My name is Angela, I am a Licensed Professional Counselor and Certified EMDR Therapist at The Banyan Tree Center in Athens, Georgia. I work with teens and adults navigating trauma, PTSD, anxiety, depression, relationship struggles, faith questions, and major life transitions. I see clients via telehealth and in person in Athens on a limited basis, and I offer therapy in English, German, and Spanish.

I grew up in Germany, and my path to becoming a therapist is deeply personal. My father had severe PTSD and alcoholism, and my mother struggled with depression for most of my childhood. Growing up with that shaped my deep curiosity about why people think, feel, and behave the way they do. My own healing journey in my early twenties, supported by both faith-based and secular therapy, showed me firsthand what it looks like when someone finally gets the right support. It saved my life, and that conviction has never left me.

Right out of high school I joined Mercy Ships, a humanitarian organization that converts cruise ships into floating hospitals serving the world’s most underserved communities. I lived and worked alongside teams from 80 nations, witnessed profound suffering and remarkable resilience, and began what would become three decades of work with trauma, crisis, and healing across Europe, Africa, Latin America, and beyond. I earned my Bachelor’s in Social Work with a specialty in multicultural counseling and family therapy, then completed a Master’s level training in trauma, brain development, and neuroscience at the Karen Purvis Institute at Texas Christian University, which is where I became an authorized TBRI Educator and Practitioner.

In 2005 I co-founded Haven of Hope International, a nonprofit that trains orphanage staff in trauma-informed care across 4 continents and 6 countries. I spent 8 years working inside Clark County Schools training administrators, teachers, coaches, and law enforcement in trauma-informed practices, with measurable reductions in suspensions and behavior incidents. I have trained judges, attorneys, first responders, healthcare providers, and social workers. I have worked with military personnel and first responders with complex PTSD. And alongside all of that I have built a career as a Certified Executive Coach, working with leaders at UGA and major organizations on psychological safety and team performance.

My style is warm, real, collaborative, and sometimes playful. I believe humor and laughter are foundational to how our brains heal. I don’t sit with a clipboard asking questions. I want to hear your story, understand your world, and help you get curious about your patterns without judgment. You can’t do therapy wrong. That’s my job. My goal is that when therapy pops up on your calendar, you feel like yes, I want to go.

“I know that healing is possible. I’ve seen it in my own life and in countless others over 30 years.”

Background and Credentials

• Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Georgia
• Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC), Florida
• Licensed in the European Union
• Certified EMDR Therapist, consultant-in-training, 50+ recorded sessions with supervision
• TBRI Authorized Educator and Practitioner, Karen Purvis Institute at Texas Christian University
• DBT Certified, 40 hours of specialized training with supervision
• TF-CBT Certified
• IFS Level 1 trained
• ERP trained (OCD and phobias)
• Inference-based CBT trained (OCD and eating disorders)
• Sandtray therapy trained
• Certified CDR Executive and Life Coach
• Non-Violent Communication certified, restorative circles
• Executive Leadership Training, Harvard University (2020)
• Leadership Coaching Certificate, Jim Knight (2025)
• MS in Counseling; BA in Family and Intercultural Counseling
• 30 years of clinical and coaching experience across 3 continents
• Therapy available in English, German, and Spanish

How I Work

• In person · The Banyan Tree Center, Athens GA (monthly)
• Telehealth ages 13+
• In person ages 3+

Approaches: EMDR (certified) · TBRI · DBT · TF-CBT · IFS · ERP · Inference-based CBT · Sandtray therapy · Somatic approaches · Motivational interviewing · Narrative therapy · Trauma-informed care · Executive coaching

What I Specialize In

Trauma and PTSD in Athens, GA

Who I work with: Clients come in carrying childhood trauma, sexual abuse, event trauma, or years of complex PTSD that has quietly shaped everything, their relationships, their anxiety, their ability to feel safe in their own body. Some have tried therapy before and felt like they weren’t doing it right. Some don’t even have words for what happened. They just know something feels stuck and has for a long time.

What we do together: I use EMDR, somatic work, IFS, TF-CBT, and sandtray therapy depending on what a client’s nervous system needs. Trauma is often held in the body, not just the mind, so we work with whatever form of expression helps us get closer to it. I am a Certified EMDR Therapist working toward EMDR consultant status, and I bring that level of depth and precision to this work. Clients always stay in control of the pace. Nothing happens without their consent.

Children, Teens, and Families in Athens, GA

Who I work with: I work with children and teens navigating anxiety, depression, behavior challenges, self-harm, suicidality, and the lasting effects of difficult early experiences. I also work with parents and caregivers who are trying their hardest but not sure how to reach their child. Many families arrive exhausted, having tried everything, and feeling like they’re failing.

What we do together: As an authorized TBRI Educator and Practitioner, I bring one of the most research-backed frameworks for trauma-informed family work available. I help children feel safe enough to heal and help parents understand what their child’s behavior is communicating so they can respond with confidence rather than react from overwhelm. For teens especially, I focus on building trust before anything else. We don’t even have to call it therapy at first.

ADHD, Autism, and Neurodivergent Therapy in Athens, GA

Who I work with: I work with neurodivergent clients including those with ADHD and autism, PDA profiles, and sensory differences. A big part of my work is helping people untangle what is trauma-induced versus what is authentically how their brain is wired, because those are very different and need to be treated differently. Some clients arrive with an existing diagnosis. Others are just beginning to explore whether neurodivergence might explain a lifetime of feeling different.

What we do together: I help clients feel seen and understood in a way many have never experienced before. We get curious about how your brain actually works, what helps you feel regulated, and what environments and strategies actually fit your nervous system. I am ADHD and autism informed with specialized clinical training in both, and I bring that alongside a respect for neurodivergent ways of being.

OCD, Phobias, and Eating Disorders in Athens, GA

Who I work with: Most clients in this area are women dealing with OCD, OCD-related behaviors, phobias, or eating disorders that are rooted in high anxiety or trauma. I also work with clients dealing with religious OCD, known as scrupulosity, which is particularly common among faith-based clients. Many have tried other approaches that haven’t worked and arrive not sure if anything can help.

What we do together: I use inference-based CBT and IFS specifically for OCD and eating disorders, alongside ERP for phobias. I pursued this training because of a personal experience in my own family, so I bring both clinical expertise and genuine understanding to this work. The outcomes I have seen with clients in this area have been really meaningful.

Life Transitions and Relationship Issues in Athens, GA

Who I work with: Some clients are navigating the end of a marriage, a career change, a major loss, or a season of life that looks nothing like they expected. Others are struggling in their relationships, not sure how to move forward or whether to stay. I also work with college students figuring out what they want from life and executives dealing with burnout, anger, or patterns that are hurting their relationships at work and at home.

What we do together: The work looks different for every client. Some need to talk it through. Some need somatic work. Some need practical tools and a clear plan forward. I weave in motivational interviewing, solution-focused approaches, and executive coaching skills depending on what the client needs. My executive coaching background means I can be very practical and goal-oriented when that’s what serves the client best.

Faith, Spirituality, and Church Hurt in Athens, GA

Who I work with: Many of my faith-based clients are Christians who still believe in God but have been hurt by the church, whether through spiritual abuse, power dynamics, or sexual abuse within faith communities. They want a therapist who will honor their faith rather than dismiss it, and who understands the particular pain of being harmed by the very place that was supposed to be safe.

What we do together: I bring my own Christian faith into this work in whatever way the client finds helpful. We process the harm, work through the grief and confusion, and help the client find their own footing again spiritually and emotionally. For clients whose faith is complicated, evolving, or absent, I hold that with equal care. I follow the client’s lead always.

A Few Things I Want You to Know

Before your first session: Just come as you are. I’m proud of you for being here. I know there are probably a million other places you’d rather be right now, and it takes real courage to walk through the door. This is a confidential space unlike any other, and I will do everything I can to make it a good experience. I never take your trust for granted.

Something I wish more people knew: Therapy is highly scientific. Your brain and nervous system are organs. When something difficult happens, there is injury there, not because something is wrong with you, but because life is hard and sometimes it gets to be too much. If you injured your ankle you wouldn’t hesitate to see a physical therapist. Your brain deserves the same care. It’s not what is wrong with you. It’s what happened to you.

Who I do my best work with: People who are ready to heal. Who know that something happened to them and it’s just too much to carry alone anymore. I especially connect with people who have always felt a little out of place in the world, immigrants, adoptees, people who’ve lived between cultures, LGBTQ+ individuals, and anyone who has spent a lifetime feeling different. I know what that feels like. We find each other quickly.

One more thing: My goal is that after every session you walk away feeling deeply seen and understood. I will be honest with you, I will never waste your time, and if I think someone else at The Banyan Tree would serve you better, I will tell you that too. What matters most is that you get the right help.