Malissa Truesdale-Crawford MA, LCMHCA
Malissa is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor Associate. She is licensed in both South Carolina and North Carolina.

Malissa is most passionate about people and her motto for clients is let’s work together to become your overall “best/better” SELF!! Malissa has worked tirelessly to help children of all ages and adults feel good about themselves no matter what the past, present may look like. We work together to make “you, the client” feel whole and worthy! Malissa’s previous work stems from children and adults thus the family unit (Couples) is an area that comes naturally for her.

As we process your life path, we will use my skills in Narrative Therapy (values/importance you tell yourself), Solution Focus (where you’re heading/future self), Motivational Interviewing (why do you do what you do) and CBT (ways to change what you do). Malissa is also trained in Couples Prepare/Enrich and Brain-spotting.

Emily specializes in working with individual adults and teens (15yo+). She has extensive experience working with young adults and college students having difficulty with anxiety, depression, life stage transitions (moving, graduation or career change), suicidal thoughts, self-esteem, relationship concerns, and dating. Having assisted collegiate student athletes as well as working with athletes at the professional level, Emily understands the unique pressures of being an athlete and the impact on mental health. She has a passion for helping her clients maximize their quality of life and perform to their greatest potential in every area of their lives.

Emily is also a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC). This certification equips Emily to assist clients with mental health concerns affected by disabilities, traumatic brain injury and chronic health conditions. It allows Emily to address both the mental and physical components of wellness, thus improving clients’ daily functioning and their overall quality of life.

Deb came from a broken home as a child and was in a blended family in her teen years. She practiced as a licensed occupational therapist for 35 years, working with children in hospital, school and private practice settings. She returned to school for her master's in Marriage and Family Therapy with a specialization in Spirituality and Counseling. She and her husband, Craig, have been married for 42 years, and raised three children. They are expecting their first grandchild in June, 2022. Deb is a mixed media artist, and a lover of nature, gardening, travel and her cockapoo puppy, Henry Biscuit.

Hi, thanks for reading my Bio! I've been a psychologist now for 30 years. Over that time, I've helped more than 10,000 people. This is my 3rd career - I started as a Domino's Pizza manager, then a computer programmer for IBM. I became a psychologist after seeing my own psychologist during a difficult divorce. I learned so much from that experience that I knew it was right for me - so I went back to school. I've also completed 90% of a post doctoral certificate in neuropsychology.

I find that most people I work with are interested in one of two kinds of therapy. First, some people are interested in problem solving / solution focused therapy - finding solutions to life's many problems. I use brain science and the design of human beings to develop creative shortcuts to these problems. I've created my own names for them, such as the 'what else' technique, or reverse psychologizing yourself, or the 3 P's of grieving, or the 'outside the box' technique.

Other people want to understand themselves at a deep level. Perhaps they find themselves making the same mistakes in life. Or they wonder 'how did I get here?' The want to understand their personality structure and to make deep, long lasting changes - to become, not necessarily happier, but more successful and satisfied with life. During this process, I describe what I consider to be 'the ultimate in mental health.'

And now you know ... The rest of the story!

Available to New Clients! In-person Acworth office or virtually.
Who Am I? We all desire to be heard, to be seen, to have a purpose, to know the truth, to trust, to be trusted, and to be whole. The mind, body, & spirit need to be well; we work with all three parts. Having grown up overseas, I know acculturation into the home country is a struggle. I know what it's like to be hurt by religion or church. I know what it's like to live with a narcissistic leader or family member.
I've experienced divorce, remarriage, had single-parenting struggles, learned to rebuild a family. I know the challenges of aging parents. Life is hard at any age. I am also an LGBTQIA ally.
I offer a safe space of acceptance & kind confrontation. Our lives are impacted by trauma, whether a one-time event or a life pattern. Trauma can be one-time or long-term; religious, psychological, or physical abuse by people we trust. I will walk alongside you, working through the past, accepting the present, working toward whole wellness in your future.
As your therapist, I want to be present with you where your needs may be. If it's anxiety, depression, gender identity issues, church or religion mess, trauma, aging parents, difficult kids, troubled or at-risk-marriage, toxicity, or a career change, I will listen to you. I offer an open mind but I will challenge you when you need another perspective.

Life’s transitions—whether in relationships, family, or discovering a renewed sense of self—can feel both overwhelming and full of possibility. Many couples find themselves caught between love and conflict, unsure how to move forward, while individuals may be seeking clarity in a new season. With thoughtful support, it is possible to rebuild trust, strengthen communication, and create deeper, more secure connections. My work focuses on guiding couples and individuals through these pivotal moments with insight, compassion, and strategies that foster resilience and lasting change.

I became a therapist because I value the meaningful relationships I’ve built with my clients. It is an honor each time someone chooses me to walk alongside them—through the difficult parts of life and in celebrating their growth and successes. My approach is collaborative and compassionate, yet at times more directive with couples when it supports their goals. I draw from proven frameworks, including the Gottman Method, Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Attachment-based approaches, and Narrative therapy. This allows me to tailor each session to your unique story, always with the aim of strengthening connection and creating lasting transformation.

I am also the host of Everything is Clinical, a podcast for mental health pros, where we explore challenges in the field and dive deeper into important clinical topics. Sponsored by The Right Counselor, this work extends my passion for advancing clinical excellence and supporting the growth of other professionals in the field.

As a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and AAMFT Approved Supervisor, I bring both expertise and empathy to my practice. I hold a Master of Family Therapy degree from Mercer University School of Medicine and am a Gottman Level 3 trained couples therapist as well as a Gottman 7 Principles Educator. I specialize in working with couples—including step-couples and blended families—navigating remarriage, co-parenting, and loyalty binds, as well as individuals facing life transitions such as launching adult children, grief and loss, redefining purpose, or caring for aging parents.

I provide counseling for couples, individuals, and families across Georgia, Florida, and South Carolina through secure telehealth sessions. This gives clients the flexibility to receive high-quality care from the comfort of their own home while maintaining privacy and convenience. For new clients, I offer a complimentary 20-minute consultation via HIPAA-compliant video. While my schedule often books a few weeks in advance, I can typically schedule this introductory meeting within the week. If you are ready to take the next step toward healing, clarity, and lasting connection, schedule an introductory meeting at dunagancollective.janeapp.com

As a mental health professional with over 15 years of experience, I am honored to collaborate with others as a fellow traveler on their journey to their ideal lifestyle. We achieve this together by using evidence-based practices (e.g., CBT, ACT) to identify and deconstruct unhelpful thought patterns that keep you stuck in behaviors that may have been adaptive in the past but no longer serve your present. This might include seeking validation from people whose opinion you no longer care for, working towards goals you no longer desire, or striving for hyper-independence when you really want to try on vulnerability.

Throughout my career I have worked in forensic settings, community mental health, and private practice. I have experience working with serious mental health, sex addiction, trauma, betrayal, and grief. I am a licensed mental health therapist in the State of Washington. I earned a doctorate Degree in Clinical Psychology from Argosy University in 2018.

Currently, I work with adults who are facing death and non-death losses. Those who are trying to navigate the complexity of relationships and the grief process. I believe we all experience change and loss by virtue of being in this world and in relationships. Transition, loss, and the experience of grief will affect every person through various moment in life. I strive to understand each person’s unique experience with these transitions. At times, these changes and losses are unexpected and can throw us off track or render us feeling hopeless. I have a keen interest in how we construct meaning life, especially in the wake of loss and transition.
I enjoy working with people seeking ways to adapt, thrive, and create meaning within themselves, while coping with losses including death, loss of relationships, illness, and many other life transitions and/or ambiguous losses.

My primary goal in the therapeutic process is to actively assist you in reaching a better understanding of the underlying conflicts and meaning around your situation by helping you gain some objective distance around your concern in relation to your larger context. Self-awareness alone has positive effects. I believe change is possible through this kind of understanding and acceptance of oneself.