Kara Fairchild, LMFT ~ Assistant Clinical Director
(East Berlin Office starting 11/18/2019)
Life is hard and wonderful, sometimes at the same time. My hope is to help you navigate through the parts of your life journey that are challenging, joyous and everything in between, providing you with unconditional support, acceptance and gentle challenging when it is helpful.
I recognize that life is full of inevitable change, within ourselves and our lives. It can be difficult to know how to adapt when change comes, particularly when things like anxiety, depression or low self-worth get in our way. I believe, however, that growing and healing comes from being in relationship with one another, and in fostering a positive relationship with oneself. I see the value and importance of having a secure attachment to our loved ones, where partners and family members can rely on one another physically, mentally, spiritually and emotionally.
It is my goal to help individuals to develop the best versions of themselves, so that they can be the best partners, parents, family members, friends, employees or students that they can be. No one can be their best self all the time, but together we can help you to be your best self more often.
I have experience working with clients who have a myriad of struggles, including depression, anxiety, mood disorders, PTSD/trauma, grief and bereavement, chronic pain/illness, difficult life transitions and relationship concerns. I am honored and grateful to have a chance to positively impact the Middletown community and surrounding areas.
Please contact me here with questions or to schedule an appointment.
Kara Fairchild is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. She is also trained as an Emotionally Focused Couple Therapist. She attended Seton Hill University outside of Pittsburgh, PA, where she earned her Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy. Prior to that, she grew her love for psychology and helping others while attending Elmira College in Elmira, NY, earning a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in human services. She has had the privilege of working with individuals ranging from the age of 4 to 78 in various settings, including outpatient centers, partial hospitalization programs and doing mobile therapy in homes and in schools. In these different settings, she had an opportunity to work with individuals, couples, groups and families from various cultural, economic and religious backgrounds.
Donna Atkinson, LMFT
(Middletown Office)
Many of us are struggling with painful situations in our lives and are looking for a way to move forward. I believe that we are trying to do the best we can at this moment in our lives. Using a strength-based approach, I work with clients on remembering forgotten positive qualities in ourselves and our relationships. We can work together to look at areas where you feel stuck and develop ways to move ahead to the next page in the book of your life. What has happened previously has led us to this chapter in our lives, but we can always turn the page and start a new chapter.
Change can be very intimidating, but it can also lead us to new and exciting places. I am here to empower you and guide you on this journey. You deserve the life you envision for yourself and your family.
Please contact me here with questions or to schedule an appointment.
Ms. Donna Atkinson earned her Master’s Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Central Connecticut State University. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Human Development and Family Relations from the University of Connecticut. Ms. Atkinson has over 20 years of experience as a marriage and family therapist seeing individuals, couples and families. She has utilized Circle of Security (COS) with parents to increase attachment and trust between family members. She specializes in trauma, attachment, substance abuse, anxiety and depression. She has worked with parents and children who are not living together and are struggling with feelings of separation and loss. She has also worked with adoptive families who are struggling with attachment and living together as a harmonious family.
Kelly Badyrka, LPC
(East Berlin Office starting 11/18/2019)
Sometimes we find ourselves at a point where we have lost our sense of identity, direction, or control. We may feel helpless and confused. I believe that we are all inherently resilient and adaptive, yet sometimes our own inner critic causes us to doubt our own abilities to cope. By seeking support and guidance you are taking that first step in the process of growth and change. You and I will work together to tap into your innate strengths and purpose in order to help you rediscover your true path. I believe that a lack of self-compassion lies at the root of a large majority of our struggles. I will help you identify self-defeating thoughts and behaviors, and work with you on developing strategies for change. I have experience working with individuals and families facing issues of addiction, anxiety, depression, trauma, and parenting concerns. I value the opportunity to truly get to know my clients as individuals, and work together on planning for a better tomorrow.
Please contact me here with questions or to schedule an appointment.
Kelly Badyrka earned her Master’s Degree in Professional Counseling with a focus on substance abuse from Central Connecticut State University. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor experienced in treating anxiety, addiction, trauma, and mood disorders. Kelly has experience working in all levels of mental health care and specializes in cognitive-behavioral techniques (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) and motivational interviewing.
Katelyn Boutwell, BA
(Completes student practicum 11/2019)
I believe that our relationships with ourselves, our families, our significant others, and our communities present us with both our greatest challenges and our greatest gifts. I also believe that we all possess, within ourselves, the strengths and resources necessary to make changes, even if we don’t feel that way currently or have difficulty accessing those qualities within ourselves. My goal for working together is to provide a safe, supportive environment for you to express yourself. We will work together to develop goals for therapy and to progress toward achievement of those goals during our time together. Above all else, I will remain curious and open to the life experiences, both past and present, you bring to our time together and how those experiences have brought you to the place you are in your life today. Together we can explore how your experiences can help or hinder you as you move forward in your life, particularly in regard to the goals you have for the therapy experience.
Please contact me here with questions or to schedule an appointment.
Ms. Boutwell is in the process of completing a Master’s Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of Saint Joseph in West Hartford and anticipates graduating in Fall 2019. Her counseling work has primarily focused on adults living with chronic mental health issues as well as co-occurring issues of substance use/abuse, homelessness, and intellectual disabilities. This work involved direct and continuous interaction with clients, in addition to collaboration with the client’s other service providers, families, and community support systems. She has also had experience working with adolescents in an intensive outpatient services and with emotionally and behaviorally challenged middle school students in a self-contained classroom setting. As part of the standard training process, Ms. Boutwell’s counseling services are under the supervision of Dr. Rachel Diamond, Ph.D. at the University of Saint Joseph. Additionally, her on-site supervisor at Well Life Therapy, LLC is Kara Fairchild, LMFT. Ms. Boutwell is available to see clients who wish to pay out-of-pocket. Ms. Boutwell is unable to accept insurance as a student intern although we are offering her services at a significant discount.
Jessica Maroun, LPC
(East Berlin Office starting 11/18/2019)
I believe in the strengths that we all possess and how these strengths can be used to help us all overcome the challenges we face. My hope is to help you learn ways to cope, accept and find peace with everything that life throws at you. Therapy is a partnership, and while the journey isn’t always easy, I believe we can work together to achieve your goals. My aim is for you to feel understood and valued as this will create a place where change and growth can be fostered. Over the past ten years I have worked in residential and community settings with teenagers, couples and families. My focus has been on trauma recovery, PTSD, anxiety, borderline personality disorder, and family transitions. My work with teens and young adults has been especially helpful in my professional growth and I look forward to extending my help in this area to the Middletown community.
Please contact me here with questions or to schedule an appointment.
Jessica Maroun earned her MS in Human Services – Clinical Counseling from Post University. She earned her BA in Social Work from the Central Connecticut State University. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor and experienced with care coordination, intensive in home services, residential care and outpatient levels of care. Jessica specializes in teens, young adults, families and adults experiencing more serious mental health concerns.
Jessica Daniels, LCSW
(Middletown Office)
Our experiences, and our responses to them, help shape who we are. Stress, trauma, and day-to-day challenges often get in the way of living a happier, healthier life. While they may not define us, sometimes pages from our life stories impede us from being the best version of ourselves. I work from a trauma-informed perspective, understanding that our experiences help shape who we are but do not have to control us. As my client, you will hold the pen and together we’ll write the next chapter. I promote self-empowerment from a young age and am experienced working with children, teens, and the family system as well as adults. I firmly believe that the therapeutic relationship is one of collaboration; as a clinician I help you mold your already existing strengths into positive change.
I hope that through our working relationship, you find new ways to express yourself and conquer life’s challenges. Every person deserves to feel self-acceptance, peace, and happiness. I’m here to help with that!
Please contact me here with questions or to schedule an appointment.
Jessica Daniels is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker experienced in treating children, teens and adults who are struggling with anxiety/depression, complex behavioral and emotional challenges, crisis intervention and trauma, challenges within the family, anger management and social skills. Jessica is also trained in EMDR (Level I), the Visit Coaching Model, group therapy interventions and coordination and collaboration with community supports and services. She attended Columbia University in New York where she earned her Master of Social Work. Prior to that, she grew her love for social work and psychology while attending Capella University earning a bachelor’s degree in psychology. Jessica has had the privilege of working with families from diverse backgrounds in a variety of settings including intensive residential treatment. She is an excellent advocate for her clients and strives to create a strong therapeutic relationship with all of those in her care.