Machelle Johnson, M.A, LPC/MHSP

Machelle is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Mental Health Clinician in the state of Tennessee. She works in areas of depression, anxiety, co-dependency, grief, substance abuse, trauma, abuse and other life controlling issues.
Machelle received her Master of Arts degree in Professional Counseling from Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA. She serves as the co-director of Celebrate Recovery, a Christ centered 12-step recovery program. Machelle uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help change one’s thought processes, along with an eclectic approach of other evidence-based models to best help clients. She also implements a Biblical approach, which can play a role in the healing process. She has the desire to help others find hope and joy. “People Start To Heal The Moment They Are Heard.”–quote by Cheryl Richardson

Kellie Lauzon MS., LPC-MHSP

Kellie Lauzon graduated from Grand Canyon University where she received her Master’s in Professional Counseling with an Emphasis in Trauma. She is a Nationally Certified Counselor. Kellie is passionate about creating a safe place for anyone to enter and find freedom, peace, and joy. Embracing a gentle and understanding approach, she is here to create a safe space to guide individuals on a journey of self-discovery and healing by freely express themselves. 

Kellie is passionate about CBT and DBT-informed therapy. She is working towards specialization in other types of therapies over the next few years.

Kellie works with multiple types of individuals and issues including: LGBTQ+, anxiety, depression, self-esteem, lack of confidence, relationships, boundaries, communication, family issues, PTSD, trauma, life transitions, stress management, mood disorders, grief and loss, anger management, work-related adjustments, substance abuse and addiction, academic stress/struggles, communication skills, chronic illness, and interpersonal difficulties. Kellie has a special interest in those seeking holistic care on a mental, physical, and social level. Kellie looks forward to meeting you where you are in life and helping you find your way. She is dedicated to providing individual counseling sessions for those 12 years old and up. 

Kellie’s goal is to foster an atmosphere of comfort and trust, ensuring individuals feel heard and supported every step of the way.

If this interests you, let’s embark together on a path towards self-understanding and positive change.

Adrianna Sifford M.Ed., LPC-MHSP, NC

Adrianna is a licensed professional counselor with a M.Ed in Mental Health Counseling. She received her undergraduate degree in Psychology from Arkansas State University. She has worked in several settings throughout her career: college counseling centers, in home counseling, on a psychiatric unit and is now transitioning to private practice. She has a passion for children, teenagers and families. She has extensive experience in depression, anxiety, psychosis and post-partum issues. She views her role as a counselor is to walk along side people as they heal and navigate life. Adrianna is a Christian who asks Christ to guide her words in every session; but welcomes any belief system a client brings with them. She is uses a variety of different therapeutic techniques to match client needs including mindfulness, play therapy, DBT and solution focused therapy.

She has been married to her husband Jackson for five years and together they have a two year old son. The have settled down in Cleveland after being raised in Arkansas.  In her free time you can find her tending to her backyard chickens and playing in her flowerbeds.

Insurance Accepted:
BCBS, AETNA, Amerigroup, CIGNA, Methodist Healthcare EAP, Care Bridge EAP and ACI EAP

For more information about Adrianna and her counseling services, please refer to her profile on Psychologytoday.com, or call our administrative office during regular business hours.

Sarah Varnes – M.S., LMFT

Sarah is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who received her Masters from Lee University in Cleveland, TN. Sarah additionally has an undergraduate degree in psychology. Having a degree in Marriage and Family Therapy, Sarah is trained to look at a client in relation to their system. This system includes the client’s family, their behaviors, relationship patterns, communication, both in and outside of the therapy session. It is important to note that a healthy system can only exist when the expectations, needs, desires, and behaviors of each person within the system have been considered. Sarah has a wide range of experience with clients of different ages and diversity. Sarah has experience in working with individuals, children (ages 6 and up), couples (married, unmarried, and premarital), families and LGBTQ clients. Sarah is passionate about sitting with clients and giving them a safe space to process their narratives. She enjoys working with issues including, but not limited to grief/loss, life transitions, anxiety/depression, low self-esteem, childhood/adult ADHD, and parenting. She has a facilitator certification for Prepare/Enrich, an assessment tool for both married and premarital couples who want to better understand and improve their relationship. Sarah utilizes Play Therapy techniques and interventions with her younger clients. Sarah’s primary therapeutic influences are Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Narrative Therapy. CBT focuses strongly on restructuring unhelpful thought patterns. Narrative therapy focuses on the client’s current story and how healing can rewrite the future narrative. Sarah has found that both modalities work well together in providing relief and healing.

Samuel An – MA

I recently received my Master’s Degree in Mental Health Counseling from a CACREP accredited program at the Pentecostal Theological Seminary in Cleveland, TN and currently pursuing licensure. In addition, I received my undergraduate degree in Psychology at the University of Tennessee in Chattanooga.

I have a wide range of experience with clients of all age groups with different backgrounds and diversity, all walks of life. Most of my experience comes from counseling those struggling with addiction, low self-esteem, anxiety and depression. I’m passionate about helping clients and giving them a safe place to process their struggles in life. I like to utilize Person-centered therapy using Theological counseling (God-centered counseling). 

Claude J Bowden – DMin, MacMHC

Do you feel misunderstood? I have personally experienced and overcome addiction, marital failure, spiritual uncertainty, and feelings of hopelessness. I understand the fear and anxiety that come with seeing no way out, like you are alone in your despair. My goal is to guide the individual, couple, or family to function effectively. Together we can take steps to achieve what you once believed to be impossible.

I have a doctor’s degree in ministry and a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling. I use a foundation of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with my clients, infused with tools from other evidence based practices. For those clients who have been disillusioned by religious organizations and are seeking healing, I also offer spiritual direction.

I am passionate about helping others reach their desired goals. The journey can be hard and frightening, but it is not hopeless. I find immense joy in helping my clients attain contentment, wellness, and peace.

Office Hours:
Cleveland Office: Monday and Tuesday 10AM to 5PM
Dayton Office: Wednesday and Thursday 10AM to 5PM

Dr. Bill Effler-M.A.

Dr. Bill Effler (he is commonly called, “Dr. E.”), a native Californian, received his undergraduate degree from the University of Southern California and both graduate and doctoral degrees from Fuller Theological Seminary.  While living in California he served four churches in a variety of capacities including that of Senior Pastor. In other professional venues he has been a business consultant, an intake counselor in a residential treatment facility, a case counselor in a group practice, and served as a board member of the Southeastern Tennessee Alzheimer’s Association. Since moving to Tennessee in 2000, he has been on the faculty in the School of Theology and Ministry at Lee University, in Cleveland, Tennessee while also serving as a ‘Strengths Vocational Advisor’ in the university’s Center for Calling and Career.

Bill says, “At my core, I passionately believe God can completely transform persons that have been blindsided by chronic and debilitating lifestyle choices”. One clinical colleague of Bill’s said, “Bill is a psychological and spiritual searchlight for persons who to want to honestly pursue unexplored areas of pain and disappointment.” Bill commonly sees clients in the areas of pre-marital and couple counseling, addiction, grief, anxiety, and same sex attraction issues. One counseling goal of Bill’s is to help people recognize that there is a huge difference between “living life” and living the
“abundant life” that Jesus promises. When Bill is not speaking, counseling or consulting Bill can predictably be found at his computer writing, in the kitchen cooking, outside gardening, lost in a used bookstore or, in search of a new day hike to enjoy with his wife of over 40 years, Kristen.

Non-Insurance Fee Scale:
Bill offers a sliding scale fee option based on household income that ranges from $50 to $80 per session. There is an initial intake session fee of $15.

Meg Nyweide, LMSW

Meg Nyweide, LMSW received her Master of Social Work from Southern Adventist University and is licensed in both Tennessee and Georgia. Meg believes her clients are the experts of themselves, and her role is to listen to and support them as they heal from the hardships they face. She uses holistic and evidence-based approaches such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), motivational interviewing (MI), and psychoeducation to help clients meet their most basic needs, gain insight into their innate strengths, find their voice, build a supportive community, develop their identity, and discover their life’s purpose.

 She primarily works with individuals (15 years and older) who are struggling with depression, anxiety, stress, life adjustments, executive functioning, spiritual issues, intrusive thoughts, relationship issues, trauma, grief/loss, self-esteem, postpartum/fertility issues, body image issues, disordered eating, and substance use. Her goal is to help clients discover new and effective ways to cope when life feels unmanageable and empower them to become the best version of themselves. She recognizes the importance of understanding each person within the context of their environment and supports individuals who may choose to include their loved ones in the therapeutic process through family sessions to help them meet their goals.

Non-Insurance Fee Scale:
Meg offers a fee of $100 for intake/$85 for follow-up sessions.
For more information about Meg and her counseling services, please call our
administrative office during regular business hours.

Jackie Stanley – M.A.

Jackie received her bachelor’s degree in psychology and her master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Regent University. She is a resident counselor at The Transformation Center and is working toward Tennessee licensure.

Jackie is passionate about helping people of all ages navigate the ups and downs of life. She is also passionate about family. She has a large, blended family of 8 children and 4 grandchildren. She is no stranger to suffering and loss and has many years of experience working cross-culturally in north Africa and among immigrants and refugee communities in the United States.

Jackie’s focus areas include trauma counseling, anxiety, depression, life transitions, self-esteem, grief, and recovery. Jackie is trained in EMDR and uses an eclectic therapeutic approach including Christian/biblical counseling, CBT, Family Systems, and DBT-informed therapy. She is continuing to seek training in areas of trauma intervention and play therapy.

Non-Insurance Fee Scale:
Jackie offers a sliding scale fee option based on household income that ranges from $50 to $80 per session. There is an initial intake session fee of $15.