As the Chief Executive Officer and Owner-Operator of the group practice serving Veterans, their families, and the community, I bring a wealth of experience and a detail-oriented approach to organizational improvement processes. With a background as a retired United States Marine and Veteran, I have accumulated over 27 years of expertise in local and federal government policy, particularly within Veteran programs and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

My proficiency lies in developing and maintaining partnerships with local and federal government agencies. Within the community, I am recognized as a key figure in providing mental health counseling services and psychoeducation groups, employing both curriculum-based and discussion-based models. As an adept educator and clinical professional, I consistently deliver measurable outcomes.

Allyson is a graduate of Liberty University with a master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Allyson has been a licensed resident in counseling since OCT 2022. She has experience working with individuals, couples, and families. Allyson has most of her experience working with adolescents and adults, ages starting from 13-65+ years old. Allyson demonstrates good interpersonal skills, a culturally sensitive attitude, optimism, and honesty which creates an open and inviting therapeutic space, as well as making her a good asset to our team. Allyson’s areas of specialty include adjustment related issues, emotional dysregulation, family issues (blended family, martial/partner communication problems, parenting/co-parenting conflicts), depression, anxiety, attachment issues, obsessive thoughts/behaviors/rumination/intrusive thoughts, spiritual/existential concerns, stress management, and trauma. Allyson strives to create a therapeutic atmosphere that feels safe, prioritizes awareness of self and its impact, is informative, and that values accountability, all while showing empathetic attunement and genuineness.

Mary is a licensed resident with a Bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and a Master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Wake Forest University. Specializing in treating Anxiety and Depression, Mary also has experience working with other disorders such as PTSD and Borderline Personality Disorder. Her therapeutic approach includes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, and Mindfulness. Mary's experience spans working with a diverse range of clients including young children, adolescents, veterans, couples, young adults, and older adults.

Grace an MSW Intern at FOCUS, adopts a professional approach grounded in evidence-based modalities such as Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), and culturally sensitive practices, alongside art therapy techniques. Grace prioritizes tailoring interventions to suit each client's unique needs, fostering healthy relationships, and facilitating the exploration of emotions and relationships. Through collaborative engagement, she helps individuals identify stressors and develop effective coping mechanisms. Committed to upholding ethical standards in social work, Grace seeks continuous professional growth and feels privileged to provide support at FOCUS, aiming to empower clients on their journey to improved mental well-being.

As the primary point of contact for both existing and new clients, I manage communication at FOCUS Group Solutions. My responsibilities include installing hardware and software, troubleshooting technical issues, setting up and maintaining desktop computers and laptops, and implementing security solutions to ensure operational efficiency and a positive user experience.