Melanie Ross

Associate Professional Counselor

About

Melanie is an Associate Professional Counselor. She completed her Bachelors in Photojournalism through the University of Georgia. While completing her BA she discovered that what she most enjoyed about Photojournalism was getting to know people, and to help them tell their stories. Realizing her passion to help people to experience and tell their story well, led her to complete her Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling through Denver Seminary.

While completing her master’s she worked in a college setting counseling young adults dealing with anxiety, depression, and relational issues. After moving back to Georgia, she worked extensively with adults managing a range of mental health problems. She is passionate about working with teens, young adults, and individuals on issues of grief and loss, life transitions, career concerns, and relationship issues. Additionally, she enjoys helping couples rediscover joy in their marriage.

She seeks to create a warm and 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, enjoying the outdoors, reading, and baking. She is a member of the LPCA of Georgia.

Melanie is an Associate Professional Counselor. She completed her Bachelors in Photojournalism through the University of Georgia. While completing her BA she discovered that what she most enjoyed about Photojournalism was getting to know people, and to help them tell their stories. Realizing her passion to help people to experience and tell their story well, led her to complete her Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling through Denver Seminary.

While completing her master’s she worked in a college setting counseling young adults dealing with anxiety, depression, and relational issues. After moving back to Georgia, she worked extensively with adults managing a range of mental health problems. She is passionate about working with teens, young adults, and individuals on issues of grief and loss, life transitions, career concerns, and relationship issues. Additionally, she enjoys helping couples rediscover joy in their marriage.

She seeks to create a warm and 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, enjoying the outdoors, reading, and baking. She is a member of the LPCA of Georgia.

Emily Ruggles

LPC, CRC

About

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.

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.

Janelle James

LPC

About

In my 14+ years of counseling, I have worked in recovery programs, with federal inmates, and in private practice. I have experience with individuals of all ages, couples, and families. I love working with teens and young adults but being on anyone's healing journey is an honor and privilege. Having been married for 28 years and having two adult daughters has given me life experience beyond the classroom that I use everyday in sessions. I build rapport and trust easily with clients earning the me the ability to walk alongside them and speak truth, challenge them when needed, and cheer them on towards living their best life. I use a trauma-informed approach and believe wholeheartedly that people can heal and live their life according to their values.

In my 14+ years of counseling, I have worked in recovery programs, with federal inmates, and in private practice. I have experience with individuals of all ages, couples, and families. I love working with teens and young adults but being on anyone's healing journey is an honor and privilege. Having been married for 28 years and having two adult daughters has given me life experience beyond the classroom that I use everyday in sessions. I build rapport and trust easily with clients earning the me the ability to walk alongside them and speak truth, challenge them when needed, and cheer them on towards living their best life. I use a trauma-informed approach and believe wholeheartedly that people can heal and live their life according to their values.

Anna Kennedy

LPC, CPCS

About

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.

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.

Sheri Schulze

LPC

About

Sheri is an Licensed Professional Counselor who has focused on working primarily with individual adults, who are seeking help with relationships, self-esteem, trauma, chronic illness, anxiety or depression. She also works with spouses experiencing the demands of intense executive life styles and also C Suite women. Sheri completed a Masters in Professional Counseling from Richmont Graduate School in Atlanta, with specialized course work in the application of Christian Spirituality in Counseling.

Sheri’s approach in counseling is to partner with the client in a collaborative way to help them grow in self-leadership of mind, body, and spirit. She works with common obstacles which prevent us from growing into wholeness, some examples are traumas of the past, boundary conflicts, negative self-talk, emotional burdens, health issues, and difficult in patterns of relationship. Deep listening and empathy, together with sound clinical knowledge are the tools Sheri uses to provide a safe haven to explore issues interfering with the client’s goals and desires for life.

Believing that each client is a unique individual, Sheri collaborates with them to determine what specific plan and techniques are best suited for them. She pulls from mindfulness techniques, cognitive behavioral therapy, and emotional regulation practices. Attachment and family systems theories are foundational to her work since identities and experiences largely result from our early influences. At the request of the client, Sheri integrates prayer and Biblical principles in the therapy room.

Sheri has been trained and certified with Christian Healing Ministries, has interned with the Amen Clinic, and has assisted at Cancer Treatment Centers of America. She also serves as a facilitator with the CEO Forum's Spiritual Leadership Institute for CEO women.

Sheri is an Licensed Professional Counselor who has focused on working primarily with individual adults, who are seeking help with relationships, self-esteem, trauma, chronic illness, anxiety or depression. She also works with spouses experiencing the demands of intense executive life styles and also C Suite women. Sheri completed a Masters in Professional Counseling from Richmont Graduate School in Atlanta, with specialized course work in the application of Christian Spirituality in Counseling.

Sheri’s approach in counseling is to partner with the client in a collaborative way to help them grow in self-leadership of mind, body, and spirit. She works with common obstacles which prevent us from growing into wholeness, some examples are traumas of the past, boundary conflicts, negative self-talk, emotional burdens, health issues, and difficult in patterns of relationship. Deep listening and empathy, together with sound clinical knowledge are the tools Sheri uses to provide a safe haven to explore issues interfering with the client’s goals and desires for life.

Believing that each client is a unique individual, Sheri collaborates with them to determine what specific plan and techniques are best suited for them. She pulls from mindfulness techniques, cognitive behavioral therapy, and emotional regulation practices. Attachment and family systems theories are foundational to her work since identities and experiences largely result from our early influences. At the request of the client, Sheri integrates prayer and Biblical principles in the therapy room.

Sheri has been trained and certified with Christian Healing Ministries, has interned with the Amen Clinic, and has assisted at Cancer Treatment Centers of America. She also serves as a facilitator with the CEO Forum's Spiritual Leadership Institute for CEO women.