Sarah Palmer is the clinical supervisor at Goshen Therapeutic Services. She is a licensed professional counselor and has worked in several areas of child welfare including case management, assessments, training, and therapeutic services. Sarah has a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in mental health counseling.    Sarah began working at a child advocacy center where she provided play therapy to children and teens who were the victims of physical, sexual abuse, and/or traumatic grief. As a result of this experience, Sarah focused on trauma and healing those affected by traumatic life experiences. She is trained in several areas of trauma including play therapy, TF CBT, motivational interviewing, level I and II addiction treatment, facilitating bonding and attachment after trauma, parent education and support, group therapy, and other trauma responsive interventions, such as increasing affect education, developing coping skills for anxiety and depression, and treating root causes of addiction.    Sarah encourages the processing of traumatic experiences through connection and the development of coping strategies. She has extensive experience in the required assessments such as FAST, substance use, DV, parental fitness, trauma, CCFAs, and has completed the DFCS training for facilitating FTMs. Sarah is a TBRI practitioner and often incorporates the principles in her therapy and to support foster and biological parents. She is available to provide TBRI training for members of the community and those who serve the children, teens, and families who have been impacted by trauma. Sarah has been married to her husband, Joel, for more than 24 years. They have four beautiful daughters, one amazing son, and welcomed a precious granddaughter in 2019. 

For the last 15 years, Phil has worked in clinical psychotherapy with adolescents, adults, and couples through private practice work and as the director of counseling at The HopeQuest Ministry Group, Inc. He is one of the few in the state to be both a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT). Phil has received master-level professional certifications as a Certified Sexual Addiction Therapist (CSAT), a Certified Multiple Addiction Therapist (CMAT), and a Certified Professional Counselor Supervisor (CPCS). He also holds a Master of Divinity degree and is a licensed and ordained minister. He served previously for 10 years as a youth pastor, pastor, and church consultant. These ministry experiences give Phil a unique perspective as an integrated therapist with dual areas of professionalism as a Christian counselor. Using a collaborative approach, Phil incorporates several techniques to help clients reach their counseling goals, including family systems theory and cognitive behavioral approaches. Phil is married with four children.  You can reach him via Google Voice at 404-458-7523.

Dr. Howell earned an academic scholarship right out of high school, but it was 30 years, a successful landscaping career, and four daughters down the road before she would complete her undergraduate degree. As she debated about defining her career choice, she felt God's leading to become a counselor. Her education and life experiences have equipped her to understand many of the issues facing those in need. After completing a Master of Arts in counseling, she started her own practice in the Dawsonville area. Dr. Howell earned her Doctor of Philosophy in psychotherapy in 1999 and has continually built upon that base by taking postgraduate certification courses covering a variety of areas: Nutrition Response Testing®, women's issues, grief, inner memory healing, stress management, anxiety disorder, and divorce recovery. Over the last 20 years in the profession, Dr. Howell's experiences have been extensive. She has had the opportunity to counsel individuals with a wide range of needs and has provided services for a number of local institutions and groups. Dr. Howell believes that for the maximum benefit, it is important to treat the individual’s "whole person"––spirit, soul, and body.

Melinda is a native Californian who moved to Dallas, Texas in 1998 where she met her husband, Brook. They have been happily married for almost 23 years and have two college-aged sons. She completed her graduate work at the University of North Texas at Dallas in December 2016.  Melinda and her family moved to Atlanta six years ago where she pursues counseling in private practice. She enjoys building and cultivating relationships with each person. She understands the importance of the individual designing their own therapeutic experience, so they can be the best version of themselves while creating healthy habits. Melinda's goals in counseling include creating a safe and nurturing environment for each person in order to establish trust. She values listening to the needs of individuals while reminding them of their value and allowing them to write the narrative for their life. She emphasizes that each client is responsible for their choices as these affect their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.  After many years of seeing teenagers, adults, couples, and families, Melinda believes the relationship between the client and the counselor is paramount to the client’s success in counseling. It takes courage, commitment, collaboration, and connection to heal through the therapeutic journey.

Hi there! I'm Edlíz and I work with young adults who are experiencing life transitions; self-esteem or interpersonal struggles; or anxiety, depression, or other mental health concerns. My goal in the therapeutic alliance is to create an opportunity for self-understanding and validation—because let's be honest, the quarter-life crisis is pretty legit. I help clients build skills to manage mental wellness and prevent distress in the future. I also support clients in finding purposefulness in their decisions in order to reinforce healthy identity development. I incorporate cognitive behavioral therapy, acceptance commitment therapy, and humanistic approaches in my work. I believe lasting change takes place when we not only learn how to cope through the difficulties of life, but understand why it's important to build resilience. Growth happens with time and evolves with each stage of life. For clients who have difficulty making office visits because of scheduling or transportation issues, I offer video and phone sessions via confidential, encrypted software. I'm currently taking new therapy clients. If I'm not in session with a client, you'll see me writing away on my blog www.incremental.care.

Olga considers her time with clients sacred; it’s essential to her that clients enter a space where they feel safe, understood, and supported. She strongly aligns with a person-centered approach to therapy. Olga collaborates with clients to set and work toward their goals. Her therapeutic perspective relies heavily on family systems, which considers one's family dynamic and how it has shaped them. As a first-generation American, she is especially sensitive to the complexities of a multicultural existence. Including the client’s faith perspective in therapy is welcome as much or as little as desired. Olga earned a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling with a specialization in marriage and family therapy from Richmont Graduate University. She earned a bachelor’s degree in clinical psychology with a certificate in Latin American studies and global studies certification from Georgia Gwinnett College.

Laura is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. She is a graduate of The Ohio State University where she received her B.A. in Psychology from the Honors Program. She then moved to Atlanta and earned her Masters of Family Therapy degree from Mercer University. She gained extensive experience in her clinical work at Laurel Heights Psychiatric Hospital where she worked with children and adolescents as well as their families in an inpatient setting. She also has specialized training that helps her work with people who have intellectual and developmental disabilities from the Nisonger Center at The Ohio State University. She is comfortable adapting the therapy to the appropriate developmental level of the child or adolescent as well as including art therapy and play therapy techniques into her sessions.

Since 1998, Tatiana Matthews has been sharing hope, humor, and professionalism with her clients. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) in Georgia and North Carolina. She is the clinical director of Atlanta Specialized Care. Mrs. Matthews obtained her master of science from East Carolina University, where she majored in clinical rehabilitation counseling with a specialty in addiction and mental health. While acting as a consult liaison in the main medical hospital, she completed her clinical internship in the alcohol and addiction program and the psychiatric unit at Duke University Medical Hospital. Following her internship, Mrs. Matthews practiced privately with East Coast Counseling in Greenville, North Carolina. In addition, she served as research director for a “Brief Intervention” study conducted through the East Carolina Injury Prevention Program at Pitt Memorial Hospital in Greenville. In 2000, Mrs. Matthews moved to north Georgia and worked on a contractual basis for Ridgeview Institute’s mobile assessment team in Smyrna. She was one of the founding partners of North View Counseling & Recovery, Inc., where she practiced for almost 10 years. After retiring from North View in August 2010, Mrs. Matthews began practicing independently in Alpharetta. Mrs. Matthews addresses the mind, body, spirituality, family systems, vocation, and hobbies. When requested by a client, she can integrate a Christian perspective into the therapy process. She is client-centered and develops a series of interventions that are challenging without being shaming. Mrs. Matthews provides individual, family, and group therapy to adults and adolescents. She has extensive experience in the areas of addictions, co-dependency, trauma, mood regulation, ADHD, autism spectrum disorders, and learning disabilities. Mrs. Matthews has specialized training in eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), as well as dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT). EMDR is a therapeutic technique used to address trauma, while DBT teaches emotional regulation. Mrs. Matthews is also the author of Fred the Fox Shouts “NO!”, an adult’s guide to speaking to children about sexual abuse prevention. Fred the Fox helps parents and caregivers introduce the concepts of “private parts” and safety with people we know. With the help of illustrations by Allison Fears, Fred the Fox helps children learn to recognize and avoid sexual abuse and helps protect them by teaching them what to do. Fred the Fox Shouts “NO!” is available for purchase at Amazon.com.

Lindsay has a passion for counseling and believes it has the ability to change lives forever. She doesn’t “fix” her clients, rather, she’ll walk with them on their journey to become who they were created to be. Counseling with her will always be professional, ethical, and safe, but will also be like getting coffee with a friend. Lindsay graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Clemson University and a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling from Liberty University. She’s a licensed associate professional counselor working under the supervision of Jenny Reynolds, LPC, in the state of Georgia.  She grew up in South Carolina and loves getting to the mountains and ocean whenever possible. When she is not in the office, you can find her spending quality time with loved ones and her newfiedoodle pup, June. She lives in Atlanta with her husband and new baby girl.

Life can be overwhelming, and at times it can feel impossible to look at yourself with acceptance and confidence. Are you going through a difficult season and you aren’t sure how to cope with what life is throwing at you? Please know that you are not alone. Making the decision to begin therapy is a courageous step toward living the life you want and deserve. You deserve to feel whole and experience freedom from what you’re facing. Learning new evidence-based tools, perspectives, and coping skills can greatly advance your journey back to happiness and self-confidence. I know firsthand how difficult this road is, having faced and overcome several of the challenges I now specialize in. I am passionate about helping others as they navigate life’s challenges and learn to love themselves. I work with teens and adults facing anxiety, depression, self-esteem issues, eating disorders, and body dysmorphia. I earned a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling from Richmont Graduate University, and I have a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in sociology. I would be honored to walk with you on your path to freedom and joy.