Meet our Counselors

AnnMarie Staats, PMHNP

AnnMarie Staats is a board certified Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner with a post-Masters Degree in Psychiatric Nursing from the University of Cincinnati. AnnMarie has experience treating adults and adolescents 11 years and older with an array of mental health issues.

She has an extensive nursing background in the areas of critical care, emergency nursing and public health. She has worked as a clinical nursing instructor at the University of Texas at Austin for the past 5 years and as a nursing educator since 2006. Her nursing practice encompasses work with patients in both the outpatient and inpatient setting as well those experiencing psychiatric crisis. Her clinical training includes work with patients experiencing depression, anxiety, ptsd, eating and addiction disorders. She has a special interest in addiction disorders related to food and in veterans’ mental health.

She believes patients are doing the best that they can to maintain optimal mental health. She uses targeted psychopharmaceuticals to enhance the mental health of her patients in combination with various psychotherapies and mental health technology to achieve this goal. She believes that it is the role of the psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner to partner with her patients to create a plan that they can buy into because they have input in that plan. She believes that education plays a tremendous role in achieving and maintaining mental health.

AnnMarie’s Specialties:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Eating Disorders
• Addiction Disorders
• PTSD
• Veteran’s Mental Health
• Clients ages 11 + older

Barbara Corff, LP

Barbara Corff is a Licensed Psychologist and a Registered Art Therapist. She offers individual and family therapy to adults, adolescents, and children. Dr.Corff specializes in working with children and adolescents facing challenging issues, such as depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, divorce, anger, and school problems. She provides family therapy and parent training to improve children's compliance with responsibilities, family unity, and communication and co-parenting skills. Dr. Corff also has several years experience helping adults with life transitions, depression, anxiety, substance use problems, and maintaining healthy living goals.

Dr. Corff is also licensed to provide psychological and development assessments for children, teens and adults. She can provide the psychological assessments only, or include therapeutic treatment after the assessment. Dr. Corff obtained her PhD from Fielding Graduate University and has been in Austin for 14 years. She has the additional training as a Registered Art Therapist and uses art therapy as needed for her child and adult clients alike.

With Dr.Corff’s training in a variety of therapeutic techniques, such as Cognitive-Behavioral and Motivational Interviewing, she can suggest strategies to manage feelings, challenge negative thoughts, and change unwanted behavior and habits. By using art in therapy, she can also offer an alternative method for self-expression and exploration.

Specialties:

• Psychological Assessments
• Child and Adolescent therapy
• Family therapy
• Parenting skills training
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Co-parenting through divorce
• Self-esteem issues

Cristy Pierce, PsyD, LP, BCBA

Dr. Cristy Pierce is a licensed psychologist and board certified behavior analyst. She obtained her doctorate degree in health psychology from the Georgia School of Professional Psychology and completed the online behavior analysis program at the University of North Texas. Dr. Pierce provides a range of treatment services including psychological assessments, psychotherapy, and applied behavior analysis.

For clients seeking a full service psychological assessment report, Dr. Pierce can complete formal testing for many reasons including autism and ADHD evaluations, behavior problems, general personality and emotional functioning, cognitive and dementia evaluations, intellectual functioning, disability evaluations, neuropsychological screening, and others. When scheduling an assessment, please provide information regarding the purpose of the testing. Note that Thriveworks does not provide assessments for forensic/court-ordered assessments or child custody evaluations.

In addition to providing thorough assessments for clients of all ages, Dr. Pierce is also trained as a board certified behavior analyst. She can assist with changing challenging behaviors and frequently incorporates parent support in developing behavior management strategies for clients ages 3+. As a health psychologist, Dr. Pierce has a passion for working with young adults who are newly diagnosed with serious medical or mental illness. She also provides support to their families related to managing this disability. She can help them overcome the depression that frequently accompanies new diagnoses and help them to overcome these barriers so they can live the life they want to live.

Dr. Pierce works in both the Cedar Park and Pflugerville offices. Intakes, psychotherapy, and applied behavior analysis is offered at both locations. All testing is completed at the Cedar Park office.

Psychological assessments:

• Autism evaluation
• ADHD evaluation
• Behavior problems
• Personality and general emotional functioning
• Intellectual functioning
• Disability evaluations
• Neuropsychological screening

Psychotherapy for ages 13+ for the following conditions:

• Adjustment to illness or disability
• Stress related conditions
• Behavior management using applied behavior analysis
• Individuals with cognitive impairments (intellectual disability, brain injury, dementia)

Susan Wills, LPC

Shy or have social anxiety? Susan Wills has overcome this and can help you, too. Susan is a Licensed Professional Counselor who works with clients who are seeking: Increased Self-Confidence, Integrity, Wealth, Friends, Satisfying relationships, A family, and A job you love that fills your life with meaning. Her pursuit of a meaningful life is never ending and she has attended more workshops, trainings, counseling groups, and coaching than we can list here. If you are looking for new information, new tools to cope, and a new way to achieve the happiness you want and deserve in life, let's start working together!

Some of Susan's professional training experience and specializations include: Addiction Recovery, Confidence building and self-esteem, Creating a mentally healthy home (including dealing with toxic relatives), Marriage counseling and relationship repair. Managing chronic pain, Healing your past, and Taking yourself from failure to success.

Susan works with families and children ages 5 and above, so she can work through any type of parenting and family issues, couples and relationship issues and more. Susan has immediate openings and looks forward to meeting you soon!

Susan's Specialties:

• Improving Self-confidence and Self-esteem
• Overcoming Shyness and Social Anxiety
• Improving Relationships
• Finding the job that gives your life meaning
• Addiction, Recovery and Healthy Living
• Creating a mentally healthy home
• Marriage Counseling
• Managing Chronic Pain
• Ages 5+

Ann K. White, LPC

Ann K. White is a Licensed Professional Counselor providing individual therapy to people with a range of concerns from substance use to bipolar disorder. She offers a person-centered approach in a safe environment to explore, express, and motivate an individual toward personal growth and understanding. She uses a collaborative approach to therapy that is client-driven, and strength-based recognizing each person is unique and requires different methods to find change in their current life status.

Ann has a Master’s degree in Education from the State University of New York at Plattsburgh and a Master’s in Mental Health Counseling from Argosy University in Sarasota, Florida. She has worked in a variety of settings in Florida and Texas including residential treatment centers for substance use, anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorders. She has a knowledge base of 12 step programs as well as alternatives. She has provided psycho-education, individual and group therapy. Ann utilizes evidence-based therapies to include: Motivation Interviewing, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, Positive Psychology, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy.

Ann’s Specialties:

• Chemical Dependence
• Dual Diagnosis (Mental Health concerns plus drug or alcohol addictions)
• Anxiety
• Bipolar/Schizophrenia
• Relationship Issues
• Communication and Boundary Issues
• Clients Age 18 and over

Rhonda Griffin, LPC

Rhonda Griffin, LPC has been a licensed professional mental health counselor for 23 years. She has a master's in Applied Behavioral Science from Bastyr University in Seattle, Washington. She has taught counseling and supervised intern graduate students. Rhonda engages easily with compassion and a warm sense of humor. A harmonious blend of west coast perspective with Texan common sense. She brings practical skills and knowledge to her clients for problem solving using various modalities. A Systemic Family practitioner, she also uses Cognitive Behavioral, Dialectic Behavioral, Jungian, and Emotion Focused Therapy. As a systems therapist, she investigates the family, social and cultural history of clients to understand the challenges they are facing. Awareness of these perspectives and influences of old coping patterns gives individuals the opportunity to develop new interpersonal skills, self awareness, self-acceptance and strengthened relationships.

The Gottman Institute located in Seattle was also influential in developing Rhonda's interest in working with couples. She finds couples counseling is especially rewarding and enjoys facilitating the creation of secure, lasting bonds between intimate partners. She is uniquely able to hold the two perspectives of each member while cultivating communication skills and re-connection.

Adult Children of Narcissists is a growing area of specialty that Rhonda is particularly skilled as a family systemic therapist. This work is especially helpful for clients that have suffered from narcissistic parenting behaviors that perpetuate detrimental patterns in their own adult relationships.

Areas of specialty include:

• Couples Counseling
• Borderline and Narcissistic Family Systems
• Mood Disorders – Depression, Bipolar, Anxiety
• Addiction – Alcohol, Substance, Sexual, Gambling
• Post Traumatic Stress Disorder – Lifespan Integration
• Modality
• Dying and Bereavement
• Life Transitions
• Multicultural Counseling – LGBTQ, Earth Based Spiritual Practices, Polyamory
• Support for Artists – Creative and Performing Artists

Rhonda is also an accomplished vocalist and performer who participated in several bands while in the Seattle area and plans to pursue her musical interests in Austin.