Damaris Cortés-Figueroa, LPC (12047)
Damaris Cortés-Figueroa speaks three (3) languages: English, Spanish, and American Sign Language (ASL). Damaris was born in Puerto Rico and moved to the United States when she was 18 years old. Damaris loves to listen and to talk to people. Her goal is to guide them to identify their strengths and to do what they love. She also helps people to identify their weakness and encourage them to see positive out of negative.
Qualifications and Background
Damaris Cortés Figueroa earned her Master of Science in Psychology from University of Phoenix in July 2013, she also earned her master’s in counseling program from Liberty University. Damaris graduated with Magna Cum Laude from both programs. Damaris also earned her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from University of Phoenix in 2011 in which she graduated with a GPA of 3.9. On 2009, she completed her minor on Associate of Arts in Human Services Management/Social Work. In 2014, Damaris completed the National Counselor Certification (NCC).
During her graduate program, she interned six years at Access Family Services in Asheville, North Carolina. There, she worked with children and adults of all ages. She provided individual and family therapy for clients, regardless of gender, race, or socioeconomic status. Her clients were children (ages 2 and up), teens, adults, couples, and families. The various populations and situations she has treated are emotional issues, trauma, anxiety, depression, grief work, PTSD, ADHD, and parenting training, among others.
She provided individual therapy to adults in the community with varying mental health diagnoses, including anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and personality disorders. She also co-facilitated a weekly children’s mental health group focused on Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), and Domestic Violence’s groups. As an LPCA, she has worked with youth providing intensive in-home services and as an outpatient therapist for both children and adults.
Presently, Damaris has completed more than four thousand five hundred (4,500) hours of supervised counseling/psychotherapy towards her Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)/ Licensure. Damaris works as an outpatient/school-based counselor, providing services to both children and adults. Some of the issues she is currently address include: understanding and managing anxiety, defiant behaviors, bipolar disorder, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), as well as navigating a new mental health and/or physical health diagnosis. She also works with clients who have experienced, or are experiencing, divorce, bereavement, substance abuse and addiction, and depression.
Damaris’s theoretical orientation is integrative. She is most heavily influenced by the cognitive behavioral, dialectical behavioral, and person-centered, solution-focused approaches to counseling. She pursues a safe, ethical, and consistent relationship with her clients while challenging the client to observe the ways in which the client’s thinking impacts their world. Damaris’s goal is to help her clients gain autonomy and independence in their everyday lives as they work hard toward their identified goals.
Damaris areas of competence include: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral techniques, Triple P, Psycho-education, Play Therapy, Breathing Techniques, Grounding Techniques, and Relationship Enhancement.
Geoffrey Brookshire
Geoffrey is a passionate professional who incorporates music, art, and purposeful movement into therapeutic sessions. He teaches children and adults creative strategies to challenge and overcome symptoms of depression and anxiety. Geoffrey offers guidance and inspiration to individuals seeking to achieve greater emotional balance and positive focus in their lives. He uses a variety of evidenced-based counseling techniques as part of his healthy lifestyle programming.
Geoffrey has developed step by step curriculum that reduces parent-child power struggles, and he has invented a student desk to address behavior and learning needs. Geoffrey has been awarded a U.S. Patent for his state-of-the-art, student desk for brain-based movement, a.k.a. the EDGY desk. Geoffrey’s leading edge strategies empower children to incorporate purposeful movement into any learning scenario, which amplifies academic focus, enhances emotional control, and improves overall health.
With over 20 years of professional experience, Geoffrey has learned how to communicate with and advocate for individuals who feel misunderstood and undervalued, and teach those individuals how to take ownership of their lives and exceed expectations. Are you ready for positive change? Geoffrey welcomes the opportunity to be part of your journey.
Geoffrey is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in the State of North Carolina. He has a Master of Science in Social Work degree (MSSW) from the University of Tennessee and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology degree from Presbyterian College.
Michael S. Thomas, M.A. LCMHC
Michael is a passionate mental health professional emphasizing a person–centered approach to counseling which values the individual’s strengths and qualities to help empower them towards positive growth and create lasting change in their lives. Michael is a solution-focused and believe in the power of empathy, rapport and a trusting therapeutic relationship as the foundation for a positive counseling experience. Michael have 20 years mental health experience including work in Day Treatment school programs (K-12 aged children in Ohio, California and NC), teaching positive parenting classes, marital/couples’ counseling and engaging in mentoring programs of all-aged male populations.
Qualifications and Background
In addition, Michael assisted in establishing an Integrative treatment program in collaboration with medical staff at the Hendersonville Pediatric clinics; this was one of the first holistic treatment programs (mind-body health) of its kind in the state of NC, combining medical and behavioral health care in a medical setting.
His areas of expertise include Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Brief Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (bCBT), Nutrition/physiology health and relationship building and enhancement.
He is most experienced in working with children, adolescents and couples assisting in the areas of anger management, ADHD, anxiety/PTSD, communication skills, depression/suicide prevention, crisis intervention and educating clients on the importance of a healthy mind-body connection.
He has been a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor in the state of North Carolina for 14 years. He received his Master of Counseling degree with a specialization in Marriage and Family Therapy at the University of Phoenix (San Diego campus) and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Clinical Psychology at The Ohio State University
He loves hiking, camping, fitness/nutrition, competitive tennis, watching college football and playing guitar whenever he can get the chance.
Carla Carballo LCMHC, NCC
Carla is a licensed psychotherapist committed to working with individuals and families. Carla’s clinical interests include managing life transitions, relationship issues, working through family or origin, trauma, loss, improving self-esteem, and anxiety. Carla’s experience has taken place in settings that have focused on offering mental health services to minority populations, especially the Latinx population.
Qualifications and Background
Carla’s theoretical orientation is grounded in person-centered counseling and works from an integrative, strength-based approach. She considers counseling to be a collaborative relationship between two people, where the counselor assists and meets the clients where they are. She uses a warm and authentic approach to create a safe space for clients to begin their journey in therapy towards their goals.
Carla received her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Western North Carolina with a double major in Psychology and Art in Studio Art. Carla obtained her Master’s degree in Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Western North Carolina University. Carla has received basic training in Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) Part I and Part II. Carla is bilingual in Spanish and has experience treating individuals of multiple cultural backgrounds. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her children, listening to music, taking a walk, and connecting with nature.
Rosana M. Sullivan LCSW
Rosana enjoys working with teens and caregivers to improve the quality of interaction and type of support that is beneficial to make relational progress and increase safety. All children and families are unique, and Rosana works hard to connect with her clients on what separates them from others and what connects them to their caregivers, families and communities.
In her spare time Rosana likes to read, listen to music, be in nature and spend time with her family and friends.
Qualifications and Background
Rosana earned her Master of Social Work from Adelphi University in NY in May 1999. She has been a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in North Carolina since 2013.
Her experience ranges from partial hospitalization programs for adults with mental illness, case management with a foster family agency and working at Mission ER managing several emergencies related to adult and child welfare. Presently, she works as a clinical supervisor for Intensive In-home and Family Centered Treatment Programs serving children and families with significant risk factors.
Her theoretical orientation is a Bio/Psycho/Social perspective. She seeks to create a safe, ethical, and consistent relationship with clients while challenging the client to observe the ways in which their thinking impacts their own world. Her goal is to help clients gain better understanding of self-protection and self-sufficiency in their everyday lives as they work hard toward their identified goals. Her areas of competence include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral techniques, Triple P parenting, Psychoeducation, art and mindfulness techniques.
Chris NolanLCMHC
My Qualifications
- Master of Science in Rehabilitation Counseling from the University of Kentucky in 2010
- Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor – NC: #11513
- 20 years of counseling experience in a variety of settings
Counseling Background
I use educational methods to assist folks with understanding and identifying what issues are of interest and how the client may wish to include/exclude/modify the impact these issues have on their life. I also attempt to assist clients with identifying potential solutions to problems that prevent the client from moving forward in ways they desire, i.e., vocational, spiritual, relationships with themselves or others, etc.
I am skilled in facilitating self-examination through interviewing, experiential and visualization techniques. My orientation would be termed more eclectic than true to one specific behavioral science discipline. I am skilled at assessment and referral to other community resources when this appropriate and coordinating these resources in a case management capacity as well.
I have worked in a variety of setting over my career including inpatient psychiatric hospitals, community mental health centers, intensive outpatient settings and private practice. Presently, I work as an outpatient/school-based counselor, providing services to both teenagers and adults. A large part of my work is supporting parents and teena gers through the developmental issues and conflicts that arise as children transform into independent, resourceful, and responsible adults. Additional issues I currently address include understanding and managing anxiety, defiant behaviors, bipolar disorder, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), as well as navigating a new mental and/or physical health diagnosis. I also work with clients who have experienced or are experiencing divorce, bereavement, chronic pain, substance abuse and addiction, and depression.
Brutus
I am a proud Puerto Rican native. I am culturally diverse, and I am bi-lingual.
I am very cute and adorable…of course everyone knows that!
I love kids and adults, if they’re having a bad day, I make them smile and change around their mood and attitude!
Did I mention that I am very cute n adorable? I love everyone EXCEPT birds and squirrels!
Michael Thomas, Brutus owner
I’ve seen a marked improvement when clients hold Brutus and play with him. When they are visibly distraught at the beginning of our sessions, he allows them to calm down and relax, lowering their stress levels, anger, and anxiety, alleviates loneliness and allows them to be more open to counseling with me.
I feel that when they interact with Brutus, it helps them feel better about themselves because the unconditional love he provides makes them feel needed and appreciated since they can just be themselves. He compliments the treatment goals that I am working on with the patients.
Studies show that human-animal interactions normalize heart rate and blood pressure, reduces pain, anxiety and depression and increasing pleasure.
According to HUD states, “Emotional support animals by their very nature, and without training, may relieve depression and anxiety, and/or help reduce stress-induced pain in persons with certain medical conditions affected by stress (n.d)
Juan Manuel Hernandez Maintenance/Renovation
My name is Juan Manuel Hernandez; I am from Mexico and moved to North Carolina in 2004. I have been with DC Wellness since 2017. My job at DC Wellness is to keep the buildings up-to-day. I love to work at DC Wellness, and everybody is polite, happy. DC wellness is a family environment.