Guiding Hands Counseling, PLLC

Hello and welcome! My name is Angelique Parks is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC) in Bennington, VT. I began this practice in 2022, with the goal in mind of helping those who are already trying their hardest, wanting the best for their children and/or family, and who would benefit from something more. Today, our community struggles and I and those who have joined this practice, have become supports for it to lean on in times of stress or difficulty. There is an art to raising a child/family, each different and unique in their own way, and so I decided to educate myself on how best to support children and families, who are the experts themselves. With children, encouraging, attending, and engaging, can bring about change and growth. With parents/guardians and families, allowing time, space, and understanding, can breathe life and movement into feeling stuck or alone. My approach is client or family-centered and oriented in Adlerian Psychotherapy. I specialize in working with children ages 0-18 and their parents/guardians and families. I incorporate a variety of techniques toward meeting my clients, both verbal and nonverbal, with modalities such as play, art, movement, body-based, experiential, and narrative. I enjoy baking, being outdoors, sunrises and sunsets, animals, yoga, listening to music, and watching Netflix. Kiana Gates is a Licensed Social Worker in VT and MA who loves the outdoors and watching a good comedy show. Her counseling style is client-centered, strength-based, and trauma-informed. She specializes in perinatal mental health (PMH), and is certified in PMH through Postpartum Support International. She customizes treatment, approaching care by "meeting you where you are" using EMDR, interpersonal psychotherapy, and polyvagal theory. Finding the right therapist is a key piece of the healing puzzle. She strives to create a safe, nonjudgmental, and welcoming space where her clients can thrive and collaboration can happen. Her door is open to individual of all cultural backgrounds and gender identities. Denise Peterson is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC) in VT and holds a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) license from TX. She moved to VT in 2019 to enjoy the Green Mountains and outdoor lifestyle. She has been providing counseling services to children and families since 1998 as a school counselor and private practitioner. She provides professional and confidential counseling for developmental, personal, social and/or emotional concerns using play therapy, cognitive-behavioral, expressive modalities, and mindfulness-based techniques. She specializes in working with children and parents/guardians. Primary interventions are targeted at facilitating communication, fostering emotional wellness, increasing personal strengths, and facilitating social relationships. She focuses on creating a therapeutic environment to encourage clients to gain insight and implement positive change for themselves. Jenna Caslin is a Master-Level Social Worker, Pre-Licensed Psychotherapist in VT. She enjoys hiking, baking, and reading a good book. Born and raised in Bennington, she has served the community in the Humans Services field for the past 20 years. The last 10 years have been spent specifically with abuse and trauma. Jenna is trained in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), with additional training in traumatic grief and mindfulness practices. She has a humanistic, strengths-based approach that allows her clients to leverage and build upon their own strengths, values, and goals. Leigh Ullman, LICSW, is a therapist in Bennington, VT. He is dedicated to helping adult clients navigate life's difficulties with enhanced resilience and clarity. He offers compassionate treatment to those experiencing anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, and trauma. He is especially interested in working with adults coping with mid and late life challenges. With over 45 years of clinical experience, he uses a range of therapeutic approaches tailored to the needs of each client including; somatic experiencing, cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and polyvagal-informed therapy. His therapeutic approach is trauma-informed and client-centered. He strives to create a warm and nurturing environment where his clients can experience growth and recovery. As the practice grows, additional clinicians may join the team to assist in meeting greater need. Everyone's path to healing and growth is unique. Together, we can find a way forward, that works for you, your child, and your family. Please reach out, we welcome questions and look forward to meeting you and learning together.