Brooke Utley, M.S., LPC
Licensed Professional Counselor / Director
Brooke has been a counselor since 2009, and is the Director of Empowerment Therapy Center. She is passionate about making a difference in the community, in individuals, and in families, and hiring experienced clinicians that have similar ethics, passion, provide quality services, and have diverse perspectives and approaches. Brooke is always trying to meet the needs of the community by starting new programs that serve the community’s needs, and the needs of the practice’s clientele. She works hard at making sure the staff at Empowerment Therapy Center resembles a healthy family, which is important for practice morale, case coordination, and for more effectively serving clients.
Dawn Aronson, LMFT
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
As a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) in Virginia since 2000, Dawn has experience helping people find solutions to their struggles. Approaching therapy as a collaboration, she aims to help you identify obstacles as well as strengths to determine solutions for the issues affecting your life. Her mission is to guide and encourage you to achieve a more functional, peaceful and healthy way of life. She has years of successful experience and has helped a wide variety of adults, couples, children and families reach their goals.
Areas of interest and specialization include but are not limited to Relationship issues, Couples and Families, Mood Disorders, Anxiety/Panic and Coping with life change, Trauma/Abuse, Grief, Career and Workplace difficulties, Self Esteem, ADHD and Conduct issues, Communication Issues, Personality Disorders, Multicultural concerns, Internet Addiction, Eating Disorders, Chronic Health concerns, and Christian Focused Counseling.
Tyler Grosskopf, M.A., LPC
Licensed Professional Counselor
Tyler has been a counselor since 2016, and is passionate about empowering individuals with a solution-focused approach. Through collaboration, she works with her clients to create personalized solutions in a safe environment where her clients are free to be their most authentic selves. Tyler works with children, teens, and young adults. She utilizes a strengths-based perspective along with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help clients manage depression, anxiety, anger, life transitions, self-harm and suicidal ideation. Tyler also runs a confidence-building group therapy program for middle schoolers and high-schoolers.
Elizabeth Mohaupt, M.A., NCC, LPC
Licensed Professional Counselor
Beth is a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Virginia and a National Certified Counselor. She started in the field of counseling in 2007 and has worked in Residential care, Intensive In-Home Counseling, Therapeutic Day Treatment, Skill-Building services, and outpatient therapy. Beth has a passion in working with children, adolescents, adults, and families. She is well-versed in treatment for ADHD, anxiety, depression, impulse-control, trauma, anger management, behavioral concerns in children and adolescents, and parenting. Beth’s main approach to counseling is person-centered, but she also incorporates mindfulness and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) in her work. She likes to empower and guide each individual to make the changes that they desire to make in their own lives.
Nadia Aziz, M.A., LPC
Licensed Professional Counselor
Nadia has experience working clients of different backgrounds and age groups and has helped them navigate their Anxiety, Depression, Trauma, Sexual/Physical/Verbal Abuse, PTSD, Substance Abuse, Anger Management and Domestic Violence. She works with clients by empowering them and helping them find their strengths and utilize them to become the best version of themselves. Nadia’s goal is to provide a safe and non-judgmental space for clients where they can be themselves and discuss an array of topics that are important to them. She loves to use Mindfulness based approaches, such as Guided Imagery, Meditation, Breathing, and Body Scans, as well as CBT, DBT, and Solution-Focused approaches to Counseling. Nadia also has training in Multicultural Counseling and Faith Based Counseling. Nadia is multi-lingual and can speak and provide counseling in Urdu and Hindi and understands Punjabi.
Shakarla Brown, M.S.
Licensed Resident in Counseling
Shakarla is a Licensed Resident in Counseling who has experience providing counseling to children, adolescents, and adults. She provides support and counseling to individuals who experience various challenges, such as clinical depression, anxiety, stress management, ADHD, Autism, life phase challenges, and substance abuse. She is passionate about helping individuals change their self-perception and improve their self-worth by fighting negative core beliefs and establishing healthy ones. Her therapeutic approaches include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Reality Therapy, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, Christian Counseling, and Motivational Interviewing. Shakarla believes that daily victories are as significant as obtaining life goals.
Renee Bullock, Psy.D., M.S., M.S., M.S.
Licensed Resident in Counseling
Renee provides telehealth and in-person counseling to individuals, couples, and families of all ages. She provides support to clients with a wide range of concerns, including but not limited to, depression, anxiety, stress management, ADHD, autism, trauma, communication issues, and substance abuse. Her therapeutic approaches include Narrative Therapy, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). She is passionate about helping clients improve their self-esteem and self-worth by separating the person from the problem and the problem from the person to assist the client with creating a new narrative or new meaning about their life. Renee believes that we can take back control of our lives by “re-storying” one narrative at a time. Renee has a Doctorate in Psychology, and a master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling.
Bryan Carroll, M.S.
Licensed Resident in Counseling
Bryan provides online/ telehealth, and in-person counseling. He works with individuals, families, groups, and couples of all ages. Bryan has over 10 years of experience working with children and adolescents as a counselor, a coach, and an educator. He works with clients with a wide range of concerns, including (but not limited to) depression, anxiety, gender dysphoria, interpersonal relationships, racial identity, transgender (any age), self-esteem, and many other mental health and developmental concerns. Bryan utilizes a variety of therapeutic approaches such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Solution Focused Therapy, Person-Centered Therapy, Play Therapy, Internal Family Systems, and Motivational Interviewing, to name a few. He believes that having empathy and a genuine connection with his clients promotes a positive therapeutic journey toward overcoming obstacles and achieving goals.
Leigh D’Lugos, M.Ed.
Licensed Resident in Counseling
Leigh received a Master of Education degree in Clinical Mental Health from George Mason University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Florida State University. She works primarily with adults, and provides both in-person and on-line/telehealth therapy. Leigh uses a trauma-informed, and person-centered approach to help clients achieve their therapeutic goals, including assisting them with accessing their own inner resources for positive change and healing. Leigh has training in and experience using a wide variety of therapeutic methods including: Internal Family Systems (IFS), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Motivational Interviewing (MI), Solution-Focused Therapy (SFT), Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) and mindfulness-based practices. She also has training in complex trauma and dissociation. Leigh’s approach honors the unique aspects of each client, and she has experience working with individuals with diverse ethnicities, cultures, religious/spiritual traditions, genders, and sexual orientations. She works with clients on a wide range of issues including anxiety, mood disorders, ADHD, LGBTQIA+ related issues, grief, relationship issues, addiction, dissociative disorders, and trauma and stress related disorders including PTSD.
Megan Dunning, M.A.
Licensed Resident in Counseling
Megan has an M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Marymount University. She has clinical experience working with individuals and groups of all ages, but she primarily works with preteens, teens and adults. She works with clients on a wide range of issues, including (but not limited to) ADHD symptom management, anxiety, disorders, interpersonal relationship issues, communication and assertiveness skills, attachment styles, self-esteem issues, phase of life issues, grief, and various other mental health concerns. Megan primarily works from a person-centered theoretical approach, but incorporates elements of existentialism, cognitive behavioral therapy, and solution-focused therapy. She believes that each client is the guide of their own individual therapeutic journey, and that through collaboration and connection, she and each client can work together to achieve their mental health and wellness goals and improve overall quality of life.
Raymond Eck, M.Ed.
Licensed Resident in Counseling
Ray provides online, telehealth counseling for individuals. He primarily works with teens and adults. He works with clients with a wide range of issues including (but not limited to):
• Anxiety • Depression • Gender Dysphoria (teen/adult) • Life Transitions • Oppositional Defiance • Parenting • Peer Relationships • Racial Identity • School Issues • Self Esteem •Transgender (teen/adult)
Ray believes that therapy is a journey. Ray’s therapeutic style is collaborative and based on respecting a person’s right to choose their own path. He approaches each client as having unique needs that may benefit from a combination of approaches including CBT, CPT, Internal Family Systems, LGBTQIA+ affirming care and Motivational Interviewing. Ray has traveled throughout the world and seen clients from Europe, Asia, and South America. He is also a member of the LGBTQIA+ community and has had extensive experience supporting the community as a speaker for Equality Virginia and providing training to future generations of counselors at George Mason University.
Rebecca Fisher, M.S, M.A.
Licensed Resident in Counseling
Rebecca has an M.A. in Pastoral Clinical Mental Health from Marymount University and an M.S. in Library and Information Studies from Florida State University. A second-career therapist, she brings decades of experience working with children, adolescents, adults, and the elderly to her counseling practice. Rebecca uses a person-centered approach as the foundation for treatment, introducing-as appropriate-state-of-the-art modalities that can help clients-individually, as couples, or as families-manage everyday challenges, move through critical situations, and assist them in personal growth.
Bayley Gilhuys, M.S.
Licensed Resident in Counseling
Bayley received her master’s degree from Walden University in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Her pronouns are she/her. Bayley enjoys working with teens, young adults, and adults. Within these subgroups, she has worked clinically with individuals with needs such as Anxiety, Depression, ADHD, Gender Questions, Sexual Orientation, Social Skills, and many other needs. She has the experience and enjoys working with LGBTQ++ groups and individuals. Bayley primarily comes from a cognitive behavioral approach with interventions such as guided meditations, art therapy, play therapy, and more. Bayley views therapy as being a GPS to guide others on the path they want to travel; roads can be hard, rock, or smooth but with guidance, you don’t have to be alone on that journey.
Ashleigh Jackson, M.A.
Licensed Resident in Counseling
Ashleigh graduated from Liberty University in 2021, and has been providing counseling services since 2020. Ashleigh works with adults and adolescents facing a variety of challenges including depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, feeling overwhelmed, grief, assertiveness, communication skills and more. Her goal is to provide a supportive atmosphere where clients feel safe sharing their feelings and thoughts without the fear of judgment. Ashleigh uses a variety of techniques to help clients achieve healing, and become the best version of themselves. It is Ashleigh’s hope that upon termination from treatment, her clients will have improved self esteem, communication skills, and coping skills, as well as many tools to use when feeling anxious and depressed.
Diana Jones, M.A.
Licensed Resident in Counseling
Katherine Kraft, M.A.
Licensed Resident in Counseling
Katherine has eight years of experience including teaching, mentoring, coaching, and counseling; she has provided clinical mental health therapeutic services since 2018. Katherine has had the privilege of working with diverse populations in parts of Asia, Africa, Europe, and South America. Working with children, teenagers, individuals, and couples Katherine is passionate about providing support, respect, unconditional positive regard, and a safe space for clients to express themselves in a nonjudgmental environment. She seeks to collaborate with clients in helping them grow, gain coping skills, overcome obstacles, work through transitions, determine strengths, and find hope. Katherine approaches therapy from a holistic perspective, taking into account an individual’s mind, body, and emotions. She considers an individual’s history, as well as the present, and how they pertain to future aspirations and goals. Katherine ascribes to mostly Cognitive Behavioral, Dialectical Behavior, Person-Centered, and Solution-Focused Therapies. Katherine works with, but is not limited to, assisting clients in the following areas: anxiety, depression, life transitions, grief, self-esteem, relationship problems, decision-making, career planning, communication, assertiveness skills, and boundaries.
Ruben Molina, M.A.
Licensed Resident in Counseling
Ruben believes that balance is essential to living life to the fullest. His goal is to help children, adolescents, and adults, learn to navigate through difficult circumstances, and to instill hope, and motivate clients to go after their life goals. It is Ruben’s genuine desire to enter into the broken life of a person and become a bridge through which they can walk to the other side of their brokenness with a new perspective. Ruben has been providing counseling services since 2015, and speaks Spanish and English fluently.
Rachel Neahusan, M.A.
Tiara Neal, M.A.
Licensed Resident in Counseling
Tiara understands that life is a journey filled with many ups & downs. She believes that sometimes we need guidance navigating through challenges, a listening ear, or even motivation. Her goal is to help clients understand themselves and gain the tools they need to maintain a healthy and functional life.
Tiara has experience working with young adults, teens, adolescents, and children that have faced various challenges including Anxiety, Depression, ADHD, low self-esteem, family conflict, and many others.
Tiara believes it is essential to work together as a team with clients so they can become their “best self.” Tiara wants to help her clients make lemonade when life gives them lemons.
Kali Quigley, M.A.
Licensed Resident in Counseling
Sometimes we feel misunderstood, need someone to talk to without fear of judgement, have someone listen and provide insight into what we are experiencing, or just need help obtaining mental health. Whatever the reason, Kali will be there to support you on your journey; she is dedicated to empowering and providing advocacy for her clients. Kali has a Bachelors of Science degree in Psychology from Western Illinois University, and a Masters of Arts in Clinical Counseling from Northwestern University with an emphasis in Child and Adolescent Counseling. Kali has experience working with children, adolescents, adults, couples and families. Kali’s theoretical orientation is integrative, pulling from Psychodynamic, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Internal Family Systems, Multicultural Counseling, and always approaches treatment from a Person Centered Approach. Kali specializes in treating clients who are suffering from ADHD, depression, anxiety, trauma, obsessive-compulsive behaviors, communication issues, and life transitions, among others. You are the expert in your life, and Kali will work with you on your goals, tailoring her theoretical orientation to your needs.
Elena Stevens, M.A.
Licensed Resident in Counseling
*Not accepting new clients at this time.*
Elena has a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health and has over 10 years of experience providing guidance and support to families, individuals, and couples transitioning through various stages of life.
Elena believes that therapy is a journey of self-discovery, healing, and growth and that a journey like that should not be made alone. Life can be overwhelming, confusing, full of grief, hurt, stress and unspeakable trauma. Elena helps her clients process traumatic experiences, make meaning of life’s events, develop emotional regulation and healthy coping, increase interpersonal effectiveness, and ultimately create an empowered and compassionate self-narrative. Elena’s therapeutic style is collaborative, based on unconditional respect for each person’s unique life experience and reflects a firm belief that we already hold the answers – it is just a matter of learning to hear them.
Elena enjoys working with children, adolescents, adults, and couples with a wide range of concerns: depression, anxiety, complex trauma, ADHD, PTSD, grief and loss, marital stressors, parental stressors, and adjustment issues. She tailors her approach to the individual needs of each client using Emotion Focused Therapy, Attachment Theory, CBT, TF-CBT, DBT, Mindfulness, and Internal Family Systems.
Stephen Weber, B.S.
Certified Life Coach
Stephen works with teens and adults of all ages and genders, and has a passion for helping people through difficult times or transitions. He is experienced particularly with young adults with social anxiety, generalized anxiety, lack of motivation and those who may be struggling to find direction as a young adult, or as they approach adulthood. Stephen also has experience working with individuals going through separation or divorce.
Stephen’s approach involves working closely with each client to identify their desires, values, and beliefs. Then he works with his clients to determine what might be holding them back from accomplishing goals, or overcoming an obstacle. Stephen collaborates with his clients to decide where the client wants to focus their energy or passion, and helps the client develop any needed motivation or confidence to accomplish related goals. He believes it is important to identify each individual’s strengths and abilities and then apply practical, individualized solutions for accomplishing goals. Goals can be relational, professional, or personal.