Meet The team
Heather fernandez lmft
I am a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who graduated from ASU in 2013. I have training in ACT Therapy, Mindfulness, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Gottman Couple's Therapy, and EMDR. I am a trauma therapist who is currently seeking EMDRIA certification for EMDR which means that I've had advanced training and additional supervision to ensure that I'm providing the best care.
I worked for 7 years in the child welfare system working with families, individuals, and children. As I result I was exposed to a variation of trauma and human experiences. I have experience working with domestic violence, substance abuse, various forms of abuse, and parenting skills assistance. I worked in the private practice field for 2.5 years before deciding to venture out on my own.
My goals for my clients are for them to feel safe, seen, and heard. I have a relaxed style, and enjoy teaching clients new skills. I am a big fan of using EMDR, cognitive behavioral therapy, narrative therapy, and experiential therapy. I believe whole heartedly in the mind, body, spirit connection and I love implementing holistic principals if it's a good fit for the client. I am also a safe place for LBGTQ community and the BIPOC community.
I provide marriage counseling as well as counseling for individuals, teens, and families. I enjoy helping people with anxiety, grief and loss, stress management and life changes, trauma, improving self esteem and happiness, improving communication, learning to have healthy relationships, and co-parenting.
I am an undercover nerd. I enjoy learning new things and I'm always reading at least 3 books at a time. Working out and being in nature are some of the activities which help to level me out in these crazy times we are living in. I have 2 little girls who think I'm their hero, and a husband who is along for the journey of life. I've had my own struggles with addiction, both personally and in a family context; as a result, I'm super familiar with 12 step recovery process. My favorite color is turquoise, and I love Vans shoes.
$140/session. Aetna, UHC, Oscar Health, Oxford.
lauren reed lcsw
I’m Lauren Reed, Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and Certified Psychiatric Rehabilitation Practitioner and I have been in the social work field since 2016. I graduated from Arizona State University in 2018 with my master’s degree in social work as a HEALS (Healthcare Education and Leadership) scholar. I love being a social worker as it has afforded me the opportunity to work in a range of environments from community mental health services, health care management, and private practice.
As a psychotherapist I specialize in working with teens, adults, and couples in areas including depression, maternal mental health, anxiety, relational problems, communication, substance use, grief, and trauma. I have training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Problem Solving Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Mindfulness, Motivational Interviewing, Maternal and Emotionally Focused Therapy.
Healing is messy, and it’s also beautiful! The good news is there are many things you can learn and unlearn about yourself and the world you live in. I will support you through that healing process. I like to create a space that is warm and down to earth through a person-centered approach. I recognize that there are many paths to the same destination, and I do my best to make sure we are on the path that feels right for you. People who are seeking a collaborative, creative and interactive style will find that with me. I “seek to understand than to be understood” and use that as a guiding principle in my practice.
In my spare time I am a lifetime learner of random things. I enjoy attending trainings, conferences, and listening to podcasts. Laughter and riding my bike are two ways that I try to stay present in my life. I also like to tap into my creativity through writing which brings me much peace. I am married with three children that keep me on my toes and constantly teach me more about myself.
Currently I am providing telehealth appointments during late afternoon and evening hours. I will also have some limited in person evening sessions available in the front half of the week.
I look forward to getting to know you and being a part of your healing journey!
$120/session. Aetna, UHC, Oscar Health, Oxford.
melissa Vermilyea LcSW
I am Melissa Vermilyea, Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) . I graduated from Arizona State University with my masters degree in social work in 2017. I enjoy the field of social work as it gives me the opportunity to work in various settings. As such it has afforded me the opportunity to work closely with the homeless population, veterans, women, children, and teens in areas of depression, anxiety, grief and loss, trauma, substance use, eating disorders, developmental delays, obsessive compulsive disorders and body dysmorphia. I have training in Sand Tray Therapy, Theraplay, Play Therapy, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, Crisis Intervention, Suicide Prevention, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy and Motivational Interviewing. I also provide Christian and Spiritual counseling to those seeking it.
With my experience and training, I strive to provide my clients with the space that feels safe, and non-judgemental being as patient centered as possible, I also pride myself on continuing education to meet the needs of my clients.
I am a Native from Arizona, married to my husband who formerly served in the United States AirForce and we have four amazing children ranging from toddler to teen who keep us very busy, as we also took on homeschooling last year. Currently, I am offering telehealth appointments in the evenings with some weekend availability.
$120/session. Contracted with Cigna, and Aetna.
Dr. Laurel Rettle LPC, Lisac
Career Highlights
Laurel Rettle PhD, LPC, LISAC and pursued her Doctorate Degree in General Psychology. Dr. Rettle has over 40 years of experience working in recovery settings, private practice, and inpatient psychiatric facilities assessing and treating a plethora of psychiatric illness including: addiction, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, psychotic disorders, personality disorders, ADHD, OCD, and trauma. Dr. Rettle also has extensive experienced in psychological program development and implementation, consulting, and training. Dr. Rettle sees individuals and couples ages 6 and up.
Special Skills
Cooking, homemaking/organizing/budgeting
Most People Don’t Know…
I am interested in genealogy and am a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
Greatest Achievement
Being a mom and grandma. Helping little ones learn to navigate the world through socialization, education and emotional development has been my life’s Magnum Opus.
$140/session. Aetna, Cigna, UHC, Oscar Health, Oxford, BCBS of AZ.
Cassi InCE LCSW
I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Arizona. I graduated from Illinois State University in 2020 with my master’s degree in social work. I have worked in the social work field since 2016, pulling from a variety of experience in different settings including child welfare, community mental health, and crisis counseling.
Healing is hard. It’s often ugly and can be a beautiful journey. Not enough people acknowledge how hard it is to heal, grow, and transform. Seeking help is a huge step. Healing starts to take place as soon as someone feels heard. I strive to make children, teens, and adults feel heard, seen, and valued.
On any given day as a therapist, you will see me immersed in art, on the floor playing, always bringing my authentic self into sessions. I have a relaxed and unique style that encourages clients to bring their true self to therapy. Identifying as LGBTQ+ personally inspires me to create a safe and welcoming space to all clients I may work with. I think of therapy as a partnership and feel honored to walk alongside my clients on whatever journey to healing they may be on.
I enjoy working with various ages and populations. I specialize in working with children and teens. I am also passionate about working with those identifying as LBGTQ+ and adults who experienced childhood trauma. I have training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Mindfulness, Play Therapy, Art Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, and Inner Child Work. I provide in-person and virtual individual therapy for children, teens, and adults as well as family therapy. I am passionate about helping people with trauma, anxiety, depression, grief and loss, behavioral challenges in children, improving parenting strategies, and gender and sexual identity challenges.
I am originally from Illinois and moved to Arizona in 2020. In my free time, you can find me enjoying time with my two children and my partner. I enjoy being outside, playing/watching sports, and being creative.
I look forward to supporting you in your healing journey, whether you’re 4 or 104!
$130/session. Contracted with Aetna, Cigna, BCBS
Personal transformation is not easy. Healing yourself takes time. Letting go can sometimes feel overwhelming. Building new habits can seem like an uphill battle. Even with all of these challenges, inner-work is worth it. This active form of self love can radically change your life.
~Yung Pueblo