Our Team
Katie Allen, LPC
Pro Bono Therapist
Katie (she/her) is a licensed professional counselor originally from Charlottesville. After obtaining her undergraduate degree at William & Mary and master's in counseling at Boston University, she lived for four years in Pittsburgh, PA, working in community mental health. Back in Charlottesville with her young family, Katie utilizes a combination of dialectical behavior therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and other strengths-based approaches to support clients' needs at local outpatient practice.
Varinia Garcia Anderson, M.Ed., LPC
Bilingual Therapist
Varinia (she/her/ella) received a BA in psychology from Roanoke College and an M.Ed in counseling from VCU. She has focused on providing mental health services primarily to the local Hispanic population. Varinia is trained in trauma-focused cognitive behavior therapy, EMDR, play therapy, family therapy, and mindfulness. She is a strong advocate for our immigrant population, who inspire her to provide healing to those who need encouragement and strength.
Debi Daniel, MFT
Pro Bono Therapist
Debi (she/her) received her master’s degree in marriage and family therapy from Touro University. She enjoys working with her clients through trauma-informed, internal family systems, dialectical behavior therapy, and emotion-focused therapy lenses. Debi believes communication is key and feels that most problems can be explored and resolved with partnership and collaboration. She brings a multicultural perspective from her African upbringing and is particularly interested in working with multicultural communities.
Laura Dowell
Intern
Laura (she/her) is a Supervisee in Social Work at Virginia Commonwealth University. She holds a BA in English and served three years in Americorps in Boston Public Schools, administering academic and arts curriculum for students. After working with the unhoused at a humanitarian organization in Canada, Laura moved to Charlottesville with her family. She approaches the therapeutic relationship from a strengths-based, person-centered approach rooted in compassionate listening and support.
Shelley Faulkner, MA, Ed.S. 🏳️🌈
Therapist
Shelley (she/her) highly values trust and connection for humans to heal, and brings her authentic self and transparency into session to give clients the ability to be fully themselves. She believes through compassion and connection that corrective emotional experiences can occur. Shelley works from an attachment-based, person-centered approach to therapy for people from all walks of life who have experienced trauma, anxiety, depression, emotional dysregulation, and interpersonal problems.
Ashley Jones-Watkins, MA
Intern
Ashley (she/her) is currently a student at Liberty University for a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling. For the last five years, she has worked in the human services and mental health realm throughout the Central Virginia area. Being raised 30 minutes outside of Charlottesville, Ashley is very knowledgeable about the services available to those in the area. She uses a person-centered approach in her counseling.
Rachael LeMasters, LMSW
Pro Bono Therapist
Rachael LeMasters (she/her) graduated from Columbia University with a Master of Social Work degree and received a certificate in family systems theory from the Tavistock and Portman Trust. She has experience working with diverse populations, including families with complex needs and refugees. Using a strengths perspective, Rachael builds an empathic connection with each client. Additionally, she is particularly interested in how systems and relationships interact with individual goals.
H Peterson 🏳️🌈
Intern
H (they/them) is a graduate student at Virginia Commonwealth University working towards a master's degree in Clinical Social Work. They previously earned their bachelor's in fine art through the VCUarts program and understand the importance of having a creative outlet. As a nonbinary therapist, H is interested in working with and for other members of the LGBTQ+ community and fostering a supportive, affirming environment.
Kris Shafer, MA
Pro Bono Therapist
Kris (she/her) is passionate about women empowerment and equity as well as honoring each person's unique perspective and background. She uses a person-centered and trauma informed approach to create connection with and safety for clients. She received her master's degree in counseling from Messiah University and bachelor's in psychology from the University of Virginia. Prior to a career in counseling, Kris served in the military for 21 years.
Racheal Smetana, PsyD
Pro Bono Therapist
Racheal (she/her) received her PsyD in clinical psychology from Adler University, completing her pre-doctoral internship at Allegheny General Hospital and her postdoctoral fellowship in clinical neuropsychology at UVA. As a therapist, she practices from a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) orientation, with a person-centered and strengths-based approach. In her free time, Racheal volunteers with local nonprofit organizations, is an avid runner, and enjoys spending time with her dog.
Maren Ward, LCSW
Pro Bono Therapist
Maren (she/her) has worked in the counseling field for over 20 years, spending the past 15 years focusing on crisis counseling and assessments. At The Women’s Initiative, Maren works to create a therapeutic connection between herself and the client that allows for a safe exploration of the client's challenges as well as current and past relationships while accessing and processing emotions to allow for relief, healing, insight, and growth.