Dr. Jen Yensel has a PhD. in Counselor Education and Supervision from Kent State University and is independently licensed as a Professional Clinical Counselor with Supervisory status in the State of Ohio. In addition to her PhD, Jen has a Master’s Degree in Community Counseling from Kent State University. Jen has experience working in inpatient, outpatient, and school settings. She has had the opportunity to work with a myriad of clients who dealt with a wide range of mental health issues. Jen has also worked at a local hospital where she developed a substance abuse intensive outpatient program for adolescents, utilizing evidence based treatment and motivational interviewing.
Her areas of expertise include career counseling, ADD/ADHD, adjustment, depression, anxiety, mindfulness, self-esteem, motivational interviewing and trauma. Jen has demonstrated an ability to work with younger clients who have trouble connecting and relating to adults. Some of her abilities include being able to help both teens and parents with behavioral concerns, oppositional defiant disorder, substance use, identity and peer issues. Jen has additional training in in marriage and family therapy and enjoys helping couples who desire to improve their communication with each other as well as couples who are seeking premarital and marital enrichment.
Jen teaches at Youngstown State University as an adjunct professor in the Counseling, School Psychology & Educational Leadership program. She applies much of the information she teaches, particularly in her Introduction to Mental Health & Wellness course, into practice with clients. Additionally, Jen acts as the Clinical Director at The Cole Center and runs groups and workshops at Akron Artworks as she enjoys practicing art and mental health. In her free time, Jen enjoys spending time with her family, dogs, and going on adventures with friends and family.
Jenny offers a compassionate, safe, nonjudgmental environment that allows the healing process to come naturally. Jenny works with adolescents, adults, and the elderly. She provides individual and group counseling. She specializes in treating: anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, addictions (substances and behavioral), coping with chronic health issues, codependency, and domestic violence.
Jenny’s therapeutic style is helping you find and create the tools to improve your quality of life, so you can become the person you want to be. She uses an eclectic approach, knowledgeable in these treatment modalities, which she uses collaboratively to create an individualized treatment plan: Positive Psychology. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT); Trauma Informed Care (TIC); Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT); Mindfulness approaches (meditation, deep breathing, relaxation, etc.), Motivational Interviewing (MI), Person Centered (PC), and Psychodynamic techniques (shame work).
Jenny’s background includes working in a variety of counseling settings: domestic violence shelters, college campus, government, outpatient clinics, and private practice. She is licensed in both Ohio and Wisconsin as a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor. She is also a National Board Certified Counselor, which requires passing both national exams NCMHCE and NCE, and extra continuing education to maintain this higher endorsement. She has two master’s degrees: Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling, Concentration in Addictions from the University of Wisconsin Stout and a Master of Arts in Cognitive and Social Psychological Processes with an Institutional Research Certificate from Ball State University.
In her life outside of work Jenny enjoys spending time with her husband and standard poodle, being outdoors, attending community events, and visiting her family in Wisconsin.
Beth Franczak received her Masters of Science in Education from the University of Akron. She is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor with a supervisory designation (LPCC-S). Beth has been practicing in the community and private practice setting for over 10 years.
Beth uses an eclectic approach to counseling. She believes that the therapeutic relationship is the most important aspect of counseling. She strives to help clients feel as though they are hanging out and chatting in a living room or coffee shop, not in a stuffy clinical setting. She incorporates aspects of CBT, DBT, Sand Tray Therapy, and client centered therapy into her work. Her therapy is trauma informed and she has training in trauma focused behavioral therapy and sand tray therapy.
Beth works with adolescents (12 and up) as well as adults. She specializes in treating depression anxiety, adjustment issues, ADHD and trauma. She has a special interest in adoption and enjoys working with all members of the adoption community.
In her free time, Beth enjoys going on adventures with her daughter, reading, doing projects around the house, and watching documentaries to learn cool stuff.
Mark has a master’s degree in nursing from Ursuline College, and is dual-board certified as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and Adult-Geriatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner. This unique training and perspective, along with his background as an ICU and emergency room nurse, has helped him develop an integrated approach towards the treatment of mental health issues by focusing on the whole person. He has experience working with diverse patient populations in inpatient, community mental health, and private practice settings.
He specializes in providing professional, compassionate care to adults and children with mental health and/or substance abuse issues, and looks forward to helping you address your mental health and medication needs.
Rodney Long Jr. works to bring practical, lasting, real world solutions to client problems. Rodney has a Master’s of Science in Social Administration (MSSA) from Case Western Reserve University and a Bachelor’s Degree from Malone University. In addition to authoring several self-help e-books and appearing in publications such as Yahoo News, OZY, and local newspapers, he has also been a guest on WCBM Baltimore and Northern Spirit Radio.
He has had the opportunity to work with various clients throughout his career, but most enjoys working with people who want to make changes in their life but are unsure how. He has developed a practical and direct approach to helping clients confront the challenges they face when attempting to change and how to overcome them.
In his free time, Rodney loves nothing more than Cleveland sports, good BBQ, and spending time with his family.
Julia received her Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Kent State University. She has experience working in crisis, inpatient, intensive outpatient, and community outpatient settings. She strives to create a safe, supportive, and humanizing experience for her clients throughout the therapeutic process. She has received specialized training in EMDR therapy through The Institute for Creative Mindfulness. She specializes in treating depression, anxiety, trauma, adjustment issues, emotion dysregulation, and identity development.
Gina Parasson received her Master of Science in Education Degree in
Social Agency Counseling from the University of Dayton. She is an independently Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor in the state of Ohio with over 20 years of experience working in both inpatient and outpatient settings as well as private practice.
Gina has clinical training in Behavioral Medicine from Harvard Medical School’s Mind/Body Medical Institute. She is also a Certified Personal Trainer holding specialty certifications in Older Adult Fitness and Lifestyle and Weight Management
with a focus on wellness, holistic healing and the mind/body connection.
Gina utilizes Mindfulness Meditation/Movement Therapy, Person-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Reality Therapy to treat people with a variety of chronic health concerns, stress, adjustment issues, depression, anxiety and grief/loss. She has a special interest in Women’s Issues with a focus on infertility, pregnancy loss, post-partum depression and menopause.
Gina’s interest in infertility arises from her personal experience making her empathetic and knowledgeable about this issue. When she is not working, Gina enjoys the outdoors, traveling, fitness activities, music, volunteering and spending time with her family and friends.
Dr. Amber Ray has a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision- Marriage and Family Therapy from The University of Akron, where she also received her Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. She is licensed as a Marriage and Family Therapist and Professional Counselor in the state of Ohio.
Amber has experience working in home and office-based outpatient settings, along with child and adolescent crisis intervention in the community. She specializes in couples counseling with additional training in sexuality, including issues in sexual functioning, communication, emotional connection, restoring trust and intimacy after recovery from problematic sexual behavior, and diverse sexual relationships (poly, kink, etc).
In addition, Amber provides individual counseling with adults and children, along with family therapy. As an LGBTQ+ ally, she is passionate about conducting research and working with sexual and gender minority populations. Amber approaches therapy from an Emotionally Focused and Systemic lens, where a safe space is created to look at mental health and relationship concerns in context rather than being seen as something that “needs fixed” within an individual.
Shirley has a PhD. in Counselor Education and Supervision from Kent State University. In addition to her PhD., she has a Master’s Degree in School Counseling and has worked as an elementary school counselor for 9 years. Working as a school counselor, Shirley has become comfortable supporting children and families through a wide range of experiences. While obtaining her Professional Counselor license, she appreciated the change of pace as she worked with clients of all ages. Shirley has experience providing individual, couples, family, and group counseling, as well animal-assisted therapy. Shirley especially enjoys tailoring therapy to support her clients’ specific interests and goals. In her free time, Shirley loves to spend time with her family, friends, and dog, particularly while participating in outdoor activities and traveling with them.
