Mental Health Therapists
Breda Paton, MSW
Mental Health Therapist
Breda joined our team Sept 2023 as an MSW Intern and was hired upon graduation in May 2024 from Westfield State University with a Masters of Social Work. She also earned her Bachelor’s degrees in Applied Psychology from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. Breda has worked for 10 years helping students at a local university in Massachusetts. She decided to pursue a career in social work to continue helping others across all areas of life. She has experience working with individuals with substance use concerns.
Breda has experience working with diverse populations, families, couples, and adolescents to provide care that is tailored to each individual. She is able to provide a person-centered, strength-based approach to her therapy modalities. She utilizes several modalities of care, including but not limited to Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, Gottman Method for couples therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Behavioral Activation, and Mindfulness.
Our staff is able to provide therapeutic interventions under the supervision of Dr. Charell McFarland, who is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker.
Danshanique Adkins, MSW, LCSW
Mental Health Therapist
Danshanique joined our team Sept 2022 as an MSW Intern and was hired upon graduation in Sept 2023 from Simmons University with a Masters of Social Work. She received her bachelor’s in Sociology from Georgia Southern University in 2020. Danshanique has experience working with individuals with developmental disabilities and youth involved in the juvenile justice system. She has decided to pursue a career in social work to focus on family, individual, and adolescent counseling. Danshanique enjoys helping others in a variety of ways, and believes that social work, being very broad, encompasses everything she is passionate about—from advocating to community work.
Danshanique has worked with individuals, families, and adolescents providing therapy and support. She approaches client care from a strength-based and person-centered approach. She is able to provide several modalities of care, including cognitive-behavioral therapy, solution-focused therapy, motivational interviewing, behavioral activation, and mindfulness.
Our staff is able to provide therapeutic interventions under the supervision of Dr. Charell McFarland, who is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker. Our interns may have lower and more flexible rates, compared to licensed staff, and may be able to treat individuals who have insurances the other providers in the practice are not able to accept for a low fee. Please contact the practice today for more information!
Deborah Girdwood, MSW
Mental Health Therapist
Deborah (she/her/hers) joined our team September 2023 as an MSW Intern of the clinical Social Work program at Simmons University and was hired as a Mental Health Therapist upon graduation. Deborah decided to pursue social work after working in theatre where she managed programs engaging with youth and families from a social justice perspective. Collaborating with social work professionals, community advocates, and people with lived experience, Deborah co-designed sensory friendly performances for individuals with anxiety and other sensory, social, and cognitive disabilities. She also co-designed trauma-informed "Art as Intervention" workshops for children and caregivers experiencing toxic stress, a nationally recognized transgender-inclusive initiative in children's theatre, and programs for adolescents utilizing youth media tools to tell their own stories.
Deborah's core values are rooted in kindness, compassion, growth and humor. Deborah has experience supporting individuals, families, and adolescents in a therapeutic environment. She approaches client care from a strength-based and person-centered approach. She utilizes several modalities of care, including but not limited to cognitive-behavioral therapy, solution-focused therapy, motivational interviewing, behavioral activation, the Gottman-method to couples therapy, and mindfulness.
Our staff is able to provide therapeutic interventions under the supervision of Dr. Charell McFarland, who is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker. Please contact the practice today for more information!
Elizabeth Rhodes, MSW, LCSW
Mental Health Therapist
Elizabeth "Lizz" joined our team Sept 2021 first as an MSW intern, and upon graduation, she transitioned to a mental health therapist in June of 2022. She received her MSW in Clinical Social Work from Westfield State University and her bachelor's in Psychology from UMass Amherst in 2012. Lizz is a Licensed Certified Social Worker (LCSW) in Massachusetts.
Lizz has extensive experience in the area of domestic and sexual violence advocacy. Over the past 10+ years she has worked in courts, with police, on crisis helplines, in schools and in other community-based settings. Prior to joining our team, she worked as a supervisor and advocate at the YWCA Central Massachusetts providing counseling to survivors and domestic violence education to the local community.
Lizz pursued social work education because it promotes social justice and highlights environmental factors that affect individual and collective health. She has therapeutic experience working with individuals, couples, and families with issues such as intimate partner violence, depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, emotional dysregulation, marital separation or divorce, couples counseling, and grief and loss. Lizz has experience utilizing techniques that include mindfulness, CBT, DBT, ACT, and person-centered therapy. Lizz provides virtual-only appointments.
Our staff is able to provide therapeutic interventions under the supervision of Dr. Charell McFarland, who is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker. Please contact the practice today for more information!
Emily Borsody, MSW, LCSW
Mental Health Therapist
Emily (she/her) joined our team as an intern in November 2020 and upon graduation transitioned to a Mental Health Therapist in August of 2021. Emily has a Master's in Clinical Social Work from Simmons University. She received her Bachelors degree in Government and Psychology from Suffolk University. Emily is a Licensed Certified Social Worker (LCSW). Emily has extensive experience serving the community. Emily has extensive experience serving the community. Most recently, she served for six years as the Second Vice President of the Board of Directors at the Elizabeth Freeman Center. She has also served as a mentor at the Berkshire County Kids Place and Violence Prevention Center.
She is drawn to social work because of the focus on advocacy, social justice, and anti-oppression. She has experience working with individuals and groups across the lifespan from young children to older adults. Emily has experience supporting individuals, adolescents/youth, couples, and families through issues such as depression, anxiety, emotional regulation, marital separation or divorce, couples counseling, and parenting. Emily uses a strength-based, person-centered approach and her practice is influenced by systems theory, attachment theory, feminist theory, and critical race theory. She is able to provide numerous therapeutic modalities based on the client's needs and goals such as CBT, DBT, Mindfulness, Motivational Interviewing, Behavioral Activation, ACT, and Solution Focused Therapy.
Our staff is able to provide therapeutic interventions under the supervision of Dr. Charell McFarland, who is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker.
Erin Knowles, MSW, LCSW
Mental Health Therapist
Erin joined our team Sept 2022 as an MSW Intern and was hired upon graduation in December 2023 from Simmons University with a Masters of Social Work. After receiving Bachelor’s degrees in Psychology and Sociology from Columbia College, she entered an inclusion and diversity-centered career in narrative design in the Video Games Industry. Realizing all fields would benefit for better anti-oppressive practices, she has turned her focus to strength-based mental health care and support. As a biracial intern clinician (Mvskoke Creek/white), she’s interested in person-in-environment intersectionality, social and environmental justice, and evidence-based, individually-tuned interventions. Erin has experience working with diverse populations on issues centered around social justice. She is able to provide a person-centered, strength-based approach to her therapy modalities.
Erin has worked with individuals, families, couples, and adolescents providing therapy and support. She approaches client care from a strength-based and person-centered approach. She is able to provide several modalities of care, including cognitive-behavioral therapy, solution-focused therapy, emotionally-focused therapy, ACT, couples therapy using a Gottman and other evidenced-based approaches, motivational interviewing, behavioral activation, and mindfulness.
Our staff is able to provide therapeutic interventions under the supervision of Dr. Charell McFarland, who is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker.
Lila Pope, MSW, LCSW
Mental Health Therapist
Matthew Kirshman, MSW
Mental Health Therapist
Matthew joined our team Sept 2023 as an MSW intern of the Social Work program at Simmons University and was hired as a Mental Health Therapist upon graduation. He earned his Bachelor’s degrees in Philosophy and his Masters of English Literature from Central Connecticut State University. Matthew has previous experience working with students and their families in the field of education for 18 years. He has enjoyed working with youth, especially around fostering identity and positive sense of self. Matthew is pursuing social work because he believes it gets to the heart of who we are by examining individual challenges in an environmental context.
Matthew is looking forward to creating authentic relationships across a range of ages and identities as a basis for exploring strength, goals, and life-affirming strategies. He is able to provide a person-centered, strength-based approach to his therapy modalities. Matthew is learning to provide several modalities of care, including but not limited to cognitive-behavioral therapy, solution-focused therapy, motivational interviewing, behavioral activation, emotionally-focused therapy, Gottman-method couples therapy, and mindfulness.
Monika Munezero, MSW, LCSW
Mental Health Therapist
Sandra Teixeira, MSW
Mental Health Therapist
Sandra joined our team in September 2023 as an MSW intern of the Social Work program at Simmons University and was hired as a Mental Health Therapist upon graduation. She also earned her Bachelor’s degrees in Psychology with a concentration in clinical mental health from Emmanuel College. Sandra has certificates from Cornell University in Women's Entrepreneurship and Educational Policy. She is also a licensed dental professional, yoga instructor, and a fashion-psychology coach at Sendiii.
Sandra has worked with various populations including children, high school students, college students, and older adults. She has experience addressing concerns with individuals experiencing intimate partner violence, depression, anxiety, grief and loss, and social justice as an area of concern. She also has experience working with those involved in the juvenile detention system.
She is able to provide a person-centered, strength-based approach to her therapy modalities. She is able to provide several modalities of care, including but not limited to cognitive-behavioral therapy, solution-focused therapy, motivational interviewing, behavioral activation, and mindfulness.
Tashina Webster, MA Psychology, MSW
Mental Health Therapist
Tashina joined our team Sept 2023 as an MSW intern from the Social Work program at Simmons University and was hired as a Mental Health Therapist upon graduation. She also has earned her Masters of Clinical Psychology from the Michigan School of Psychology and Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education from Georgia Southern University. After working for a few years as a teacher, she pursued a career in psychology to help others in their journey towards mental health wellness. She is pursuing social work to blend her previous training with an emphasis on community advocacy and social justice.
She specializes in working with adults, couples, adolescents, and older adults. With a decade of experience in mental health, her areas of expertise include acceptance, anger management, anxiety, behavioral management, crisis care, diet/health behavior change, eating disorders, depression, grief, mood disorders, play therapy, family therapy, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), substance use recovery, self harm reduction and supporting clients to maintain safety while experiencing suicidal ideation. She has previously worked with active duty/ retired military members and their families, veterans, unhoused individuals, in community re-entry rehabilitation programs, partial hospitalization programs, crisis stabilization care, school and chapel settings, and virtual mental health and life coaching programs.
Tashina recognizes that certain approaches don't always work for everyone. As a result, it is her goal as a clinician and intern to work collaboratively with a client to utilize approaches and interventions that best serve the person sitting across from her. She utilizes a combination of approaches including but not limited to: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Gestalt Therapy, Mindfulness, Motivational Interviewing, Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT), Gottman-Method for couples, and Trauma Informed Care. Her therapeutic approach is person-centered with deep roots in existential and humanistic theory, which means she ultimately wants to help her clients learn their purpose in life, appreciate their own uniqueness, and see the value that they bring to the world. She also can provide Christian Counseling to those seeking to merge their spirituality with evidence-based approaches.
MASTER OF SOCIAL WORK INTERNS
Emilee Lehmann
Master of Social Work Intern
Emilee joined our team September 2024 as an MSW Intern from the clinical Social Work program at Simmons University. Emilee received her Bachelor's degree in Social Work at Simmons University as well. Emilee has previously worked in memory care with older adults in long term care settings. She decided to pursue clinical social work because she is passionate about helping others to find fulfillment and peace within themselves to achieve their goals.
Our staff is able to provide therapeutic interventions under the supervision of Dr. Charell McFarland, who is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker. Our interns may have lower and more flexible rates, compared to licensed staff, and may be able to treat individuals who have insurances the other providers in the practice are not able to accept for a low fee. Please contact the practice today for more information!
Emily Lansinger
Master of Social Work Intern
Emily (she/her/hers) joined our team January 2024 as an MSW Intern in her second year of the clinical Social Work program at Simmons University. Emily received her Bachelor's degree in Sociology with a minor in Spanish at Jacksonville University. During her undergraduate studies, she worked in local public schools as a mentor for adolescents, a position which helped her realize her interest in the social work field. She decided to pursue clinical social work because she is passionate about helping others to find fulfillment and peace within themselves to achieve their goals.
Our staff is able to provide therapeutic interventions under the supervision of Dr. Charell McFarland, who is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker. Our interns may have lower and more flexible rates, compared to licensed staff, and may be able to treat individuals who have insurances the other providers in the practice are not able to accept for a low fee. Please contact the practice today for more information!
Yael Behar
Master of Social Work Intern
Yael joined our team Sept 2024 as an MSW intern from the Social Work program at Simmons University. Yael is empathetic and understands that therapy is not one size fits all.
Yael has experience working with diverse populations and has clinical interest in topics such as trauma and PTSD, religious conflict and trauma, and intergenerational trauma. Yael also can support individuals experiencing depression, anxiety, mood disorders, adjustment, grief and loss and more.
Yael aims to work collaboratively with a clients to utilize person-centered and evidenced-based approaches. She utilizes a combination of approaches including but not limited to: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Mindfulness, Motivational Interviewing, Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT), Behavioral Activation, and Trauma Informed Care.
Our staff is able to provide therapeutic interventions under the supervision of Dr. Charell McFarland, who is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker. Our interns may have lower and more flexible rates, compared to licensed staff, and may be able to treat individuals who have insurances the other providers in the practice are not able to accept for a low fee. Please contact the practice today for more information!
EXECUTIVE STAFF AND ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF
Dr. Charell McFarland, DSW, LICSW, LCSW-C
CEO, Owner, Mental Health Therapist
Dr. C is the founder and owner of Community First Therapy and Consulting, LLC. She is Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker in the state of Massachusetts (LICSW) and Licensed Certified Social Worker-Clinical (LCSW-C) in the state of Maryland. She graduated from the University of Massachusetts- Boston with a BA in Psychology, from Howard University with a Masters of Social Work, and also has earned a Doctorate of Social Work from Capella University. In the past, she has served as the Geriatric Social Worker on the Maryland State Board of Examiners of Nursing Home Administrators. She specializes in working with a variety of persons from adults and couples, to adolescents and seniors. With over a decade of experience in health care and mental health, her area of expertise includes, but is not limited to depression, mood disorders, anxiety, behavioral management, PTSD and intimate partner violence, grief and loss, family therapy, couples therapy, and aging related concerns. Dr. C has experience working with individuals surrounding concerns with racial, ethnic, and gender disparities.
As a Clinical Social Worker, she uses a strength-based approach, and believe that everyone brings strengths to the table that can help improve one's quality of life through a relationship-based, collaborative and client-directed approach. Some theoretical perspectives she uses include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Gestalt Therapy, Mindfulness, Behavioral Activation, Motivational Interviewing, Solution Focused Therapy, Trauma informed CBT, and Problem Solving Therapy. She also provides Christian Counseling to those looking to merge spirituality with evidenced based approaches.
She has over 10 combined years of experience working with individuals with mental health concerns, terminally ill persons, older adults residing within a continuing care retirement community, unhoused individuals and families. Dr. C also has experience working with community re-entry rehabilitation programs, employment assistance programs, providing supervision and consultation to nursing homes, supervising social workers and similarly licensed professionals, and providing exam preparation for social workers.
Jamie Snell, MSW, LCSW
Clinical Task Supervisor
Jamie joined our team as an MSW intern in Sept 2021. She received her MSW in Clinical Social Work from Simmons College. Upon graduation July 2022, she was hired as a full time mental health therapist. In Sept 2023, she was promoted to Clinical Task Supervisor. She divides her time managing a case load of therapy clients, and providing supervision to our Master's level interns. She also received her Bachelor's in Anthropology and Sociology from Mt Holyoke College in 2016. Jamie has experience working in the fields of crisis management, foster care and family reunification, and counseling. Over the past 5 years she has worked in community based settings to support families and individuals through difficult stages in their lives.
Jamie pursued social work education because it emphasizes the unique needs of a diverse population, and a person-driven perspective on emotional and psychological healing. Jamie has extensive experience working with the unique needs of the LGBTQIA+ community, as well as with autistic youth and adults. She is eager to continue supporting individuals, couples, and families with issues such as post-traumatic stress, autism-spectrum diagnosis, anxiety, depression, emotional regulation, grief and loss, chronic illness, and reclamation of selfhood. Jamie has experience utilizing approaches that include DBT, CBT, family therapy, narrative therapy, and mindfulness. Jamie provides virtual-only appointments.Jamie provides virtual-only appointments.Jamie provides virtual-only appointments.
Our staff is able to provide therapeutic interventions under the supervision of Dr. Charell McFarland, who is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker. Please contact the practice today for more information!
Juana McFarland, BA, MDIV
Office Manager, volunteer
Juana joins Community First Therapy and Consulting, LLC as our office manager. She holds a bachelor's degree in accounting from Northeastern University and a Masters of Divinity from Oral Roberts University. She has previously worked in accounting at various firms, and currently works as a pastor to a local congregation in Berkshire County.
Juana is diligent in making sure the office runs smoothly from an administrative perspective and assists with scheduling. Juana is instrumental in running day to day functions of the office, processes billing and claims, and manages our client satisfaction process and procedures. She also assists Dr. C with resolving client concerns, should any arise. If you have any questions, please contact the office.
Mariela Batista
Receptionist, part time
Mariela Batista (she/her/hers) joined our team in August 2024 as our part time receptionist.
Mariela has previous experience working in scheduling at a medical office and also has worked as customer service for the Massachusetts health connector, helping members enroll in insurance plans.
She brings the same level of compassion to her job here as she did to her previous positions. Mariela works Mon-Thurs each week 9-5pm and support current and prospective clients with scheduling requests during those hours.