 years, teaching Spanish and art to children pre-k – 5^th grade.  She also worked in ministry alongside her husband in the areas of inner healing and worship for many years.  She is currently working towards completing the licensure requirements for the state of Tennessee.

Mary Keith believes that every person is of infinite value and finds great joy in creating a safe place for individuals and families to feel seen, heard, and known. Mary Keith uses a client-centered, integrative approach that encourages the client to find their voice and trust themselves in their own story and process.  She was trained in child-centered play therapy and loves to weave sand tray, expressive arts, and mindfulness into the therapy process when helpful.  Mary Keith has certifications in Restoration Therapy and Brain Spotting and feels especially called to trauma, grief, life stage transitions, and anxiety.  She loves working with individuals and families of all ages and finds great joy in supporting young adults and parents on their evolving journeys.

Mary Keith has been in the Nashville area since her young adult days as a singer-songwriter.  She and her husband of 20 years have resided in Franklin for over 16 years, have three teenage children and a beloved dog named Ladybird Butternut.  She finds her center through praying, painting, writing, reading, nature, music, and enjoying friends and family.

Mary Mattison Caldwell

Mary Mattison Caldwell is currently serving as a Post Masters Fellow at The Refuge Center. She received her Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy from Lipscomb University and is currently working towards licensure. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Family Studies from Union University with a minor in Sociology. Mary Mattison is a Level I certified Restoration Therapist and has been trained in Play Therapy, and Expressive Arts Therapy. Mary Mattison considers it such an honor to walk alongside clients on their unique journey to healing. She strives to create a warm and caring environment so that her clients can recognize they are known, heard, and valued.

 Mary Mattison is interested in working with children, individuals, and families that are struggling through difficult seasons. She is passionate about working with clients in all walks of life. Some of her areas of focus include helping clients dealing with anxiety, relationship issues, depression, life transitions, identity issues, and trauma. Mary Mattison hopes to incorporate the mind, body, and spirit into her work with clients. She integrates Restoration and Narrative Therapy and utilizes Play and Expressive Art Therapy interventions when working with children and adolescents.  

 In her spare time, Mary Mattison loves spending time with her husband and their dog, Jax. She enjoys being outdoors, grabbing coffee with friends and loved ones, and cuddling up with a good book. 

Meg Morton

Meg Morton is a Masters Level Intern pursuing her M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Belmont University. She received her undergraduate degree in Human Development and Family Studies from Auburn University, and she is a member of the American Counseling Association, as well as trained in the areas of Neurofeedback and Play Therapy.

Meg is so excited for the opportunity to be a part of The Refuge Center. She is passionate about working with children, adolescents, and adults. Meg believes empathy is the most healing virtue because it is both understanding and comforting; it is listening with the intent to understand what a person is going through as well as responding with words of kindness, acceptance, unconditional positive regard. She hopes to share this kind of empathy with individuals working through personal, family, and relational issues, life transitions, and trauma.

In her spare time, Meg enjoys camping, hiking, painting, and any excuse to DIY something. She loves any chance she gets to be outside or do something creative.

Michelle Conkle

Michelle Conkle is a Post Masters Volunteer at The Refuge Center who hopes to use her gifts of encouragement and compassion to assist others in realizing their God-given strengths. Awareness of the mind, body, soul connection is a focus in therapy that helps individuals discover their authentic, genuine self.

She obtained her Master’s Degree in Counseling from Trevecca Nazarene University and holds a temporary license as an LPC-MHSP.  She is transitioning from a career of almost twenty years in the Veterinary Pharmaceutical Industry, where she has become a ‘professional listener’.

Michelle is currently pursuing her life-long dream of becoming an LPC (Licensed Professional Counselor) so that she can combine her two passions: people and horses, with the use of Equine Assisted Psychotherapy. Her modes of therapy include, but are not limited to, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Experiential Therapy. She is a member of EAGALA (Equine Assisted Growth & Learning Association) and NAACC (Nashville Area Association of Christian Counselors).

She shares a mini-farm in College Grove with her husband of 17 years, and an amazing 12-year-old daughter, three horses, a special cat, and an energetic cattle dog!  She loves gardening, playing guitar and fishing.  Studying God’s word and exploring His creation from the back of a horse are also her life-long passions.

Michelle Nagy

Michelle Nagy received her master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Vanderbilt University. Currently, Michelle serves as a Post Masters Fellow at The Refuge Center while she pursues her licensure. Originally from Michigan, she attended Denison University in Ohio for her undergraduate degree, where she majored in Psychology and minored in Education and Spanish.

Michelle has found the driving force in her life to be seeking and understanding human connection. From fostering meaningful one-on-one relationships with her students as a teacher to caring for babies and toddlers on Sundays in a church nursery, she believes everyone needs to feel heard and loved. She enjoys working with individuals, couples, and families.

She uses a client-centered, relational approach that allows flexibility for adapting to each of her client’s needs. Michelle is passionate about working as a team with her clients as they gain a better understanding of themselves and approaches for attaining their goals. She is also trained in EMDR.

Paul Jenkins

Paul Jenkins is a master’s level intern studying Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Human Development at Vanderbilt University. Paul is a member of the American Counseling Association and is working towards licensure as a professional counselor. After over 15 years of pursuing interests in education, business, and international relations, Paul is honored to now have the opportunity to help individuals pursue growth, healing, and self-actualization through counseling. Paul utilizes his variety of work, educational, and life experience to meet clients wherever they are on their journey, and he draws especially from the experience of transformation that he found as a counseling client himself.

Paul believes that one of the most important elements of a healthy counseling relationship is that the client is able to authentically reveal themselves and still be accepted. To achieve this, Paul strives to understand and empathize with whatever is challenging each client while recognizing and affirming the strengths and sacredness of their individuality. Like Irvin Yalom, Paul views clients as “fellow travelers” with no one being immune to the tragedies of life. Because of this perspective, he considers it an honor to have people willing to share their stories and struggles with him. Although Paul’s goal is to encourage and empower his clients, he is just as often inspired and enlightened BY them.

Paul’s therapeutic approach is Client-Centered and emphasizes the importance of balance. Paul believes that it is important to address issues related to the whole self, including emotional, mental, spiritual, and physical wellbeing. He sees the first step towards this balance as the courage of each individual to face issues that need attention. That’s why every client that steps foot in his office he is hopeful for, and he is excited to have the opportunity to walk along beside them during their journey.

Although a lot of Paul’s time right now is spent working and studying, that’s not all he does. He also enjoys great food, great coffee, art, music, history, sports, travel, cultural exchange, and chilling with friends and family. Not a native of Nashville, Paul grew up in Knoxville, TN and received his undergraduate degree from Samford University in Birmingham, AL. Though he does love home, many of his fondest memories also come from his time spent living, studying, and working in places like the U.K, Spain, and Ecuador.

Pike Williams, LMFT

Pike Williams is a licensed Marriage and Family therapist and his clinical passion is to work with couples and with men. He is certified in trauma-focused cognitive behavior therapy and is trained in EMDR, a proven approach for helping clients process unresolved trauma. Pike is certified to administer the Prepare/Enrich Assessment, a valuable tool for pre-marital work, and he is a member of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy and the American Association of Christian Counselors. Outside of his time at The Refuge Center, he maintains a private practice as well.  Pike is married with three grown children and serves as chaplain for the Nashville Predators.

Rob Fitzpatrick, LPC-MHSP

Rob Fitzpatrick is the Director of Children and Teens Program at The Refuge Center for Counseling. Rob has a B.A. in Psychology and a Master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling. He is dedicated to working with individuals of all ages, especially young men as they develop their identity and face the challenges of life. He has been trained in EMDR and trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy. Rob is also trained in the Othmer method ILF HD neurofeedback technology.

He is a current member of the American Counseling Association and the Tennessee Licensed Professional Counselors Association. Outside of The Refuge Center, Rob is an assistant coach with a Nashville area high school hockey team.

Ruth Juneau

Ruth Juneau is a Masters level intern studying Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Vanderbilt University. She is originally from Lafayette, Louisiana and spent her undergraduate years at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. She moved to Nashville, Tennessee to pursue her career in counseling and is now a member of the American Counseling Association, Renewed Eating Disorders Support Group, and Chi Sigma Iota Counseling Academic and Professional Honor Society.

Ruth uses a client-centered, relational approach to help individuals, couples, and families achieve their desired goals, and she considers it an honor to walk alongside her clients during the counseling process. She is passionate about working with individuals of all walks of life, but some of her areas of focus include anxiety, depression, eating disorders, relationship issues, and spiritual or religious angst.

In her free time, Ruth enjoys going for long walks with her pup Pistachio, being outdoors, taking on new adventures, and spending time with friends and family.

Samantha Thomason, LPC-MHSP (temp)

Samantha Thomason is a contract therapist for children and teens, however, sees adults, couples and families as well. Samantha’s style is one that centers in the relationship component of therapy. Even though Samantha has several types of training under her belt, she believes the relationship is the greatest tool for therapy.

Her trainings include Gottman level 1, Symbis (pre-marital counseling), C-SSRS (crisis assessment tool), Crisis Assessment & Suicide Prevention, TBRI (trust-based relational intervention), and EMDR.

Samantha has been with The Refuge Center since September 2018. She graduated in 2017 with a masters in clinical mental health counseling and currently has a temporary license of LPC-MHSP. She studied at Tennessee Technological University for both her graduate and undergraduate degree.

Samantha’s hobbies include spending more time with people, learning Spanish, and binging 90’s cartoons.

Sarah Beacham, LMFT

Sarah Beacham, LMFT, is a contract therapist here at The Refuge Center. She earned her Master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy from Lipscomb University and is currently working towards completing the licensure requirements for the state of Tennessee. Sarah is specially trained in eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT), and child-centered play therapy. She is also a certified Prepare and Enrich facilitator. Sarah has a particular interest in working with children, young adults, and families.

Sarah wholeheartedly believes in the inherent value of all people and is passionate about partnering with her clients in their journey towards wholeness. She believes that we were created for relationship and that healing occurs within this same context. She uses a systemic and integrative approach in her work that focuses on meeting her clients where they are at. Sarah’s style is warm, empathic, and non-judgmental. Her desire is to partner with her clients to achieve deep, inner healing, to discover resources for continued growth, and to develop secure attachment in their relationships. She believes that therapy is soul care and that the work is sacred.

In her spare time, Sarah enjoys spending quality time with family and friends. She enjoys cooking healthy foods, the awe-inspiring beauty of nature, and learning new things. Her favorite form of self-care is reading a good book within the comfort of her hammock and a warm beverage.

Skye Clark

Skye Clark is a Master’s level intern studying Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville. She grew up in Franklin and has always called the Franklin area her home. Skye believes that compassion, presence, and empathic listening are the foundations of an effective therapeutic relationship for clients from all walks of life. She utilizes various therapeutic techniques stemming from Solution-Focused and Person-Centered approaches. She believes that power, strength, and growth come from within the individual.  Skye focuses on a strength-based approach to help empower her clients as they move away from darkness to finding light within themselves and present situations. 

 In her free time, Skye loves to read novels with a good cup of coffee, bake various sweets and breads, watch classic movies with her husband, spend time in nature with her two Dachshunds, Lola and Sadie. 

Stellan

Stellan is our therapy dog at The Refuge Center for Counseling. Stellan is a Scandinavian name that means “calm, peace, at rest,”- fitting for a therapy dog!

Stellan is a male F1B Mini Petite Goldendoodle and he is at The Refuge Center each day for Animal Assisted Therapy. Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) is a goal-directed intervention in which an animal that meets specific criteria is an integral part of the treatment process. AAT is designed to promote improvement in human physical, social, emotional, and/or cognitive functioning. Stellan is in training for AAT.  His trainer is Stacy Paich with My Polite Pup. Stellan has a calendar and email address at The Refuge Center and therapist’s sign up to have him in sessions where clients are interested in having him present. Stellan can help clients feel joy and calm. Look him up on social media with #refugestellan. We look forward to you getting to know him when you visit The Refuge Center.

Taylor Borck

Taylor Borck is Master’s level intern at The Refuge Center. Taylor completed his undergraduate degree at Trevecca University where he majored in Psychology and a minored in Biology. He is a member of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy and the American Counseling Association. Taylor is currently enrolled in the Marriage and Family Therapy program at Trevecca University where he expects to graduate in May 2020.

Taylor strongly believes that grace, kindness, humility, and mercy are incredibly powerful—even powerful enough to change the worst situation into something beautiful. From personal experience, he knows some things that seem impossible at the time are only the next step into something better and more beautiful. He has found support in others during my most difficult time of need, and it is his desire to offer the same support to others on their journey. One of his favorite quotes is by Eleanor Roosevelt, which says, “You must do the things you think you cannot do.” Taylor seeks to journey with those who are facing their impossible tasks.

In his free time, Taylor enjoys going for long walks, spending time in nature (mainly the hills of Tennessee), being with his family, cooking, dancing, working on new projects, and having a hot cup of coffee in the early morning air.

Tiffany Miller

Tiffany Miller is a Master’s Level Intern studying Marriage and Family Therapy at Trevecca Nazarene University. She is a member of both the American Counseling Association (ACA) and the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT). Tiffany received her undergraduate degree in Communication from the University of Arkansas and soon after made the decision to stay at home with her daughter who was born a year later. Tiffany taught exercise classes for several years and found that people always needed a listening ear and wanted to gain education to learn how to effectively partner with others to find relief from pain and healing.

Tiffany is very excited to be a part of The Refuge Center. She feels that walking through hardship with another person is the highest honor one can be given. Tiffany hopes to work with people of all ages, and in all walks of life, while they navigate broken dreams, trauma, relational wounds and the process of finding direction for the future.

In her free time, Tiffany loves to spend time with her daughter and husband, bake in a clean kitchen, run outside with her very slow goldendoodle, and read a good novel.

Tina Taylor Goode, LPC-MHSP

Tina Taylor Goode, LPC-MHSP, NCC, CET I, is a staff therapist and serves as Director of the Master’s Level Intern Program.  Tina feels that counseling is a sacred calling and offers hope as she journeys with her clients to find the growth, healing and wholeness they desire in their own lives. Her unique combination of life experience and professional training allow Tina to create a safe, empathic, non-judgmental and compassionate space for clients. In this space, concerns can be truly heard and addressed in a therapeutic manner.

Tina is a Level II EMDR-trained therapist.  Tina is a Certified Experiential Therapist, Level I based on her experience working with trauma and addiction using experiential techniques.  Tina has interned with Onsite Workshops.  She also trained at the Experiential Institute and Psychodrama Institute.  She has completed core trainings focused on alcohol and drug addiction treatment.  Tina has worked with the Wounded Hearts Group, a group for women who have experienced childhood sexual abuse and sexual assault) at Refuge since 2015.

Tina is passionate about walking with individuals, families and groups to bring healing from issues of relational trauma, sexual abuse, addiction, co-dependency, and grief/loss. She also works with clients and families seeking long-term recovery from issues of addiction. Tina believes in the inherent resiliency in each individual and that transformational growth can result from our most painful struggles.  Her desire is to walk with clients as journey towards this freedom.

Outside of The Refuge Center, Tina is a recovery advocate within the community. Tina earned her Master’s Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Trevecca Nazarene University. She is a member of the American Counseling Association, Tennessee Licensed Professional Counselors Association and the Nashville Area Association of Christian Counselor.

Victoria Bear

Victoria Bear is a Master’s level intern at The Refuge Center and is currently studying Marriage and Family Therapy at Trevecca Nazarene University. She is a member of the American Counseling Association as well as the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.

Victoria’s specific areas of focus include relational issues, codependency, trauma, anxiety, depression, and life transitions. She has a passion for working with children, individuals, and families. She believes that every individual has the tools within them to create the change that they desire. Victoria’s goal is to help her clients to create meaningful change in their lives, and to share and process their experiences in an environment where they feel safe, secure, and truly known.

In her spare time, Victoria enjoys playing and writing her own music, going to the gym, spending time out with friends, or reading a good book.