MEET OUR TEAM
Our center counts on a fresh, positive, and dynamic team of professional state-licensed therapists, administration (Bilingual), and case managers personnel (Bilingual) committed to impacting their patients’ mental health and their families in their own language.
Maria Garcia Hawley
License: Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor Associate, LCMHCA,
Licensed Clinical Addiction Specialist Associate, LCMHCA
Undergrad Degree: Bachelor of Science in Rehabilitation Services at East Carolina
University
Postgraduate Degree: Master of Science in Clinical Counseling from East Carolina University.
Experience and therapeutic approach: Maria has 4 years of experience in the mental health and substance use field as a peer support specialist for adolescents as well as providing substance use counseling to adults. Maria utilizes a variety of theoretical approaches while relying heavily on holistic, strength-based, person-centered, and motivational interviewing techniques. Maria seeks to help you enhance your overall self by better understanding and navigating your past, present, and future while allowing you to feel empowered, hopeful, and safe.
Skyla Jacobs
License: Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor Associate, LCMHCA
Undergrad Degree: The University of North Carolina at Pembroke
Postgraduate Degree: The University of North Carolina at Pembroke
Experience and therapeutic approach: Skyla has experience using Person-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Solution Focused Therapy. Some of the diagnoses she works with the most are anxiety, depression, body image, and relationships. The age groups she has focused on are teens and young adults. One of the things she has learned as a mental health professional is I can’t promise to change all the hard situations in your life, but I can promise that you don’t have to do it alone. There is a special healing power in sharing your story in a supportive safe space.
Joyce McCurtis
License: Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor Associate, LCMHCA
Undergrad Degree: Bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in anthropology from Mary Baldwin University.
Postgraduate Degree: She earned her master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling at Walden University.
Experience and Therapeutic Approach: Joyce has over three years of experience working with children and adolescents providing individual, group and family therapy. She has also practiced working with adolescents with eating disorders in the residential level of care. Joyce is passionate about creative, client-centered interventions informed by evidenced-based psychotherapy modalities such as DBT and CBT.
Maria Flores-Estrada
License: Licensed Clinical Social Worker Associate, LCSWA
Postgraduate Degree: Master’s degree in social work from North Carolina Central University
Experience and therapeutic approach: My areas of specialization include adult mental health, adolescent mental health, cultural competency, intimate partner violence, grief, anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, trauma, ADHD, and ODD. I have experience using CBT, Motivational interviewing techniques, Solution focused brief therapy, Strength-based therapy and look forward to learning more approaches. I chose to become a mental health professional because I love to learn and help others. What I love most about being a mental health professional is knowing so much about someone yet so little. It’s the essence of walking with someone long enough to where they feel empowered in their journey through life with the tools and skills they acquire in session.
Ashley Phillips
License: Licensed Clinical Social Worker, LCSW
Undergrad Degree: Bachelor of Social Work from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke
Postgraduate Degree: Master of Social Work from North Carolina Central University
Experience and therapeutic approach: She uses a variety of therapeutic methods to ensure clients' specific needs and goals are met. Some of the methods are Sandtray Play Therapy, Play-Based Therapy techniques, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Client-Centered Treatment, Family Systems, Habit Reversal Training (HRT) and Expressive Arts. Ashley has a passion for what she does because she received therapy services before, and it was a life-changing experience. Her areas of specialization are childhood trauma and PTSD, behavioral management of children and adolescents, positive parenting techniques, family conflict, eating disorders/body image issues, anxiety, depression, ADHD, and body-focused repetitive behaviors.
John Weaver (Chad)
License: Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor Associate, LCMHCA
Postgraduate Degree: East Carolina University's MS Clinical Counseling program.
Experience and therapeutic approach: Some of the techniques he uses during therapy are person-centered approaches that include CBT, Holistic Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, and Solution-Focused Brief Therapy. Chad works primarily with children and adolescents with mental health and/or substance use disorders. He seeks to give clients a safe environment where they can feel safe to discuss personal thoughts and feelings so that they can develop a plan to create the changes they want to see in life.
Tiara Totten
License: Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor, LCMHC,
Addictions Specialist.
Undergrad Degree: Major in psychology from East Carolina University.
Postgraduate Degree: Majored in Substance Abuse and clinical counseling and obtained her master’s degree from East Carolina University.
Experience and therapeutic approach: Tiara is a licensed professional counselor with more than nine years of experience working with adolescents and adults utilizing person-centered, motivational interviewing, solution-focused, and cognitive behavioral techniques to help individuals achieve optimal wellness. She has extensive experience in individual therapy, group therapy, and supervision and is currently working on her PsyD in clinical psychology.
License: Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Sports Social Worker and Military Counselor.
Undergrad Degree: She earned her bachelor’s in social work from Warren Wilson College.
Postgraduate Degree: She obtained her master’s from The North Carolina Central University in 2018 in the heart of Durham.
Experience and therapeutic approach: As a therapist, she prioritizes relationships, offers therapeutic connections, and facilitates intrapersonal and relational growth. She works with individuals to explore identity, military life challenges, sports challenges and the difficulties that may come along with attempting to know oneself deeply and live authentically, such as anxiety, depression, retirement, major life transitions and family conflict. She particularly enjoys and specializes in working with adolescents, young adults, families, and athletes.
License: Licensed Clinical Social Worker Associate, LCSWA
Undergraduate Degree: She earned her Bachelor of Social Work from North Carolina Central University
Postgraduate Degree: She obtained her Master of Social Work Degree from North Carolina Central University
Experience and therapeutic approach: In therapy, Renasha Christmas counts with 7+ years’ experience servicing children and families. Renasha draws from various evidence- based treatment models based on each clients’ individual needs and interests. She frequently utilizes techniques derived from Motivational Interviewing (MI), Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Trauma Focused – CBT, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Processing Therapy, Exposure Therapy, and Narrative Therapy; to name a few. In addition, she often incorporates expressive arts, movement/body-based interventions (somatic therapy), and mindfulness/ meditation into her practice, which have all proved to be an enjoyable and engaging experience for her clients. Renasha is a self-care enthusiast who is highly relatable, validating, inspiring, and knowledgeable, which emboldens others to consider embarking on their healing journey. She empowers others to do the difficult, yet essential and self-rewarding work needed to elevate their quality of life by cultivating peace, purpose, love, and authenticity. Renasha strives to offer a safe space for Clients to explore their innermost beings and connect with their true selves. She connects with Clients first as an empathetic human, which allows them to immediately feel comfortable being themselves and unraveling uncomfortable topic.
Allison Swarts
License: Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor Associate and Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher.
Undergraduate Degree: She earned her bachelor's at Ohio University
Postgraduate Degree: Obtained her master’s degree from North Carolina Central
Experience and therapeutic approach: Allison has over a decade of experience working with kids and teens. She’s been teaching evidence-based anxiety reduction practices since 2015 and working as a mental health professional since 2020. Her approach to counseling is person-centered, meaning she empowers clients and their families to set and reach their own personal goals. She utilizes several tools from her therapeutic “toolbox” including yoga, drawing, journaling, play therapy, storytelling and more. However, she believes finding what type of therapy interests the client is most important.
Unissha McNeil
License: Licensed Clinical Social Worker Associate, LCSWA
Undergraduate Degree: Bachelor of Social Work, BSW from NC State University
Postgraduate Degree: Master of Social Work, MSW from Winthrop University
Experience and therapeutic approach: She has experience as a Qualified Professional in working with children and adolescents with disabilities for over 3 years. Also, she has worked at Wake County Services as a case manager for Family and Children Medicaid and Adult Medicaid for over 7 years. Her experience has built her passion for working with families, children, and young adults. Some of the techniques she uses during counseling are Person-Centered Therapy, Play Therapy, Motivational Interviewing (MI), Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), and Solution Brief Therapy (SFBT). She believes in self-empowerment and fostering a safe environment for self-expression.
Dominique Vaughn
Licenses: Licensed Clinical Social Worker Associate, LCSWA
Undergraduate Degree: Bachelor of Social Work from Shaw University
Postgraduate Degree: Master of Social Work, MSW from North Carolina Central University
Experience and therapeutic approach: Dominique completed her Internship with Telamon Early Head Start Family Services, Durham Early Head Start Health and Disabilities, and Durham's Public Health Department. Her focus is always the client, her goal/approach is to see the view of the world through her client's eyes. While working with younger children, play therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy seem to be the most beneficial modality/intervention used to achieve the initial goals set in the treatment plan. She loves being a therapist because she enjoys helping her clients learn about themselves, being a part of the change process, and overall being a witness to their growth.
Kelly Broady
License: Licensed Clinical Social Worker Associate, LCSWA
Undergraduate Degree: She received her Bachelor of Social Work and Master of Social Work from North Carolina Central University.
Postgraduate Degree: She obtained her Master of Divinity and her Doctoral Degree in Ministry from Apex School of Theology
Experience and therapeutic approach: Dr. Kelly Broady is a dedicated Outpatient Therapist employed with Butterfly Family Center, Inc. She is focused on the Department of Social Work with a special interest in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. She specializes in working with toddlers, adolescents, and adults. She has experience as a clinical social worker, camp/residential counselor, IIH-team leader, qualified professional, program developer and PSR program director. Dr. Kelly Broady has been working to improve the lives of at- risk youth and families for over 21 years. She loves connecting with others through effective interventions and miraculous transformation experiences.
Alexis Bruhn
License: Licensed Marriage and Family Therapy Associate, LMFTA
Undergraduate Degree: She received her bachelor’s degree at the University of Missouri-Kansas City
Postgraduate Degree: She obtained her Master's in Marriage and Family Therapy from Appalachian State University
Experience and therapeutic approach: Alexis has experience working with families, couples, and individuals of all different ages and backgrounds. She believes in approaching therapy from a strengths-based, solution-focused perspective that is all about empowering whoever she works with to make real changes inside and outside the therapy room. She loves to collaborate with her clients to find what works best for them and believes every client is the expert of their own life. She especially loves being able to watch her clients reach the goals they set at the beginning of therapy.
Madison Bowman
License: Licensed Clinical Social Worker, LCSW
Undergraduate Degree: She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of NC Greensboro.
Postgraduate Degree: She obtained her master’s degree from Fordham University.
Experience and therapeutic approach: Madison works well with teens, young adults, and families. Therapy should be engaging, fun, and enlightening; a place for you to build insight, self-compassion, and acceptance through a process that can at times be vulnerable and uncomfortable. Madison takes a curious, nonjudgmental, relational, and collaborative approach. She often pulls from approaches including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Internal Family Systems (IFS), Narrative therapy, & Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). She is also Family Centered Therapy Certified and works well with entire families.
Amani Joyner
License: License Marriage and Family Therapist Associate, LMFTA
Undergraduate Degree: Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Georgia State University
Postgraduate Degree: Master of Science in Counseling Psychology with a concentration in Professional Clinical Counseling
Experience and therapeutic approach: Amani has eight years of experience providing counseling to individuals from a variety of backgrounds including substance use, intensive services foster care, career counseling, intensive in home multisystemic therapy, high fidelity wraparound, group counseling, family therapy, and outpatient therapy. Amani’s therapeutic approach is primarily client centered and solution focused, however, she utilizes cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, motivational interviewing, family systems and narrative therapy techniques depending on the needs of the clients.