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Interns in 36555 26 Mile Rd, Lenox, MI - Suite 3700
Maryss Thompson - Clinical Mental Health Intern
Joining therapy starts a journey toward finding the person you want to become. I believe you are the expert in your own life and together we can collaborate to reach your goals. Starting something new can be overwhelming and nerve-wracking at times. I am here to ease your concerns and hold a safe space for open communication about life’s difficulties. I strive to make the therapeutic space a fun environment for us to work on some difficult subjects. We are all humans trying our best. Let’s work toward making you the best version of yourself.
My interest lies in helping individuals with different backgrounds and experiences. I see adolescents and adults dealing with many mental health concerns. All cultures and LGBTQIA+ individuals are welcome. I use an integrative approach in my practice to form the session's techniques toward the individual client’s needs. These approaches include but are not limited to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), person-centered, mindfulness, multicultural counseling, and dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT).
I am pursuing my master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Oakland University, graduating in April 2025. I have taken all the classes needed for the master’s degree and have already seen clients through the Oakland University practicum course. I previously earned my bachelor’s degree in psychology from Oakland University.
When you are ready let's talk.
Office Location: Maryss holds in-person appointments out of our Lenox office as well as telehealth appointments.
Email maryss@treeoflifecounselingservices.com to schedule an appointment directly with Maryss.
Browse for 36555 26 Mile Rd, Lenox, MI - Suite 3700
Ashley Kotowski Clayton MA, LPC, CAADC
Accepting that anxiousness, depression, strained relationships, or substance use have gotten in the way of living the life you want can be overwhelming and finding the help you deserve can be challenging. As a therapist, it is my goal to provide a safe and open environment for you to feel empowered to overcome the struggles you are encountering. I’m a licensed professional counselor with a masters in clinical mental health counseling. Additionally, I am a Certified Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CAADC). I have extensive experience working with individuals struggling with anxiety, depression, substance use, relationship issues, life transitions, and trauma. I work primarily with older adolescents (16+) and adults. You can expect me to use eclectic therapeutic techniques, specifically chosen for your needs. However, I primarily use cognitive behavioral therapy, motivational interviewing, and solution focused therapy. My therapeutic approach will always revolve around the therapeutic alliance and the client's needs. I understand that finding the right therapist can be difficult and establishing a therapeutic alliance is important. Reaching out and making the connection is the first step. Please contact me if you have any questions about appointments or my practice.
Office Location: Ashley holds in-person appointments out of our Lenox and Rochester offices as well as telehealth appointments.
You can email Ashley directly at ashley@treeoflifecounselingservices.com to schedule an appointment, you can call her at 586-372-6923.
Edward Werdene MA, LLC
Are you experiencing a difficult time in your life right now? Are you having trouble in your relationships? Maybe you are having difficulty adapting to change or managing your emotions. I want to help you through this difficult or transitional period in your life, so that you can shine brighter and be the best you that you can be. Life can be difficult. It can take you through high and lows, but the most important thing to remember is that you do not have to go through these times alone. My passion is to walk with my clients through the ups and downs of the day, and help guide them through their unique journey so that they can become the best version of themselves.
I am a Limited Licensed Counselor (LLC). I obtained my Bachelor's degree in Sociology and Psychology from Oakland University, and my Masters of Arts in Counseling from Oakland University. I have worked with individuals that suffer from anxiety, depression, trauma, grief and loss, life transitions, and relationship issues. Additionally, I work with the LGBTQ+ population, couples, and families. I approach counseling with a humanistic approach that is centered toward the individual that I am working with, and I use cognitive-behavioral and dialectic-behavioral informed techniques to work through your treatment.
Office Location: Edward holds in-person appointments out of our Lenox, Oxford, and Rochester offices as well as telehealth appointments.
Email edward@treeoflifecounselingservices.com to schedule an appointment directly with Edward.
Zekeyra Phillips MA, LLC
Stories are ways that we connect with our desires. They are opportunities for us to escape our current reality and immerse ourselves into an alternative one with various genres—adventure, romance, fantasy, you name it. However, life is not as simple as a storybook; there is no linear storyline, no frivolous love interest, no secret ingredient to success, and definitely not as predictable as we’d like it to be. Luckily, we are not books. We are much more fluid—we can change the narrative whenever, wherever, or however we would like. When it really comes down to it, we are the author of our own stories. It is up to us to move in a way that will make or break our future.
When we choose ourselves, we choose peace, love, vulnerability, and growth.
I graduated with my Bachelor’s in Psychology from Michigan State University and in the future I will receive my master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Wayne State University. As both my studies and my experiences with clients have taught me, we are the expert of ourselves. We cannot control what happens to us, but we can control how we react to it. By doing this, we then can take charge of the direction that we want our stories to go in. Narrative therapy is a therapeutic technique that I am drawn to because it separates the person from the problem. I believe that our problems do not define us, rather it divines us. Certain events that happen “to” us actually happens for us so that we can gain a lesson, perspective, and growth from then on. What truly defines us is how we go about making the most of what we learn during our experiences in life. I believe that therapy should be a collaborative effort between the client and the therapist. Therapy should not “fix” a person—we are not construction projects. Rather, we are all souls trying to find our way back to ourselves. As the therapist, I will provide my clients with the skills necessary to find their way.
Therapy should be a safe space to express the deepest and most vulnerable parts of ourselves and I will make it my mission to ensure that anyone who walks into my office is given the chance to express themselves freely and privately. With my help, I have hope that anyone who chooses to work with me can change the narrative.
Office Location: Zekeyra holds in-person appointments out of our Lenox office as well as telehealth appointments.
Email zekeyra@treeoflifecounselingservices.com to schedule an appointment directly with Zekeyra.
Colleen Williams, MA, LLC, EMDR-T
Counseling Philosophy:
For most people it can be challenging to seek help, and I applaud anyone reading this for doing so. I believe that we all need someone in our lives to talk to and connect with. Having an outside unbiased perspective into your world view makes for an eye-opening experience. This insight can not only allow you to gain deeper understanding into your own self, but also can make you feel seen and heard. I strive to provide a compassionate, respectful and supportive space for everyone to feel safe and comfortable. Mental health is incredibly important and having open dialogue where you can share your thoughts and feelings openly is pivotal.
Counseling Orientation:
I like to meet each client with where they're at by using a collaborative approach with the client as the expert in themselves. Everyone has different needs and areas they'd like to work on, and I will often combine different therapeutic theories in order to best serve my clients, so that they feel empowered to utilize effective coping strategies. Not every theory or strategy is going to work for every person, so tailoring my approach to suit your needs is my goal. The counseling approaches I enjoy include Motivational Interviewing, Mindfulness, Cognitive Behavioral, Gestalt, Humanistic, Narrative, and Multicultural counseling.
Areas of Specialty:
I work with adults individually from all backgrounds. I enjoy collaborating with clients on creating goals for working on issues such as generalized anxiety, relationship issues, self-esteem issues, codependency, adjustment issues, and grief and loss. I am a proud ally of the LGBTQIA+ community and welcome everyone from all walks of life.
Qualifications:
I am a Limited Licensed Counselor (LLC) and received my Master of Arts in Counseling degree from Oakland University. I completed multiple internships in a wide variety of settings, including Gilda's Club in Royal Oak, which is a nonprofit support community focused on helping those battling cancer, in remission, and loved ones that have been impacted by cancer. I completed my school counseling internships in two middle schools, and one of them housed fourth through eighth grade. In addition to my LLC, I have my School Counselor License and understand the stress that goes on in a school.
Throughout my graduate program I worked as a graduate assistant in a career counseling setting, focused on helping traditional college students, non-traditional students, and alumni with resumes, interviewing, job search, and more.
Throughout my counseling practicum course, I had the opportunity to work with adults on various issues such as generalized anxiety, anorexia, depression, grief and loss, and vulnerable narcissism.
Office Location:
Colleen holds in-person appointments out of our Lenox location as well as telehealth appointments.
Email colleen@treeoflifecounselingservices.com to schedule an appointment with Colleen or call our main office at (248)-608-4514.
Jordyn Adams, MA, LLC
Counseling Philosophy:
The decision to seek therapy can be daunting. My goal is to provide a safe, welcoming, and non-judgmental environment for everyone who steps into my office. Collaboration and the understanding that everyone has experiences and perspectives that shape who they are as individuals are core aspects of my counseling philosophy. I aim to support and empower each client, helping them develop strategies for overcoming life struggles and distress while enhancing their strengths.
Counseling Orientation:
I frequently utilize a person-centered approach coupled with Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy. I also use dialectical-behavioral techniques and strength-based approaches. Ultimately, my therapeutic approach will be determined by the client’s needs.
Areas of Specialty:
I have experience working with individuals coping with depression, anxiety, and various life transitions. I primarily work with older adolescents and adults.
Qualifications:
I am a Limited Licensed Counselor who is practicing under the supervision of a Licensed Professional Counselor. I graduated with my master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Oakland University in December 2022. Prior to obtaining my MA, I received undergraduate degrees from Oakland University in Psychology and Sociology. I am a part of Chi Sigma Iota, a professional and educational honor society. In addition, I am also a member of the American Counseling Association (ACA).
Office Location: Jordyn holds in-person appointments out of our Lenox office as well as telehealth appointments.
To schedule with me directly please email me at jordyn@treeoflifecounselingservices.com or call the main office line at (248) 608-4514.