Career counseling in Athens, GA

Karyn Kochan is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Registered Mediator in the state of Georgia. She is also a Certified Anger Management Professional and a Certified Life Coach. Karyn has 20+ years of experience empowering adults and couples with anxiety, anger, depression, and trauma to become successful in every area of their lives. 

Karyn has earned her Bachelor of Arts in Behavioral Science and her Masters of Science in Counseling from National Louis University in Chicago, IL. She has done post-graduate studies in Organizational Psychology at Walden University in Minneapolis, MN. She uses an eclectic and collaborative approach in her counseling practice. Karyn’s experience includes 8 years of mental health counseling in two psychiatric hospitals. In Illinois, Karyn was a Program Coordinator in a Dual Diagnosis inpatient unit. In Georgia, she was an inpatient & outpatient Psychiatric Program counselor and facilitator. 

Karyn seeks to establish a warm relationship with you utilizing a strength-based perspective, cognitive-behavioral, and solution-focused therapy. She uses a creative approach by including meditation, visualization, exercise therapy, and the arts to bring meaning and value to your life.

Harold “Jay” Williams is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) with over 9 years of experience in the mental health field. Jay is passionate about helping adolescents and adults address everyday stress, anxiety, and depression. He enjoys helping them learn to cope with these obstacles and walk alongside as clients overcome challenges. Jay has worked with a range of clients who have both mental and physical disabilities, he understands that everyone is unique with their own unique challenges and strengths. 

Jay completed his Bachelor of Science (BS) in Psychology with a minor in Family and Child Development at the University of Georgia and his Master of Education (MEd) in Professional Counseling at the University of West Georgia. He is a National Certified Counselor (NCC). Jay utilizes person-centered therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) along with whatever suits the client in their personal growth.

Since the pandemic, we have seen an increase in anxiety, depression, and stress. You are not alone in your struggle! Jay is confident that he will be able to help you work through any challenges you face. If you are ready to take the next step, schedule an appointment with him today.

Catherine Roberts is a Licensed Professional Counselor with 22 years of experience in the mental health field. She understands the unique issues of clients with different personal, ethnic, racial, and cultural backgrounds.

Catherine enjoys working with clients who are experiencing self-identity, interpersonal relational issues that affect their job and family dynamics. This is her ideal type of client to work with because there is a lot of self-exploration the client will need to work on first. Some of the issues that will come up are self-loathing, lack of esteem, shame, and poor self-image. As a clinician, Catherine provides them support and total acceptance. When the client can begin to embrace and accept who they are without judgment, they can begin to work on how they relate to other people in all areas of their life. This can be done slowly and one step at a time. The pace is usually set by the client and how they progress along in treatment as they embrace each stage of their new self.

Catherine began her career in the mental health field as a therapist in an inpatient facility, responsible for the patient's ongoing clinical progress while at the hospital. Her patients varied in ages from 10 to 12-year-old children, to 13 to 17-year-old adolescents, to 18 to 55-year-old adults, and seniors who were in crisis. She worked with patients who were diagnosed with Schizophrenia, Schizoaffective Disorder, Anxiety, Major Depression, Obsessive Impulsive Disorder, ADHD, Bipolar Disorder, Borderline Personality Disorder, Mood Disorder, Alcohol/Drug Dependency, Conduct Disorder, and Sleep disorder, just to name a few.

Catherine really enjoys getting to know people while working with them on their unique concerns. She offers a very supportive and client-centered environment to therapy, and she loves helping clients move toward their goals by being a partner in their journey towards a renewed self and clinically appropriate treatment. She enjoys working with clients and assigning them research-based homework activities to help them work independently on areas of concerns outside of the sessions. Her areas of specialty include cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), mindfulness, motivational interviewing, interpersonal therapy, and other researched based therapeutic approaches that are appropriate to treatment.

Kristin Allpere is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the state of Georgia who has 19 years of experience partnering with children, adolescents, adults, and couples seeking help with depression, anxiety, life transitions, relationship issues, ADHD, trauma, and developmental issues. She completed her Bachelor of Social Work and Master of Social Work from the University of Georgia. Kristin utilizes strengths-based, solution-focused, trauma-informed, mindfulness-based, and cognitive-behavioral approaches to meet the varying needs and personalities of each individual. Kristin seeks to establish a caring therapeutic relationship focused on your unique needs. She does this through the use of humor, creativity, and candor to build on your personal strengths to assist you in meeting your life goals.

I am a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and Certified Professional Counselor Supervisor (CPCS) in the state of Georgia, with nine years of experience working in a variety of mental health settings. I am passionate about helping children, adolescents, and adults address trauma and navigate life’s challenges. My clinical work focuses on supporting individuals experiencing depression, anxiety, self-esteem concerns, trauma, family-related difficulties, and major life transitions.

My approach blends trauma-informed care with practical skillbuilding to help children, adolescents, and adults navigate depression, anxiety, trauma, and life challenges. Clients can expect a supportive, culturally aware space focused on healing, resilience, and the development of tools for lasting personal growth.

We all go through challenges in our lives, but how we respond and react to situations is what makes us different from others. I am confident I can assist you with overcoming mental and emotional barriers in every aspect of your life journey. Remember: Your identity is tied to whatever you give your heart to.