Staff & Board

Misty earned her Master of Science in Education- Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Western Illinois University.  She dedicates herself to gathering training and experience to support her commitment to serving those in the community. She has worked building relationships with children and their families in an outpatient setting to create positive change. She additionally gained insights from collaborating within school systems to partner with teachers and faculty to support child development. Special trainings include Trauma Focused CBT and Child Parent Psychotherapy. Misty’s practice has predominantly engaged the age group birth to 12 years, but she continues to broaden her experience with all ages. Her target areas include trauma experience, parent child relationships, play therapy, developmental and sensory processing, and changes in phases of life.

Misty Hirst

Executive Director

Vanessa graduated from the University of Illinois with a Bachelor’s in Psychology. She earned her Master of Science in Education- Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Western Illinois University. Vanessa has worked with children, adolescents, and families for the past 5 years. She enjoys working with individuals struggling with depression, anxiety, adjustment disorders, trauma, and childhood/adolescent disorders. Her areas of special interest are play therapy, trauma informed care, grief and loss therapy, sexual assault counseling, crisis intervention, and group therapy.

Vanessa Moron

Family Therapist

Michael received his B.A. in Psychology from Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, IN in 2006. Upon graduation she enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, leaving as a sergeant in 2010 after deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan where he earned multiple personal awards. After receiving an honorable discharge, he returned to Northeastern Illinois University and received his M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling in 2014. He is currently a member of the American Counseling Association, American Mental Health Counselors Association, and Illinois Counseling Association. Michael has worked with children, adolescents, and families for 11 years and enjoys working with individuals struggling with depression, play therapy techniques, parent-child relational problems, military families, and veterans’ issues.

Michael Gavin West

Office Administrator

Susan graduated from Western Illinois University with a Bachelor’s in Psychology and Communication. She also earned her Master of Science in Education- Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Western Illinois University. Prior to becoming a counselor, she worked for three years as a teacher’s assistant in daycare and summer camp for children ages 15 months to 12 years. Her areas of special interest include working with children and their families, adolescent issues, behavioral and adjustment issues, anxiety, depression, play therapy techniques, and group counseling.

Susan J

Family Therapist

Barbara earned her Master of Social Work from St. Ambrose University and is a licensed social worker at the master’s level.  Barbara's primary experience and practice setting is providing services within an elementary school-based setting.  Barbara forms partnerships with clients, parents, school, and community partners to provide holistic support.  Barbara primarily uses a strengths-based, empowerment, and client-centered approach to cultivate a sense of felt safety, connection, and co-regulation for counseling and interdisciplinary consultation.  Barbara is best suited to support growth through body regulation, developmental and sensory processing, feeling expression, and emotional intelligence.  Specific trainings include Rational Living Therapy- Level 1, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and play therapy techniques.  Barbara is continuously engaged in learning opportunities to provide authentic client-centered services to best support the unique needs of each client.