Clinical Staff

“Often times people struggle to communicate their needs effectively, resulting in feeling not heard and feel invalidated. Some people have never been taught how to appropriately communicate their needs to others. I can be that pathway to empower people to express themselves and have their needs met in a safe and healthy way.”

Megan has five years of clinical practice with clients and three years working as a home-based family therapist. She holds a Masters in Social Work degree from Saint Louis University and has practices in a variety of settings. She is experienced in CBT, TF-CBT, PCIT, and sensory-based interventions.

Specialties/Areas of Experience:

• Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT)
• Trauma
• Abuse/Neglect
• Attachment
• Foster care
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Family dynamics/relationships

“The most gratifying thing about my work with clients is watching them develop confidence in their ability to manage toxic stress and/or mental health symptoms independently during and/or after receiving therapy.”

LaTanya has 10 years of experience working in the social service sector providing treatment to at risk populations or assisting those in need gain access to resources, including, mental health care. LaTanya received her Bachelors Degree in Psychology from Truman State University and Masters Degree in Counseling from Webster University. LaTanya treats adults, children, couples, and families to meet their specific needs while facilitating mental and emotional wellness. LaTanya also serves as the St. Louis City office Clinical Supervisor and manages the Access Center which provides same day or next day counseling services for clients with an immediate need.

Specialties/Areas of Experience:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Chronic/Severe Mental Illness Management
• Crisis Intervention
• Family Therapy
• Play Therapy
• Trauma
• Behavior/Conduct Concerns in Youth
• Child and Adolescent Issues
• Couples/Marriage Counseling
• Relationship Improvement
• Common Life Stressors (work, interpersonal relationships, etc)
• Community Education

Christine is a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner with experience in child, adolescent, adult, and geriatric care. She has worked with some of the top mental health providers in the region and chose to bring her talents to Provident so she can help people of all ages, no matter their financial resources.

About Dr. Reynolds’s Practice

• Accepting referrals for clients of all ages
• Treats a variety of problems such as depression, mood disorders, anxiety, and trauma
• Fees based on a sliding scale
• Many insurances accepted
• Office hours are Monday-Thursday, 9 am-4 pm

Marge works with adult clients with mental health disorders ranging from depression and anxiety to victim issues or couples counseling.  She is licensed in Missouri and Illinois and is a member of ATSA and MoATSA. She uses the latest research to provide best practices for each client’s individual needs.

Specializations

• Group therapy
• Sex offenders
• Victims of sexual abuse

“You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation.” – Plato

Megan graduated from the University of Missouri – St. Louis with a Master’s of Education in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Megan has been working with children and adolescents in behavioral health settings since 2016. She has extensive training and experience utilizing play therapy techniques with children, adolescents, and families and is currently working towards her Registered Play Therapist certification.

“I am extremely passionate about helping others discover their inner strength and then learn how to utilize that strength to create better futures for themselves. I believe that therapy is the perfect setting for assisting individuals on that journey to a more positive and healthy life.”

Specializations

• Play Therapy
• Crisis Intervention
• Child and Adolescent Behavioral Issues
• Caregiver/Child Interactions

“I believe that therapy has the power to help a person rediscover their sense of purpose and, when people realize their potential, they can experience great satisfaction from life and even do amazing things. When people overcome struggles and find healing, it can lead to healthier families and stronger communities.”

Brianna holds a Bachelor’s Degree in both Psychology and Criminal Justice and a Master’s Degree in Social Work. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the state of Missouri. While working with clients, she chooses the methods that best align with their unique needs. She utilizes a strength-based perspective with all clients and then use combinations of Motivational Interviewing, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Existential Therapy, Solution Focused Brief Therapy, TF-CBT, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Family Systems, and Art/Play Therapy techniques.

Specialties/Service Areas/Type of clients she serves:  

• Trauma
• Family Systems Therapy
• Couples
• Crisis Intervention
• Foster care
• Attachment
• Behavior issues
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Severe mental illness
• Work issues
• Grief

“I believe one size does not fit all and finding the approach or approaches that work best for each individual is something that guides my practice.”

Caitlyn strives to create an inviting, comfortable, safe place for client’s to discuss whatever concerns they may have. “I achieve this with a person-centered approach to therapy in which you will feel unconditionally accepted as we work toward your goals for growth and healing.” 

Caitlyn feels the most gratifying thing about the work that she does is when client’s start to see progress and excitedly talk about things going well. The smile that most often accompanies these discussions is heart warming. 

Specializations:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Trauma
• LGBTQAI+
• Immigrants and Refugees

“I am an agent of change. I will be there for my clients as long as they need me to be. I get excited knowing that I can interact with others on more than just a name basis.”

Nicole graduated from UMSL – Mental Health Counseling Program and is CACREP accredited with 1 1/2 years in practice.  Nicole says she is  determined to help others in any way that she can. “This profession allows me to reach a wide range of individuals in any stage in their life. Life is tough; however; having support can make those hard days more manageable. Being able to be a part of others chapters is fulfilling.”

“Working in the behavioral health field has always been one of my strongest passions. Being able to help others in a time of need is such a rewarding feet. Mental health is just as important as physical health and the sooner we recognize that as a society the better off we will be. There is no shame in seeking help, treatment, or resources for mental health needs and we need to work more diligently to remove the stigma around mental health. I am proud to be a part of a team that has the same values that I do and the same drive to see others succeed through such challenges.”

Specializations

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Play Therapy
• Common life issues
• Chronic Illness
• Cancer
• Terminal Disease
• Family Therapy
• Grief
• Suicide
• Self-injury
• Trauma

“I truly feel everyone should seek counseling when needed, even counselors, to be sure we are tuning in to our own needs for support and overall care. I love the work I do because I feel therapy can be a positive way to help lift my clients and support them until they can feel empowered and have the confidence to address life’s challenges on their own.”

Sarah Paradise LPC, NCC, graduated from the University of Missouri-St. Louis with a Master’s of Education in Counseling. Sarah has been with Provident since 2015, first working with the Life Crisis Services department before switching to the Counseling department at our South County location. She enjoys continuing to use her crisis intervention knowledge to help those who struggle with mental health issues, self-injury, grief/loss, and survivors of suicide. She also has a passion of working with clients of all ages to address child/adolescent issues, family/relationship conflict, and LGBT/sexual minority concerns. Sarah feels addressing mental health is key to overall self-care and can often be a first defense for healing and addressing emotional needs.

Specializations

• Crisis intervention
• Mental health issues
• Personality disorders
• Self-injury
• Grief/loss
• Survivors of suicide
• Family dynamics
• Relationship issues
• Child and adolescent issues,
• LGBT/sexual minority concerns

Christine is a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner with experience in child, adolescent, adult, and geriatric care. She has worked with some of the top mental health providers in the region and chose to bring her talents to Provident so she can help people of all ages, no matter their financial resources.

About Dr. Reynolds’s Practice

• Accepting referrals for clients of all ages
• Treats a variety of problems such as depression, mood disorders, anxiety, and trauma
• Fees based on a sliding scale
• Many insurances accepted
• Office hours are Monday-Thursday, 9 am-4 pm

“I want my prospective clients to know that therapy is always a judgment-free zone. Those things in life that are hard or scary to talk about, you can talk about with me or any other Provident therapist without judgment. It can be challenging to open up to someone, but once you do, you have a partner who can help you carry the weight of your problems.”

Jessica holds a Masters degree in Mental Health Counseling and is a license DBT therapist. She is a nationally-certified counselor and a certified gambling disorders counselor. She has been practicing for three years and, in addition to helping individual therapy clients, is is the supervisor of Provident’s Life Crisis Services team.

“I would want any prospective client to know that every individual has the capacity to overcome challenges.  My goal is to help them to discover their inner strengths and to build from there.”

Angela has a Masters of Education in Counseling from University of Missouri-St. Louis. She uses an integrated approach when working with clients to ensure their treatment is individualized to meet their needs. 

Angela specializes in:

• Crisis/suicide intervention and prevention
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Self-esteem
• LGBT/ issues

“Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.” – Charles R. Swindoll

Nicole graduated from Maryville with her Master’s in Rehabilitation Counseling. She is a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) and also has her National Certified Addiction Counselor, Level II (NCAC II) credential. She has experience working with adolescents with substance use disorders and continues to enjoy working with the children and adolescent population.

“I strive to help individuals reach their goals and fullest potential through a collaborative teamwork approach with the client. “

Specializations

• Substance Use
• Crisis Intervention
• Solution-Focused Brief Therapy
• Motivational Interviewing
• Grief/Loss
• Adolescent/Children Issues

Linda has extensive experience working with special needs children and adolescents ranging in age from 5 to 17 and is experienced in both individual and group counseling. 

Specializations

• Learning disabilities
• Speech and language disorders
• Spectrum disorder

“The most gratifying thing about my work is having the ability to support and empower others during some of the most challenging times in their lives, and to be able to witness the incredible growth and transformation that’s possible when clients choose to engage in therapy.”

Alex is a graduate of both Truman State University and University of Missouri- St. Louis and holds a Master’s degree in Social Work. She gained extensive experience working with adolescents and adults for various mental health-related issues early in her career, particularly self-injury, depression, and anxiety.

Alex works from a strength-based approach, as she believes that everyone has an inner strength, and that a large part of her role is to assist individuals in discovering and utilizing whatever that strength may be. She focuses on establishing rapport and strives to create a safe and open environment in which people feel comfortable to be themselves. Alex provides both in-office and in-school services. 

Alex can now provide EMDR services to clients ages 18 and up.  EMDR is an abbreviation for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing and is a specialized form of therapy that helps people heal from trauma or other distressing life experiences. When a disturbing event occurs, it can get locked in the brain, which can lead to past memories feeling very present. EMDR therapy works to stimulate this information in a way that allows the brain to reprocess the material in order to heal. EMDR is effective for helping people heal from emotional adversities such as PTSD, anxiety, depression, phobias, grief/loss, self-esteem & performance anxiety.

Specializations

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Relationship issues
• Adolescent issues

“I have a passion for people and their story. I believe in acceptance, warmth and empathy to help my clients achieve their personal best through therapy.”

Kathy works with clients ranging in age from 6-56 years old and personalizes the therapeutic experience for each. She has a professional background in radio/television broadcasting and travel, which helps her build rapport quickly.

Kathy has a Master’s degree in professional mental health counseling from Webster University and has been helping clients for 8 years.

Specialities

• Trauma recovery
• High-risk
• LGBTQI
• Depression
• Anxiety
• ADHD
• First-responder issues

“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.”   -Viktor Frankl 

Lauren Ochs has an Undergraduate degree in Psychology and Public health from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and a Master of Arts in Counseling from Lindenwood University. Lauren has extensive training in Crisis Intervention and has worked with both children and adults in a behavioral health settings since 2017.

Lauren says, “The most gratifying part of my job is having the honor to be a part of someone’s most vulnerable moment and allowing me to be a part of their new or continuous journey.”

In addition to seeing clients, Lauren is also the Recruitment Coordinator for students and volunteers in the Crisis Department.

Specializations: 

• ​Crisis Intervention
• Self-Injury
• Trauma
• Grief/Loss
• Solution-Focused Brief Therapy
• Eating Disorders
• Sports/Exercise Psychology

“Being a mental health clinician is a privilege, as I am able to witness and support a client’s strengths and growth towards their desired future. I love working towards changes hopes and dreams into a reality.”

Elizabeth holds an undergraduate degree in Psychology from the University of Dayton in Ohio and a Masters in Social Work from Saint Louis University with a specialization in clinical practice with families. She has practiced in variety of settings including hospital, residential, in-home and in-school and is experienced in in CBT, TF-CBT, MI, SFBT, Play Therapy, and DBT.  

Elizabeth recently spoke to Eric Schmid on St Louis Public Radio about the steps everyone should take to take care of their own mental health during the recent COVID-19 pandemic.  Click here to listen to the complete interview.

Specialties/Service Areas/Type of clients you serve: 

• Depression
• Crisis Intervention
• Anxiety
• Self-Injury
• Adolescent Issues
• Relationship Improvement
• Community Education

Marge works with adult clients with mental health disorders ranging from depression and anxiety to victim issues or couples counseling.  She is licensed in Missouri and Illinois and is a member of ATSA and MoATSA. She uses the latest research to provide best practices for each client’s unique needs.

Specializations

• Groups
• Sex offenders
• Victims of sexual abuse

“Jefferson County is my home, too.  I understand the unique obstacles, experiences, and attitudes we have in our region.  I believe every person has the strength and capability to overcome challenges and become the happiest and healthiest version of themselves.  I also believe that sometimes that strength is buried or hidden from us.  Through therapy we can gain insight, learn new ways to cope with everyday life, and process difficult experiences in a safe and judgement-free space.  It is my hope that we can overcome old notions of what it means to ask for help so our friends, neighbors, and families can begin to heal.”

Ms. Casnar is a Jefferson County resident who was in private practice before joining the team. She will provide direct counseling to adult and youth clients in individual, family and group settings.

Residents can schedule an appointment by calling Provident’s Information and First Appointment number at 314-533-8200 or Ms. Casnar at 314-657-7224.

When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves. – Viktor Frankl

Michael works with clients of all ages, helping them through difficult life circumstances and guiding them as they realize the change they want to see in themselves.

He has strong experience in child and adolescent therapy, personality disorders, and crisis intervention. 

Specializations

• Crisis intervention
• Adolescent and child therapy
• Personality disorders
• DBT
• School-based therapy