Monica earned her Bachelor’s as well as her Master’s degree in Counseling from the University of Alabama. She worked in the field of mental health including a mental health center as well as psychiatric units in a local hospital for a number of years. She entered ministry as full time youth pastor in 2004 where she accepted her call into ordained ministry. She did her graduate theological work through Asbury Seminary and was the associate pastor at Pleasant Hill UMC in McCalla while serving as a contract counselor for United Counseling. Monica was ordained as a Deacon in the North Alabama Conference in 2011.

As a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) as well as clergy, Monica is able to offer a unique perspective to faith in mental health issues. She loves to work with adolescents as well as adults in issues of faith, mood disorders, personality disorders, interpersonal relationships and boundaries. It is an honor to sit with an individual and hold their story, if only for a moment, as the journey of life and faith intersect. Monica sees clients Mondays – Thursdays at the Canterbury UMC location.

Monica shares life with her husband Joey and their two children, Sarah and Harrison. Her favorite pastimes include Netflix and cat videos.

 | monica@unitedcounseling.org

Denise is an ordained United Methodist minister from the North Alabama Conference, a licensed clinical social worker, and a certified spiritual director. She received a Bachelor of Arts at Birmingham-Southern College, a Master of Social Work from the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, and a Master of Divinity from Candler School of Theology at Emory University. She received her certification in Spiritual Direction from Perkins School of Theology at SMU in Dallas, Texas. Before becoming a licensed therapist, her vocational ministry has included serving as a hospital chaplain, an assistant to the bishop, and a church pastor.

She combines her years of experience with pastoral care, family systems theory and contemplative spirituality in a holistic approach to her counseling practice. She enjoys working with individuals, couples, and families from adolescence to late adulthood. She also understands the unique demands and stressors involved with serving in congregational leadership. As a trained Healthy Congregation facilitator, she finds it an honor to walk with clergy, church staff, and congregations as they navigate the different seasons of church life. She also enjoys leading retreats and workshops.

Denise’s love of travel influences her love of working with people from diverse backgrounds and perspectives. Her areas of focus include coping skills, stress, anxiety, depression, life transitions, parenting concerns, loss and grief, trauma, self-worth, faith, couple, family, and work relationships, spirituality, pre-marital and marriage counseling, and congregational health.

She serves as our Huntsville therapist and her office is located at First United Methodist Church of Huntsville.

Denise shares life with her husband, John, an ordained United Methodist minister, and their two daughters, two dogs, and two cats.

With 20+ years experience as a mental health therapist, and with graduate degrees in Counseling from both the University of Montevallo and UAB, Stephen specializes in Cognitive Behavioral and Brief Solution focused therapy. Stephen is an interactive, solution-focused therapist. His therapeutic approach is to provide support and practical feedback to help clients effectively address personal life challenges. He integrates complementary methodologies and techniques to offer a highly personalized approach tailored to each client. With compassion and understanding, he works with each individual to help them build on their strengths and attain the personal growth they are committed to accomplishing.

Stephen lives with his wife and three girls, all of whom keep him very busy. If he is not doing something band related (all three of his girls), then you will probably find him thinking about or planning a trip to DisneyWorld.

Erica received her Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Family Studies from the University of Alabama in 2008 and completed her Master of Divinity in 2016 from Samford University. After living in Asia and working in ministry, Erica pursued her Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Colorado Christian University which she received in 2023.

She loves helping individuals make sense of their story and create the life they want to be living. By integrating her clinical training in mental health counseling with her training in mindfulness and inner healing techniques, Erica helps clients heal from past wounds and move into the abundant life they are designed for. She works with clients from all backgrounds and is sensitive to cultural and religious differences. She has trauma training in Internal Family Systems and Brainspotting.

In her free time, she loves to paint, sip “fancy” coffee with a friend and read just about anything. Her love of travel takes her all over the world and she has a goal to visit a new country every year.

Stephen attended the University of Alabama, where he obtained an undergraduate degree in Interdisciplinary studies in 2013 and a Masters degree in Counseling in 2017. He is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) with 5 years of experience. Stephen Killen specializes in adolescents, individuals with anxiety, couples, and “the young at heart”. He has worked in a variety of settings including private practice and residential care facilities for adolescents in the foster care system. He is active in both the Alabama Mental Health Counselors Association and the Alabama Spiritual, Ethical, and Religious Values in Counseling organization.

It would be best to describe his counseling style as one that is primarily centered on the person and draws elements from more cognitive and thought based theories, but is rooted deeply in mindfulness and working to learn to accept the things that lie outside of someone’s control. Stephen likes to spend his time split between a variety of different hobbies. He enjoys board games, reading, painting, playing guitar, and indoor rock-climbing. He loves to read, watch movies, and explore the world in just about any way he is able to. He believes firmly in the advice from the poet Rumi that “As you start to walk on the way, the way appears.”

Sarah Connor is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and a National Certified Counselor (NCC) who has worked in the field of mental health since 2010. She earned her B.A. in Psychology from Knox College, and an M.A. in Professional Counseling from Richmont Graduate University. Sarah began her career specializing in the needs of children/adolescents and their families and has since transitioned into providing therapy for young adults and college students. Sarah has gained considerable professional experience in her work in a variety of settings, including a psychiatric hospital for adolescents, a group home for children/adolescents in the court system, residential treatment, and a university counseling clinic.

Sarah enjoys working with young adults and college students around issues related to social anxiety, perfectionism, depression, mood disorders (depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder) and relationship issues. Sarah is married with two young children and two middle-aged dogs. She enjoys reading, yoga, traveling, walking in nature and drinking crafted coffee drinks as a way to recharge.

Leanne is an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA) with over two decades of pastoral experience and she considers it an honor to accompany others in their journey of faith and personal growth. She holds a Bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University, an M.Div. from McCormick Theological Seminary, and an M.Ed. in couples and family counseling from the University of Montevallo. As a Marriage and Family Therapist Intern, Leanne works under the supervision of Dr. Jenny Haines, LMFT.

Leanne works primarily with couples and families, and is committed to providing affirming and inclusive care for clients from diverse backgrounds. Her therapeutic approach is grounded in a systems perspective with a focus on attachment. Leanne seeks to create a safe and accepting space for clients to explore their emotions, experiences and relationships. She is dedicated to helping her clients nurture and strengthen their connections with one another.

Outside of work, Leanne enjoys spending time with her family, cooking, trail running and traveling.

Steve is an ordained Baptist minister affiliated with Atlanta, Georgia’s Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, a Licensed Professional Counselor, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, and former healthcare chaplaincy director with over forty years of experience in the fields of mental health counseling, marriage and family therapy, pastoral care, and congregational ministry.   A native of Anniston and the father of two adult children and a granddaughter, Steve specializes in the provision of multiple therapy modalities:  client centered, psychodynamic, existential, cognitive behavioral, solution focused, family systems, group, and EMDR therapies.  He works with clients experiencing bereavement grief, anxiety, depression, trauma, relational conflict, and/ or in need of spiritual direction and discernment.  Steve also provides congregational and clergy workshops and trainings on numerous mental health themes.

Steve has served for over fifteen years as the Clinical and Co-Executive Director for Birmingham’s Community Grief Support, seventeen years as the Pastoral Services Director of Birmingham’s Medical Center East (now St. Vincent’s East), and eighteen years (1995 – 2013, part-time) as a pastoral counselor with United Counseling.  He rejoined United in 2024. Steve has provided counseling, consultation, and training to numerous United Methodist clergy, their families, and congregations through the years.

Something that I learned early in my studies to become a counselor remains my compass navigating my therapeutic relationship and work with my clients today. Paraphrasing Carl Rogers, one of the founders of Person-Centered Therapy, “a person always knows what they want, they just don’t know how to get it.” My goal in therapy is to develop a therapeutic relationship of acceptance and trust so that we can find that answer together. Over the years, I have incorporated teaching skills that can help someone move out of a place of emotional suffering or dysregulation into a place of acceptance and peacefulness with self if they choose to do so. This means change which is not easy, even when it is positive. Many of the behaviors/thinking that get in our way are survival skills we learned to manage our lives as children and adolescents. Unfortunately, as adults, even young adults, they stop working and become barriers to relationships and our wellbeing. By talking and listening, we can gain insight into the “whys” and begin following the breadcrumbs to better choices and a happier life.

I attended Auburn University with a major in History and a minor in Social Work. I earned my master’s in counseling within the department of Education. I have been working as an Individual Therapist for the last 10 years. I moved to Birmingham about 4 years ago and have been using Zoom to do so.

When I am not working, it is my joy to spend time with my grandchildren. They teach me something new every day and almost always make me laugh. I love to read Factual History and Historical Fiction. My two cats, Dill and Sweet Biscuit share my life.