Jill Pluta (she/her) graduated from The University of Connecticut School of Human Development and Family Sciences, and is a Licensed Marital and Family Therapist with twenty years of experience in the mental health and human services field. Jill has worked as a Clinical Supervisor of a teen parenting program and as Clinical Director overseeing all clinical and administrative aspects of an outpatient mental health agency, including supervising clinicians for over twelve years.

Jill values creating authentic and genuine connections with clients in which they can feel understood and supported while working towards their goals. Jill has experience working with both adolescents and adults dealing with anxiety, depression, effects from traumatic experiences, grief, and challenges with life stressors and transitions. She also has experience working with couples who struggle with communication, intimacy and relationship satisfaction.

Jessica Ward (she/her) graduated from The University of Connecticut School of Social Work and has been working in the mental health field for the past 25 years. Her experience ranges from partial hospital treatment and programming, intensive outpatient treatment and programing, community outpatient mental health, and individual, couples and family therapy. Jessica has worked for over eight years as an Assistant Clinical Director and in addition, has had a successful private practice for over 20 years.

Jessica believes that relationship is the most important part of the therapeutic experience and strives to meet clients where they are, while focusing on personal strengths. She uses an eclectic approach to therapy implementing CBT, motivational interviewing, as well as trauma informed therapies including EMDR. Jessica is also a certified divorce mediator and has helped couples to navigate a non-contentious dissolution of marriage.

Amanda Bascetta (she/her) is a Licensed Professional Counselor and a National Certified Counselor. She has worked in a variety of settings which include therapeutic group homes, outpatient settings, and community mental health programs. She has experience working with children, adolescents, adults, couples, and families. She has worked with a variety of populations including at-risk teens, couples experiencing relational stress, and individuals struggling with life stressors/transitions, symptoms related to adjustment disorders, ADHD, OCD, anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, and PTSD. 

Amanda enjoys working to assist her clients in reaching their therapeutic goals with the use of DBT techniques, CBT techniques, solution focused techniques, strength-based approaches, and motivational interviewing techniques. She strives to create a safe, warm, and welcoming environment. Her goal is to assist each of her clients in reaching a place of comfort for self-exploration that will lead to emotional wellness, and inner growth. Amanda looks forward to helping you reach your therapeutic goals as well as emotional healing.

Serenity Blauvelt (she/her) graduated from California State University, Northridge Michael D. Eisner College of Education, and is a Licensed Professional Counselor with experience in mental health and Higher Education. Serenity has worked as clinical counselor in community mental health in Los Angeles with a wide range of ages, cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds, and is a steadfast advocate of the LGBTQ+ community. She has a passion for working with adolescents and young adults, which has influenced the scope of her experiences, including those with the Venice Boys and Girls Club, Compton Unified School District, and the Trevor Project.

Serenity has an eclectic approach to psychotherapy combined with empathy, genuineness, and unconditional positive regard. She sees the psychotherapy alliance as a safe and accepting place, where each person works toward their therapy goals at their own pace. Serenity believes that difficult feelings are created when someone, or even a group, becomes “stuck” in their personal development and/or relationships. These impasses are what bring most to counseling. A counselor is a knowledgeable peer, who cultivates a therapeutic space to join clients where they are in life, and help clients to see their problems with a different perspective to become “unstuck”. She facilitates this perspective shift by choosing techniques from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Psychodynamic therapy, Dialectic Behavioral Therapy, and mindfulness practices.

Heather Gatesman (she/her) is an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse who is dual certified in family and psychiatric mental health nursing. Heather graduated from Western Connecticut State University in 2003 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing with a minor in Psychology. Her nursing experience was in neonatal intensive care and pediatric home care. Heather graduated from Quinnipiac University with a Master’s of Science in Nursing as a Family Nurse Practitioner in 2006. Heather has experience working in pediatric neurology, working with children and adolescents with ADHD, neurodevelopmental disorders, learning disabilities, behavioral concerns, mood disorders and other neurological conditions.

In 2013, Heather started providing medication management for adults with anxiety, depression and ADHD. She became certified as a Pediatric Primary Care Mental Health Specialist (PMHS), and completed her post master’s certification as a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner from University of Saint Joseph.

Heather enjoys working with children, adolescents and adults to achieve overall balance and wellness using evidence based medicine. Heather works collaboratively and holistically to educate her patients about the best treatment options to fit their needs.

Katelyn Murray (she/her) is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Associate who earned a Master's Degree from Fairfield University. She has worked in a variety of settings including inpatient hospital, outpatient and school settings. Katelyn has experience working with all ages including children, adolescents, adults, and families. She has worked with clients facing a variety of challenges including life transitions, anxiety, depression, and PTSD.

Katelyn enjoys working collaboratively with her clients to assist in achieving their therapeutic goals. Katelyn is passionate about creating a non-judgmental, safe space that empowers her clients to enhance their relationship with self and others. Katelyn utilizes a systems approach including Structural Family Therapy, as well as strength based and mindfulness based techniques.

Julianne Vesciglio (she/her) is an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Practitioner who earned a Master’s Degree in Nursing from Yale University in 2020, specializing in Psychiatric-Mental Health Across the Lifespan. She has worked in a variety of roles and settings including residential, inpatient, emergency room, and outpatient settings within the mental health field with individuals struggling with mental health and addiction over the last ten years.

Julianne enjoys working collaboratively with individuals and families across the life span; she is passionate about using evidence-based medication, while maintaining a person-centered approach to complement the therapeutic process and improve her client’s functioning and well-being. Her training in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy has afforded her the opportunity to apply therapeutic interventions to maximize the use of medication to address identified target behaviors in concert with therapy.

Bridget Zelle (she/her) is a Licensed Master of Social Work who earned a Master's Degree from Sacred Heart University. She has worked in a variety of settings including preschools, behavioral health school programs and non-profit agencies providing in-home therapy for children and families. Bridget has experience working with children, adolescents, and families facing a variety of challenges including illness, grief, anxiety, PTSD, and life transitions. Bridget is passionate about helping her clients who are navigating grief and loss in their lives by providing a warm, safe space for them to process and learn coping tools to navigate grief. She is especially skilled at helping young children learn about illness and grief, and how to express their feelings around these difficult topics.

Bridget’s approach is client-centered, collaborative, and strengths-based. She believes in tailoring interventions to meet the unique needs of each client using practices such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Play Therapy, and mindfulness based techniques. Bridget is also trained in Child-Parent Psychotherapy. Bridget is committed to supporting her clients in navigating these difficulties with confidence and resilience, while also promoting holistic well-being and self-discovery.