Meet the Team

Prior to her work in vocational services, Carlynn worked in the mental health field in a variety of different settings including schools, residential treatment, and group homes. She has over a decade of experience as a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor which has provided her with a solid understanding of the WA Labor and Industries’ system and has allowed her to develop a great compassion regarding the unique issues injured workers often encounter.

See a link to her LinkedIn profile here:

Laynya has over 20 years of counseling experience involving the workers compensation industry, VA, SSDI, as well as individual, group and family therapy in various settings including schools, juvenile detention, inpatient, group homes and community-based mental health agencies. With experience with various mental health disorders, Laynya offers an empathetic, collaborative, strength-based approach utilizing the biopsychosocial model of counseling.

Diana has worked in the medical social work field for over a decade and has a focus in her practice with helping clients cope with chronic and/or terminal illness, grief and loss, caregiver support, and life transitions. She speaks both English and Spanish. See a link to her Psychology Today profile here:

Linda has over 20 years of experience in mental health treatment and 9 years assisting individuals with substance use disorders and has worked in a variety of settings including hospitals, elementary schools, treatment centers, Idaho National Guard and primary care clinics.

Linda is also trained in Equine assisted Psychotherapy and started a non-profit organization in 2015 pairing equine with children and adolescents, individuals in the criminal justice system and military personnel. This vast experience has provided Linda with the expertise and commitment to inspire hope, engage individuals in motivation to change and to nurture wellness. Linda is trained and skilled in EMDR, Solution-focused, Behavioral Activation, problem-solving therapy, CBT/DBT and trauma informed therapeutic approaches.

See a link to her LinkedIn profile here:

Melissa specializes in working with clients struggling with chronic pain, panic attacks, eating disorders, adjustment issues, and anxiety. See a link to her Psychology Today profile here:

Sandi has specific training and a focus in her practice with treating addiction, trauma/PTSD, anxiety, depression, and relationship issues. Prior to working in addiction and with injured workers, she worked in community mental health with the Latino population. She is a state certified ethnic minority mental health specialist. See a link to her Psychology Today profile here:

Teena has extensive training and experience treating addiction, depression and anxiety, as well as helping clients cope when diagnosed with life-altering medical diagnoses.

You can see a further description on her website here: https://teenajones.com/

Dr. Cheryl L. Fracasso, PhD is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and certified clinical trauma intervention specialist with over 13 years clinical experience. Her area of expertise is in treating trauma and complex PTSD, along with mood and anxiety disorders, and major life transitions.

She also specializes in holistic healing methods from a trauma-informed perspective. In addition to her new role serving as a Contract Mental Health Therapist with Great Northern Consulting, she also presently serves as Adjunct Faculty with Bryant & Stratton College where she teaches online Crisis Intervention classes, along with Family Theory & Services, and Assessment, Theories, & Intervention of Addictions classes.

Her past clinical experience includes serving as a Psychologist with the State of Washington, Rainier School, for nearly 5 years, and serving as Faculty with University of Phoenix for 9 years teaching undergraduate psychology classes. She is a published author and editor in the field of holistic health with her most recent book titled “Holistic Treatment in Mental Health: A Handbook of Practitioners’ Perspectives” publishing in her 2020.

Dr. Elva’s education and experience brings a holistic approach to psychology and physiological health, as both a licensed registered nurse and a licensed marriage and family therapist. After completing 2 masters degrees; one in public health with emphasis in nutrition and a second in marital and family therapy with emphasis in postmodern therapies, she earned a PhD in psychology with emphasis in humanistic existential perspectives. Dr. Elva’s dissertation research was on traumatic brain injury and the effects on the family/spouse with a focus on adapting to changes and learning to transcend tragedy.

These experiences and educational endeavors bring a spectrum of knowledge from a multidisciplinary approach to the therapeutic process and life in general. The diversity broadens the level of support for helping clients facilitate positive changes, initiate coping skills for future challenges, and clarify life goals.

See a link to her LinkedIn profile here:

Manny has nearly twenty years of experience in the mental health field having worked in hospitals, residential treatment settings and private practice. He possesses a wealth of knowledge and experience working with diverse populations and issues. He specializes in treating trauma, depression, anxiety disorders, relationship issues, LGBTQ issues, codependency, and marriage and family conflict. He is trained in Dialectical Behavioral, EMDR, and Attachment-Based Family Therapy.

Manny is most passionate when he can serve his community. He has been a qualified supervisor since 2006 preparing mental health professionals for their lifelong goals of helping clients and their families. He has been active in raising awareness and funds to treat addiction and severe mental illness among indigent populations, volunteered as a Guardian ad Litem for abused and neglected children, and served on many community planning boards to help make his community a better place to live.

See a link to his website here: mindscapecounseling.org

Prior to her work with injured workers, Jess had worked in a variety of treatment settings including work with mental health, substance use, and personality/mood disorders. Her work in a multitude of treatment facilities and working with different treatment approaches helps give her a diverse knowledge to work with injured workers. She has advanced clinical training with Biopsychosocial approaches, Cognitive Behavior Therapy, and certification in Dialectical Behavior Therapy.

See a link to her Psychology Today profile here:

Alec  is skilled in working with addiction, trauma/PTSD, depression, and adjustment difficulties. Having gone through the L&I system after a work injury in 2013, Alec has first hand experience of healing from a severe wound. After having a positive experience with his personal L&I staff, he decided to work with clients who also went through similar struggles.

Alec has a long history of working in treatment facilities for addiction and mental health difficulties associated with trauma, anxiety, and depression. Main intervention strategies include cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness/holistic practices, and choice theory.

Sandy has worked in the medical social work field for 15 years.  Sandy has worked with people from many different backgrounds.  She specializes in working with individuals who are dealing with chronic pain, grief and loss, anxiety, depression and trauma. See a link to her Psychology Today profile here:

Angela is currently seeing clients through Telehealth. She has worked for over ten years in the field of mental health with a large population of individuals with varying mental/emotional or physical issues. Her primary focus is on persons with disabilities and trauma therapy. She has worked in a multitude of settings including at the state level as the Chair Person for the State of Idaho’s Independent Living Counsel.

Angela has done a lot of work for persons with disabilities and is passionate about this population. She is an expert in the field of resiliency, compassion and forgiveness. She is approved to administer Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing remotely and is working towards her certification so that she can supervise counselors who are in training for their own certification in EMDR. She also engages in numerous other therapeutic approaches including cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, person centered therapy to name a few. She uses evidence-based practices to provide a brief solution focused approach.

Angela has gone to further her passion and approach to working with persons with disabilities by extensive research into the area of resiliency and forgiveness. She and other known colleagues have written numerous articles and manuals to help clients and practitioners further their understanding in how to incorporate and instill resiliency through compassion and forgiveness.

Amber has been joyfully serving people with disabilities for 20+ years in many different roles. For the past decade, she has worked as a counselor, specializing in supporting clients who are living with disabilities, chronic pain, chronic illness, and related issues. She is also passionate about supporting clients with histories of trauma, anxiety, and depression. She views developing a healing relationship with her clients as essential to the therapeutic process.

You can read more about Amber on her website: ambersaldivar.com, and see her LinkedIn profile here:

Stephanie specializes working with individuals who struggle with trauma/PTSD, anxiety, depression and major life transitions. She has worked in community mental health with serving families in the Latino population, and speaks Spanish.