Meet Ambler Counseling Center’s Therapists

About Taylor

I am committed to being a guiding hand and listening ear for others on their unique journey towards healing and meeting their life goals - whatever they may be! I enjoy working with children, teens and families through an exploratory lens with warmth, creativity, compassion, support and resources.

My road to becoming a mental health therapist started after I earned a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from West Chester University, in which I completed a field experience as a Music Education Pathways research member. I went on to achieve a Master of Arts in Counseling degree with a concentration in Child and Family Therapy from Arcadia University. There, I completed a practicum as a domestic violence counselor and an internship at a community mental health center where I provided therapy and worked with an array of diagnoses and demographics - I stayed on as an outpatient therapist for years after.

I tailor my therapeutic approach to meet each client's individual needs and interests. I have experience using Cognitive-Behavioral therapy, trauma-informed care, mindfulness and a person-centered approach. On my free time I enjoy traveling, spending time with family and friends and caring for my toddler. Entering therapy is an admirable first step in achieving one's goals and becoming one's best self - it is not always easy (go you!) I am honored and dedicated to helping provide the tools and skills clients need to better cope with life's challenges and build the self-insight and confidence needed to get there.

About Allison

I strive to model and strengthen secure attachment in order to enhance clients' interpersonal words to reach their unique and individualized goals. It is my philosophy that at the forefront of therapy is the therapeutic relationship and creating a safe and trusting environment in which this can happen.

My entire career, I have focused on the emotional and mental wellbeing of individuals and families to create long lasting, secure, and trusting supports that assist the client in growing their autonomy and strengthening relationships. In order to do this, I seek to use an eclectic approach with a person centered and family systems base. Using these models at the forefront of my practice, I am able to utilize the best interventions for their personal needs, including, CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy), DBT (dialectical behavioral therapy), mindfulness, grounding, and more. In conjunction with these styles, a crucial role the therapy sessions have is also providing psychoeducation to my clients to bolster knowledge, confidence, and acceptance. It is my goal to equip individuals with the tools they need to thrive in their environments.

About Mariana

I am very passionate about creating a safe space where clients feel comfortable in exploring all of their emotions and experiences so they feel heard, validated and aligned with me as their therapist.

I graduated with a Masters in Arts degree in Clinical Counseling from Alvernia University, and have been able to use my skills in treating various different diagnoses from Depression, Anxiety ADHD, PTSD and personality disorders. I have experience working with children, adolescents, families and couples! I strive to empower every person that walks through my door to achieve the goals that they envision for themselves, or to just provide a listening ear to meet them where they're at in a judgment-free environment.

Deciding to come to therapy can be intimidating, but I am committed to assisting clients in feeling safe sharing emotions and thoughts, and building confidence within vulnerability, I will be there every step of the way.

About Amber

I received my Master of Science in Counseling Psychology in 2018 from Chatham University in Pittsburgh, PA. Prior to joining the team at Ambler Counseling Center, I worked as a behavioral health therapist in various settings providing group, individual and family therapy to children, teens, and adults. I have experience working with people who struggle with depression, anxiety, PTSD, eating disorders, stress, and interpersonal conflict.

My therapeutic approach is integrative, individualized, and strengths based. I have an extensive background with cognitive behavioral therapy and dialectical behavioral therapy and strongly believe in personalizing treatment to meet the needs of my clients.

I strive to provide a safe space for my clients to explore thoughts and emotions, navigate life's stresses, hone positive coping skills, and foster personal growth. Seeking help is a hard thing to do, and I am dedicated to supporting you through adversity with empathy, validation, and unconditional positive regard.

About Rebecca

I am a Licensed Professional Counselor and completed my master's degree in Mental Health Counseling at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. Prior to working at Ambler Counseling Center, I served in multiple roles advocating for the empowerment of refugees, young women and teens, and survivors across the world. This led me to develop a passion for supporting young adults with diverse experiences. I have also worked in multiple school environments which led me to my work as a therapist for individuals with neurodiversities such as autism spectrum disorder and ADHD.

I am a person centered therapist; meaning I believe we are two people coming together to collaboratively figure out what is and what is not working for you in your life. I aim to help you navigate life's ups and downs, and let go of shame and guilt to become your most confident and authentic self (even when that can seem uncomfortable or scary). I want to be alongside you on your journey of self-discovery; which might look at times like concrete skills to try outside of session, or processing your feelings and thoughts in session. I particularly love working with teens, young adults, and men who may also have diverse backgrounds, ADHD or Autism, have experienced environmental trauma or are generally struggling to feel more in control and compassionate in their day to day life.

What can you expect in session? - I strive to show up as my authentic self in session through a variety of skills from a cognitive behavioral, multicultural, trauma informed, or person centered lens. I also believe that sometimes it is easier to talk about hard things when you have something in your hands or feel comfortable, therefore I incorporate hands on tools in session at times and allow for movement, creativity, and control in session. I emphasize creative approaches, humor, compassion, taking small steps towards your goals, empowerment, and visual aides to challenge the "blank slate" approach to therapy.

About Kaila Rae

Whether you are looking to mange your anxiety/depression, build your self-confidence, heal fromyour trauma(s), work through conflict with family/friends, or explore your identity, I will create a safe space where you can talk openly without feeling judged.

My background includes a master's in counseling, and I have experience working with college students and adults across a broad spectrum of issues and identities. I specialize in working with LGBTQIA+ folks on gender and sexuality exploration. I recognize and place great emphasis on the societal impact of how the intersections of our multiple identities (e.g. race, gender, body size, etc) may play a factor in our work together and will always be an advocate for you.

Everyone has their own unique struggles, goals and history, so my therapeutic approach will be tailored based on your specific needs. I will always approach the work we will do together through a trauma and multicultural informed lens in order to collaboratively build a treatment plan that works best for you. I look forward to walking along side you in your journey towards a fuller and more authentic life!

About Silvia

I am a bilingual master's level therapist with a Clinical and Counseling Psychology degree from Chestnut Hill College and a bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of Salamanca in Spain. As a native Spanish speaker who was born and raised in Spain and now living in Philadelphia, I understand the importance of culture and the challenges of adapting to a new environment.

I have experience working with children, teens, and young adults who are facing anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and trauma, as well as other challenges in relationships and life transitions. Through an eclectic approach rooted in relational therapy, I will guide, empower, and support you on your therapeutic journey. Together, we will create a safe space for you to explore yourself, grow, and heal at your own pace.

Your personal experiences are essential for me to truly understand you, as you are the expert in your own life. I am here to support you with warmth, professionalism, and deep respect!

About Zoe

I have recently graduated from Temple University with a Master's degree in Counseling Psychology, after receiving a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from West Chester University in 2021. My passion for helping others and making a positive impact led me to complete my counseling internship at Eastern University's counseling center, where I was able to gain valuable clinical experiences working with adolescents and young adults with a range of presenting concerns including anxiety, depression, adjustment, relationship, familial, and academic concerns.

My therapeutic approach is rooted in evidence-based techniques, primarily drawing from Person-Centered Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). I believe in empowering clients to identify and challenge negative thought patterns, while providing a warm and non-judgmental environment for personal growth. By fostering a trusting and collaborative relationship, I hope to ensure that my clients feel supported and heard throughout their therapeutic journey.

I believe that a therapeutic relationship thrives on trust, empathy, collaboration, and respect. As a counselor, I am committed to helping clients navigate life's challenges, build resilience, and discover their true potential.

About Lila

I have obtained my Masters of Science from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) in Mental Health Counseling where I was trained from a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy lens. Prior to receiving this degree, I attended Temple University and graduated in May 2020 with a degree in Psychology and a minor in Religion. Although I do not incorporate religious doctrine into my practice, I find that those classes gave me important perspectives in working with clients from different backgrounds and cultures.

While I was in undergrad, I found myself gravitating towards opportunities that allowed me to work with adolescents/teens in empowering ways. I served as a camp counselor, middle school tutor, mentor, and with clients on the autism spectrum. Currently, my specialty is working with clients through anxious feelings, depressive symptoms, traumatic experiences, emotional regulation needs, and daily/weekly challenges.

I primarily utilize person-centered approaches, behavioral approaches and modalities, and cognitive-behavioral therapy through a multi-cultural and supportive lens. In session I emphasize empowerment, authenticity, creativity, engagement, empowerment, and active interventions to meet your needs at the moment.

My diverse experience working with adolescent, teen, and adult clients led me to the counseling field. I strive to meet with clients who looked like me, clients who needed a safe space to share thoughts they believed no-one could understand, clients who had been in the system, and clients with diverse needs.

I know you are the expert in you, and am happy to be a collaborator on your journey to achieving your goals.

About Kristy

Kristy is a masters level clinician specializing in trauma, eating disorders, and LGBTQIA+ issues. She has extensive experience working with individuals with severe trauma, anxiety, and depression often with various co-occurring disorders.

Kristy is an integrative multi-cultural feminist practitioner, meaning that she considers culture, community, and environmental factors and how they contribute to a client's symptomology or effect possible treatment interventions. Shefocuses on utilizing ACT and DBT to help clients address behaviors while utilizing psychoeducation, attachment theory, Family Systems, and trauma informed practices to help determine the root causes behind a given behavior or belief that the client wishes to address.

Kristy is passionate about creating a safe, non-judgmental, supportive, and genuine environment for her clients. This includes taking the time to build trust and rapport, allowing clients to have input in terms of what they need from therapy, and working with them to create an individualized, strengths-based, holistic approach to meaningful change.

About Tara

I am currently working towards a second Master's degree for counseling psychology where I attend Eastern University. Prior to this, I obtained a Masters of Education at Arcadia University for Applied Behavior Analysis. I have worked with children and families for 20 years and began working in the mental and behavioral health field in 2015. During this time my focus has been on working to support those who have significant behavioral and mental health disorders impacting quality of life, school performance, and family dynamics. In my previous roles, I have worked with children, adolescents, young adults and families providing crisis support, behavioral support and therapy, family therapy, and individual therapy throughout Montgomery, Bucks, and Philadelphia Counties serving communities of many different backgrounds.

My clinical orientation is holistic and integrative where I select interventions from different theories and approaches to develop treatment plan that meets your individual needs and achieve whole wellness. I have training and background in behavior modification, CBT, trauma-focused CBT (TF-CBT), motivational interviewing (MI), eco-systemic family therapy, and other practices including mindfulness practice. My approach is trauma-informed, strength-based, empowering, and person centered, aiming also to be anti-oppressive and culturally sensitive as I work to support you on the journey towards healing and achieving a better life experience while equipping you with tools you can use to cope with your life situations.

I understand that it is not always easy seeking therapy, or the right therapist, and opening up, however, I believe that a lot of therapeutic work rests in creating a safe space and building a collaborative, non-judgmental secure therapeutic relationship that creates the foundation to do the deeper work towards achieving personal life goals. I am also very passionate about breaking down barriers and creating these spaces for BIPOC and other marginalized groups and creating access to well-rounded quality care while working through issues including anxiety, depression, life transitions, race-related stress, relationship issues, and more.

To describe myself, I am empathic, energetic, compassionate, and genuine. In my free time I enjoy spending time with my husband and 5 year old son, shooting photography, attending street festivals, gardening outdoors and tending to plants indoors, hiking, going on road trips, and all things beach.

About Sabrina

I received my Bachelor's Degree in Psychology from West Chester University of Pennsylvania and am currently enrolled at Chestnut Hill College working on my Master's for Clinical and Counseling Psychology. I worked at the Early Childhood Cognition and Emotions Lab (ECCEL) helping children dealing with poverty-related stress and trauma and have experience working with children with autism spectrum disorder as a behavioral health technician. I have experience working with teens, young adults, and adults dealing with depression, anxiety, PTSD, OCD, ASD, as well as eating disorders. I have experience with individuals who are members of the LGBTQIA+ community. I enjoy working with clients who are harder on themselves and love to help individuals feel more at ease with who they are.

I am being trained in a psychodynamic approach and often utilize cognitive behavioral techniques as well as a person-centered lens to therapy. I value a holistic approach emphasizing both mind and body in session. I know therapy can be daunting and I strongly believe in creating a space that feels authentic and safe for you to grow and process your experiences. Outside of the office I like to prioritize physical movement. I love spending time in nature as well as hanging out with my dog.

About Brenda

Having started her career as a Masters-level Clinical Social Worker, Brenda has come full circle by returning to the counseling environment at Ambler Counseling Center as the office manager. After pivoting from social work to administrative positions in student affairs, human resources, and private school education, Brenda looks forward to supporting the staff at ACC in creating a warm, welcoming environment for clients.

Making the decision to see a therapist is a courageous step toward improving your well-being. Every client deserves to be welcomed with respect, regard for their privacy, and with a warm smile.