Maureen S. Bixler, LCSW, is a licensed clinical social worker with a Master’s and Bachelor’s of Social Work from the University of Georgia. She has years of experience working with children, adolescents and families in both individual and group settings. She has worked in different social work settings such as schools, in-home counseling and child welfare. Maureen created Live Life Counseling, LLC in 2014, with the main goal to help others live life to its fullest potential. Maureen offers a holistic, healing approach to therapy. She utilizes many different treatment modalities; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Trauma-Focused CBT (TF-CBT), Existential Therapy, Family Systems, Attachment and Bonding Based Parenting, Strength Perspective and Client-Center Therapy. She offers individual, couple and family therapy. Often clients come to her with complex trauma which surfaces through addiction, anxiety and or depression. She utilizes Dialectical Behavioral Techniques (DBT) and Progressive Counting (PC) which allow a client to work through their issue and underlying trauma. In every session with Maureen she hopes to be a place for one to feel heard, validated and encouraged. Maureen loves spending time with her husband and being a mom to their four young children.

Kate Rayfield is a trauma-informed therapist who offers a safe space to “speak the unspeakable” parts of your story and invite healing into the darkest places. She is sensitive to the way our stories and experiences may find a home in our bodies, and she’s passionate about integrating mind-body awareness into the healing process. Kate has a passion for working with teens (ages 15 and up) and adults experiencing complex trauma and PTSD, anxiety and worry, family and relationship issues, grief and loss, or religious/spiritual issues or who are survivors of abuse. She has advanced training in evidence-based trauma-informed care, including EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing). When appropriate, Kate enjoys working with clients who wish to incorporate their faith into counseling. In addition to practicing at Atlanta Wellness Collective, Kate enjoys walking her dog, trying new restaurants, and exploring antique stores with her husband. Kate is an avid reader and enjoys working with her hands by practicing calligraphy and watercolor painting. Kate earned a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling from Richmont Graduate University, with a certificate in trauma counseling. She was the recipient of a Behavioral Health Workforce Fellowship and has experience working at Emory University Hospital’s Intensive Outpatient Program. Kate is certified by the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) and is licensed as an Associate Professional Counselor under direction and supervision.

Melanie completed her bachelor’s degree in photojournalism through the University of Georgia. While completing her BA, she discovered that what she enjoyed most about photojournalism was meeting people and helping them tell their stories. Her newly found passion led her to complete her master’s in clinical mental health counseling at Denver Seminary. As part of her studies, Melanie worked in a college setting to counsel young adults dealing with anxiety, depression, and relational issues. After moving back to Georgia, she has worked extensively to help both adolescents and adults manage a range of mental health problems. Melanie is passionate about working with individuals on issues of grief and loss, career concerns, and relationship issues. She has years of experience working with teens and young adults with identity development, family and peer relationships, and anxiety related to school. She also enjoys helping premarital couples create a strong foundation for their relationships to flourish. In addition, Melanie understands the unique stressors faced by individuals working in the helping and medical professions. She desires to help these individuals develop mindsets and strategies to prevent and manage compassion fatigue.  Melanie seeks to create a warm, supportive environment where her clients feel heard and valued as they develop skills and process emotions to face life’s challenges. Melanie helps her clients pursue their goals through a holistic approach, using a variety of treatment methods that take into consideration a client’s physical, relational, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing. In her spare time, Melanie enjoys spending time with her family and friends, reading, baking, and spending time outdoors. She is a member of the LPCA of Georgia.

Josh was a teacher and high school baseball coach for 14 years before becoming a licensed professional counselor. He works with families amid struggle and crisis. Often, parents are so overwhelmed with hurt and frustration that communication with their children seems to only make things worse. Josh partners with parents to help them focus on how to move through difficult moments and create a new plan moving forward. Josh works with all kinds of issues but focuses on kids with ADHD, anxiety, and depression.

Kristi has been passionate about helping others as long as she can remember. Her career began as a hospice social worker, which was incredibly rewarding and radically changed her perspective on life. Later, Kristi pivoted to private practice after her own life-changing experiences in therapy. She is trained in several modalities, including Gottman Method, Relational Life Therapy, and Brainspotting. Kristi was selected as one of only 16 therapists to be in the first training cohort of the Relationship Theory Model (RTM) with Jourdan Blue. RTM is revolutionizing the way individuals and couples approach relationship-focused therapy and relationship coaching.    Kristi's approach to counseling is direct, results-focused, and collaborative. She has high expectations for her clients, giving them the compassion and accountability they need for success, growth, and change. Kristi emphasizes that the process requires work and correspondence outside of sessions, and she guides her clients to "immerse and rehearse" what they are learning, ultimately retraining their brain for secure, healthy connections.   Kristi understands if you are skeptical about counseling or have tried it and were unsuccessful. However, she encourages you to reach out to her so she can explain how her approach is different and how she can help you thrive!

Jennifer is an Associate Professional Counselor (APC) with the State of Georgia Composite Board and is a National Certified Counselor (NCC). Jennifer enjoys working with teens, young adults, and adults who are struggling with issues related to anxiety, stress, depression, mood disorders, relationship issues, trauma complications, adjustment to life transitions, eating disorders, and women’s issues. Jennifer’s goal is to assist clients in developing their own awareness while exploring their life experiences and inspire them to achieve healing.   With adolescents and teens, Jennifer strives to collaborate with their families to achieve their goals with emotional growth and healing.  Jennifer’s treatment interventions include Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), EMDR, and additionally offers Premarital Counseling delivered by Prepare and Enrich Curriculum.   She is under the direction of Dr. Diane Pearce, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and an AAMFT Approved Clinical Supervisor.  Jennifer also operates under the Clinical Supervision of Jeanine Rousso, a Licensed Professional Counselor in Georgia, and an approved Certified Professional Counselor Supervisor with Georgia.   ADDITIONALLY Before joining Legacy, Jennifer’s 27-year career consisted of human resources and operations for a Fortune 500 company and within a government agency.  In 2014, her heart strings pulled her toward a more holistic and healing field.  While training to become a yoga and prenatal yoga instructor, she was motivated to change career paths.  Jennifer has also served in a Regional Leadership role for a Georgia based Community Service Organization working with DFCS and impoverished communities providing mental health therapy.   ​

Sue believes reaching out for help is a sign of courage and strength. With gentleness and patience, she seeks to create a safe place for people to tell their stories. She works with clients to help them better understand themselves and see new ways of looking at issues. Sue considers it an honor to work with people through the rough patches of life. Sue is a licensed professional counselor with a Master of Science degree and an Education Specialist degree in community counseling from Georgia State University. She also studied the integration of psychology and theology, earning a diploma in Christian counseling at the Psychological Studies Institute, which is now Richmont Graduate University. She is PREPARE/ENRICH certified and enjoys working with couples as well as individuals, families, and adolescents.

Jacob Hicks is a Licensed Professional Counselor and a Certified Sex Addiction Therapist working in the north metro Atlanta area. Jacob works with individuals struggling with sex and pornography addiction as well as couples seeking to establish a more secure connection. Jacob has experience in both private practice and inpatient levels of care. 

Jennifer graduated from Florida State University in 1991 with a degree in psychology and a minor in child development. After graduation, she worked in the business world, then shifted her focus toward family. She enjoyed supporting an entrepreneurial husband and launching three children into college and careers. This season gave Jennifer a deep understanding of the stresses and joys life can bring. Having navigated the social and educational challenges of raising children with diagnosed learning differences, Jennifer has a unique perspective on the stressors surrounding those realities.     Jennifer earned a master’s degree in counseling at Richmont Graduate University in 2021. She has a heart for families with children facing educational and emotional challenges. During her final year at Richmont, she gained experience working in school counseling with middle schoolers as well as supporting adolescents and adults in a private practice setting. She currently serves the community in private practice at Freeman Counseling and Consulting.

Andrea is passionate about helping individuals navigate life’s challenges. Whether you are processing past traumas, healing from emotional wounds, navigating the complexities of parenthood, experiencing relationship changes, mid-life career shifts, or the mixed emotions of empty nesting, Andrea will walk with you on your journey to healing and transformation. Through empathy, wisdom, and professional expertise, she guides her clients to embrace change and healing as opportunities for growth. Deeply committed to the belief that each person is uniquely crafted in the image of God and deserving of unconditional respect and love, Andrea’s therapeutic approach is open, nonjudgmental, and trauma-informed. She strives to foster healing, build self-awareness, and cultivate self-compassion, providing a safe space for clients to explore their inner world and recover from difficult experiences.     Andrea has dedicated extensive time to training in therapeutic approaches that promote trauma resolution. As a therapist trained in accelerated resolution therapy (ART), she helps individuals rapidly process and resolve traumatic memories. She is also an Internal Family Systems (IFS)-informed therapist and has completed specialized coursework in relational trauma, parenting, and recovering from narcissistic abuse and gaslighting.     Married since 1994, Andrea is an empty nester with two adult children and enjoys walking alongside others as they navigate the ups and downs of life. Andrea holds a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling from Mercer University and a bachelor’s degree from Indiana University Bloomington. She is an associate professional counselor under the supervision of Heather Cobb, LPC, CPCS.     In her free time, Andrea enjoys hiking with her husband, playing tennis and pickleball, taking photos, meeting friends for lunch, and sharing cat pictures in her family group chat.