Meet our team

Our talented team at Project SAFE is here to fulfill your mental health needs!

 

OWNER AND CLINICAL DIRECTOR.

LICENSED PROFESSIONAL COUNSELOR

Gayle Alexander

Gayle is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and an Approved Clinical Supervisor (ACS) in the counseling field. She completed her M.Ed. in human development and education counseling and counseling from The George Washington University and her bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from the University of California at San Diego.

Gayle’s work concentrates on mood management, executive functioning management, eating disorders and body image, coping skills, communication skills, and emotional regulation. Through individual, group, or family therapy, clients learn to identify problems that interfere with achieving a well-balanced, healthy life. They can recognize behaviors, emotions, and thought patterns that play into a negative worldview and functioning.  Gayle specializes in adolescents, young adults, and families through a person-centered, strength-based approach where each client is holistically valued.

Target population: Ages 12+ teens, young adults, adults, parents, families

Recommended resources:

 

LICENSED PROFESSIONAL COUNSELOR, LPC, ACS

Lauren Merikas

Lauren is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and an Approved Clinical Supervisor (ACS) in the counseling field. She completed her master’s degree in community counseling at Argosy University. She is also a Clinical Telemental Health (CTMH) Provider and a member of Chi Sigma Iota, a counseling academic and professional honor society.

Lauren has been working with Project SAFE since 2012 and has experience working with children, adolescents, and adults. Lauren’s areas of focus include anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, stress management, and trauma. She also has experience working as a school-based counselor in both Maryland and Virginia.

 Target population: Middle school, high school, young adults

Recommended resources:

 

LICENSED RESIDENT COUNSELOR, LRC (Virtual Only)

Kelsey Newcomb

Kelsey is a resident counselor currently working toward independent licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Virginia. She received a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling from The Chicago School in Washington, D.C. Kelsey’s clinical experience includes a significant amount of behavioral, art, and play therapy to supplement traditional talk therapy practices. While her background includes years of working primarily with children and teens, her caseload includes clients throughout all phases of life development. She is familiar with counseling those experiencing depression, anxiety, and trauma, as well as issues related to body image, but has graduate-level education to provide counseling based upon the specific needs of the client.

 In addition, Kelsey has certification in personal physical fitness as well as nutrition from the National Academy of Sports Medicine, which she incorporates into her clinical practice by promoting a holistic approach. Her philosophy is that emotional, physical, and mental health are all interconnected and work together to help clients achieve total wellness.

 Target population: Ages 12+ teens, young adults, adults

Recommended resources:

 

LICENSED PROFESSIONAL COUNSELOR, LPC (Virtual only)

Angela Hay Donahue

Angela earned her master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling from Marymount University and her bachelor’s in psychology from The Catholic University of America. She is a National Certified Counselor (NCC) and a member of Chi Sigma Iota, a counseling academic and professional honor society.

Angela enjoys working with children, teens, and young adults because she respects the pressure and stress of navigating school, friends, family, loneliness, sadness, grief, self-esteem, anxiety, perfectionism, adjustment, and the many other factors that come with these unique stages of life. Her areas of focus include anxiety, stress management, self-esteem, life transitions, ADHD, and grief. She values creating a safe, empathetic, and non-judgemental space for her clients to express themselves freely. Angela has experience working with individuals and groups from a person-centered perspective, using cognitive behavior and solution-focused therapy. Additionally, she appreciates the benefits of incorporating creativity and play in therapy. Angela is available for virtual sessions with flexible hours.

Target population: preteens, teens, and young adults

Recommended resources:

 
 

LICENSED PROFESSIONAL COUNSELOR, LPC

Megan Smith

Megan graduated from Marymount University, obtaining her master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling. She has worked in both individual and group practices, supporting adolescents and young adults who are coping with the effects of anxiety, depression, grief and loss, relationship and peer issues, and LGBTQ and identity issues.

Her passion is to help clients feel safe, seen, and heard and to assist them in gaining a better insight and awareness of themselves, all while developing tools to cope effectively with difficult life experiences so they can live more meaningful and fulfilling lives! 

Megan believes in a person-centered therapeutic approach. She meets her clients where they are, welcoming and honoring them as a whole person. She believes that each client deserves an individualized approach, eclectically incorporating therapeutic modalities such as Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Internal Family Systems, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and attachment-based modalities. 

Target Population: Ages 12+ teens, young adults, adults

Recommended resources:

 

LICENSED RESIDENT COUNSELOR, LRC

India Kea

India Kea is a resident counselor working toward independent licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Washington, D.C. She received her Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Trinity Washington University in 2017. India’s work integrates a holistic and heart-centered approach that blends evidence-based talk therapy with somatic awareness, grief care, and embodied healing.

India’s clinical experience includes school-based counseling, grief work with children and families, and supporting clients through major life transitions. She volunteers with the Wendt Center for Loss and Healing in Washington, D.C., and brings special care to those navigating bereavement, anxiety, and emotional overwhelm. Her targeted populations include children, teens, and families, with a particular interest in social-emotional development, embodiment, grief integration, and transitional phases across the lifespan.

In addition to her counseling background, India is a certified yoga teacher and end-of-life practitioner. These certifications inform her belief in the interconnectedness of mind, body, and spirit in the healing process. Whether through breath, movement, or presence, she helps clients tap into their own inner resources to create meaningful change.

Target Populations: Children (ages 5+), adolescents, families
Clinical Interests: Grief and loss, anxiety, life transitions, emotional regulation, social skills, embodiment

Recommended Reading:

  • > The Wisdom of Your Body: Finding Healing, Wholeness, and Connection through Embodied Living by Hillary L. McBride, PhD

  • > The Grieving Brain: The Surprising Science of How We Learn from Love and Loss by Mary-Frances O'Connor, PhD

 

LICENSED RESIDENT COUNSELOR, LRC

Elizabeth LaPenotiere

Liz likes to utilize a humanistic approach as she believes that people change as they grow, so it’s important to take into consideration all influences of life. She hopes to work with individuals and groups, as well as to specialize in areas such as relationship and peer issues, trauma, and anxiety.

Target population: children and adolescents

 

LICENSED RESIDENT COUNSELOR, LRC

Brionna Wood

Brionna has experience working in both the medical and mental health fields. This has given her a holistic approach and outlook, seeing the importance in the journey in connecting the mind and body. She takes a Person-Centered approach, letting the clients take the lead to empower them on their journey. She believes that people from all walks of life and backgrounds should have the space to feel safe and heard. Brionna aspires to work with individuals and groups, as well as specialize in trauma, anxiety, body image, burnout, and relationships.

Target population: Adolescents, young adults, and/or adults.

Recommended resources:

 

Master’s Level Graduate Intern

Philip Saphos

Philip Saphos is a Master’s level graduate intern pursuing his degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Marymount University,with anticipated graduation in July 2026. With a background as a special education teacher in Northern Virginia, Philip brings meaningful experience working with children and adolescents, which informs his deep commitment to supporting young people and their families through life’s challenges.
Philip adopts a holistic and integrative therapeutic approach, drawing from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Family Systems, Attachment Theory, and Existential Therapy. He places a strong emphasis on multicultural affirmation, ensuring that clients of all genders, sexualities, races, cultures, and spiritual identities feel seen, heard, and valued in the counseling space.
His clinical interests include working with children, teens, and families, with particular focus on neurodivergent clients (including autism and ADHD), grief and loss, life transitions, and relational or attachment-based concerns. Philip’s approach is collaborative and person-centered, grounded in the belief that every client’s lived experience holds the key to healing and growth.
Above all, Philip is passionate about creating an environment of compassion, safety, and empowerment, where clients can explore who they are and move toward the life they want to lead.

Target population: Children, adolescents, and families

Recommended resources:

  • Book: Hold On to Your Kids (Neufeld & Maté, 2004)

  • Book: The Anxious Generation (Haidt, 2024)

Master’s Level Graduate Intern

Jacqueline King

Jacqueline King is a masters level clinical mental health intern currently set to graduate Marymount University at the end of 2026. She has a background in community care and non profit work and spent many years as a professional caretaker for seniors, children, and pets.

Jacqueline takes a person-centered and systems-based approach to counseling. She respects each client as a unique individual and views treatment as a collaborative process between two people. Jacqueline also believes it is important to help clients acknowledge and process how they affect and are affected by the many systems in which they exist - whether it be immediate systems like peer groups and family, or broader social and political systems, like culture or mass media.

Jacqueline holds BFA in theater from the Tisch School of the Arts, and her experience as an artist informs her counseling practice. She uses creative exercises to help clients discover, express, and process their current circumstances as well as mind-body awareness practices to help clients manage a variety of issues, including anxiety and PTSD. Jacqueline specializes in working with ages 13-21 and adults. She has experience in crisis counseling, trauma, and trauma-informed approaches, working with diverse populations, and leading counseling groups.

Recommended resources:

  • The anxious generation by Jonathan haidt

  • Decolonizing therapy by Jennifer mullan

  • The deepest well: healing the long-term effects of childhood adversity by Dr. Nadine Burke Harris

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CO-FOUNDER, LISCENSED PROFESSIONAL COUNSELOR

Stephen Maczynski

Stephen passed away on 9/23/20.

Rest in peace.