A group of qualified professionals working together to offer collaborative, superior full-circle care. The beauty of the Collective is having several opportunities of care and offerings for healing under one roof. The discovery process of deciding where to begin will start with Lacey, our Director of Care, who helps you discern what offerings are best suited to your needs.
Welcome to The Retreat House!
We’re so glad you’re here. Our desire is to offer you thoughtful and intentional care. To do that well, I’ll work alongside you to listen to your story and understand your needs, then connect you with the right practitioner and care plan.
Not sure what you need? That’s actually a beautiful place to begin. Together we can discover the next steps toward healing and restoration.
If you’re ready to begin that care journey, or if you already know who you’d like to meet with, just send me an email! I look forward to walking with you in full-circle care.
-Katy
Director of Connection
Meet our Counselors
Dr. Kevin Shelby
Licensed Professional Counselor, Ph.D. in Marriage and Family Therapy, Assistant Professor of Counseling, EMDR
Dr. Shelby is passionate about helping couples and individuals get to their core struggles, repair the brokenness they’ve experienced, and be restored back to a place of healing. He helps people discover the truth about who they are and live from their core identity. He has over 20 years of experience working with individuals and couples in various areas; depression, pain, loss, infidelity, anxiety, grief, and sexual issues.
Areas of Expertise
Marriages/Relationships; crisis/distress, grief and restoration.
Intensives
Anxiety & Depression
Trauma
EMDR
Grief
Everyday Stressors
Sherry Varughese
Associate Marriage and Family Therapist, Specialization: Trauma-Informed Systemic Therapy; trained in Emotionally Focused Therapy (ICEEFT) & EMDR; currently training in Spiritual Direction
Sherry integrates faith with evidence-informed clinical practice, using an experiential approach through empathetic response, emotional validation, and nonjudgmental curiosity. Drawing from over two decades of ministry and a decade of trauma-informed practice, she creates compassionate, culturally sensitive spaces for individuals and couples. She is trained in EMDR, attachment theory, parts-work, and nervous-system-informed approaches. Sherry helps clients explore how past experiences shape present-day responses and equips them to navigate the lingering effects of trauma and shame. Sherry is currently training to become a Spiritual Director and is passionate about helping transform fractured stories into integrated, redemptive relationships with God, others, and themselves.
Sherry specializes in helping those from diverse cultural backgrounds as well as those navigating childhood or religious trauma, depression, anxiety, grief, and relational conflict.
Areas of Expertise
Trauma
Attachment
Emotional Regulation
Shame Resilience
Stress, Anxiety, Distress Tolerance
Relationships & Conflict
Grief
Spiritual Guidance
Joan Adams
Licensed Professional Counselor/MHSP (temp); NCC; Trust-Based Relational Intervention Practitioner
Joan approaches counseling with thoughtful curiosity, compassion, and respect for each person’s story. She helps people understand their emotions, recognize patterns that leave them feeling stuck, and navigate change with greater confidence. Her approach is collaborative, offering space to explore difficult experiences, practice new skills, and take meaningful steps toward healthier relationships and a more purposeful life.
Joan holds a master’s degree in Counseling from the Townsend Institute at Concordia University and is trained in Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI). Her background in education, organizational leadership, and ministry gives her a broad understanding of the personal and professional transitions people face. She has experience supporting clients through anxiety, depression, grief and loss, parenting challenges, career changes, and relationship concerns.
Joan especially enjoys supporting young adults as they build confidence, navigate relationships, and find direction in their current season. Whether they are finding their voice in relationships, taking on new responsibilities, or balancing work and personal life, she helps clients recognize their strengths and develop practical ways to meet new challenges with greater clarity and confidence.
Her personal experience as a caregiver has deepened her understanding of both the joys and demands of caring for others. She offers compassionate support and practical guidance to those caring for aging parents, loved ones with special needs, or family members who require ongoing support. Joan provides space for caregivers to acknowledge their burdens, attend to their own needs, and find sustainable ways to care for themselves and others.
Joan also values supporting ministry families, bringing a personal understanding of the joys and challenges of ministry life. Her Christian faith informs her commitment to offering grace, compassion, and hope, while her work centers on each client’s experiences, values, and goals
Areas of Expertise
Anxiety and Depression
Life Transitions
Career Changes and Purpose
Grief and Loss
Parenting and Relationship Concerns
Caregiver Support
Ministry Care
Jill Stockburger
Licensed Professional Counselor-MHSP; trained in Expressive Arts Therapy
Jill Stockburger is a licensed professional counselor and expressive arts therapist who brings a creative and compassionate approach to counseling. She specializes in working with children, adolescents and families (with a particular focus on adoptive and foster clients) who are navigating anxiety, depression, grief /loss, life transitions, relationship conflicts, trauma, and the intricate journeys of adoption and foster care. Jill provides parenting support using Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI), a therapeutic model that focused on building trust and healthy attachments. Additionally, she incorporates expressive arts therapy into her practice using the neuroscience-based model of the Expressive Therapies Continuum and other theraplay methods. Jill’s strengths lie at the intersection of evidence-based counseling and the healing power of creative expression.
Areas of Expertise
Trauma
Attachment
Life Transitions
Anxiety & Depression
Parenting
Jordan Ross
Licensed Professional Counselor/MHSP (temp)
Jordan began her therapeutic journey in 2015, and it deeply transformed her life. Through her own healing and witnessing others’, she’s learned the power of truth-telling and how it leads from just surviving to truly living. She knows how much courage it takes to ask for help and to risk being seen, and she believes that healing is worth that risk.
In her work with clients, Jordan focuses on helping people make sense of their emotions, break unhealthy patterns, build strong boundaries, and foster secure connections. Her hope is to walk with you toward healing and growth, living in the “both/and”: Life is hard and you will be okay. Life is hard and God is faithful.
Areas of Expertise
Teens
Grief
Depression
Anxiety
Emotional regulation
Play therapy
Self esteem
Women’s issues
Mary Hamm
Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Certified Go + Tell Gals Coach, Gallup Certified Coach
Mary is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Life Coach who brings a grounded, joyful presence to The Retreat House. With advanced training in mindfulness, yoga, and somatic interventions, she believes healing begins in the body—and that regulation is the foundation for deeper emotional and spiritual work.
Mary’s approach is strengths-based and deeply relational. She helps individuals and teams become better at who they already are, guiding them toward clarity, connection, and growth. Her work is rooted in faith, compassion, and a belief that every person carries the capacity for transformation.
At The Retreat House, Mary is currently accepting clients for both coaching and counseling. Whether she’s leading a group or sitting in quiet conversation, she creates space for people to feel seen, supported, and empowered. Known for her easygoing nature and love of life, Mary meets clients exactly where they are—with authenticity, humor, and grace.
Brianna Sanchez
Marriage and Family Therapy Graduate Student
Brianna’s passion for counseling is deeply rooted in both her professional experiences and personal journey navigating military life, motherhood, transition, and resilience. She is passionate about creating a supportive and compassionate space where clients feel seen, heard, and valued as they process life’s challenges and grow toward greater healing and wholeness.
With a grounded and relational approach, Brianna values authentic connection and believes meaningful change begins within safe, trusting relationships. Her heart is to walk alongside individuals and families with empathy, curiosity, and care while encouraging hope, self-awareness, and emotional well-being.
Areas of Interest
Military Families & Life Transitions
Relational & Family Dynamics
Emotional Wellness & Resilience
Supportive, Client-Centered Care
Austin Sellers
Clinical Mental Health Graduate Student
Austin’s clinical approach is grounded in creating a safe, compassionate space where clients can slow down, develop greater self-awareness, and reconnect with themselves. His clinical interests include somatic-based approaches, polyvagal theory, contemplative practices, and therapeutic journaling.
Prior to joining The Retreat House, Austin has gained experience working in inpatient behavioral health settings and has spent significant time on retreat in monastic communities in the US and abroad. He views counseling as a collaborative process rooted in curiosity, authenticity, and compassion, and believes healing often involves cultivating a deeper sense of safety, belonging, and connection—ultimately, learning what it means to come home to ourselves.
Areas of Interest
Addiction
Anxiety & Depression
Crisis/Distress
Dark Night of the Soul
Grief
