Email: PerezLopezm@uncw.edu
Dr. Perez-Lopez is responsible for overseeing the general administration of the Counseling Center and University Testing Services.
He received a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Arkansas. His theoretical orientation is primarily cognitive behavioral, and his treatment methods are guided by principles of interpersonal process and multicultural competence.
Dr. Perez-Lopez serves as a site visitor for several professional organizations and provides guidance about accreditation standards for training programs in psychology.
Main area of clinical specialization: Eating disorders
Other specializations and interests: working with first responders; risk and threat assessment; and supervision and training
Presentation topics: How to help a distressed student; crisis response and risk assessment; trends in college mental health; eating disorders
Email: HelmsL@uncw.edu
Dr. Helms is responsible for coordinating clinical services and assisting the Counseling Center director in administrative duties.
She earned her master's degree in counseling from California State University Sacramento, Ph.D. in counseling psychology from Texas A&M University and completed her doctoral internship at University of Oregon. She conceptualizes clients principally from the Multimodal Therapy perspective, and her therapeutic interventions are eclectic, but predominately cognitive behavioral.
Specializations and interests: Resiliency and wellness; identity development; anger, anxiety, and stress management; mindfulness; emotion regulation; relationships; therapist training and supervision; program development
Email:mcKeann@uncw.edu
Dr. McKean is responsible for directing the training programs at the Counseling Center and assisting the center’s director in administrative duties.
She earned her doctorate in counseling psychology from Indiana University-Bloomington and completed her pre-doctoral internship at UNC-Chapel Hill Counseling & Psychological Services.
Dr. McKean takes a relational, collaborative approach to therapy that prioritizes the development of a safe and trusting therapeutic relationship. Dr. McKean integrates psychodynamic, feminist, cognitive-behavioral, and acceptance-based approaches tailored to each individual client. She strives to help clients gain insight into the ways that cultural factors and interpersonal relationships shape individual experiences and worldviews.
Specializations and interests: Training and supervision; group therapy; relational concerns; sexual concerns; family-of-origin concerns; LGBTQ+ identity development; victim-survivors of sexual assault.
Email: couchc@uncw.edu
Dr. Couch provides counseling to individuals and groups.
Dr. Couch obtained his doctoral degree from Southern Illinois University Carbondale and completed his pre-doctoral internship at the University of Tennessee Student Counseling Center.
Dr. Couch’s approach to therapy blends approaches from Interpersonal Psychotherapy, Humanistic and Feminist theories. Dr. Couch strives to create a trusting and collaborative therapeutic space where clients develop insight to their concerns and feel empowered to create change in their lives. He considers how one’s unique cultural context and lived experiences shape mental well-being, particularly family dynamics, relationships, and sociocultural factors.
Specializations and interests: Identity development; LGBTQ+ concerns; relational concerns; depression; body image; self-compassion; existential/spiritual concerns
Email: Gallowayr@uncw.edu
Mr. Galloway provides counseling and consultation services to individual students.
Mr. Galloway uses an eclectic approach to therapy, using solution-focused techniques, as well as cognitive behavioral and dialectical behavioral informed therapeutic approaches. He enjoys working with the college population.
Specializations and interests: Anxiety; depression; relationship concerns; multicultural issues; problem-solving skills; career guidance
Email: StraughterA@uncw.edu
Ms. Straughter provides counseling and consultation services to individual students.
She received her master's degree in clinical social work from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.
Ms. Straughter works primarily from the models of strengths-based solution focused therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy. She loves to incorporate art activities and relaxation strategies into treatment.
Specializations and interests: Empowering clients; relationships; anxiety; managing life's everyday stressors
Conally provides counseling and consultation services to both individuals and groups. His professional interests include phase of life concerns (transitions), men’s issues, grief, and anxiety. Conally works primarily from the models of strengths-based solution focused therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy. He loves to incorporate self-compassion and mindfulness work into treatment. Conally received his Master of Arts in Teaching from Duke University and his Master of Social Work from The University of North Carolina at Wilmington. He completed a Post-MSW Fellowship at UNC-Chapel Hill's counseling center.
Email: quoncek@uncw.edu
Ms. Quonce provides counseling and consultation services to individual students.
She received her master’s degree in clinical social work from Syracuse University in NY.
Ms. Quonce works primarily from a model of solution-focused therapy, mindfulness and cognitive behavioral therapy. Relaxation and grounding techniques are incorporated into the models of therapy.
Specialization and interests include: Anxiety, Grief, Depression, ADHD and Trauma.
Email: alsobrooksc@uncw.edu
Mrs. Alsobrooks is the Case Manager at the counseling center.
She provides case management for students, including but not limited to referrals, following up with student referrals to verify they have the information they need to make their own healthcare related decisions, and coordinating with off-campus providers. She works with students referred by clinicians in the counseling center to connect them with off-campus providers in the community. She also works to continuously review the resource database to ensure access to quality service for students.
She received her Master's of Social Work from North Carolina State University.
Email: hissamv@uncw.edu
Vanessa earned her doctorate in clinical psychology from Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia.
Vanessa works from a cognitive behavioral and person-centered perspective and remains flexible with treatment approaches to meet individual client needs. She often utilizes therapeutic interventions such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT). Vanessa enjoys working with students and helping them navigate this stage of life. In session, she values staying present with each student and providing a sense of safety and support. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, caring for her cat, appreciating nature, and watching TV and movies.
Specializations and interests: Anxiety, depression, relationships, culture, identity
Email: chaneytaylort@uncw.edu
Dr. Chaney-Taylor provides individual and group counseling services.
Tiyana is both a Licensed Psychologist and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. She completed her APA-accredited internship at the University of South Carolina. Tiyana holds a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from Tennessee State University and a Master of Social Work from Georgia State University. She is also an alumnus of the University of North Carolina Wilmington, where she earned her bachelor's degree in psychology.
Her therapeutic approach blends cognitive-behavioral and multicultural methods with elements of mindfulness, humanistic principles, acceptance and commitment therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, emotion-focused therapy, interpersonal strategies, and strength-based interventions. She tailors her approach to each individual, working collaboratively with clients to create a safe and trusting therapeutic environment. In this space, she assists clients in exploring their concerns, developing skills, gaining insights, and making positive, lasting changes.
Specializations and Interests: anxiety and stress management, depression, relationship concerns, sexual concerns, race-related stress, LGBTQ+ issues, identity development, self-esteem, mindfulness-based interventions, holistic health and wellness, and social justice
Email: shirleyj@uncw.edu
Jennifer Shirley provides individual and group counseling services
Dr. Shirley holds a PsyD in Clinical Psychology from Alliant International University, San Diego. She completed her pre-doctoral internship at the University of South Carolina. They also hold a Master of Science in Counseling Psychology from the University of Southern Mississippi and two bachelor's degrees from Western Carolina University in Psychology and Sociology.
Her therapeutic approach blends cyclical psychodynamic and multicultural theories with elements of person centered, acceptance and commitment therapy, emotion-focused therapy, mindfulness, and solution focused therapy. She works collaboratively with clients to meet individual needs and create a supportive therapeutic environment.
Specializations and Interests: LGBTQ+ issues, identity development, race-related issues, social justice, trauma, anxiety and stress, depression, relationship issues, and adjustment issues.
Email: hernandeza@uncw.edu
Dr. Hernández is a Post Doctoral Psychology Fellow for the 2024-2025 Academic Year.
She earned her degree from Roberts Wesleyan University in Rochester, NY and completed her Pre-Doctoral Internship at the Carruth Center at West Virginia University. Dr. Hernández integrates Multicultural, Cognitive Behavioral and Interpersonal Processing therapeutic orientations in her clinical practice. She enjoys fusing music and faith-based interventions into her practice. In her free time, you can find her reading, crocheting, or watching The Office.
Specializations and Interests: Integration of faith/spirituality and mental health; Relationships; Anxiety; Depression; Multicultural issues; Academic Challenges; Building community on Campus
Email: sylvesterk@uncw.edu
Dr. Kirstin Sylvester provides individual and group counseling.
Dr. Sylvester obtained her doctoral degree in Counseling Psychology from Oklahoma State University and completed her pre-doctoral psychology internship at Texas A&M University. She received her master’s and bachelor’s degrees from Mercer University and the University of Kentucky, respectively.
Dr. Sylvester views therapy as a collaborative relationship between therapist and client that seeks to foster insight, self-discovery, and empowerment in helping clients enact meaningful change in their lives. Her integrated approach, which includes intersectional feminist, cognitive behavioral and narrative therapies, aim to nurture hope amid marginalization and/or any ongoing stressor. She believes in the importance of treating the whole person by staying attuned to the stories they carry, and believes in critically examining experiences associated with intertwining sociocultural factors to assist in the process of therapeutic change. In serving college student populations, Dr. Sylvester seeks to dismantle mental health stigmas and provide psychological interventions that support students’ holistic well-being.
When she is not providing clinical services, Dr. Sylvester enjoys traveling, dancing, cooking, attending sporting events, and spending time with family and friends.
Specializations and Interests: academic/career concerns, anxiety and stress management, faith/spirituality, interpersonal violence, life transitions, racial/ethnic based trauma, relationship concerns, and self-esteem
Email:peacec@uncw.edu
Dr. Carley Peace is a Post Doctoral Psychology Fellow at the Counseling Center. She provides individual and group counseling services.
Carley earned her Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology and School Psychology from Florida State University and completed her pre-doctoral internship at Virginia Tech’s Cook Counseling Center.
Carley is passionate about supporting college students’ mental health so they can achieve their educational and life goals. In the therapy room, Carley strives to create a warm and open atmosphere in which clients feel supported and understood. She recognizes that it takes courage to seek counseling, and she considers it a privilege to support clients in their personal growth and healing. Carley works from an integrative model with a strong emphasis on cognitive behavioral therapy, cultural humility, and the interpersonal process approach.
Originally from South Carolina, Carley enjoys spending time with her family and friends, reading, traveling, hiking, playing cello, and trying to keep her cat, Pinto, out of mischief.
Specializations and interests: anxiety, depression, adjustment issues, career concerns, interpersonal relationships, self-compassion, ADHD
Ms. Cravens is a doctoral practicum student trainee. She provides counseling and consultation services to individual students.
She is currently working towards her doctorate in clinical psychology at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.
Ms. Cravens works primarily from the model of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) with additional training and experience using acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). She prefers to employ a client-centered approach in setting and working towards collaboratively set goals while exploring relationships, personal identity, and values. Her primary focus within a therapeutic relationship includes maintaining a stance of non-judgement, unconditional empathy, authenticity, and human connection.
Specializations and interests: Body Image and Disordered Eating, Interpersonal Relationships, Identity Development, Anxiety and Stress, Depression, and ADHD.
Ms. Turton is a doctoral practicum student trainee. She provides counseling and consultation services to individual students.
She received her master's degree in psychological science and is currently working towards her doctorate in clinical psychology at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.
Ms. Turton works primarily from the model of cognitive behavioral therapy. She has additional training and experience with dialectical behavior therapy. She works collaboratively with clients towards their individual goals, aiming to create a trusting space for clients to explore themselves and their values.
Specializations and interests: Anxiety and stress management, Depression, Body Image, Relational Concerns, Mindfulness, Self-Compassion.
Email: haragat@uncw.edu
Ms. Haraga is the office manager for the Counseling Center.
Her primary responsibilities include, but are not limited to, monthly budget reports, processing office travel requests, outreach advertising, website maintenance, and bank statement reconciliation. She has been a UNCW employee since 2000.
Ms. Smith is the front desk Administrative Associate. Her primary responsibilities include greeting clients and processing necessary paperwork, scheduling appointments, responding to phone calls and emails, and providing support to the department.
Ms. Spencer works at our front desk. Her primary duties are to assist our Administrative Associate Meg, with answering phones, scheduling appointments, and responding to phone calls and emails.
Office hours:
Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Summer Hours (usually starts the Monday after graduation and ends the Friday before the fall semester starts):
Monday-Thursday 7:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Friday 7:30 a.m.- 11:30 a.m.
Crisis/Emergency hours:
Monday-Friday, 1-4 p.m.
Crisis hours are also available 8 a.m.- 12 p.m. during summer hours