About Us

I understand that every life has challenges, and these challenges can be compounded by life circumstances (e.g, parenting, loss, relationships, health concerns, work issues). Thus, I provide a variety of psychological services to help overcome life challenges. In my work with clients my goal is to help them create meaningful lives by achieving lasting results. I customize my approach with each client to meet their individual needs and personality in a way that is comfortable and productive for them. I go beyond psychological language to address the real concerns of my clients in an easily understood manner. I am dedicated to helping my clients heal from past and current difficulties, grow as individuals, and fulfill their true potential of living healthy, happy and rewarding lives.

I create a comfortable environment for clients to explore themselves and their lives in an open and honest way through my warmth, sincerity, accepting manner, and sense of humor. I accomplish this by:

• helping clients get to the source of issues by providing support and practical feedback;
• inciting the identification and change of negative patterns, beliefs, and feelings into more positive and accurate ones; and
• providing a warm, accepting, and interactive environment that encourages emotional security so goals are achieved, issues are resolve, and new tools and strategies are developed to manage daily life.

Because I understand that who we are is more than a summary of our actions and past, I strive to meet my clients where they are and help them get to where they want to be. My approach to therapy stresses the importance of the way we think and how that impacts how we feel and act.  It is therapy that is directed at changing one’s thoughts which in turn changes feelings and behavior.  It is especially useful in treating anxiety and depression, and typically involves an educational component with exercises done as homework.

I specialize in working with women and girls with all aspects of their lives, including ADHD/ADD. Since completing my graduate studies at Southern Illinois University more than a decade ago, I have worked with individuals, couples, and families in a variety of different settings.

You can’t heal what you hide. My goal for you as my client is to facilitate you to live your best life by discovering your truth and finding your voice. You will be an active part of your personal growth by collaborating with me to establish them and identify the barriers that have prevented you from achieving your goals. I will facilitate your self-awareness as the first step towards healthy change, and then work with you to assess how your current behavior is aligning with achieving your goals.

Research has proven that low self-esteem, biology, and heredity play a large role in the development of anxiety disorders. I will work with you on challenging your irrational thoughts and beliefs to alleviate the distressing thought patterns. I also will recommend a psychiatrist as part of your treatment team, if needed.

I especially enjoy working with anxiety disorders, substance abuse and video game addiction; but also work with career issues, codependency, coping skills, depression, divorce, domestic abuse, family conflict, grief, infidelity, life transitions, peer relationships, racial identity, relationship issues, stress and school related issues.

I enjoy working with older adolescents and young adults, families in distress, mood disorders, and identity development including through life adjustments and life transitions. I like to help families work through relationship conflicts, increase communication skills, and become reconnected. My background is rooted in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and I especially enjoy working from a multicultural, family systems approach. I believe that in order to live a happy and fulfilling life, the mind, body, and spirit must all be addressed holistically.

My passion and desire to help others have grown as I have developed my counseling skills at various agencies, such as hospitals, community mental health centers and counseling centers. I have been able to diversify my clinical skills by working with adolescents, adults, and mature individuals. I have also learned how to work quickly to deescalate crises so improvements in mental health are seen in a matter of days.

I was born and raised in Gainesville, Georgia and am an alumnus of Johnson High School. Go Knights! I received my master’s degree in Community Counseling from Argosy University in Atlanta with a concentration in Marriage and Family Therapy. During my free time I love to travel and have been to places like Vietnam, Japan, the Bahamas, El Salvador, Mexico, Italy, Morocco, France, and England. I revel in immersing in different cultures via food, music, customs and just learning how others live, think, and (my favorite) eat!

I believe that the importance of good mental health cannot be overstated, and that counseling helps individuals, couples, and families by promoting self-reflection, self-awareness, and action steps for clients to achieve wellbeing. I place a strong emphasis on multiculturalism and strive to view clients and their issues through this lens, taking cultural values and beliefs into account during your treatment. I enjoy working with adults living with depression and anxiety disorders.

I will help you confront, and challenge distorted and irrational thoughts to help you to live your life to the fullest. As a team, we will work together to help you overcome your struggles by practicing self-awareness, learning about your strengths, and helping you to be kind to yourself.

I am a counselor-in-training earning my master’s degree through Northwestern University, working under the supervision of Dr. Boone-Sanford. I am currently accepting clients on a reduced fee scale.

A graduate of the University of Toledo, Kelly Jones, LPC, is experienced in individual, group, family, and couples’ therapy. Kelly’s primary area of expertise is grief and loss counseling for family, friends, and loved ones traversing the grieving process. This grief counseling not only includes the grief associated with death, but also includes the grief and loss associated with the end of marriages, the loss of careers, the change of personal and family health, and the anticipatory loss associated with future life-altering events.

Kelly’s also enjoys working children with ADD/ADHD; and individuals struggling with anger management, domestic violence, chronic illness, pain management, trauma, anxiety, and depression. Emphasizing the importance of the client-counselor relationship, Kelly achieves strong therapeutic rapport with her clients as they journey through the therapeutic process to achieve a place of individual growth, acceptance, and healing.