Pro Bono Counseling Project

Licensed Mental Health Professionals with Decades of Experience

Assistance Available for Qualifying Applicants

An opportunity to Serve the uninsured or underinsured in the Michiana Community

About the Pro Bono Counseling Project

The goal of the Pro Bono Counseling Project (PBCP) is to increase access to mental health counseling for individuals, couples or families who do not have insurance or are otherwise unable to afford mental health counseling.

This is a short- term counseling arrangement (up to 12 sessions within a 3-6 month period) with a volunteer licensed mental health professional at no cost to the client. Volunteer therapists need to have an active Indiana license and malpractice coverage.

This program is designed to help you address…

  • Relationship problems
  • Parenting stress & Other life stress
  • Transitions
  • School or work problems
  • Adjustment issues
  • Grief/loss
  • Mild to moderate anxiety and depression
PROGRAM Qualifications

Short term therapy is a great service for individual, couples and families with acute problems.

Once we receive your application, we will review it to make sure you are a good candidate for this project. We consider your employment and insurance status, as well as your financial stress and the type of problem you are hoping to address with a therapist.

As the therapist is donating their time, it is expected that the client does their best to keep scheduled appointments. The therapist may choose to terminate the service after multiple missed appointments. If the assigned therapist or applicant determine that the client needs will not be well met by the therapist, the PBCP will assist in connecting the client with another therapist or service.

The following list are problems that are best served through other providers and organizations in the community. We are happy to help connect applicants with other appropriate community services.

  • Active drug or alcohol abuse.
  • Currently in a violent or abusive relationship.
  • Need documentation for disability.
  • Seeking psychological testing.
  • Seeking psychiatric care.
  • Serious mental illness.
  • Need court ordered counseling.
  • Children under age 18 unless they are participating in family therapy.
  • Applicants receiving counseling from another source.
  • For applicants who can afford a sliding scale, we will refer out from our list of community providers who accept sliding scale.
  • Applicants who are eligible for insurance but not receiving it will be screened to determine what support/ service is needed.

Interested in Volunteering?

MHAM is always looking for volunteer counselors to help

Current Volunteer Therapists

Jean Davidson
LCSW, LMFT

Jean Davidson, LCSW, LMFT, has been in practice for over 35 years. She provides individual therapy to adults and also offers couples therapy and family therapy. She has also been trained in EMDR and mindfulness.

Maria Guarraci
LCSW

Maria Guarraci, LCSW, has been in practice for over 12 years. She specializes in treating individuals experiencing anxiety and depression. Maria takes a Solutions Based Approach to therapy.

Lisa Kelly
LCSW, MPH

Lisa Kelly, LCSW, has been in practice for over 30 years. She provides individual therapy to clients suffering from perinatal mood disorders, anxiety, and depression. She utilizes CBT and Mindfulness Based strategies in therapy.

Naomi Adams
LCSW, LCAC

Naomi Adams, LCSW, LCAC, has been in practice for over 20 years. She specializes in treating individuals experiencing depression, anxiety, and substance abuse issues with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and mindfulness.

John Petersen
PsyD, HSPP

John Petersen, PsyD, HSPP, has been in practice for over 25 years. He works with couples, and his practice is grounded in Gottman Method Couples Therapy. He also specializes in sex therapy, anxiety, and OCD.

Keilah Hamood
LMHC, LCAC

Keilah Hamood, LMHC, LCAC, has been in practice for over 5 years. She provides individual counseling to those who are suffering from domestic violence, trauma, anxiety, and women’s issues. She utilizes EMDR, CBT, DBT, Ego State, Polyvagal, and Mindfulness-Based strategies in therapy.

Angie Mills
LCSW

Angie Mills, LCSW, has been in practice for over 20 years. She specializes in the treatment of sexual abuse, sexual assault, and self-harm along with depression, anxiety, and other issues faced by women. She utilizes CBT, Interpersonal Therapy, Family Systems Therapy, and EMDR.

Betty Guzman
LMHC

Betty Guzman, LMHC, has been in practice for over 10 years. She provides individual, couples, and family counseling to those who are struggling with issues of anxiety, depression, premarital, marital, trauma and co-parenting. She utilizes Emotion Focused Therapy, Gottman, EMDR, and IFS.

Lisa Yeager
LCAC

Lisa Yeager, LCAC, has been in practice for over 5 years. She specializes in EMDR and treating individuals experiencing substance abuse issues.

Neil Gilbert
LCSW
Neil Gilbert, LCSW, has been in practice for over 35 years. He has experience in providing individual, family, and couples counseling. He is trained in Healing Touch, NLP, and Family Systems Therapy
Angela M. Henry
LCSW

Angela M. Henry, LCSW has been in practice for over 20 years.  She provides individual counseling, specializing in OCD and anxiety-related disorders, body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRB’s), Tourette Syndrome, as well as trauma. She is also certified in EMDR, CBIT, and TS-BTI.

Yessica Lawson Gonzalez
MSW, LSW

Yessica Lawson Gonzalez, MSW, LSW, has been in practice for over 4 years. Her specialties include trauma work, mood disorders, life transitions, grief, relationship/familial, and women’s issues. She is trained in IFS, CBT, DBT, SFBT, and EMDR. Yessica is fluent in Spanish.

Katie Steele
PhD

Katie Steele, PhD, has been in practice for over 35 years.  She focuses on healing and recovery within a holistic, mind~body~spirit wellness perspective.  She is certified in EMDR and group therapy.

Jennifer Grubbs
LCSW

Jennifer Grubbs, LCSW, has been in practice for over 5 years.  She specializes in trauma, substance abuse, anxiety, life stressors, and motherhood.

Angela Fitch
MSW, LSW

Angela Fitch, MSW, LSW, has been in practice for nearly 2 years.  She works with individuals, children, adolescents, and families.  She is trained in CBT, SFBT, and play therapy.

Janee Carlile
LMHCA

Janee Carlile, LMHCA, recently graduated with a concentration in Clinical Mental Health Counseling.  She works with individuals experiencing anxiety, depression, borderline personality disorder, disordered eating, life transitions, and grief/loss. She has been trained in SBFT, ACT, CBT, and existential perspectives.

Nina Stoeckel
PsyD, HSPP

Nina Stoeckel,PsyD, HSPP, has been in practice for over 12 years. She works with individuals experiencing anxiety, depression, grief, insomnia, trauma, and adjustment to acute and chronic physical illness.  She primarily utilizes ACT, CBT, and UP.

Amanda Rhoades
LCSW

Amanda Rhoades, LCSW, has been in practice for over 20 years.  She works with individuals, and families, specializing in anxiety, depression, anger management, women’s issues, and trauma.  She utilizes CBT, DBT, and other approaches in her therapy.

Taylor Odviar
LMSW

Taylor Odviar, LMSW, has been in practice for nearly 2 years.  She specializes in ADHD, Anxiety, Autism, Bipolar Disorder, Depression, Dual Diagnosis, Grief, Impulse Control Disorders, Life transitions, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and PTSD/Trauma.

Elyse Chudzynski
LMHCA

Elyse Chudzynski, LMHCA, has worked in private practice for the last year. She provides individual counseling to children, adolescents, and adults struggling with anxiety, depression, trauma, life transitions, and grief. She is trained in culturally competent counseling, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, and often uses Expressive Arts as an intervention.

Raizy Yormark
LMSW

Raizy Yormark, LMSW, has been in practice for nearly 2 years.  She primarily works with female caregivers.  She has been trained in IFS, EMDR, Safe and Sound (Polyvagal), Maternal Mental Health, and trauma.

Melina Sample
PhD

Melina Sample, PhD, has been in practice for over 10 years.  She specializes in working with people with chronic pain or illness.  She utilizes CBT, Person-Centered Therapy, Interpersonal Therapy, Solution Focused Therapy, and other approaches in her therapy.

Mary Pottenger
LMHCA

Mary Pottenger, LMHCA, has been in practice for the past year. She primarily works with individuals who are tired of talk therapy. She has been trained in art therapy but also draws on CBT, DBT, and motivational interviewing.

Terri Rumfelt
LSW

Terri Rumfelt, LSW, has been in practice for over 2 years. She primarily works with people dealing with PTSD, addiction, anxiety, and depression. She has been trained in IFS, CBT, and DBT.

Ashlee Radzikowski
LSW

Ashlee Radzikowski, LSW, has been in practice for nearly 2 years. She primarily works with women navigating a transition including pregnant and post-partum women. She uses a strengths based and goal oriented approach.

Laura Elena Zarandona
LMHC

Laura Elena Zarandona, LMHC, has been in practice for over 10 years. She primarily works with individuals, couples, and families. She has been trained in IFS, and EMDR, and uses the Gottman approach in couples counseling.

Bayley Morse
LCSW

Bayley Morse, LCSW, has been in private practice for 2 years and has over 16 years of experience as a social worker. She works with a wide range of individuals primarily survivors of trauma and those experiencing chronic pain and autoimmune disorders. She utilizes a variety of treatment modalities including IFS-informed EMDR.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens after I qualify for the program?

Once an applicant is screened and found to be appropriate for the PBCP, MHAM matches the applicant to a volunteer therapist. Once the therapist accepts the applicant, the therapist follows their normal protocols. The PBCP will request a monthly check in (on line) for an update on whether the service is still being provided. At the completion of the service, the PBCP will ask for an feedback of how the service went, including progress made.

If you are found eligible for this program, there is no additional cost to you.

We will help make referrals for services needed beyond the scope of what our volunteer therapists are able to provide.

Once you begin work with your volunteer therapist, you will contact them directly with any changes needed to scheduling. We are here to help trouble shoot any problems that arise during your participation with the program.

Contact MHAM directly if you feel that the therapist will be unable to meet your needs. We will work hard to match you with a service provider who will meet your needs.

 
 
 
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