Janet Phillips, LCSW, CEO

Janet Phillips, LCSW, President of Company, EMDR Certified, received her Master of Social Work degree from San Diego State University. She has many years of experience working with a diverse population including children, adolescents, adults and families in both inpatient and outpatient settings and she offers an unparalleded wealth of knowledge to her work. Janet is currently working in an outpatient setting with the County of San Diego doing Behavioral Health Assessments for clients with Medicare, creating treatment plans and providing individual therapy. Janet also has extensive experience working with children and teens in clinic, school and hospital settings. Other areas of expertise include but are not limited to Bipolar Disorders, Personality Disorders, Depression, Anxiety, Psychotic Disorders, Anxiety and the Autistic Spectrum.  She also works with a very diverse population including LGBT clients and veterans. She offers Court Approved Co-Parenting, Parenting, and anger management classes/group/individual interventions.   Treatment Orientation: EMDR, Forensic Assessments, Special Education Assessments, Feeling State Protocol (Addiction) EMDR, Family / Marital, Gambling Therapy, Mindfulness-based Therapy (MBCT), Narrative Therapy, Couples in crisis, Solution Focused Brief (SFBT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Specialist with Personality Disorders, Trauma Focused Modality: Individuals, Children, Couples, Family. 

Walter Martin, LMFT

Walter Pat Martin, MA, LMFT, EAS-C, EMDR Certified, Vice President of Company. Mr. Martin is a member of the EMDR International Association and a member of the International Employee Assistance Professionals Association. He has many years of experience working with a diverse population including children, adolescents, adults and families in both inpatient and outpatient settings. He is currently working in outpatient settings in San Diego and Riverside counties doing Behavioral Health Assessments, Treatment Plans, and Individual Therapy. Mr. Martin received his Masters of Counseling Psychology at National University and has added 100’s of hours of continuing education to his curriculum over the last 18 years. His areas of specialty include Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Acute Stress Disorder, Mood Disorders, Personality Disorders, Depression, Anxiety, Psychotic Disorders and the Autistic Spectrum. Mr. Martin also has experience with the LGBT community; Court Approved co-parenting, parenting, and anger management classes/group/individuals; Veterans, Victims of Crime; Employer required counseling. Treatment Orientation includes: Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing, – Clinical, Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), Solution Focused Brief Therapy(SFBT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and the Gottman Method Couples Therapy.  He performs Forensic Assessments, Custody Assessments, and Special Education Assessments. He is a Certified California Gambling Specialist, Certified Employee Assistant Specialist. Other Accomplishments: Mr. Martin has also taught EMDR Detur Protocol with Dr. AJ Popky under guidelines by the International Association. Mr. Martin worked with Riverside Counties Forensic Mental Health Department providing assessments with inmates. Awards & Recognition: 2012 Awarded certificate for exemplary performance in support of agency’s mission of San Diego County Mental Health. 2005 awarded certificate for work above and beyond during Hurricane Katrina Relief efforts, 2004 awarded certificate for professionalism and dedication assisting Red Cross during County Firestorms.

In 2015 Mr. Martin completed and authored “Heart and Soul Toward Intimacy: Couples Guide” and updated it in 2017 creating a revised version “Heart and Soul into Intimacy: Couples Guide” This couples workbook improving your communication which is the key to developing intimacy in our relationships. Problems will arise. We feel love when we know that our feelings are heard, remembered, and honored. Remember we all are human and deserve a second chance. Our quest for happiness often depends on finding and sustaining love. True love implies commitment. First of all, do you and your partner call yourself a couple? If not, is it appropriate to be doing this work? Each relationship teaches us and deepens our perception of love. Love has many degrees. Committed couples grow together, they desire to make their partner happier, too.

 

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Cassandra Phares, MS, LMFT

Cassandra Phares, MS, LMFT, graduated with her Bachelor’s in Psychology from Sacramento State University and her Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy also from Sacramento State University.  She has been practicing for over four years and has experience in individual, group, and family counseling including couples.  Cassandra believes that creating a unique connection with each of her clients is essential in the therapeutic relationship.  She accomplishes this by really listening to each individual’s needs and checks in regularly to receive feedback.  Cassandra utilizes a family systems approach when working with families and can implement play and art therapy into children’s sessions when requested.  She has knowledge and experience in DBT, CBT, and ACT modalities.  She is great with adolescents and enjoys working with couples.  She is up to date on trauma informed care and is excited to start a new journey of becoming EMDR certified. Individuals seeking Cassandra’s guidance through life struggle with anxiety, depression, PTSD symptoms, obsessive or intrusive thoughts, agitation, and even substance abuse. Understanding the journey is never easy, Cassandra is passionate about helping others manage the yuck.

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Sue Shrader- Hanes LMFT

Sue Shrader- Hanes, MS, LMFT has worked school based programs for 31 years, beginning with O’Farrell Community School in southeast San Diego with a very diverse student population,  3 rural elementary schools on the U.S. Mexican border where she gained specialty in border issues, Mexican American and Native American populations, to San Diego Mesa College for the last 13 years. She is well versed in working with young people, and a specialty in trauma resolution using EMDR.. As a family therapist, she is adept at trans-generational transmission, acculturation and the difficulty of being the first generation in the United States.   Trans-generational transmission is the spill down effect of the parenting and experiences from the generations before. Sue is well known in the academic community for her focus on diversity and equity.

Other populations she has worked with include military family dynamics, blended families, and her current specialty focuses on young adults, ages 18-24.

Keep it simple, that is my motto.  Using specific research based techniques and a world of experience, I take a common sense approach to treating clients to alleviate symptoms and return them to normal functioning.  The use of EMDR, a trauma resolution technique used by the FBI, CIA and many therapist gifs her a specialty in resolving long term trauma successfully without spending years in therapy.  Sue plans on attending the LENS training in September 2018.

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