Compassionate Counselors Dedicated to Your Healing Journey

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Dr. James

Life can feel especially challenging for children, teens, young adults, and families facing anxiety, depression, behavioral struggles, disabilities, or relationship challenges. Read More ...

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Ms. Messerecola

I've always believed in the power of transformation, that even after the hardest experiences, we have the capacity to heal, grow, and rewrite our own stories. Read More ...

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Ms. Thorpe

Life can be challenging at times. You do not need to go it alone though. Together, we will explore and identify the strengths you already possess that support your ability to thrive in your daily environments. Read More ...

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Dr. Shurn (Not Accepting New Clients)

What is Holistic Counseling?

Holistic counseling draws inspiration from the concept that when you are struggling with the aftermath of some life event, it rarely (if ever) only impacts a single area in your life. Read More ...

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You will get supported with empathy and authenticity, while creating a safe space for self-exploration and growth with the ability to develop solution-focused and goal-oriented strategies to navigate challenges as they arise. Carolyn Thorpe, LCPC, NCC, is a full-time Middle School Counselor with Anne Arundel County Public Schools. She utilizes a humanistic approach to introduce new skills and affirm the strengths each middle schooler already possesses to help them thrive. A two-time HBCU graduate (BA-Psychology, Bennett College; MEd-School Counseling, Bowie State University), she has taught, advised, and counseled K-12 and college students. Ms. Thorpe has publications and conference presentations exploring her research interests: racial identity development, anxiety, trauma, emotional intelligence, attachment, and communication styles. Carolyn is a Doctoral Candidate in the Social Justice-focused Counselor Education and Supervision PhD program at Bowie State University.

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Whether you’re navigating parenting stress, learning how to thrive with autism spectrum disorder, or working through marital or family conflicts, you deserve support that feels safe, compassionate, and understanding.

I offer a warm, welcoming space where you—and the people you love—can openly explore challenges, build confidence, and develop practical tools for everyday life. Together, we’ll focus on healing, growth, and creating stronger, healthier connections.

You don’t have to face these struggles alone. Support, hope, and positive change are possible—and I’m here to walk beside you every step of the way.

Dr. Fredina James holds a Ph.D. in Industrial-Organizational Psychology and a Master's of Education in School Counseling and is a Maryland-licensed Graduate Professional Counselor (LGPC) as well as an experienced Maryland-licensed educator. With nearly two decades of service in education, counseling, and consulting, she has designed educational programs and provided professional training to support schools and organizations. Dr. James is a dedicated advocate for inclusive practices that benefit children, families, and diverse populations. She currently provides mental health services with a focus on children, families, and community well-being.

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That belief brought me to counseling, and as a practicum student at Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania with a concentration in Children and Adolescent Counseling, I'm dedicated to helping clients recognize their own strength and reclaim their power to create meaningful change.

My approach to therapy is person-centered and attachment-informed, with influence from psychodynamic, narrative, and cognitive-behavioral perspectives. I am also completing my Trauma-Informed Counseling Certificate, which deepens my understanding of how trauma affects healing and growth. I believe mental health is health, and it's an essential part of who we are. I see therapy as a collaborative space where clients feel genuinely accepted and cared for, where their experiences and stories are fully respected and honored. Together, we explore how life events have shaped their world and, more importantly, discover the tools and resilience they already possess to move forward on their own terms.

Before entering the counseling field, I had the privilege of working alongside my mother, a psychiatric nurse who ran her own therapeutic equine facility. There, I worked with children and adults facing terminal conditions and mental health concerns such as anxiety and depression. I also run an equine seasonal camp for children, teens, and young adults. These experiences taught me that healing is deeply personal and that when we combine compassion with the right support, clients can reconnect with their own inner strength.

 

My background in equine-assisted therapy taught me the value of meeting clients where they are, honoring the healing process, and finding creative pathways forward. I am especially passionate about working with children navigating anxiety and other emotional challenges, though I welcome the opportunity to support clients of all ages and backgrounds. My goal is always to create a space where clients feel empowered and understand that they have the capacity for growth.

Outside of counseling, I love painting, photography, and spending time in nature with my horses, three pet rescue ducks, cats, and a chihuahua.

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Consider this: You are experiencing something that is traumatic and/or grief-inducing, like instability in your current place of employment. The obvious issue is the financial instability that would result from being a part of the downsizing efforts that the company might take. What might not be so apparent on the surface is the impact that the stress of the "unknown" is currently having on your life. How has the stress of the unknown impacted your relationship with others (spouse, partner, children, friends, etc.)? How has that stress impacted your consumption habits (eating, drinking, etc.)? What about your physical activity? What other adjustments has this unknown caused you to implement? This is just one event, and that event has not even happened, yet there are a number of areas that are potentially impacted by the possibility of this event (mental, physical, and financial) that are real and being experienced. Holistic health takes all of these areas of your life into consideration, honoring the fact that you are more to you than that singular life event.

Each 50-minute session with me will cost $225. When you work with me, you get support not only for your mental health, but you also get support in the realms of financial counseling, as well as support with your physical fitness and nutrition. This is what makes our work together unique. I integrate my passions for holistic care in the realms that impact your health the most (mental, financial, and physical/nutritional) and contribute to your overall well-being.

Dr. Brandon Shurn is a mental health counselor and counselor educator holding a Doctor of Philosophy in Counselor Education and Supervision and a Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. He is a clinical assistant professor at Seattle University, working full-time in the online clinical mental health counseling program.

He is a licensed clinical professional counselor in Maryland and a licensed mental health counselor in Florida. He has been in the counseling profession full-time since 2017 and has been providing mental health counseling services to clients since that time. He is also an Accredited Financial Counselor (AFC®) and Certified Personal Trainer and uses this knowledge to help clients achieve financial and fitness goals.

Dr. Shurn is a proponent of personal growth and development and continues to seek ways to improve his ability to work effectively with his clients. He believes that the heart and mind are a type of soil that needs to be tilled to prepare for growth, and the words spoken (even your thoughts) are the seeds that are sown, which ultimately produce the harvest you see in your life. He enjoys working with adults who have experienced trauma and/or grief-inducing events in their lives and is a firm believer in the ability to successfully integrate those life experiences to emerge stronger and more EmPowered.

He is the owner/founder of EmPower Me Holistic Counseling, where he uses his training in Gestalt therapy to work with clients from a holistic and integrative perspective to help them develop their ability to live more EmPowered. His personal maxim is “You may not be able to control how life happens to you, but you can control how you happen to life.”

In his spare time, Dr. Shurn likes to hang out with his family, watch movies, exercise, and recharge with a good book.