Our Team

Chelsea Harris

Chelsea obtained her MA in Marriage and Family Counseling from Liberty University in 2018. The population she works with is adults, families, and children. Her theoretical approach is integrative. She incorporates many theories, depending on the individual and the individual’s needs and goals for therapy. She is also an EMDR Therapist. She has had many opportunities to work with individuals struggling with anxiety, depression, grief, life transitions, low self-esteem, and family conflict. 

Chelsea is passionate about helping individuals in the counseling process learn more about themselves, challenge their negative beliefs, and help them overcome emotional barriers. Her ultimate goal is creating a safe, trusting, and non-judgmental atmosphere, and believes that the relationship between the therapist and client is essential in the healing process.

Henry Bruns

Henry is a licensed professional counselor in the state of Virginia and has been with Hope for Tomorrow since August 2020. Henry earned his Master’s in Professional Counseling as well as his PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from Liberty University. Henry has taken training for Cognitive Processing Therapy and is working towards being a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP). In addition to counseling, Henry heads up the Hope Academy of Counselor Excellence at HFT. 

Henry has been providing counseling services for 10 years, working with children, adolescents, adults, families, and couples with a wide range of symptoms and behaviors, including depression, anxiety, trauma, attachment, ADHD, anger, grief and loss, oppositional behaviors, foster/adoptive families, and marriage counseling.

His theoretical orientation when working with children and some adolescents is grounded in key concepts from play therapy but Henry is not certified as a play therapist at this time. Henry’s work with adolescents, adults, couples, and families is primarily grounded in schema therapy which is an expansion of cognitive behavioral therapy by emphasizing childhood and adolescent origins of current functioning, the counselor-client relationship, and identification of unhelpful strategies used for coping. Henry believes that by recognizing our beliefs about self, others, the world in general, and God (as indicated) we can identify our evidence for and against our beliefs and therefore make choices that either keep us stuck in our current functioning or assist us in becoming Unstuck.

In his spare time, Henry enjoys spending time with his wife and daughter playing games, spending time with family and friends, and relaxing by listening to worship music and watching TV.

Lauren Showalter

Lauren is a Licensed Professional Counselor and a National Certified Counselor, providing counseling services in the Farmville office. She received her undergraduate degree in psychology from Randolph-Macon Woman’s College and a Masters in Community Counseling from Marymount University. Lauren has been working with children and families in different capacities for the past 10 years and has been licensed for over 5 years.

She uses different techniques and approaches, but primarily uses a person-centered, trauma-informed approach to counseling. Lauren enjoys helping people with difficulties to include anxiety, depression, trauma, ADHD, oppositional behaviors, self-esteem, grief and loss, family conflict, stress management, and mood disorders. Lauren specializes in working mainly with children and teens.

In her spare time Lauren enjoys spending time with her husband and two daughters. Together they enjoy traveling, playing softball, and exploring Farmville.

Jonci Berneche

Jonci is a native of Halifax County, Virginia and works in the South Boston office. She obtained her Masters in Guidance and Counseling from Longwood University in 2001. She became a Licensed Professional Counselor in 2010 and has been working for Hope for Tomorrow for over 10 years.

Jonci had a 16 year career in education prior to transitioning to private counseling. She began her career in 1994 as an elementary school teacher and became an elementary school counselor in 2002. Jonci pursued and was granted an opportunity to work with at-risk middle and high school students in her last year of school counseling in order to gain experience working with older children. During her last 2 years in the educational setting, she also worked with clients of all ages in a private setting while obtaining her licensure.

In addition to working with children and teens, she has many years of experience working with adults, couples, and families. Her areas of specialty include mood disorders, anxiety, trauma, self-esteem, ADHD, anger, impulse control, oppositional behaviors, life transitions, CBT techniques, mindfulness, grief and loss, family conflict, parenting, and behavioral issues.

During her free time, Jonci loves having new experiences with her husband and 2 children. She enjoys traveling, hiking, canoeing, and trying new foods.

Jessica Whittle

Jessica possesses a Master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling and is a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Virginia. She has worked in a variety of settings ranging from inpatient, to outpatient, as well as telehealth. She is trained in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) for use with individuals with a history of trauma. Her passion is providing service and support to individuals of various backgrounds who are in need.  During her professional work, Jessica has found that adverse life experiences can negatively impact others at every level- physically, spiritually, psychologically, professionally, and relationally. Jessica’s overall goal is to bring support and healing to the Danville community, where she was born and raised, to promote greater resilience and an enhanced quality of life for others. 

In her leisure time, Jessica practices self-care by going for walks, reading, watching Netflix, and taking a nap with her dog.

Susan Chandler

Susan grew up in Halifax County, VA where she continues to reside. She enjoys playing golf and reading in her spare time. She also enjoys spending time with friends and takes every opportunity to spend time outdoors, especially on her farm.

Susan currently works in the South Boston, Danville, and Brookneal locations of Hope for Tomorrow. Her clients include individuals (age 5 to adult), families, and couples, and she prefers to use psychodynamic and cognitive behavioral (CBT) techniques.

Clients present with a variety of concerns, including, but not limited to the following: depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, personality disorders, and ADHD. Susan also works with individuals and families to address issues with transition, life adjustment, school, family conflict, behavioral issues, self esteem, interpersonal relationships, and grief, to name a few. She also has an interest in treating trauma, and she is trained in the use of EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) for the treatment of trauma.

Amy Billingsly

Amy graduated with her Master’s in Professional Counseling from Liberty University in 2010. She completed her internship at the adult inpatient psychiatric unit, and since graduating has worked in community mental health with adults with serious mental illness, including Schizophrenia and Depression. Amy also worked with adults struggling with opioid use disorder for over five years. Currently she’s also working with assessing and diagnosing adults and children with all types of mental illness, and helping them access the services they need. 

Amy has worked with adults and children, and enjoys helping people heal from trauma and anxiety and gain confidence. When she’s not working, Amy enjoys spending time with her husband, family, friends, and fur baby.

Annamarie Compton

Annamarie Compton, a licensed professional counselor, has been serving in the counseling field for over 10 years. She has worked in a variety of settings including inpatient hospitalizations, crisis stabilization, and school-based services.

Annamarie has training in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, (EMDR), a trauma-focused therapeutic technique. She is also a Prepare and Enrich facilitator. She has experience with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, marital and premarital counseling, anxiety disorders, depression disorders, family counseling, divorce, EAP issues, and working with children.

In her spare time, she is a mother to a wonderful son and loves to spend time with her friends and family. She also loves to read and watch movies.

Richard Wentz

Richard is a licensed professional counselor with the state of VA. He received his undergraduate degree in Sociology from Radford University and his graduate degree from Liberty University. He became a counselor because he enjoys helping those who are truly hurting. He has a passion for animals and spends most of his free time working with two rescues in Danville. He also enjoys spending time with his family and playing golf as often as possible.

Luda Ambrose

Luda’s diverse background provides her with the unique ability to connect with people from different cultural, religious, and socio -economic backgrounds. Her passion is to help those who face hard and challenging circumstances in life. Additional engineering education supports her analytical treatment approach. 

Luda obtained my social work degree from the University of Central Florida. She provides individual, family and couple therapies. Her specialized training and experience include: Life coaching, Depression, Anxiety, PTSD, Marital issues, Parenting, Loss and Grief, and wide range mental health disorders. Luda’s treatment approach includes Cognitive, Humanistic, Behavioral Therapies, and Solution Focused Therapy.

Luda’s passion is to help people to increase their self-esteem, overcome domestic violence trauma, and adjust in a new environment. She provides in person and telehealth sessions. The sessions can offer sessions in English and in Russian.

Kayla Morel

Kayla is a licensed professional counselor (VA) and has experience working with inpatient and outpatient services. She currently sees clients for outpatient services out of HFT’s Lynchburg office in addition to working with children and families in HFT’s Home Based Services.

Krystal Mattox

Krystal is a licensed professional counselor (VA) and is the coordinator of HFT’s Home Based Services. She has extensive experience and knowledge in trauma based interventions to help children and their families.

Adam Holcomb

Adam has worked in counselor education at the American Association of Christian Counselors, provided mental health assessment and counseling at Centra Health, and holds a Bachelor’s degree and Master’s degree from Liberty University. Adam has over 9 years of experience. In addition to being a counselor, Adam heads up our Compass Marriage & Relationships Services.

Amy Dove

Amy completed her undergraduate degree in Sociology at Radford University before attending Virginia Tech in the Counselor Education masters program where she graduated in 2013. She then obtained her LPC license in 2018.

Amy has worked in several therapeutic settings which include public schools, inpatient crisis, and outpatient. Amy has worked with clients on a variety of issues including, anxiety, depression, autism, relationship issues, trauma, behavioral problems, and impulse control.

Amy uses an eclectic approach to therapy and primarily uses Motivational Interviewing, Cognitive-Behavioral, Behavioral, and Support therapy. Although she works with clients of all ages, her primary focus is with teens and young adults.

Amy resides in Lynchburg with her husband, their two dogs and cat. She loves taking her dogs for walks, going to the lake, and spending time with friends and family.

Avery Via

Avery is currently a Resident in Counseling and earned a Master of Arts degree in Professional Counseling from Liberty University in 2010. He has 15 years of experience providing counseling services to individuals in a variety of therapeutic settings including outpatient, public schools, and the community. While he has experience with individuals of all ages, his primary focus is older adolescents and adults. Avery utilizes an eclectic theoretical approach to meet the individual needs of clients, grounded primarily in cognitive behavioral therapy, person centered, and motivational interviewing. He works with individuals experiencing a variety of issues including, but not limited to, anxiety, depression, grief, relationship/family difficulties, trauma, sexual orientation, gender identity, food/eating concerns, addiction, and general life stress. 

In his spare time, Avery enjoys traveling, viewing and creating art, spending time with friends and family, and going on adventures with his cat, Olive. He is also passionate about the Enneagram as he believes it is a powerful tool for growth, self-awareness, and connecting with others in a deeper, more authentic way.

Sherry Parker

Sherry worked 30+ years in acute medical and psychiatric care. She also led a Bereavement Support Group for the community during that time. She now provides outpatient counseling for adults with depression, anxiety, grief, trauma and phase of life issues. She uses evidence based concepts from Cognitive Behavioral and Mindfulness based therapy.

Sherry graduated from VCU in Richmond with an undergraduate degree in Social Work and the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill with a Masters in Social Work. She enjoys sailing with her husband and working in her flower garden.

Martha Cashel

Martha is a licensed professional counselor providing services with Hope for Tomorrow (HFT) in the Appomattox HFT office. She received her Master of Arts in counseling from Liberty University and has a background in working with children, families and adults in community mental health and outpatient settings. Martha has served in a church counseling setting at a mega church and has worked in secular settings as well.

Martha uses different approaches to best assist the client with techniques which are proven effective, including empathy, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Narrative Therapy and Solution-Focused therapy. She has a person-centered approach and sees the person “in the round” including their family and social setting. Martha’s work is trauma-informed and enjoys helping people emerge out of depression, anxiety, ADHD, addiction, trauma, grief and loss, family conflict and oppositional behavior. Martha works with couples and is certified to offer Prepare-Enrich Couples Counseling.

Martha is proficient in providing helpful services with grace and is never judgmental. She is aware of how tough this world can be, and is ready to offer hope and help people to grow beyond their circumstances. In her spare time, Martha sings and plays guitar, volunteers, and enjoys friends and the outdoors.

Amanda Clark

Amanda Clark is a Resident Counselor pursuing her licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Virginia. Amanda graduated with a Master’s Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Liberty University.

Amanda primarily works with adolescents and adults, though recently has enjoyed family therapy and working with children. She is contemplating becoming an eating disorder specialist and working with other substance abuse issues. She is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Counseling-Traumatology at Liberty University.

As part of Amanda’s work as a counselor, she tends to operate from a Narrative approach or Solution-focused approach, which means that as a client, you could expect to see change and a difference in the behaviors, as well as learning how to achieve the highest potential through growth and new development.

In Amanda’s spare time, she enjoys baking, gardening, hunting and fishing; anything outdoors she is most likely doing! She also enjoys spending time with her husband, family, and friends. The most important aspect of Amanda’s career is to find ways to show clients how to become the healthiest version of themselves.

Erika Theodorides

Erika is a licensed professional counselor in Virginia.  Erika is an approved supervisor with the VA Board of Counseling. Erika received her Masters in Community Counseling from the University of Lynchburg.  Erika has more than 20 years of experience working with children, adolescents, adults, and families in an outpatient counseling and school setting. Erika provides counseling with individuals and families to address various issues such as anxiety, depression, mood disorders, trauma and abuse, grief, attention-deficit and disruptive behavior disorders, adjustment disorders, anger management, social skills, and parenting issues.

Erika uses an eclectic approach in her therapy sessions including cognitive behavioral therapy, trauma focused cognitive behavioral therapy, and person centered therapy. She is also working towards certification in play therapy. Erika wants to create an environment where the client feels respected, safe, and supported in their counseling experience.

In her spare time, Erika enjoys traveling, horseback riding, and spending time with her daughter and two shelties.

Mary Boyette

Mary is a Resident Marriage and Family Therapist pursuing her licensure as a Marriage and Family Therapist in the state of Virginia. Mary graduated with a Master’s Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Liberty University. 

Mary primarily works with children, adolescents, couples, families, and individuals diagnosed with or experiencing symptoms consistent with the following diagnoses: Anxiety, Depression, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Gender Dysphoria, Borderline Personality Disorder, and Adjustment Disorders.

As part of Mary’s work as a counselor, she tends to operate from cognitive behavioral therapy and experiential therapy which means that as a client, you could expect to explore your thoughts, beliefs, and attitudes that impact your feelings and actions. You can also expect the opportunity to explore an experience through action and engagement with props, role-play, psychodrama, and arts and crafts. 

In Mary’s spare time she enjoys traveling, hiking, reading, baking, and spending time with family and friends.