Meet Our Interns
Reduced Fee Services
Are you looking for an affordable counseling option? Maybe you have a high deductible, you’re in between jobs or you don’t have insurance. We believe therapy should be accessible to all! As an internship training site, we offer low cost, self-pay services with our master’s level interns. Our interns are highly skilled and supervised by fully-licensed clinicians. You’ll find them motivated, engaging and great to work with! Meet our interns below!
Meet Our Interns
Kelsie Gagnon
Not accepting new clients.
Hello! My name is Kelsie, and I am a counseling intern studying Clinical Mental Health at the University of Southern Maine.
Thank you for reading my profile. The decision to begin - or resume - therapy services is a decision to invest in yourself, and I appreciate you taking the time to be here.
My approach to counseling aims to be holistic and blends together elements of Person-Centered, Emotion Focused Therapy, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Polyvagal theory and Somatic therapies also influence my work with clients. Despite the “technical terms,” at the core of it all is an accepting, empathetic, and nonjudgmental relationship which we will build together. As a former elementary school teacher, I am passionate about creating and fostering relationships that encourage development and growth through humor, openness, and curiosity.
My interests include both couples and individual work focused on attachment and relationship distress, life transitions, self-esteem, as well as the common stress and anxiety that accompany everyday life. No matter the reason you seek out therapy, in session we will create a space where you are free to safely explore and express yourself in order to reach your goals.
When I am not in session with clients, I love to spend time at the beach, watch movies, do puzzles, read mystery novels, and hunt down the best chocolate chip cookie around.
I am currently accepting clients 18 years of age or older, including couples. I am available via telehealth. I look forward to hearing from you.
Ready to get started? Please contact us or email Kelsie.
Available now until November 2023.
Abby Szotkowski
Now accepting new clients, both individuals and couples!
Hello! My name is Abby, and I’m glad you’re here. I truly believe that there is no greater investment than the one you make in yourself. I know starting therapy with someone new can be scary, but I’m here to support you in your journey toward change, healing, and growth. I admire your courage in taking this first step.
My goal as a counselor in training is to provide you with a safe and trusting environment where meaningful change can occur. Our time together is about you, your needs, and your goals. I look forward to getting to know the unique story of your life, and what brought you here. I take a collaborative and holistic approach to counseling, which means I will work alongside you, and will consider your physical, psychological, environmental, social, and spiritual needs. I use a strengths-based approach to uncover the resources and resiliency already present within you, as well as cognitive-behavioral, motivational interviewing and emotion focused techniques. I will also take into consideration your family background and relationships as part of my interest in couples work and family systems. Ultimately, my goal is to support you in meeting your wellness and healing goals.
My training in the Counselor Education program at USM has focused on providing individual and group mental health counseling for adults of all ages. I have also taken classes pertaining to work with children as well as family systems. My undergraduate degree is in psychology from the University of Maine at Orono. While I work with clients presenting a variety of concerns, my areas of interest include couples and individual work focused on common stress and anxiety that manifest in everyday life, especially during times of transition. I am also interested in women’s issues, self-esteem, and the incorporation of mindfulness.
In my free time I enjoy going for walks in nature and surrounding myself with the peace and wonder it provides. I love to travel and explore new places, meet new people, and learn new things. I adore plants and animals of all varieties and am continuously working on my green thumb. I also enjoy yoga, puzzles, reading/audiobooks, and listening to true crime podcasts.
I am currently accepting clients ranging from the teenage years through older adulthood, including couples. I am available via telehealth.. I look forward to hearing from you.
Ready to get started? Please contact us or email Abby.
Available now until November 2023.
Tabby Whitney
Hello, my name is Tabby and I’m excited that you’re pursuing therapy. I also appreciate that you’ve taken the steps to get here.
I work with individuals and couples as they navigate their lives, with the belief that they are doing the best that they can with the tools that they have.
My areas of expertise involve trauma informed therapy, motivational interviewing, person-centered therapy, and a holistic approach that takes into consideration all parts of your life.
I’m currently pursuing my graduate degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Antioch University. I obtained my undergraduate degree in Psychology at the University of Southern Maine.
My primary focus in the therapeutic relationship is to hold space to create trust and empathetic understanding. I believe that you are the expert on your own life and with the training that I bring to listen and to understand, we can work together when you bring issues into the room. I also believe that growth and change are essential parts of our lives and I hope to foster an environment where you are able to do so with me.
When I’m not working, I enjoy cooking new meals, watching movies, and spending time with others. I am glad I get to work in a profession that allows me to collaborate with people, as it’s an important part of my life.
Thank you for taking the time to come here. I am currently accepting clients in person and via telehealth, and I look forward to working with you.
Ready to get started? Please contact us or email Tabby.
Available now until Summer 2024.
Cathy Barbarits
Hello! I'm Cathy, a counseling intern pursuing a Master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at the University of Southern Maine. My passion lies in supporting adults from diverse backgrounds as they navigate their unique life challenges and strive for greater well-being. With a background in Philosophy and Women & Gender Studies from the University of New Hampshire, I have developed a deep understanding of the diverse experiences and perspectives that individuals bring to therapy.
As a mental health counselor, my primary focus is to create a safe, inclusive, and non-judgmental space where you can feel genuinely heard, understood, and supported. I recognize that seeking counseling takes courage and can be a significant step towards personal growth and healing.
In our work together, I adopt a collaborative and client-centered approach. I aim to build a strong therapeutic alliance with you, exploring your concerns, identifying your strengths, and developing effective strategies for positive change. I believe in the uniqueness of each person and tailor my therapeutic approach to meet your individual needs, drawing from evidence-based practices and embracing a holistic perspective.
Throughout our sessions, I will help you gain insights, develop coping skills, and nurture resilience. Whether you are grappling with anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, life transitions, or any other challenges, my goal is to provide guidance, encouragement, and support. Together, we will work towards enhancing your self-awareness, fostering personal growth, and improving your overall well-being.
Outside of my counseling work, I enjoy getting lost in gothic fiction, taking leisurely walks in the woods, watching old movies, hunting for hidden gems in thrift stores, and spending quality time with friends over board games.
If you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment, please feel free to reach out. I am genuinely excited about the opportunity to work with you and support you on your path towards well-being.
Ready to get started? Please contact us or email Cathy.
Available now until Fall 2023.
Luna Colt
Now accepting new clients.
Hello and welcome! My name is Luna, and I’m currently a graduate student at the University of Southern Maine, en route to obtaining my license to practice counseling. I feel lucky to be placed with A Simple Therapy. My therapeutic approach has a holistic framework and Family Systems foundation, integrating techniques to promote whole-person wellness within each of the eight dimensions of wellness; emotional, environmental, financial, intellectual, occupational, physical, social, and spiritual.
I work with individuals (18+) who are navigating experiences of anxiety, depression, stress, life transitions, self-esteem issues, relationship issues, trauma, belonging, and self-worth. The theories I am drawn to focus on emotions, narratives, existential anxieties, and nervous system regulation, all helping to understand and heal your relationship with yourself and others, while building trust with your inner wisdom.
So often we believe we are the problem, but in truth, we live in a problematic world. From a place of curiosity, I help clients understand those limiting beliefs that we pick up along the way, and to release them. I have seen that change happens through compassion, trust, and collaboration. These tenets guide my work, and they foster connection, self-awareness, and self-empowerment.
I approach my work with my whole self, bringing humor and warmth to my practice.
Ready to get started? Please contact us or email Luna.
Available now until Spring 2024.
Alexandra Hood
Now accepting couples for couple’s therapy!
Hello! My name is Alexandra, and I am a counseling intern studying clinical mental health with an area of expertise in family systems through the University of Southern Maine’s Counselor Education program. I am currently offering couple’s therapy.
I believe in meeting couples where they are at with compassion, and I offer a safe space to feel seen and heard. I hope to help couples strengthen their relationship, feel increased connection, develop security, and deepen emotional intimacy. In my work with couples, I focus on providing thoughtful treatment using modalities such as Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT). I am intentional in adapting my chosen modalities and interventions to the needs of my clients. My style is collaborative, curious, supportive, authentic, and non-judgmental. I welcome couples of all backgrounds and beliefs.
My clinical work is often informed by person-centered and systemic approaches, and I integrate a strengths-based and trauma-informed focus. I am interested in attachment, life transitions, and codependency. I believe that our individual relationships, behavior patterns, and life choices are interconnected, and that better understanding the systems we live within can make room for empowered action.
When I am not counseling, I enjoy quiet moments in nature, long walks, a great cup of coffee, puzzles, cooking, and spending quality time with my partner and our dog, Piper.
Ready to get started? Please contact us or email Alexandra.
Available now until August 2023.
