Meet Our Team
Practice Owner & Clinician
Ana founded Therapeutic Wellness Center LLC in 2023 to promote a team based-approach to mental health care. Ana was a recipient of the Integrative Behavioral Health Care fellowship at Westfield State University in graduate school where she received specialized training in a multidisciplinary health center that provided integrative services. Ana had the opportunity to work with a team of providers who coordinated patient care on a regular basis to address all areas of need for an individual's physical and mental wellbeing. Ana worked for the Department of Youth Services at South Hadley Girls directing the Transitional Independent Living Program and counseling juvenile offenders. Ana then accepted a position facilitating the startup of a child psychiatric inpatient unit at Baystate Medical Center. Following this role, she worked within partial hospitalization programs for all ages, Community Crisis Stabilization (CCS/Respite), medical social work, and outpatient therapy. She decided to focus on outpatient therapy and opened Therapeutic Wellness Center to increase access to wrap around, collaborative care in the community.
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Ana specializes in psychotherapy for teens and young adults who are at-risk of needing a higher level of care. Ana primarily utilizes Dialectical Behavior Therapy for crisis management and a harm reduction approach to address maladaptive behaviors. She approaches therapy through a trauma-informed lens and utilizes interventions such as Internal Family Systems, Emotion-Focused Therapy, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy alongside DBT. Ana is also certified in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to facilitate trauma processing for teens and young adults.
Ana Bracken, LICSW
Heather Oliphant, LICSW
Practice Manager & Clinician
Heather Oliphant, LICSW brings 15 years of Clinical Social Work experience to the practice. Having worked in a variety of settings including home care, medical inpatient, emergency department, nursing homes and outpatient clinics, Heather has enjoyed the opportunity to work with clients from diverse backgrounds and experiences. Heather specializes in working with those impacted by life-changing illnesses/accidents, including but not limited to, oncology/cancer diagnosis, survivors of traumatic injuries and individuals with medical complexity. Heather also helps clients manage depression, anxiety, life transitions and caregiver responsibilities, and enjoys supporting medical and front line professionals.
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Heather utilizes a variety of interventions including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, MBSR, Family System Therapy, ACT, amongst others. Heather focuses on an individualized approach to therapy, collaborating with the client on goals and treatment. She employs a range of evidence-based interventions tailored to each individual's needs, fostering a collaborative and safe environment.
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Heather also provides Social Work Services outlined in the "Services" tab above.
Dr. Kelsi Nummerdor, PhD
Psychologist
​Dr. Kelsi Nummerdor is a licensed psychologist providing services to clients residing in Georgia and Massachusetts. Kelsi typically works with adults experiencing anxiety, social anxiety, OCD, depression, trauma/stress, college adjustment, young-adult development (18-25 years old), Autism/Asperger's, and ADHD. Kelsi considers herself a resolutely queer/LGBTQ+ affirming therapist.
Kelsi seeks to provide a safe and affirming space for all that she meets with. She typically utilizes CBT, person-centered, and mindfulness-based approaches to therapy, but can integrate other therapeutic modalities to suit each unique individual's needs (e.g., a feminist approach, executive functioning skills training, or interpersonal-process therapy). Kelsi is patient, warm, and kind, while also remaining persistently curious and inquisitive about what may be keeping you stuck. When not in the therapist chair, Kelsi enjoys being in nature, petting dogs, listening to music, and finding opportunities to laugh and be playful."
Jody Bihler, LICSW
Clinician
Jody has 18 years of clinical social work experience in both inpatient and outpatient settings. She
provides a safe and judgment-free space for clients to explore their experiences and aspirations. Jody's goal is to support clients in navigating change, establishing personal goals, and managing stress that may affect their mental health. She conducts thorough assessments and creates tailored treatment plans to support your unique journey in hopes of providing mental and emotional relief.
Jody focuses on solution-focused, evidence-based practice that helps individuals seek both short-term and long-term relief. Jody helps clients explore their inner emotions, behaviors and physical responses to stressors through Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Jody also utilizes Emotion-Focused and Dialectical Behavior Therapy that promotes daily presence, self-awareness of emotional needs, and communicating to others what can help. Jody has helped many clients work through relationship difficulties alongside mental health symptoms.
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Jody also provides Social Work Services outlined in the "Services" tab above.
Heather Rivera, LICSW
Clinician
Heather Rivera, LICSW​ has a niche for working with older teens with anxiety, depression and adjustments disorders. She utilizes an emotion-focused, relational approach to establish a trusting therapeutic relationship with her clients. She helps clients understand their emotions and teaches cognitive and physiological skills to manage symptoms. While she primarily works with teens, Heather also works with adults utilizing similar interventions that are more tailored to work-related stress, relationship difficulties and navigating the different stages of life.
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Heather also specializes in domestic violence and has experience supporting those who are currently in abusive relationships, are contemplating leaving, or are managing the aftermath of abuse. Heather has worked with children under joint custody facilitating supervised visitation, and currently works as an emergency department social worker in a trauma one hospital. Heather brings a calming presence in the midst of heightened emotions and offers grief counseling to those who have experienced sudden or unexpected loss following an acute trauma.
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Heather also provides Social Work Services outlined in the "Services" tab above.
Alyssa Covington, LICSW
Clinician
Alyssa Covington, LICSW brings expertise in working with children and adolescents. Alyssa's approach to clinical care entails a lighthearted, goal-oriented plan to address distressing symptoms that may be leading to behavioral and emotional concerns. She holds clinical experience in outpatient therapy, the emergency department and clinical care in a Child Partial Hospitalization program. Alyssa has worked closely with the Department of Youth Services, CBHI services, and crisis intervention for children. Children she has worked with in the past commonly struggle with adjusting to change, undergoing extreme stress such as trauma, divorce or involvement with the DCF, and generalized anxiety and depression. Alyssa is also well-versed in the presentation of ADHD in youth and prioritizes tailored care for each individual.
Alongside her work with youth, Alyssa also works with young adults going through life transitions who may be experiencing residual stress related to confusion around identity, future goals, and inner thoughts/emotions. Alyssa utilizes a trauma-focused, person-centered approach with the the use of clinical interventions such as CBT, DBT, play therapy and solution-focused care.
Jess Uschmann, LICSW
Clinician
Jess Uschmann, LICSW provides psychotherapy to children and young adults with a pediatric speciality in young children. Jess completed her master's level internship in 2017 at an elementary school in Westfield providing care to children grades K-5. Jess also holds experience working at Holyoke Pediatrics Association and Baystate Children's Speciality Center where she gained proficiency in assessing social and medical needs that may correlate to presenting mental health symptoms. Jess works closely alongside children's family members/parents as this is a vital component of success to therapeutic care.
Jess is well-versed in cognitive behavioral and emotion-focused interventions to help clients learn to manage intense emotions, such as frustration, anger and sadness, in a healthy, skillful way. Jess enjoys working with young adults who are in a transitionary period of their lives, alongside work with the general adult population. Jess is experienced in care with socio-culturally diverse populations of all ages, and understands the benefit of a team-based approach to meeting her client's needs.