Sound Counseling Center, LLC
Essex, Connecticut
Virtual / online therapy available in Connecticut, Rhode Island, Vermont & Florida
Michelle A Kenefick, LICSW, LCSW, SEP - Founder / Executive Director
Somatic Experiencing Practitioner / Assistant
Emotionally Focused Therapist and EMDR Therapist
Clinical Consultant, Supervisor, Trainer
Michelle is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Somatic Experiencing Practitioner. With 30 years of experience in the field of Social Work, Michelle’s background includes working in non-profit and corporate environments with adults and children in a variety of settings.
Michelle’s current clinical care is focused in two areas: working with individuals and with couples. While Somatic Experiencing ® (SE) informs all her work, Michelle mainly uses this modality while working with individuals interested in restoring balance following a broad base experience of trauma that may include chronic / toxic stress, childhood abuse / neglect, sexual assault, interpersonal violence, medical illness / surgery, motor vehicle accidents, falls, natural disasters, among many others. SE is a gentle approach that incorporates building awareness of the “felt-sense” of the body and uses that wisdom to develop a more cohesive, integrated experience which leads to a greater sense of peace, well-being and safety.
Michelle has additional advanced trauma training including EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing) and is a Faculty Trainer for Risking Connection – a curriculum that fosters the transformation of organizations and service systems to trauma-informed care (TIC) through the delivery of whole-system consultation, professional training, coaching, and research. She has trained organizations throughout the United States and internationally.
When working with couples, Michelle utilizes an approach called Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT). EFT is an attachment-based method that honors our primal and evolutionary need for connection with others. Often, when we have experienced hurt in the context of relationships – through a lack of availability, betrayal, or conflict – we struggle to maintain a connection that feels safe and fulfilling. EFT offers a gentle way of restoring a safe connection which leads to a greater experience of shared well-being. Michelle is trained at the highest level of EFT.
The overarching philosophy that guides my practice includes the belief that each of us possesses the inner resources and wisdom to heal and that at our core there is a purity that remains untouched despite painful experiences. My study in contemplative practice and spiritual care influences my work and my capacity to maintain and hold a compassionate presence as we work together.
Please see my webpage for additional information:
michellekeneficklcsw.com
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Caitlin "Cait" Clancy Cruz, LCSW
Individual and Family Therapist, Clinical Supervisor / Consultant
Cait is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 10 years of experience that includes working in the non-profit sector as well as in private practice. Cait is experienced in working with adult men and women struggling with anxiety, depression, life transitions, grief and loss.
Cait is particularly skilled at cultivating a warm and inviting space that encourages skill development, fosters insight, and builds upon your inherent strengths and resilience. Her relational style combined with the use of multiple theoretical approaches and techniques creates a unique connection that allows for thoughtful reflection of your needs as well as an opportunity to learn and practice new skills. Some of the approaches Cait utilizes are Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), solution-focused techniques, psycho-education and mindfulness-based interventions.
Cait is also exceptionally skilled in working with adolescent girls and offers a safe place to address issues related to anxiety, depression, self-injury, isolation, body image, school performance and low self-esteem.
Shanna Reels, LCSW
Individual and Family Therapist
Shanna is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Connecticut specializing in Native American Affairs. In 2005, she completed her Master's in Social Work from Columbia University with a concentration in children and families. Her work experience includes providing direct care and case management, creating social programs, along with various leadership positions.
Shanna’s clinical experience includes fostering change with anxiety and mood disorders along with helping children who experience emotional and behavioral challenges. She has additional expertise and experience helping parents strengthen their parenting skills. Some of the modalities she uses include Cognitive Behavioral therapy and Solution Focused therapy. Since joining Sound Counseling Center, she has focused on providing specialized care for mothers and fathers experiencing post-partum anxiety and / or depression.
Shanna believes that everyone has the intrinsic potential to grow and move toward the authentic life they want to live. She is honored to be a facilitator and partner on that journey.
Robert G Madden, LCSW, JD
EMDR Therapist, Consultant, Supervisor, Trainer, Mediator, Educator
Individual, Couples and Family Therapist
Bob is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over thirty years of experience. He received a BSW from Providence College, an MSW degree from Columbia University, and a law degree from the University of Connecticut. His practice is diverse as he provides clinical services to adolescents and adults including veterans and first responders. In addition, Bob is an experienced family mediator specializing in helping families successfully transition after separation, divorce, and other life events.
Bob takes a positive, hopeful approach to supporting people to reach their personal goals. As a professor of social work at the University of Saint Joseph, he teaches aspiring therapists how to be effective clinicians. This enables him to be exposed to cutting edge research on effective practice. He is trained in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to treat depression and anxiety, as well as loss and grief. He is also trained as an EMDR practitioner and he utilizes this method with clients who are working on trauma and struggling with troubling memories and past events.
David P Kenefick, LCSW
EMDR & Circle of Security Parent Facilitator
Individual, Couples and Family Therapist
Operations Support
David is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker having completed the Master's in Social Work program at the University of St. Joseph in 2017. David has experience working with children and families in crisis, with couples, and with adults experiencing anxiety, depression, substance related challenges as well as impulse / conduct disorders and trauma.
David views the therapeutic process through a relational approach that incorporates attachment theory and a psycho-dynamic framework. This perspective allows each person / family the freedom and opportunity to explore how thoughts, emotions and the body-mind connection impacts themselves and those around them. By building a greater understanding of the ways in which patterns influence us, we gain the ability to affect real and meaningful change.
David is registered as a Circle of Security Parenting (COS-P) facilitator and runs multiple groups for parents. COS supports parents seeking to improve the relationship with their children and in increasing their effectiveness in parenting. He is also trained in the Gottman method for Couples Therapy - a skill based approach to improving your relationship and learning to resolve conflict.
Molly C. Driessen, PhD, LCSW
Individual Therapist, Educator
Dr. Molly (commonly called by her students) is a licensed clinical social worker with a decade of practice experience focusing on topics pertaining to trauma, gender-based violence, sexual violence, campus sexual assault, victim-survivor narratives, resilience and resistance, life transitions and adjustments, anxiety, and depression. She also is an Assistant Professor at the University of Saint Joseph, where she teaches graduate level social workers in courses focused on clinical practice.
As a teacher, researcher, and practitioner, she grounds her practice in a relational, person-centered, and trauma-informed approach, focusing on client strengths and goals. She predominately works with older youth, young adults, and adults on a multitude of presenting issues. Dr. Molly incorporates a variety of therapeutic methods into her practice, including mindfulness, narrative therapy, attachment theory, and cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), among others. She works hard to earn the trust of clients and welcome them into a non-judgmental space, where they feel holistically heard and seen, in building this new therapeutic relationship.
