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.
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.
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.