I have been supporting parents in every job or role I’ve had in adulthood whether I knew it at the time or not. My clinical work began working with teenagers in the inpatient setting. I noticed that there would be times where patients would become stable while in the hospital and then we would discharge them, only for them to return a short time later. I realized we needed to be working with the family as a whole. Then I began working with younger children, thinking if I intercepted my clients at a younger age, I could potentially prevent the struggles I saw on the inpatient unit. I slowly worked my way down in age, working in the infant and early childhood realm in mental health care. One day, I had a lightbulb moment. I noticed a trend in all of these settings: the most important and impactful work is done with parents. Most mental health difficulties in children (and even many adults!) can be traced back to early childhood. Those experiences either tend to help or hinder our roles as parents.

I have a diverse professional and personal background which allows me a unique perspective. I love earning the trust of my clients and walking through those things in life that have led us into the people we become. Whether sensitively processing to trauma, or tackling unintentional habits, I take great care to prioritize the clients’ goals and collaboration is key! I work with individuals, couples and families on issues ranging anxiety, depression, parenting, marriage, or other relationships issues, and life transitions.

I am a compassionate therapist committed to guiding AAPI and BIPOC women through the challenges rooted in cultural values, family conflicts, anxiety, depression, exploring intersectionality, and intergenerational trauma. As a South Asian American, I bring a culturally sensitive approach that fosters a connection with my clients. As a therapist, I utilize Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy to support individuals in processing and overcoming the impact of traumatic experiences. Trauma is not always the byproduct of significant life altering events but can occur from small events like chronic stress, bullying, discrimination, dysfunctional family dynamics, microaggression, and constant exposure to challenging situations. EMDR involves a structured approach, helping clients identify and reframe/reprocess negative beliefs and emotions associated with past traumas. I also utilize therapeutic frameworks as Humanistic Person-Centered approach, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Strengths Based approach.

I am a trauma therapist practicing EMDR in the Rochester, NY area, and provide telehealth in all of New York State. I live by the principle of “more curiosity, less judgement” driving empathy and understanding into my work. I aim to create a welcoming and open therapeutic space for clients to safely explore and regain their sense of self. I believe that therapy should be authentic and transparent, and I strive to partner with clients so that they may be the experts in their treatment and feel empowered. I have been a social worker in Rochester, NY for about 8 years. I first started working with adults with developmental disabilities as a behavior intervention specialist which fueled my love for psychology and understanding human behavior in our various contexts. I specialize in working with adults and couples with relationship challenges, anxiety, depression, and trauma. I am here for you and would be honored to partner with you in your healing journey!

Hello, I'm Charita with Serenity Thoughts LLC. I'm currently accepting new clients struggling with depression, anxiety, parenting, anger, self-esteem or other life stressors and trauma. I aim to work with the BIPOC community, but of course all are welcome.

I believe learning about our mental health only helps us to get to know ourselves better, so we're better equipped to navigate life's challenges. Please reach out and let me help you step into your Serenity Thoughts!

Caroline received her BA in psychology from Cornell University and her MA with academic distinction in clinical mental health counseling from Northwestern University. She is currently a registered mental health counseling intern with the state of Florida, working under the supervision of Sarah Watt, LMHC. Prior to pursuing the counseling field, she spent ten years in the northeast building experience in the culinary, nonprofit, and business worlds. This gave her invaluable perspective that she could not have gotten had she entered the counseling field right away. At the end of 2019, she felt called back to the area of mental health and to her hometown of Ocala, FL where she lives with her daughter. She has experienced the positive impact of quality counseling in her own life, and strives to provide this for each of her clients. She is passionate about the power of the therapeutic relationship and the growth that can occur when we nurture our minds.

Anna is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in the state of Georgia. In 2018, she opened a private practice, Elevate Counseling + Coaching providing individual therapy and supervision. She is a generalist, but has a lot of experience working with with anxiety, depression, life transitions, and eating disorders. Prior to Elevate, she spent eight years as the Director of Upper School Counseling for a small private school.

She has a passion for working with people. In therapy, Anna’s approach is generally cognitive behavioral therapy mixed with solution-focused techniques. The goal is to challenge you, but for you to leave feeling empowered and capable of controlling your own life. In addition to traditional therapy, she has a lot of experience with leadership development, personal development, and health and wellness and she often weaves those into individual therapy sessions.

My passion is working with the LGBTQ community and with couples. I have worked in many settings and in my own LCSW counseling and consulting practice since 1987. I am originally from the East Coast and came to California, originally the Bay Area for 30 years and San Diego for the past 9, and have worked in medical, acute rehabilitation and outpatient psychiatry for the majority of my career.
I am trained in the Gottman model of couple's therapy, in DBT, CBT, ACT, Trauma resiliency, Prolonged Exposure therapy and CPT.
My most extensive training in the last 7 years has been with gender affirming care.

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.