Meet Our Licensed Therapists
Facilitating Mental Health & Wellness
Let us help you and your loved ones find emotional well-being, achieve your personal goals, and reach your fullest potential. Our professional staff includes licensed psychologists, psychotherapists, marriage and family counselors, social workers, and substance abuse counselors.
Family Service attracts and is able to retain a top quality professional staff and enjoys a broad base of community support. This makes Family Service uniquely qualified to assess critical community needs and to address those needs with programs that are both timely and effective.
Director of Clinical Services
Melissa Carini, MS, LPC, CSAC, NCC
DIRECTOR OF CLINCIAL SERVICES
Education & Credentials
Masters of Counseling, UW Whitewater
Bachelor of Science in Psychology, UW LaCrosse
Practice Location
Oconomowoc Clinics
Practice Philosophy
I work with individuals experiencing concerns with mental health and/or
substance use or abuse. I strive to provide a comfortable and understanding
environment for each individual, in order to help fuel positive change. I feel
that each person has the will to change and may need some professional
guidance to help them find the right path. In order to help my clients meet
their therapeutic goals, I use an eclectic approach, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Person-Centered Therapy, strength-based, and Motivational Interviewing, among other techniques.
Areas of Expertise
Anxiety, Depression, all Mood Disorders, Trauma processing, Substance Use or Addictions, Life Adjustment and Transitional Issues. I will work with all Emotional and Mental Health concerns.
Treatment Specialties
In order to help my clients meet their therapeutic goals, I use an eclectic approach, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Person-Centered Therapy, strength-based, and Motivational Interviewing, Brainspotting (a trauma processing intervention) among other techniques.
Board Certification & Organizations
Licensed Professional Counselor
Certified Substance Abuse Counselor
National Certified Counselor
Concentration
I work with anyone 10 years or age or older and I have some experience working with younger children. I can work with people on an individual basis, but I also do family and couples counseling.
Personal Interests
I enjoy active activities such as, running, swimming, and mountain biking. I love nature and spending time outdoors, hiking, and camping with my husband and two dogs. I also have a passion for travel, and taking in different cultures through my travels. I am an animal person, and am excited to welcome a new puppy into the family, who will be trained as a Therapy dog.
Director of Agency Development
Laura Cherone, LCSW, LSAC*
DIRECTOR OF AGENCY DEVELOPMENT
Education & Credentials
Master of Social Work, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, WI.
Bachelor of Science in Social Work, Carroll University,
Practice Location
Waukesha Clinic
Practice Philosophy
I've had many years of professional counseling experience working with adults, couples and teens struggling with emotional, marital, relational, family, substance abuse, and life adjustment concerns. I strive to help my clients improve and accomplish positive, meaningful life change and to become free from unwanted attitudes, behaviors, or feelings. I have also worked with individuals / families who have survived abuse and neglect, provided clinical supervision to professional therapists and nonprofit agency administration and management, as well as recovery and Christian counseling services to those in my home church.
Areas of Expertise
Depression, anxiety, all emotional/mental health issues, childhood trauma/abuse recovery or recovery from dysfunctional families of origin, troubled teens, grief/loss, life adjustment issues, life transition, self-esteem or performance issues, couple-marital counseling, adoption competency and those who desire counseling from a Christian perspective.
Treatment Specialties
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, neuro-biological, insight oriented, rational-emotive, person centered, systemic psychotherapy, adoption-related issues, Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR) Level 1, and 2.
Board Certifications & Organizations
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Licensed Substance Abuse Counselor
Adoption Competency
Concentration
Adults
Personal Interests
I enjoy physical fitness activities, and sports including yoga, golf, walking, biking, and kayaking. I love football and women’s college basketball. I appreciate all forms of performing arts. I play piano and sing with a worship band and the choir at church. My husband and I attend theater productions often and we love road trips. I am a mother of two adult children.
Carley Fell, MS, LPC, NCC
CLINICAL SUPERVISOR SCHOOL SERVICES
Education & Credentials
Bachelor of Arts - University of Wisconsin, Parkside
Master in Community Counseling - Mount Mary University, Milwaukee.
Practice Location
School Services
Practice Philosophy
I enjoy working with children and families to offer a biological-psychological-social approach to therapy. My foundation for therapy lies in attachment theory to understand how our earliest experiences and attachments impact our core beliefs, relationships, behaviors, and the way we interact with the world we live in.
Areas of Expertise
Developmental and behavioral Concerns in Children, ADHD, Anger Management, Trauma, Mindfulness, Attachment, and Parenting Skills.
Treatment Specialties
Trauma Informed, Narrative Attachment therapy, Play Therapy, Sensorimotor Techniques, and Self- Regulation Skills
Board Certification & Organizations
Licensed Professional Counselor
National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC)
American Counseling Association and Wisconsin Counseling Association Member
Concentration
Children, adolescents, and family
Personal Interests
I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, reading, being outside, and playing soccer.
Marcia Lequesne, LPC
CLINICAL SUPERVISOR SCHOOL SERVICES
Education & Credentials
Masters in the Art of Counseling - Oakland University,
Bachelors in the Art of Sociology – Wayne State University,
Practice Location
School Services
Practice Philosophy
Entering counseling is about developing a therapeutic trusting
relationship with clients. This is particularly true when working with
children and adolescents. I begin forming this relationship by
letting young clients know “I like you just the way you are.” My role is to help clients work through their issues, at their pace.
Areas of Expertise
Anxiety or fears, Depression, Divorce, Trauma & PTSD, Grief & Loss, Domestic Violence, Relationship/Family Issues, Social Skills, Anger Management, ADHD
Treatment Specialties
Person Centered, Narrative, Family Systems, Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), Play Therapy and Theraplay.
Board Certification & Organizations
State of Wisconsin Licensed Professional Counselor
Nationally Certified Counselor
National Board for Certified Counselors
American Counseling Association
American Mental Health Counselors Association
Wisconsin Counseling Association
Certified Trauma and Loss School and Clinical Practitioner- The National Institute for Trauma and Loss in Children
Concentration
Children and adolescents
Personal Interests
Outside of practice, I love spending time with my family, which includes our dog, my daily meditations, gardening, cooking, and music.
Laura Pulsifer, LCSW, C-EMDR II, CIT
CHILD THERAPY CLINICAL SUPERVISOR
Education and Credentials
Bachelor’s in Social Work- Carroll University
Master’s Degree in Social Work - University of Nebraska-Omaha
Certified EMDR Therapist & Consultant-in-Training
Practice Location
Children's Place in Waukesha
Practice Philosophy
I began my career as a Psychiatric Social Worker/Family Therapist for the State of Nebraska in March of 1987 and continue to work with diverse groups, including children, families, teenagers, adults, couples, as well as various administrative and supervisory capacities. I take a realistic and optimistic approach with my clients from a Systemic, Structural, and A.I.P.(Accelerated Information Processing) perspective, often utilizing Greenwald’s “Fairy Tale Model”, when working with traumatized children. Humor is incorporated through all that I do and my work reflects my basic belief system that all children have a voice and deserve to be heard and believed.
Areas of Expertise
Trauma Resolution, Healthy Family Structure and Boundaries, Abuse Recovery, PTSD, Adjustment issues, Complex and Developmental Trauma
Treatment Specialties
EMDR Therapy -AIP (Adaptive Information Processing) Model, Child/Play therapy, Client-Centered, Adoption competency, Family Systems, Structural and Strategic Therapy
Board Certification and Organizations
LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker) in Wisconsin
NASW Member
Certified EMDR II Therapist
EMDR Consultant-In-Training
EMDRIA Member
TAC Trained (Training in Adoption Competency)
Concentration
All ages….. 3-103!
Personal Interests
Faith. Family. Friends….in that order….are what keep me going! I am a voracious reader, love to write, play various musical instruments, enjoy cooking, love to travel, and never EVER stop learning!
Amy Plum, LPC*
PSYCHOTHERAPIST
Education & Credentials
Masters of Science in Clinical Psychology, Emporia State
University, Kansas.
Practice Location
School Services
Practice Philosophy
I believe the key to individual growth and healing is providing
the client a safe, non-directive environment, where they can
access their inner expert, healer, guide, and teacher that has far
more knowledge than anyone else. I believe in using nature as a
means for healing, to decrease symptoms of depression and anxiety, as well as yoga and meditation to find inner peace. I also love helping clients express themselves through art projects, such as dioramas, as a means to express what is difficult with words.
Areas of Expertise
Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing, Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Holographic Memory Resolution, Internal Family Systems Therapy, Trauma Sensitive Yoga
Treatment Specialties
Trauma informed, EMDR, attachment wounds, grief/loss, early childhood neglect, physical, sexual, and emotional abuse, family violence, transitional challenges
Board Certification & Organizations
Licensed Professional Counselor
PATH Program Therapist, Whittier Elementary
Concentration
Grade school aged children and their families
Aaron Robbins, MA, LPC-IT
PSYCHOTHERAPIST,
Education & Credentials
Master’s Degree: Clinical Mental Health Counseling, University of the
Cumberlands
Bachelor's Degree: Business Management, Davenport University
Practice Location
Waukesha Clinic
Practice Philosophy
I believe in an interactive approach to therapy where I am there
to guide, but the client is in charge of leading their change. Therapy is a safe place for the client to explore and grow. I work with clients to understand their triggers and environments, especially focusing on what they cannot change, focusing on their reactions, and creating a healthy long-term life.
Areas of Expertise
I specialize in teen and adult trauma, anger management, mood disorders and in helping my clients work through rough situations, triggers, and developing skills to manage when life is hard.
Board Certification & Organizations
Licensed Professional Counselor – In Training
Concentration
Teens 15 and older and adults
Personal Interests
Golfing, Running, and Cooking