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Joshua Keene, M.S., LMFT (Owner)
I was born and raised in Louisiana, but have fallen in love with the beauty of both the landscape and people of the valley. I have been a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist since 2015 in both Florida and Virginia. I graduated in 2009 from Harding University with a M.S. in Marriage & Family Therapy, but learned the value of families in my life from personal experience and this has greatly affected my approach to therapy. I love Dr. Kelly Flanagan’s approach to life as well as to therapy: “I want to speak to people in the caring voice of a father such that they know they are worthy.” This quote describes in detail my approach to the therapeutic relationship.
I was introduced to the positive impact that counseling can have on family’s lives when I worked for a non-profit organization in Louisiana called the Center for Children and Families in Northeast Louisiana. In 2007, I started my Masters work at Harding University. I am a systems-based therapist, hoping to impact the family overall into a healthy self-sustaining system. I utilize Core Model in helping others work through trauma and Structural Family Therapy to help identify key themes within the family system that can bring healing and help strengthen the relationships in the family. I love working with marriages, as it gives me an opportunity to walk with and support people as they make intentional changes in their lives in order to experience a truly unconditional loving relationship with one another.
I have thought long and hard about what I could do to help as many people as possible, which has led me to be very intentional with the training I have sought. I have been overseas helping with missions in South America, Eastern Europe, and Africa. I have been working with missionaries overseas to assist them in working through conflicts, strengthen marriages, and process any trauma that they may have experienced during their time on (or off) the field. My heart pulls towards the missionary kids that are having such tremendous difficulties with reentry after their time on the mission field is complete.
In addition to the above, I am trained to supervise other MFT’s to assist them toward licensure.
Tasso Counseling has been a long time dream of mine and Heather’s in order to meet people in the place that they are to love and support them in their time of need. It is so exciting to see how God will continue to help us as we work to help others. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not unto your own understanding, but acknowledge Him in all your ways, and He will make your paths straight.” ~ Proverbs 3:5-6
Megan L. Kincheloe, M.A., LPC
Licensed Professional Counselor
Hi! My name is Megan Kincheloe and I am thrilled to ‘meet’ you! I was born and raised in the Valley and other than a short time away for college, have been here my entire life. I treasure my time here and think of this community fondly. I received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology from Bridgewater College and received my Master of Arts Degree in Professional Counseling from Liberty University. I am incredibly grateful to be a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Virginia as this has been my heart’s desire for as long as I can remember. Throughout college, my passion grew for the hurting, specifically children and adolescents suffering from abuse/neglect. I have worked within this area of trauma for over 16 years now and have applied different knowledge and now theoretical approaches to my work. I utilize skills learned from various modalities to address trauma, depression, anxiety, and family stress. Some of these modalities include: training in play therapy through the Virginia Association of Play Therapists; level one and two training in Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (a trauma-informed care approach that aims to engage people with histories of trauma, recognize the presence of trauma symptoms, and acknowledge the role trauma has played in their lives), and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy which focuses on encouraging the person to challenge distorted cognitions and change destructive patterns of behavior. In 2018, I received certification through the International Association of Trauma Professionals as a Certified Trauma Professional. In 2019, I completed the training to become a Certified Adoption Competent Therapist through the Training for Adoption Competency. In addition to my heart for serving children and adolescents, over the years, as I developed treasured friendships, my passion broadened to include a strong desire to help women recognize their value and worth, overcome shame, forgive themselves, and experience the forgiveness of Christ.
A defining moment for me in understanding the love of God and serving His people was a mission trip to Ghana, West Africa in 2013, to lead a women’s seminar and a children’s camp. In preparation for this trip, I learned what it means to trust Him wholeheartedly and walk in complete obedience. Once arriving in Ghana, He revealed to me what it is like to live for Him without fear of judgement, and He showed me what unconditional acceptance looks like…on the receiving end and on the giving end. It was in Ghana that I was given an opportunity to share my own testimony for the first time…a testimony of His love, mercy, and forgiveness in my own life. I was also given a gift of being privileged to see what love looks like in motion.
Stephanie Ballew, Director of Details
Hi!! My name is Stephanie Ballew. I am a wife and mother of four. I have worked with the public most of my adult life. After staying home for several years with my children, I re-entered the workforce as an employee of People Places, assisting biological parents who were working toward reunification after their children had been placed in foster care. I walked away from the intensity of that job, but still wanted to help people and work with the public. I am currently involved with many ministries at Bridge Christian Church. I serve on the Missions Committee, lead middle school life group, and work with the youth. I am also on the Board of Next Generation Ministries International (NGMI). NGMI works with indigenous pastors to help spread the Gospel to unreached people groups in West Africa. I have traveled to Ghana multiple times with NGMI. I have also traveled to Eastern Europe and Puerto Rico in partnership with the missions committee. With the youth, I lead a small group of young ladies, teaching them truth through love, having bible studies, attending summer camps and more. I decided to combine these two passions of missions and youth and started leading youth onto the mission field.
I am now Directing the office at Tasso and enjoy the face to face contact with people, while managing clinical details, and pairing two of my passions! I love having the opportunity to work with people in general, especially those who may be in distress or hurting. I love the Lord and pray that each client that comes in our door finds healing, rest, and a renewed outlook on life; but most importantly, a stronger relationship with Christ.
Michele Comer, Resident In Counseling
Hello!
My name is Michele Comer and I live in the Valley with my husband of 27 years Sean and our two daughters ages 19 and 16. Currently, I am a Professional Counseling Intern in the office and will graduate with honors from Liberty University’s Masters of Professional Counseling program in August of 2019. I love teens and young adults and have been working with them for the past 17 years as a youth leader and lay counselor. My journey to professional counseling began while I was working with and listening to the struggles of these young people. I realized that I wanted to learn how to better help them and give them the skills they needed to achieve peace and healing.
I am fascinated with all of the new research emerging in the field of neuroscience and I enjoy applying that knowledge as well as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Family Systems Therapy when working with teens and young adults who are experiencing anxiety, depression, identity issues, and relationship difficulties. In addition, I am also seeking training and certification in Crisis and Trauma Counseling as well as Addictions Counseling. I am so excited to be a part of Tasso Counseling and the work that we are doing here and will do in the future. I believe that God has sent us to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners freed.~ Isaiah 61:1
Rachel Hewitt, MSW
Hi!
My name is Rachel Hewitt. I have lived in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley for almost 14 years now with my husband and our two boys age 7 and 3. I received my Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Harding University in 2007 and my Master’s Degree in Social work from Radford University in 2009. I am currently working towards my licensure to be a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and am a Social Work supervisee until I complete that process. I began my career at Commonwealth Center for Children and Adolescents here in Staunton. After that, I stayed home for several years while my children were small. Now I am so excited to begin working again, especially at Tasso Counseling.
I have always had a passion to help people. I make use of several treatment modalities including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Systems Therapy, and Strengths-based therapy to help others with trauma, depression, anxiety, and grief. My husband and I had a child die at the age of 4 years old. That experience has attuned me to the lifelong emotions and struggles that come with losing a loved one and other types of grief. God is my never-ending source of strength and comfort as he guided me through those first few difficult years and as he still does each day. I would love to be able to share the comfort of God’s love and faithfulness. I would be honored to be able to help anyone who is struggling and hurting with unanticipated life events, trauma, depression, fears, or family stressors to guide you toward a path of hope and healing.
“I look up to the mountains. Does my strength come from the mountains? No, my strength comes from God, the maker of heaven and earth and the mountains.”
Psalm 121:11