Meet
the Team

Ginger Stephens is a Licensed Professional Counselor and a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor. She is passionate about whole-person wellness. Ginger believes our mind, body, heart and soul are undeniably interconnected. She understands that being the best version of yourself comes from daily intentional choices to benefit our physical, emotional, spiritual, and social self.

Ginger shares her knowledge, experience and her past struggles in order to connect with her clients. She works with individuals who are seeking change, willing to explore new strategies and committed to implementing integrative solutions. Her favorite “tools” are gratitude, acceptance, and grace. She loves to explore and learn new skills and strategies to teach and connect with others so that they feel valued, empowered and known.

Ginger began her counseling career working with substance use disorders and continues to have a deep connection to those who struggle in this area. Ginger helps individuals identify beliefs, behaviors and environments that are contributing to a fragmented, unbalanced life.

Ginger also has a special interest in working with individuals who have experienced trauma. She has competed a certification in complex trauma, along with continuing education for the clinical application of polyvagal theory and mind-body connection.

She has a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications/ Journalism from Southern Nazarene University, Bethany, OK, and a Master of Arts in Counseling from LeTourneau University in Longview, TX. Ginger is an avid runner and reader and believes it’s never too late to make changes or learn something new.

Please call our office at (936) 305-3070 or email us at info@wholeagaincw.com to schedule an appointment. 

Amanda Turner is a Licensed Professional Counselor and a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor (LCDC). Amanda has served the East Texas community as a substance abuse counselor for more than five years. She has worked in mental health and substance abuse outpatient services, providing individual and group counseling and education.  

Amanda graduated from Stephen F. Austin State University with a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a minor in Addiction Studies. 

Amanda’s goal as a counselor is to provide a safe, comfortable and non-judgmental environment where individuals feel heard and valued. Whether assisting clients with overcoming obstacles, obtaining personal goals, or gaining coping skills, she believes the mind, body, and spirit are all connected and advocates for a wellness model of optimal health. 

Amanda knew from a young age that she wanted to help people become better versions of themselves. She truly loves her job as a counselor and takes pride in knowing she can help make a difference in someone’s life. As a wife and mother, Amanda enjoys spending time with family and friends. She loves to read, mountain bike, workout, and experience new places. 

Amanda is trained in brainspotting therapy. Brainspotting is a powerful, focused treatment method that works by identifying, processing and releasing core neurophysiological sources of emotional/body pain, trauma, dissociation and a variety of challenging symptoms. 

Amanda is committed in helping you find your own personal balance and become “Whole Again.”

Please call our office at (936) 305-3070 or email us at info@wholeagaincw.com to schedule an appointment.

Katelynne is a graduate of Texas State University where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a minor in Business Administration. She continued her education at Stephen F. Austin State University where she received her Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling.

Katelynne sees wellness as a puzzle, full of many different pieces that work together to make you whole. The three main parts on our journey to wellness are our mind, body and spirit. Katelynne believes she is able to collaboratively help you find the missing pieces of your own puzzle and willing to help you connect them back together. Her intention is to create an environment for you to release, heal and grow by optimizing your inner strengths.

Katelynne is dedicated to helping individuals overcome trauma. She has completed a training in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapy. The core principle of EMDR therapy revolves around the understanding that traumatic experiences can become “stuck” in our minds and bodies, leading to distressing symptoms and interfering with daily life. EMDR therapy works to reprocess these distressing memories, allowing for the resolution of trauma-related symptoms and the restoration of emotional well-being. EMDR therapy has proven to help people recover from trauma and PTSD symptoms as well as disorders such as anxiety, depression, OCD, chronic pain, addictions, and other distressing life experiences.

The way Katelynne practices wholeness in her own life is by running, traveling and appreciating food that fuels her body. To keep her mind and spirit healthy, she enjoys taking time for herself to journal and meditate. She would love to be a part of your journey as you learn how to become whole again.

Please call our office at (936) 305-3070 or email us at info@wholeagaincw.com to schedule an appointment. 

April Grady is a Licensed Professional Counselor who has spent much of her counseling career working in the public school system. She graduated in 2010 from Stephen F. Austin State University with a Master of Arts in Counseling after earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock in 1988.

Using evidence-based techniques, including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and mindfulness-based approaches, as well as exercise as an intervention, April provides a safe and non-judgmental space for clients to explore their thoughts, emotions, and experiences. Specializing in areas such as anxiety, conflict resolution, self-compassion, and stress management, April will assist clients in setting goals, developing coping strategies, improving communication skills, and fostering self-awareness. She is compassionate in her desire to help clients work through their struggles and identify strengths so they can become the best version of themselves. April also has a special interest in college and career counseling and working with current students and/or displaced workers in order to help them explore their interests and gain the knowledge and skills necessary to make future career and life decisions.

Fully committed to an integrative model of wellness, April is also a National Academy of Sport Medicine Certified Personal Trainer (NASM-CPT) who is currently working on completing nutrition and online coaching certifications as well. April believes physical fitness is not just about appearance but is crucial for overall well-being, and that it can be a powerful and effective approach to promoting holistic well-being and addressing mental health concerns. She highly supports the combination of physical activity and exercise with counseling and therapeutic techniques to help inspire and empower clients in transforming their lives for the better.

Emily Taravella is a Licensed Professional Counselor and a Certified School Counselor. Emily is experienced in individual and group counseling, and since 2014 she has worked in settings including high school, K-12 special education and private practice.

Emily graduated from Stephen F. Austin State University in 2014 with a Master of Arts in School Counseling and a Bachelor of Arts in Communications in 1998. She previously worked as a newspaper reporter for The Daily Sentinel and as a journalism, newspaper and yearbook teacher for Nacogdoches High School.

What ties her different careers together is her compassion for people, her interest in their lives and their stories and her commitment to their mental and physical well-being. Her goal is to give everyone a voice and the confidence to work through their problems in a supportive, non-judgmental environment.

Emily especially enjoys serving clients who struggle with anxiety and depression. Her goal is to help people work through their problems as they develop ways to cope, build confidence and resiliency and achieve balance in their lives. She believes that a whole approach to wellness is the best approach that will help achieve lasting results.

Emily has two therapy dogs, River and Karen, which are certified through the Alliance of Therapy Dogs. She enjoys taking them to libraries, nursing homes and hospitals. She also enjoys spending time with her husband Dan, and her children Erin and David. She loves nature and reading.

Casey Nelson is a Licensed Professional Counselor-Associate, supervised by Adriana Gutierrez, LPC-S. Casey is a graduate of Baylor University where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Religion. She continued her education at Stephen F. Austin State University where she received her Master’s of Arts in Professional Counseling.

We all experience seasons of life where our usual ways of being no longer work for us. At some point we all feel lonely, experience crisis, trauma, and loss, lose our sense of self, or feel a deep need for something to change. Counseling is one step you can take toward healing, becoming whole again, and growing into who you are meant to be. Casey knows each person has an innate capacity for growth, and is passionate about working with clients as they seek to know and become their truest self. Her goal in counseling is to create a safe, respectful, and open space for each client to laugh, cry, learn, share, heal, and grow.

Casey has previously worked with non-profits, small businesses, and as a support-staff in a university counseling center. Casey has seen and experienced the impact of a compassionate and accepting counseling relationship and is excited to work with the Whole Again Counseling and Wellness team to provide group and individual counseling.

Casey loves both work and rest, and is able to be her best self by regularly spending time with loved ones, tending a flock of chickens, spending time outdoors, savoring a cup of coffee, and practicing creativity.

Catie Munguia is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who is bilingual in Spanish and English. Catie received her Bachelor’s degree in Social Work with a minor in Spanish from St. Edward’s University in 2011 and her Master’s degree in Social Work from Stephen F. Austin State University in 2017, and is currently completing a doctoral program in Social Work at Stephen F. Austin State University.

As a Social Worker, Catie meets clients where they are and treats them as a whole person beyond any mental health diagnosis or acute problems. Social Workers receive specialized training to activate individualized, diverse systems of support in the interest of clients and communities. Catie believes strongly in the power of connection, which encompasses the counselor-client connection, the multitude of interpersonal connections we each have in our own lives, and your connection with your own mind, body, and spirit. Catie utilizes a variety of approaches from solution-focused therapy to cognitive behavioral therapy, family approaches, narrative therapy, psychoeducation, and more. Catie especially enjoys supporting clients through groups and classes.

Catie’s career has spanned a variety of settings and populations, giving her a nuanced perspective on individual and community wellbeing. Catie began her career working at a homeless shelter for immigrant women, then spent several years working in advocacy and grassroots community organizing in El Salvador. Catie returned to her hometown of Nacogdoches and began working as an elementary school social worker, working closely with students and their families to face complex challenges such as domestic violence, homelessness, immigration-related challenges, mental health crises, and more. Catie also works independently providing mental health evaluations in support of individuals in immigration
proceedings.

Catie Munguia es una trabajadora social clínica licenciada en el estado de Texas que es bilingüe en español e inglés. Su primer idioma es inglés, pero estudió español y vivió varios años en países hispanohablantes para llegar a ser fluidamente bilingüe. Catie recibió su licenciatura en Trabajo Social con especializacion en español de la Universidad de St. Edward en 2011 y su Maestría en Trabajo Social de la Stephen F. Austin State University en 2017, y actualmente está completando un programa de doctorado en Trabajo Social (DSW) en la Stephen F. Austin State University.

Como trabajadora social, Catie se encuentra con los clientes donde estén y los trata como una persona completa más allá de cualquier diagnóstico de salud mental o problemas específicos. Los trabajadores sociales reciben capacitación especializada para activar sistemas de apoyo diversos e individualizados en interés de los clientes y las comunidades. Catie cree firmemente en el poder de la conexión, que abarca la conexión terapeuta-cliente, la multitud de conexiones interpersonales que cada uno tiene en nuestras propias vidas, y la conexión con su propia mente, cuerpo y espíritu. Catie utiliza una variedad de enfoques, desde terapia centrada en soluciones hasta terapia cognitiva conductual, enfoques familiares, terapia narrativa, psicoeducación y más. Catie también apoya a los clientes a través de grupos y clases.

La carrera de Catie ha abarcado una variedad de entornos y poblaciones, lo que le brinda una visión amplia sobre el bienestar individual y comunitario. Catie comenzó su carrera trabajando en un refugio para mujeres inmigrantes sin hogar, luego pasó varios años trabajando en defensa y organización comunitaria en El Salvador. Catie regresó a su ciudad natal de Nacogdoches y comenzó a trabajar como trabajadora social en una escuela primaria, trabajando en estrecha colaboración con los estudiantes y sus familias para enfrentar desafíos complejos como la violencia doméstica, la falta de vivienda, los desafíos relacionados con la inmigración, las crisis de salud mental y más. Catie también trabaja de forma independiente proporcionando evaluaciones de salud mental en apoyo de las personas en los procedimientos de inmigración.

My own journey began with an online personal trainer. I discovered just how important nutrition and gym time are for wellness. I found so much joy in watching my body change and feeling better with each passing day that I decided to become a personal trainer so that I could help others do the same. Get in touch with me when you’re ready to learn more; I can’t wait to meet you!

Wake up and get your body going with Erin and her weight training circuit for all levels of fitness. Modify by adjusting the weights used and amount of reps. Full instruction the entire time as we work through multiple muscle groups with music guaranteed to kick start your day!

Joshua Miller is a Certified Group Fitness Instructor through the Athletics and Fitness Association of America (AFAA) as well as a Certified Personal Trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM). He is attending Stephen F. Austin State University, working toward an undergraduate degree studying food and nutrition as well as kinesiology.

He discovered his passion for nutrition and fitness after serving in the U.S. Navy. He believes that every person is on their own journey with health and one solution may not work for everyone.

Josh enjoys being active with friends, playing music, and trivia night.

With more than 17 years as a Licensed Massage Therapist and Medical Massage Practioner, Beth Thomas specializes in rehabilitative and restorative massage therapy. She also has specific training to work with senior clients. Each session is tailored to the client’s needs and goals and every client receives a personalized program to optimize their potential.

Beth began her massage career in Austin where she attended A New Beginning School of Massage. She had the opportunity to train for her Medical Massage certification in Costa Rica in 2011. Two years later, she went back to Costa Rica to train in Advanced Medical Massage.

Beth is a native of Nacogdoches, and after 30 years of being away from East Texas, she is delighted to be back in the Piney Woods. She welcomes new clients and offers many types of massage with a positive intention.

Valarie Middleton, LMT, has been practicing massage therapy for over 12 years. She started practicing after graduation in Seattle, WA, where she was also trained in sports and medical-massage. Valarie also participated in an internship at Northwest Hospital where she gained more knowledge of the human body and how the body can help heal itself with the help of massage. Valarie moved moved back to Nacogdoches to stay close to family. Valarie specializes in sports and medical massage, as well as deep tissue massage. Her specialties also include prenatal massage, aromatherapy, and lymphatic drainage.

Kasey is the first person most clients will meet at Whole Again. She enjoys getting to know clients and has a passion for helping others along their path of holistic care.

A fully recovered survivor of an eating disorder, Kasey’s great passion in life is to share recovery with others and to show them that there is hope and a way out. She is a firm believer in body positivity and that each person’s worth is not determined by a number on the scale. Kasey enjoys outreach to the public through sharing the story of her recovery. She is also a lifelong reader and an avid scrapbooker.