Our mission is to support individuals and communities in embodying their capacity to transform pain into power.

MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELOR, SHE/HER

Carrie Meuse is a relational, person-centered therapist who brings a strong commitment to empowerment, safety, and social justice into her work. Her clinical path began with her work across multiple human services jobs, working very closely with and supporting adults and teens with disabilities, victims of disaster, geriatric clients, and student athletes. Through her work, Carrie has formed a deep commitment to naming, understanding, and dismantling systems of oppression related to race, class, gender, and ability, and she brings her social justice values into all aspects of her clinical work.  She also brings a lived understanding of chronic health challenges, which informs her compassionate support for individuals managing chronic illness and related stressors.

At the core of Carrie’s work is a relational, collaborative approach grounded in safety, respect, and empowerment. She is especially skilled at supporting clients in rebuilding self-esteem, strengthening self-trust, and cultivating self-advocacy. Carrie is particularly passionate about helping clients identify unhealthy or toxic relationship patterns, and supporting clients in identifying and recovering from narcissistic abuse and emotionally harmful relationships. Carrie is known for her gentle presence and her ability to create a deep sense of emotional safety, particularly for clients navigating difficult environments or complex relational dynamics.

Carrie is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and earned her Master’s degree from Cambridge College. She works exclusively with adults ages 21 and over. Carrie is excited to join The Center for Resilience because of its shared commitment to centering humanity, justice, and collective healing as the foundation of meaningful therapeutic work.

CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKER, THEY/THEM

Jack Pierson brings a warm, grounded, and deeply authentic presence to their work with clients at The Center for Resilience. A graduate of the Smith College School for Social Work, Jack began their career in community-based settings supporting young children and families, where they developed a strong foundation in relationship-building, reflective practice, and trauma-responsive care.

As a trans and queer clinician, Jack offers a perspective rooted in lived experience, relational integrity, and social justice. Their approach centers each person’s inherent wisdom, honors the complexity of identity, and creates space for genuine connection and emotional safety. Jack is especially committed to therapy that is collaborative, empowering, and attuned to the systems that shape our lives.

While Jack is newer to offering formal clinical therapy, they bring a depth of insight, openness, and presence that enriches the therapeutic process. They approach their developing clinical work with humility, curiosity, and a strong dedication to growth — qualities that make them an exceptional addition to our team.

CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKER, SHE/HER

Earned her Bachelor of Science in Child Psychology from Byapath University and her Master of Social Work from Springfield College School of Social Work. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with nearly three decades of experience supporting children, adolescents, and families.

Since beginning her career in 1995, Christa has worked extensively with children who have experienced significant trauma, including youth in residential programs and foster care. Many of the young people she has supported have faced disruptions in their social, emotional, mental, and physical development. This work shaped her commitment to understanding behavior through a trauma-informed lens rather than viewing it as simply negative or oppositional.

Christa has practiced Trauma-Informed Care since 2010, helping families, caregivers, and professionals better understand how trauma impacts development and relationships. She has trained foster and adoptive parents in trauma-informed approaches and has worked closely with youth in foster care to advocate for their rights and help them identify what they need in a safe and supportive home. She is well-versed in Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and the lasting impact they have on relational and emotional development.

She is trained and certified through My Life My Choice, a nationally recognized program committed to preventing child sex trafficking and supporting youth impacted by exploitation. Her work includes prevention education, identifying risk factors, and supporting young people who are currently being exploited or are at risk. She approaches this work with compassion and a strong commitment to reducing harm, increasing safety, and empowering youth to reclaim control over their lives.

Christa’s practice is grounded in social justice. She is passionate about supporting marginalized communities, including LGBTQ+ individuals, women, and people of color. She has extensive experience working with teen parents and providing sexual health education to prevent teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, while helping young people make informed life decisions. She also supports mothers pursuing homeownership as part of strengthening family stability and long-term well-being.

In the past three years, Christa has specialized in couples therapy and strengthening parent-child relationships. She is also highly knowledgeable about Special Education rights and actively supports parents and children navigating school systems to ensure they receive appropriate services and advocacy.

Her approach is compassionate, collaborative, and grounded in respect. She believes healing begins with feeling seen, heard, and understood.

CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKER, SHE/HER

Elizabeth Rivera is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 10 years of experience. She began her career in social work in 2010, supporting children, adolescents, adults, and families through a compassionate, individualized approach to therapy. She earned her Master of Social Work from Westfield State University in 2018, where she developed a strong foundation in clinical practice and family-centered care.

She is bilingual in English and Spanish, allowing her to provide culturally responsive care and build strong, accessible connections with diverse families.

She specializes in working with neurodivergent children and their families, as well as supporting first-time mothers as they navigate the emotional and developmental journey of parenting. She also has experience working with teens and individual adults facing severe mental health challenges, offering a safe and supportive space to process, heal, and grow.

Her therapeutic approach is strength-based, trauma-informed, narrative, and solution-focused. She believes clients are the experts in their own lives and works collaboratively to help them identify strengths, reframe their stories, and build practical solutions for lasting change. She incorporates Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and play therapy to meet clients where they are developmentally and emotionally.

Additionally, her practice can be grounded in a faith-based perspective, when welcomed by the client, creating space for meaning, hope, and spiritual support as part of the healing process.

She helps clients build emotional awareness, strengthen coping skills, and feel more confident in expressing themselves. Through connection, structure, and creativity, she creates an environment where clients feel understood and supported.

She works closely with parents and caregivers, offering guidance, education, and practical strategies to better understand behaviors, reduce stress, and build stronger relationships at home. She believes therapy is most effective when individuals and families feel empowered and actively involved in the process.

Her work is rooted in empathy, collaboration, and respect for each person’s unique experience. She is passionate about helping clients build resilience, strengthen relationships, and feel confident in their ability to navigate life’s challenges.

CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKER, THEY/SHE

Em Rawls is a relational, strengths-based therapist whose work is grounded in a decolonized liberation framework that honors the complex relationship between individuals, systems, and lived environments. Drawing from years of community organizing and youth work, Em brings a deeply human, direct, and engaging approach to therapy that centers authenticity, collaboration, and emotional safety.

Em believes that healing cannot be separated from the realities of oppression, identity, and community. Their clinical work explores the ways systems of violence and marginalization shape emotional experiences, relationships, and ways of moving through the world. They integrate elements of Internal Family Systems (IFS), liberation-focused practice, and relational therapy while maintaining a style that is interactive, honest, reflective, and grounded in clients’ strengths.

Em is especially passionate about supporting neurodivergent (“neuro-spicy”) individuals, queer and trans clients, and people seeking deeper connection, emotional regulation, and community. They create space for both growth and grief, recognizing that pain, shame, and guilt are often overlooked or minimized in overly solution-focused approaches. Em’s hope is that clients experience therapy as a supportive and connective space where they can slow down, feel fully heard, and explore meaningful emotional change at their own pace.

Clients can expect a collaborative, client-led therapeutic relationship where curiosity, clarifying questions, and exploration are welcomed. Em values thinking creatively and “outside the box” to meet each client’s unique needs and believes that therapy should honor the whole person rather than reduce them to a diagnosis or problem to solve.

When asked what she feels is important for clients to know about her, Em shares that she is a fat, Black, queer, non-binary therapist, parent of a neurodivergent child, and person living with chronic illness. She believes that lived experience can deepen connection, understanding, and authenticity within the therapeutic relationship. 

They bring extensive experience supporting queer and trans individuals navigating systems of violence and oppression and is known for being highly resourceful, deeply reflective, and bringing warmth and humor into the therapy space. She cares deeply about slowing down, listening closely, and helping clients develop a genuine felt sense of being heard, supported, and understood.

CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKER, SHE/HER

Many people come to therapy feeling overwhelmed by anxiety, trauma, relationship challenges, or life experiences that have left them feeling disconnected from themselves or uncertain about how to move forward. Lauren believes that healing begins with feeling truly seen, heard, and accepted. She is passionate about helping clients recognize their strengths, reconnect with their authentic selves, and build lives that feel more grounded, meaningful, and aligned with who they are.

Lauren earned her Master's degree from Springfield College in 2007 and brings nearly two decades of clinical experience across a wide range of settings, including outpatient clinics, in-home therapy, residential treatment, juvenile justice programs, school-based services, and as a school adjustment counselor. These experiences have given her a deep understanding of how trauma, relationships, and life experiences shape emotional well-being across the lifespan. While her background includes extensive work with children, adolescents, and families, her private practice is primarily focused on supporting teens and adults who are navigating life's challenges.  Lauren is committed to providing culturally responsive, affirming care that honors each person's unique identity and lived experience.

Lauren's therapeutic style is warm, genuine, and collaborative. She believes that the therapeutic relationship is one of the most powerful tools for healing and strives to create an environment where clients feel safe to be themselves without fear of judgment. While therapy often involves difficult conversations, Lauren also believes there is room for humor, curiosity, and self-compassion throughout the healing process. Her work integrates trauma-informed care with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), psychodynamic principles, and strengths-based approaches, tailoring treatment to each client's unique goals and needs.

Lauren believes that every person has the capacity for growth and change. Whether you are working through long standing patterns, navigating a difficult transition, or seeking a deeper understanding of yourself, she would be honored to walk alongside you as you build resilience, strengthen self-awareness, and create lasting, meaningful change.

CLINICAL PHYCHOLOGIST, HE/HIM

Eduardo M. Bustamante, Ph.D. (Dr. B) is a clinical psychologist with four decades of experience specializing in oppositional defiance in children and teens. He is the founder of the Family Team Development Center and author of several influential works in the field.

Dr. Bustamante’s publications include Parenting the AD/HD Child: A New Approach (1997), Treating the Disruptive Adolescent: Finding the Real Self Behind Oppositional Defiant Disorder (2000), The 4 LAWS of Trust and Talent: Creating Authentic Connections in Family and Life, and Helpful Parenting: From Forced Goodness to Chosen Goodness (2025).

His clinical expertise focuses on helping families navigate challenging behavioral issues in children and adolescents, with particular emphasis on oppositional defiant disorder and ADHD. Dr. Bustamante brings decades of hands-on experience working with troubled youth and their families to develop effective therapeutic interventions.

Dr. Bustamante joins CFR to provide specialized psychological services focused on helping families develop healthy family cultures and navigate challenging behavioral issues in children and adolescents.

To learn more visit https://4lawsacademy.com/about

MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELOR, SHE/HER

Many people come to therapy carrying the weight of painful experiences, family expectations, identity questions, or life transitions that can leave them feeling overwhelmed, disconnected, or uncertain about the path ahead. Therapy offers an opportunity to slow down, feel genuinely understood, and develop the insight and tools needed to create meaningful and lasting change.

Kim Gonzalez is a Mental Health Counselor dedicated to creating a warm, collaborative, and affirming therapeutic space where clients feel safe to explore their experiences without judgment. Drawing from a person-centered approach, Kim believes that healing happens through authentic connection and works alongside clients to strengthen resilience, build effective coping strategies, and move toward lives that feel more aligned with their values and goals.

As a proud queer Nuyorican and first-generation high school graduate who went on to earn a master’s degree in Counseling Psychology, Kim understands the importance of representation, resilience, and challenging generational patterns. She is passionate about making mental health care more accessible and creating inclusive spaces where clients feel empowered to embrace their authentic selves. Kim enjoys incorporating creative and holistic approaches—including music, art, spirituality, and other personally meaningful practices—to support each client’s unique journey toward healing and self-discovery.

Kim's work with The Center for Resilience is based at the Palante Center for Transformative Justice in Holyoke, where she provides counseling and support to young people, families, and community members connected to the Palante community. This partnership reflects her commitment to expanding access to culturally responsive mental health care while fostering healing, resilience, and community well-being throughout Holyoke.

FOUNDER, CLINICAL DIRECTOR, SHE/HER

Jessica Prodis, LICSW, is the founder of The Center for Resilience (CFR), where the healing of trauma is approached through long-term, meaningful support in spaces that foster safety, connection, and empowerment. With extensive experience working with multi-racial and multi-national individuals and families, as well as personal experience living abroad, Jessica brings a unique understanding of the complexities faced by diverse communities.

A graduate of the Smith College School for Social Work, Jessica's clinical interests include the treatment of trauma, relationship issues, youth empowerment, and identity development. She offers Telehealth sessions in her private practice, providing accessible and consistent care to her clients.

At CFR, Jessica and her team are committed to creating collaborative environments where clients can reclaim their personal power and address the root causes of adversity. The practice is dedicated to confronting systemic inequities and exploring realistic, justice-minded pathways toward healing and empowerment.

BUSINESS MANAGER, SHE/HER

Stephanie brings a strong background in healthcare and wellness to her role as Business Manager at The Center for Resilience. With years of experience as a nurse, entrepreneur, and clinic owner, she has developed a passion for building systems that support both patient care and organizational growth.

Stephanie specializes in operations management, client relations, and program development, ensuring that services at the Center run smoothly and efficiently. Her leadership style is rooted in collaboration, compassion, and a deep commitment to helping individuals and communities thrive through resilience, wellness, and holistic care.

ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT, SHE/HER

Vicky Romero brings over 11 years of experience in medical and behavioral health billing and credentialing to her role as Administrative Director at The Center for Resilience.

Raised between Holyoke and Puerto Rico, Vicky is deeply committed to increasing accessibility and quality of care for the Holyoke community.

Fully bilingual in Spanish and English, she coordinates the intake process with warmth and compassion, helping new clients feel welcomed and supported as they connect with the clinician who best fits their needs.

COMMUNICATION & TECHNOLOGY COORDINATOR HE/HIM

Melvin Cabrera brings together experience in information technology, community engagement, and creative storytelling to help strengthen the Center for Resilience's connection with the communities we serve. His work is guided by a genuine passion for service, meaningful relationships, and using technology to support positive change.

At CFR, Melvin oversees website management, technology support, photography, and digital communications while helping expand the Center's visibility throughout the community. Whether he's maintaining the systems that keep our organization running smoothly, capturing the heart of our events through photography, or helping build partnerships with local organizations, Melvin plays an important role in sharing our mission and making our work more accessible.

A lifelong member of the Holyoke community, Melvin is known for his generosity, creativity, and commitment to helping others. He enjoys mentoring youth, teaching music, and using photography to tell stories that celebrate resilience, connection, and the strength of our community.

BILLING, CREDENTIALING, AND REVENUE CYCLE MANAGEMENT

As the Founder & CEO of LRB Healthcare Advocate, LaToya brings this deep, practical expertise to physician practices, helping them streamline operations, maximize reimbursements, and achieve financial stability.

Her hands-on leadership approach is rooted in genuine experience. Whether it’s managing a surgery center, optimizing a hospital’s revenue cycle, or negotiating payer contracts, LaToya makes it a point to understand every role she oversees.

This commitment to real-world expertise and provider success sets LRB Healthcare Advocate apart. LaToya believes that healthcare leaders must understand the work to lead effectively, and she applies this principle to every client partnership.

With a Master of Health Administration & Informatics, a Bachelor’s in Healthcare Business Management, and Lean Six Sigma certifications, LaToya brings strategic insight, operational excellence, and compliance expertise to every project.

At LRB Healthcare Advocate, LaToya stands by one guiding principle: “I bet on providers, not office politics.” She is committed to helping healthcare organizations thrive by focusing on what truly matters—provider success, patient care, and financial sustainability.