About

Meet Our Team

Joel Covert, LCSW

Owner & Clinical Director

Hannah Covert, MSN, CNM, PMHNP-BC

Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner

Jamie Abbitt, LCSW

Therapist

Nathan Williams, LPC

Therapist

Lauren Seller, LAC

Therapist

Samantha Banner, BS

Master's Level Intern Therapist

Traci Frederickson, BSW

Master's Level Intern Therapist

Cassie Rhodes, BA

Master's Level Intern Therapist

Betsy Thomas, BA

Administrative Assistant & Community Liaison

About

It takes a lot of work to fully accept oneself and simultaneously be committed to growth, healing and wholeness. This is what Joel strives to do in his own life and in his work with his clients. Navigating our painful emotions, coming to grip with ourselves and learning to have healthy relationships is daunting, yet possible. Joel would love to journey with you as you learn to be more authentic and to fully embrace your story!

Joel has been working with clients for over 10 years. Knowing he wanted to be a therapist from the age of 13yo, Joel is both honored to be working in this field and passionate about his work. Joel earned his Master’s degree from Arizona State University. He graduated with a Master’s in Social Work (MSW) with an emphasis in direct practice. He is licensed as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and an Arizona Board of Behavioral Health Examiners (AzBBHE) approved supervisor. Joel has a Bible degree from Moody Bible Institute and is ordained in the Non-denominational Christian Church. Though not all clients want spiritual integration in their counseling, for those looking for this, Joel is able to bring faith into their treatment.

After completing his graduate studies, Joel completed a 2 year counseling residency at Phoenix Interfaith Counseling. He was extensively trained in Behavior Therapies including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Prolonged Exposure Therapy, Gottman Couple’s Therapy, Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Attachment informed approaches and in treating personality disorders. He has also been trained in Level 1 and 2 of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). Joel has experience working at the Arizona State Hospital on the forensic psychiatric units, the Gilbert Police Department and Dynamic Living Counseling where he facilitated court- ordered substance abuse group therapy, worked with domestic violence offenders and victims, and facilitated psycho-education groups for minor consumption and substance use. Most recently, Joel practiced in Africa (Nairobi, Kenya) as a therapist to underprivileged families and as a trainer of becoming counselors at Amani Counseling Centre and Training Institute. He lectured courses in Psychopathology, Group Counseling and Counseling Ethics. Joel has worked with at risk students mentoring, counseling, and educating. Joel has extensive experience working with anxiety and depression issues. He also has treated those legally determined by the state “Seriously Mentally Ill (SMI).”

Joel's thorough training allows him to provides treatment to children, teens, adults, couples and families around the issues of depression, hopelessness even suicidal ideation and self-harm, anxiety, anger, parenting, foster/adoption transition and/or trauma, family/relationship discord, pre-marital counseling, addictions including sexual impulsivity/addictions and treating all types of trauma including sexual related trauma.

Joel provides Family Court Services including: •Therapeutic Interventionist (TI) services, •Therapeutic Supervised Parenting Time, •Supervised Parenting Time, •Co-Parenting services, •Reunification Therapy and •Court Appointed Counseling.

Joel is married with three kids. He enjoys spending time with his family, learning, meeting new people, traveling, spending time in new cultures, volunteering, and being outdoors. Joel enjoys running, playing other sports and coaching his kids activities. He also loves studying and reading in his spare time.

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Hannah is excited to come along side AZCC with her company Rising Sun Psychiatry, LLC to meet the needs of those who could benefit from services beyond counseling.  Hannah’s primary service is prescribing and managing psychotropic medication.  Hannah believes in providing holistic care, so part of the treatment plan may include other options, such as lifestyle modifications, psycho-education, lab work, and alternative supplements.

From a young age, Hannah knew she wanted to pursue a career in the medical field with hopes of providing holistic and compassionate care to the most vulnerable.  She has now been working in the field of nursing for 13 years and absolutely loves what she does! She completed her B.S. in Nursing at North Park University in Chicago. She then moved to Arizona, where her nursing career began in the Medical-Surgical ICU and sometimes required floating to the Neuro, Trauma, or Cardiovascular ICU.  After having her first child, she made the shift to work in labor and delivery, where she cared for people experiencing high risk pregnancies, pre-existing mental health conditions, substance use, and perinatal loss. She felt passionate about building a long-term relationship with these families and empowering them through their healthcare journey, so she pursued her MSN in Midwifery at Frontier Nursing University.  As a provider, it became very evident that a vast majority of her patients needed someone to care for their mental health concerns.  She especially noticed a gap in care for women in pregnancy and postpartum, so she furthered her education by engaging in other continuing education opportunities, such as the Postpartum Support International Psychopharmacology Training, CBTi for insomnia, and CBT for prenatal anxiety. Eventually she completed her Post-graduate Certificate as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. Her clinical training and experience includes:
1. The Center for True Harmony, where she practices as a CNM and manages psychotropic medication and other treatments for many women who experience anxiety, depression, perinatal mood disorders, and PMDD (Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder).
2. Redemption Psychiatry with Dr. Burton, where she received training on advanced psychiatric treatment options for treatment-resistant disorders.
3. Maricopa Christian Psychiatry with Dr. Chirsty Olloh, where she learned intricacies of caring for elderly and military personnel.
4. Ascend Perinatal with Stephanie Chirco, PMHNP-BC, where she received specialty training in treating the perinatal population and saw many children and adolescents.
5. AZ Counseling Collective with Penelope Rivera, LPC, where she observed and was counseled on family court cases and attended DBT group therapy to be able to incorporate DBT skills into her medication appointments.

Throughout her studies she became more passionate about mental health care across the lifespan.  She is honored to walk alongside people of all ages and backgrounds and hopes to provide them with individualized, holistic, and evidence-based care.  She hopes each person feels valued, heard and empowered to be a part of the shared decision-making team. Her specialties include perinatal mood disorders, PMDD, Anxiety, Depression, Mood Disorders, ADHD, and PTSD.

When she is not working as a PMHNP, she enjoys spending time with her husband and three children, catching babies as a Certified-Nurse Midwife, adventuring in the outdoors, running, traveling, coffee shops, and serving locally and globally.

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Some of the most significant, life changing moments are jumpstarted in the course of a conversation.  Feeling heard and felt opens the door to possibilities.  The possibility of healing, more freedom, a deeper sense of peace, feeling more grounded and safe can encourage a person to make the changes that they want to make.  This has been Jamie’s experience in her own life as well as through the training she received and the counseling she has done thus far.

Jamie was born in and spent much of her childhood in South America.  In addition to speaking Spanish, this experience cultivated an appreciation for and skill in connecting with individuals from all different backgrounds.  This connection sets the springboard for creating a healthy counseling relationship that is vital to the healing process.

Jamie graduated with a Masters in Social Work (MSW) from Arizona State University, with an emphasis in Direct Practice with Children and Family.  She has a Licensed Clinical of Social Work (LCSW) from the Arizona Board of Behavioral Health.  The one year residency program she completed with Phoenix Interfaith/Terros the first year out of graduate school served to develop skills for counseling in a variety of approaches including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Prolonged Exposure Therapy, Gottman Couples Therapy and Level 1 and 2 of (EMDR).  Her undergraduate degree from Moody Bible Institute modeled the integration of counseling and spirituality, a component that could be meaningful to some individuals in their journey.
During the past year Jamie has worked part time at a behavioral health hospital helping to stabilize both adolescences and adults who are suicidal and/or dealing with active psychosis.  Jamie facilitated process groups to aid with developing coping skills and processing through significant factors impacting their well-being.

Jamie spends the majority of her time chasing after her three young children, drinking coffee, sharing meals with friends and family and exploring the outdoors.

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It takes a tremendous amount of courage to reach out for help. Many of us have even learned that asking for help isn't safe yet reality tells us that genuine connection to others is as important as the oxygen you breathe. The truth is that you don't have to work through your painful losses, fears or heartaches alone. Everything that you experience has its reasons for existing and the good news is that your mind has a limitless capacity to learn, grow and heal. Nathan would be honored to play a role on your path to healing and understanding.

Nathan has been working in the mental health field for since 2008 and has worked with a variety of concerns including depression, anxiety, trauma, self-harm/suicidal thoughts and relationship concerns. His approach includes various methods such as DBT, ACT, CBT, EMDR and Solution-Focused Therapy while fostering a deep connection to core values. Nathan has a passion for listening, understanding and offering effective means for coping with life’s challenges. Nathan earned his master’s degree from Mid-America Nazarene University in Olathe, KS. He is licensed as a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Kansas as well as Arizona.

Nathan has completed most of his work with county mental health organizations. He has worked with individuals in therapy and facilitated various groups and trainings. Nathan has an passion for treating individuals who have suffered from trauma and as well as other painful experiences. He enjoys facilitating group processes as a means to bring others together for skill-building, healing and connection. Nathan has provided multiple trainings on Trauma-Informed Care, Trauma Interventions, and Dialectical-Behavioral Therapy to name a few.

In his free time Nathan likes to mountain bike, cook on the grill, work on his house, read, write music and spend time outdoors with his family. Nathan is married and has 3 children.

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Everything can be taken from a man but one thing:
the last of the human freedoms- to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.
-Viktor E. Frankl

We may not be able to control our circumstances, but we can control what we do with our circumstances. Sometimes we are handed or inherit a difficult lot in life, and the idea of navigating this lot can leave us feeling hopeless and powerless. Lauren firmly believes we are not without hope because we will always have the power to choose how we respond to our adverse circumstances. Lauren has a deep sense of compassion and intrigue for the human soul, a yearning to discover an individual’s story, and desire to build a warm, empathic, safe, and authentic alliance with her clients. Lauren's own story and life experiences help her better relate to those working through relational brokenness, finding and/or retaining one’s identity in the midst of big life-transitions, and living and relating as a stranger in a strange land. Lauren joins together with individuals in seeking hope as they journey through paths of anxiety, depression, trauma, loss, grief, relationship issues, divorce recovery, co-parenting, and blending of families. Her overall Existentialist approach to therapy pulls from, though is not limited to, various orientations such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Polyvagal Theory, and Strengths-Based Therapy. Lauren is also able to provide faith-based counseling from a Christian perspective for those who would desire it.

Lauren enjoys spending time with her three daughters, traveling, music, movies, working with her hands, being outdoors, and Lauren has a deep love for cross-cultural relationships. Lauren looks forward to the privilege of meeting with you.

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While hardships are inevitable, healthy coping skills can help manage stressors and overcome challenges effectively. As Carl Rogers said, “The good life is a process, not a state of being. It is a direction not a destination”. Each day we have the opportunity to heal and grow. Most of us have a difficult time recognizing the unhelpful attributes in our lives that may be causing unhappiness. As a counselor, Samantha would be honored to provide connection and understanding during this process
Samantha graduated with Bachelor degrees in psychology and health from Graceland University in Lamoni, Iowa. Currently, she is completing her Masters of Clinical Mental Health Counseling degree from Grand Canyon University. Attending Christian institutions has constructed Samantha’s ability to integrate faith-based practice. Professionally, she has experience empowering young women in the development of self-awareness, positive self-talk and affirmation skills.
Samantha’s education allows her to provide therapeutic services to children, adolescents, adults, couples and families as a supervised intern. She is trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Dialectic Behavioral Therapy (DBT).
Samantha is a proud mother and homemaker. She is a Missouri native who enjoys the outdoors, yoga, book club and journaling. Samantha is passionate about psychoeducation and human services. As a therapist, Samantha’s objective is helping clients manage stress and cultivate a prosperous lifestyle.

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“The definition of vulnerability is uncertainty, risk, and emotional
exposure. But vulnerability is not weakness; it’s our most
accurate measure of courage.”
~ Brene Brown

Asking for help is vulnerable. Being willing to take a deeper look inside and do the work to make changes takes courage. You give your time, money, and effort, and it is worth every ounce of all it takes. Sometimes we need support to see what we can’t and learn new skills to help us grow. Traci did this in her own life as she started on her journey to discovering courage in vulnerability and taking an honest look at her processes. She began to learn healthy skills to help her navigate life more positively. She lives with the intention never to stop learning, growing, and doing better and teaches others to do the same.
Traci is an Arizona native and married her teenage sweetheart in 1993. She homeschooled their three children from kindergarten through 12th grade and often wondered what she would be when they grew up. She served the local church as administrator, youth pastor, young adult leader, and adult Sunday school teacher. In the community, she served the homeless for over eight years, volunteered with For Our City Gilbert, and is a graduate of Gilbert Leadership Class XXVIII.
In 2018 she graduated from Bible college. In 2019 she decided to head back to college for social work with the goal of becoming clinically licensed. She made the Dean’s List and graduated Summa Cum Laude from ASU with her BSW and is currently enrolled in the Advanced Standing Master’s program at GCU. Trained in CBT and Solution-Focused therapy, Traci takes a holistic approach to work with each person from a strengths-based perspective.
Traci’s love language is quality time and having coffee with her husband and children is her favorite. Her hobbies include hiking and traveling. Her passion is people, and her greatest reward is watching them overcome great adversities and grow beyond what they ever thought they could.

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“It is my personal mission to share my many years of experience and learning in
order to bring peace and compassion to the world.”
— David Daniels, M.D.

The challenges in our lives give us the opportunity to grow. At times, growth can be painful…it can also bring clarity and peace. Through consistent effort and an open mind, we all have an opportunity to improve our lives. Cassie has worked in many industries and has had many life experiences that helped her develop the tools she needs to support her clients in their growth journeys.
Cassie graduated from Arizona State University with a BA in Psychology and an emphasis in child development. She has a passion for counseling, especially the Enneagram personality theory. She is currently working on her MSW at Grand Canyon University. Her goal is to obtain her LMSW and work toward her LCSW.
Cassie is currently developing her knowledge of several classic therapeutic modalities, including CBT (cognitive behavior therapy) and DBT (dialectical behavior therapy). This work helps clients reach their goals of understanding themselves and learning tools to retrain their brain. She is also interested in more recent therapeutic modalities, including EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing) and Brain Mapping/Neurofeedback therapy.
She has been married for 21 years to her husband, who works in the language services industry. They have two sons and a dog. Their oldest son is a junior attending the Astrophysics program at ASU. Their youngest son is a junior at McClintock High School, in the Peggy Payne Academy. Community is also vital to Cassie. She holds a board position with Tempe Sister Cities, an international ambassador program for excelling high school juniors. Through this non-profit, Cassie helps to organize the City of Tempe Oktoberfest. She has been a Broadmor PTA board member and has also assisted in organizing community events for over a decade, such as the GAIN events and neighborhood concerts.
Cassie is conversational in American Sign Language and is a member of the philanthropic education organization PEO. She enjoys traveling, crafting, yoga, and listening to podcasts/books.

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Betsy is excited to join the team at AZCC, and while she is not a therapist, she has personally experienced the benefits that come from the therapy journey. The benefits and growth are what encourage her to help make these resources and connections available to others. Betsy has a broad background in customer care and service. She enjoys building rapport with people and clients creating trust and long term partnerships. Betsy is also a certified yoga instructor with specialty in Trauma Sensitive yoga. She believes that yoga is more than just movement on a mat. She knows it is a way to further physical, spiritual and emotional growth. Her personal experience and journey, her desire to care for others and her emphasis on positive customer connections make her an ideal fit for this fantastic team and therapy practice.

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