Our Providers
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Samuel Gaspard, MA, LPC
Education & Experience
Sam earned his Bachelor of Science in Psychology and his Master of Arts in Clinical Mental
Health Counseling from Sam Houston State University. He has worked with youth, adolescents,
and families in a non-profit and in private practice settings. Areas of expertise include
depression, anxiety, trauma, men's issues, creating and sustaining healthy boundaries, ADHD,
and work-related stress.
Interests & Specialties
Sam describes himself as eclectic, drawing from solution-focused, strength-based, attachment,
sand therapy and client-centered techniques. His treatment modalities are grounded in Cognitive
Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), which he tailors to meet
each client’s specific need. Sam is committed to fostering a safe, collaborative environment
where clients can explore challenges and develop meaningful, sustainable changes in life.
Outside of work, Sam enjoys spending time in nature—whether hiking, camping, playing soccer,
or running. He has climbed five state high points, including Alabama, Texas, Arizona, New
Mexico, and Colorado. A passionate musician, he has been playing guitar since the age of 13
and also enjoys learning to play other instruments.
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Melissa Abbott, LPC
Education & Experience
Melissa earned a Master's Degree in Counseling Psychology from The University of Texas at Tyler. She has experience in different clinical settings including MHMR, residential boarding school, and in private practice. Melissa is a Licensed Professional Counselor with extensive experience performing mental health and academic testing.
Interests & Specialties
Melissa is trained in traditional therapy types including: family systems, CBT, solution-focused therapy, reality therapy, person-centered therapy, and in TF-CBT (trauma focused CBT) working with children and teens who have experienced trauma. Melissa is equally able to integrate faith-based counseling, upon request. She has experience with depression, trauma, anxiety, abuse, stress-management, self-esteem, school issues, self-harm, emotional and behavioral issues, social skills, autism spectrum, parenting, and family issues. Melissa considers it a privilege to walk with clients on their journey of healing and understands the counseling relationship is a powerful method for change. Melissa believes that client strengths are primary when approaching problems and empowering clients as experts in their own lives is key to wellness. Melissa enjoys spending time with family, traveling, reading, gardening, and antique shopping.
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Eleah Boyd, Graduate Intern
Under the supervision of James L. Mena, M.A., LPC-S.
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Education & Experience
Eleah is currently in the concluding year of her Master's Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas. As part of her academic journey, she is an intern at Spring Grove Counseling, working under the guidance of James L. Mena LPC-S.
Interests & Specialties
Throughout her life, Eleah has dedicated herself to meeting the needs of others, with particular interest in providing support to individuals with special needs and senior adults navigating age-related cognitive changes.
Beyond her professional pursuits, Eleah enjoys the company of her husband, with whom she has shared 31 years of marriage and she always looks forward to spending time with her children and grandchildren.
Lauren Cloward, MA, LPC
Education & Experience
Lauren has a diverse educational background with a Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from University of the Cumberlands, and a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Microbiology from Brigham Young University. Prior employers include LDS Family Services and New Dimensions. Lauren has experience counseling diverse populations of children, adolescents, and adults. Her counseling technique is relationship driven where trust and safety are emphasized. Through this environment, clients can increase self-awareness in order to facilitate development of new, healthy patterns of behavior.
Interests & Specialties
Lauren approaches counseling from an integrative perspective, often drawing from cognitive behavioral, existential, humanistic, and attachment theories. Lauren believes in holistic healing that encompasses the person physically, emotionally, mentally, socially, and spiritually. Self-care and coping strategies are of primary importance. These empower clients to cultivate new varieties of interdependence that facilitate reaching beyond life's most difficult challenges.
Outside of work, Lauren enjoys photography, cooking, music, and spending time with her husband and their two daughters.
Maggie DeBerry, Graduate Intern
Under the supervision of James L. Mena, M.A., LPC-S.
Education and Experience
Maggie is currently in her practicum portion of her Masters of Science in Counseling from Cairn University in Langhorne, Pennsylvania. She is working at Spring Grove Counseling as an intern under the supervision of James L Mena LPC-S. Maggie brings a unique blend of experiences as a former educator, veteran wife, with a variety of church ministry roles. This has shaped her understanding of the importance of community, resilience, and faith throughout the healing process.
Interest and Specialties
Maggie approaches counseling from an integrative, client-centered perspective, combining cognitive therapy with a holistic, relational, and narrative approach. This means she not only focuses on thoughts and behaviors but also considers the whole person – mind, body, and spirit – within the context of their relationships and personal stories. Her goal is to create a supportive space where clients can explore their challenges, develop new insights, and find healing. She has a special interest in working with children, helping them navigate emotional and behavioral challenges for both them and their families.
Megan Grande, PA-c
Education & Experience
Megan is a Board Certified Physician Assistant. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Clinical Laboratory Sciences from the University of Nevada Las Vegas and a Master’s degree in Physicians Assistant Medicine from Methodist University in Fayetteville, North Carolina. She has a passion for learning and has become a trusted medical professional. She is currently enrolled at Rocky Mountain University, working toward her Doctorate in Medical Science with a Psychiatry emphasis. She is licensed to practice in Texas, Nevada, and Arizona. She comes to Spring Grove Counseling with more than a decade of experience as a Physician Assistant, working in emergency medicine, family medicine, concierge care, and psychiatry.
Interests & Specialties
Megan has worked with patients of all ages to diagnose, treat, and prescribe medication for children, adolescents, and adults with Depression, Anxiety, Panic Attacks, ADHD, and Insomnia. With her extensive experience in the emergency room, she has seen first-hand the gap between medical and psychiatric care, and how the mind, body, and spirit connection is often ignored. She believes in treating the whole patient with a thoughtful and comprehensive approach, knowing that the best results and outcomes are accomplished from making these connections throughout the medical process and patient experience.
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Heidi Grover, LPC, NCC (Texas and Utah)
SPANISH SPEAKING
Education & Experience
Heidi is a Licensed Professional Counselor who began her practice and education at Brigham Young University. She is originally from the country of Panama and fluent in Spanish.
Specializes In: Working with young adults and adults with depression and anxiety. Working with individuals with different types of trauma and Christian counseling.
Population served: Adolescents, adults, and couples.
Additional Services: Anxiety, Depression, anger management, grief and loss, self-esteem, infertility, adoption related therapy .
Profile: Over the last 20 years Heidi has worked with Child Protective Services, where she helped created and managed a summer school program for children with various mental illnesses. Heidi has also worked in a mobile crisis unit where she provided support in therapy in different homes in a variety of communities. Most recently Heidi has started a group practice and has worked with many different individuals and families
Heidi is married and has four children, including a set of twins.
Lisa Hale, LPC-S, LCDC, NCC
(Not currently accepting new patients)
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Education & Experience
Lisa graduated from St. Mary’s University with M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and earned a B.S. from Texas A&M University. As a Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor (LPC-S) and Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor (LCDC), she has worked in a variety of settings, including residential treatment centers, psychiatric hospitals, partial hospitalization programs, and outpatient programs.
Interests & Specialties
Lisa specializes in working with adolescents and adults, in the areas of addictions, codependency, relationships, mood disorders, anxiety and trauma. She is experienced in working with many addictive disorders, including substances, sex, love, relationships, pornography, technology and gambling. She has extensive experience supporting the LGBTQ+ community and gender issues. Lisa is trained in EMDR, hypnotherapy and breathwork.
She has been on her own journey of recovery from alcoholism since 2001 and has three grown sons, one who is also in recovery. Her interests include fitness, hiking, traveling, tennis and spirituality.
Alicia Horn, LPC
Education & Experience
Alicia Horn is a Licensed Professional Counselor with ten years of experience working with children, adolescents, parents, and families in crisis. She focuses on helping clients struggling with anxiety, anxiety driven depression, shame, trauma, attachment issues, and improving parenting skills.
In counseling, Alicia utilizes a holistic, person-centered approach that engages the mind, body, and soul. Using styles adopted from both the CBT and Adlerian approaches, she focuses on all aspects of a person’s life in a way that is relational, non-judgmental, goal-oriented, and practical. This helps her clients to make meaningful connections between their thoughts, feelings, and actions. Other therapeutic approaches that she uses include relational therapy and solution- focused therapy. She is also able to integrate faith based counseling upon request.
Alicia earned a B.A. in Psychology and a M.A. in Counseling from Dallas Baptist University. She has experience in various therapeutic settings including: a non-profit community agency, a residential boarding school, as well as private practice.
Interest & Specialties
In her free time Alicia enjoys a variety of creative endeavors Including drawing and painting, baking and freelance writing. Alicia enjoys listening to music and attending theater productions, movies and concerts. When she isn’t working, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, singing with her choir, and unwinding from a long day with her rescue pup.
Lisa Kerr, LPC
Education and Experience
Lisa has earned a B.A. in Human Development and Family Studies from the University of Utah and a Masters degree in Counseling/School Counseling and Trauma Emphasis from Northwest Nazarene University. She is trained in Hypnotherapy, Play Therapy, and Healthy Transitions for girls. Lisa is married and has 5 children. Lisa has experience working in school settings, private practice, and teens transitioning out of residential care for mental health issues. Lisa practiced privately as an LPC, NCC in Idaho and Texas.
Interest & Specialties
Lisa identifies herself as a humanistic therapist. Her preference is to focus on the strengths and values people carry into problem-solving moments. Lisa wants to help empower people to use these innate tools for building blocks of future successful outcomes. She specializes in working with a wide scope of exceptional children that manifest atypical development, including gifted, twice-exceptional, and autism spectrum disorders. In her free time, Lisa enjoys reading, traveling, and home decor projects.
Terilyn Kirchenberg, Graduate Intern
Under the supervision of James L. Mena, M.A., LPC-S.
Education & Experience
Terilyn is nearing the completion of a Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from the Townsend Institute for Leadership and Counseling at Concordia University Irvine. She is working at Spring Grove Counseling as an intern under the supervision of James L Mena LPC-S. Terilyn has 15 years experience educating youth as a school counselor, teacher, an athletics coach. Terilyn is currently employed as a high school counselor where she advocates for mental wellness by lending her expertise to strengthen the high schools mental health program for the student’s and staff.
Interest & Specialties
As a high school counselor and former teacher, Terilyn naturally loves working with kids of all ages. She believes in the power of healing and that people can act as conduits through authentic relationships. These relationships are key in therapeutic settings and promote an improved sense of self. Terilyn views counseling as a mutual process wherein the counselor and client identify unwanted patterns of behavior, thoughts, and emotions that hinder the client from flourishing as an individual, in relationship to others, and as a member of society.
In her free time, Terilyn enjoys spending time with her family and friends. She loves being of service to people in need, volunteerism, traveling and cheering for her favorite professional sports teams.
James Mena, LPC-S,
SPANISH SPEAKING
Education & Experience
James has degrees in Psychology from the University of West Georgia M.A. and Brigham Young University B.S. with over 30 years of counseling experience in a variety of settings. His experience includes counseling in several University settings, Employee Assistance, and education in workplace settings, Critical Incident Debriefings, counseling in Psychiatric settings, multiple non-profit sector and with geriatric populations. Treatment modalities include, couples, marriage and family, Autism Spectrum disorders, all facets of drug treatment, dual diagnosed, sex addictions, personality disorders. Therapeutic modalities include psycho dynamic, interactive therapy, solution-focused therapies, Christian Counseling upon request.
He has been married to his wife Cindy for 34 years, and they have four children and at last count has four grandchildren.
Interests & Specialties
James enjoys all facets of human interaction particularly the bonds that tie people together in marriage relationships. He also enjoys the challenge of working with employee/supervisor relationships to formulate strategic interventions to promote effective workplace interactions. Skilled at mediations (non court), professional and individual coaching.
Haylie Merchen, LMSW
Education and Experience
Haylie graduated from Brigham Young University-Idaho with her Bachelor's of Social Work and completed a Master's of Social Work from Boise State University. She is under the supervision of Kat Nazaroff, LCSW-S as she completes her clinical license. She has experience working with children, adolescents, and young adults in individual, group, and school settings.
Interests and Specialties
Haylie specializes in play therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy. She is experienced in working with children and adolescents with anxiety, depression, and emotional or behavioral issues. She believes in empowering individuals by teaching effective coping mechanisms to address current and future problems. Outside of work, Haylie enjoys spending time with her husband and family, reading, and spending time outdoors.
Lauren Miller, LCSW
REMOTE SESSIONS ONLY
(California and Texas)
Education and Experience
Lauren has a Master’s degree in Social Work from Brigham Young University. She has experience working for a non-profit welfare agency, a family treatment center, and in telehealth counseling. Lauren has worked with children, adolescents and adults struggling with depression, stress, anxiety, self-esteem, life transitions, and relationship challenges. Lauren has also served individuals struggling with substance abuse, addictions, developmental disabilities, and environmental barriers to reaching long and short term personal, emotional, and professional goals. Lauren is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in California and Texas.
Interests and Specialties
Lauren specializes in working with adolescents and adults managing mood disorders, life transitions and relationship challenges. Lauren is rooted in the healing power of the therapeutic relationship to create a safe environment which fosters greater awareness, healing, and growth. She utilizes several modalities in her work including cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, solution focused therapy, and motivational interviewing techniques. Lauren is the mother of two young children and loves to spend time outside running, biking, and swimming.
Deborah R. Workman, MA, LPC, NCC
REMOTE SESSIONS ONLY
Deborah received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Human Resource Management from California State University, Chico and a Master of Arts in Counseling from Sam Houston State University.
Specializes In: Recovery from emotional, psychological, and physical abuse from Narcissistic Relationships, adults sexually abused as children, marital and family discord, sex addiction and co-dependency, depression, anxiety, and family of origin issues.
Population served: Adolescents, adults, couples, and families.
Additional Services: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, post-partum depression, grief and loss, self-esteem, and stress management.
Profile: Over the past 20 years, Ms. Workman has worked extensively with displaced families from a variety of ethnicities, backgrounds, and mental health issues to establish stability and self-sufficiency. She has provided community education through non-profit organizations on mental health issues affecting teens, adults, and families.
Ms. Workman and her husband have three children and four grandchildren.
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Claudia Zarate, LPC Associate
Under the guidance of James L. Mena, M.A., LPC-S.
SPANISH SPEAKING
Education & Experience:
I'm a proud United States Air Force veteran with 21 years of service and a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Houston Christian University. I truly understand the stigmas and difficulties surrounding mental health, especially for veterans and others seeking help. It's my mission to break down these barriers and provide a safe, nurturing environment for my clients. I was inspired to pursue counseling after I went through the counseling process. It was a life-changing experience for me and I want to do the same for others.
Interests & Specialties:
I have a deep passion for helping individuals navigate life's challenges and empowering them to embrace their true selves. As your counselor, I will create a warm and supportive space for you to explore your thoughts and feelings, equip you with coping strategies, and work alongside you to achieve meaningful changes in your life. I have experience counseling children as young as 8, teens, and adults of all ages experiencing
depression, anxiety, ADHD, relationship difficulties, domestic violence, grief, self-esteem, life transitions, and more. I offer in-person and telehealth counseling. As a bilingual counselor, I
am pleased to offer my services in English and Spanish.
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I am married, we have 3 children and 2 Schnauzer pups. Our family loves to travel, attend rock and country music concerts, and spend time together. I enjoy reading fictional books, gardening, and walking outdoors. I look forward to meeting and walking alongside you in your healing journey.