About Us

When life hurts or challenges arise, where do you go for help? We know that all of us face various difficulties along life's way and sometimes need a little extra guidance in finding solutions. At times, even our close family members and friends are unable to provide guidance because of the difficulty of being objective. Our counselors are here for you. Since 2004, Family Life Counseling Center has been dedicated to providing assistance with marriage, family, or individual problems. Our qualified therapists offer Christian counseling for adults, adolescents, children, couples, and families.

Wide Range of Issues:

Tina Deveau is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor who received her master's degree in Professional Counseling from Southeastern University. She is currently in the dissertation phase of her PhD. in Counselor Education and Supervision with a specialization in Counseling and Social Change. She has experience teaching and supervising master's level counseling students. Tina has several years of experience working with substance abuse and co-occurring disorders in adults and adolescents. She has worked in residential and outpatient settings. Tina has also worked in community mental health, providing group, individual, family, and couples counseling. In addition, Tina worked with the homeless population providing substance abuse and trauma counseling.

Tina has training in Brainspotting, a trauma and brain-based therapy. Tina also uses Cognitive Behavioral and Dialectical Behavior Therapy interventions. She focuses on creating a judgment-free environment to foster growth and healing for all her clients. Tina follows the theory behind Brainspotting that identifies how trauma is stored in the subcortical of the brain, and the trauma often triggers the fight or flight response. Often, individuals become stuck in a state of fight or flight after experiencing trauma. Through the client's visual field, the trauma can be accessed and reprocessed. Once the trauma is reprocessed, individuals can begin to self-regulate and live in a state of peace.

Juan is a Licenced Marriage and Family Therapist and the Polk County Clinical Director for Family Life. Juan graduated from Liberty University with a Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy and has spent a total of thirteen years working in community mental health and substance abuse programs. He is skilled in crisis stabilization, trauma, and family interventions. Juan uses a collaborative approach in therapy and integrates his interests in pop culture throughout the therapeutic process to create a safe environment for exploration and healing.

Juan is trained in the Imago dialogue and uses a client-centered approach to help his clients create the desired changes in their relationships. He values connection and strives to deepen his knowledge of clients' interests and passions. He believes that healing comes through connection, and connection does not come until we feel heard and understood.

Krystie is a licensed mental health counselor who obtained her B.A. from SUNY College at Old Westbury and both her M.A. in Professional Counseling and M.A. in Theological Studies from Liberty University. She began her journey in mental health in 2007, working with individuals who were dually diagnosed with mental health and intellectual disabilities. She previously managed a residential group home and provided individual and group counseling to residents throughout the agency. She has a passion for serving this population and helping to meet the unique challenges they face.  

Since transitioning to private practice serving children and adolescents has become Krystie’s primary focus. She has experience working with youth in the foster care system in private homes, group homes, and shelter settings, children navigating the adoption process, traumatized youth, and youth experiencing mild to severe emotional and behavioral disturbances, including mood disorders, ADHD, PTSD/C-PTSD, and Reactive Attachment Disorder. She has experience assisting individuals who have experienced single-episode traumas as well as complex and long-term traumatic experiences.

Susie was born and raised in a classical midwestern town in a family with strong conservative values and tight family bonds. Those bonds were challenged, for Susie, at age 20, when she tragically lost her father to cancer. That trauma experience became the transition stage for Susie to take her first real steps into adulthood. Those early days after her father’s passing was filled with uncertainty, desperation, and pain as Susie tried to regain her life balance in the midst of profound grief and disappointment.

Soon thereafter, she met her husband, and in the security of that relationship, she began to regain her ability to adjust to harsh realities while still envisioning the hopes and dreams of her childhood. Though the early years of her married life were filled with many challenges, Susie had the opportunity to explore her qualities of resiliency, tenacity, and compassion. In her over 30 years of marriage, Susie has honed her ability to take the good with the bad and see the possibilities that life offers beyond the veil of its challenges. Serving as functioning missionaries in several states and foreign countries, Susie and her husband have had to adjust, sacrifice, prioritize, and practice purposeful patience as they have maneuvered the often difficult terrain of life.

Natalie is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor who received her Master's in Mental Health Counseling from Belmont University in Nashville, TN. She is passionate about creating a space for others to express their emotions and find the support they need to feel comfortable in their own skin and be their best selves. Natalie has worked in both agency, outpatient, and inpatient settings with individuals who struggle with mental health. She has experience working with children, adolescents, and adults who have experienced a wide range of struggles from trauma, anxiety, addiction, depression, relationship issues, self-esteem, and fear.

Therapeutic modalities that Natalie utilizes include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Client-Centered Therapy, Play Therapy, and a Holistic Approach. Through the Holistic approach, we hope to allow the individual to recognize how the physical, emotional, cognitive, and spiritual components of their lives can affect their mindset. Using this approach allows the client to connect all aspects of their lives towards better health overall.

Natalie's goal is to help others have a safe place to express their emotions and feel heard, as well as a place for individuals to feel more confident in themselves to create positive change in their lives. When you meet with her, you can expect to feel accepted and validated while also allowing yourself to let go of the weight that has been holding you down. Through her calm demeanor and genuineness, it will feel like you can take a moment and have the time to just focus on yourself.

• Teens and Young Adults
• Anxiety and Depression
• OCD
• Self-Esteem
• Eating Disorders

• Addiction/ Substance Use disorders
• Relationship Problems
• Communication Skills
• Trauma

Alaina is a Registered Mental Health Counselor Intern who received her Master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Stetson University. Her educational background also includes an Associate's degree and a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology with minors in Crime Law and Deviance and Sociology from the University of Central Florida. Alaina is a dedicated and enthusiastic counselor with an extensive educational background in psychology, sociology, behavioral forensics, and criminal justice. Alaina Possesses a passion for helping those in need to achieve their highest potential. While obtaining her Master's degree, she worked in a residential inpatient facility for children and adolescents struggling with a dual diagnosis of mental health disorder and substance abuse. Alaina has experience with children and adolescents in the counseling setting, school setting, as well as college-aged students and children foster care. Alaina has also worked in community mental health, providing group, individual, family, and couples counseling. In addition, Alaina worked with domestic violence survivors providing substance abuse and trauma counseling.

Alaina's therapeutic approaches include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, Emotionally Focused Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, IMAGO Therapy, Play Therapy, and Experiential approaches. She has experience in working with individuals and families with various mental, behavioral, and relational problems. She believes in creating a safe, judgment-free space to form a strong client-therapist relationship. Alaina focuses on providing a safe and trusting relationship where individuals, couples, and families can be heard, find more deeply who they are, and be empowered to make desired change. Alaina empowers her clients, meeting them where they are and supporting them through their own personal journey of healing.

Specialties:

JJana has a passion for helping individuals heal from the pain of their childhood trauma and the negative feelings associated with growing up in a dysfunctional family. As an Adult Child of an Alcoholic (ACOA) and an Adult Child of a Vietnam Veteran (ACOVV), Jana’s personal journey of healing was the key that unlocked her passion for pursuing her educational goal of becoming a Licensed Mental Health Counselor. She has the heart to come along with others on their own healing journey and live a life on purpose.

As a native South Floridian, Jana and her husband have recently relocated to Lake County from their hometown of the Broward/Palm Beach area. For the past 21 years, Jana has been a stay-at-home Mom to her 4 children (2 sons and 2 stepdaughters), who are all currently in college pursuing their educational goals. Jana returned to college as her youngest entered high school, as she prepared for her next season of life. Throughout her years of being a stay-at-home Mom, Jana brings years of experience in Blended Family Life, Step-Parenting, and overcoming divorce-related issues to Co-parenting.

• Parenting/Co-Parenting

• Parent/Step-Parenting Skills

• Blended Family

• ACOA

• Childhood Trauma

• Divorce

• Career Counseling

• ACOVV

• Triple Parenting

• Safe and Sound Protocol

• Brainspotting

JJulianna is a Registered Mental Health Counselor Intern who received her Master's degree from the College of William and Mary in Clinical Mental Health Counseling with a concentration in Marriage and Family Counseling. Julianna received her Bachelor's degree from the University of Florida in Family, Youth, and Community Sciences. Prior to obtaining her Master's degree, Julianna spent several years as a preschool teacher and volunteering in K-12 schools before interning at a child advocacy center where she worked with trauma survivors and their families. While completing her Master's degree, Julianna worked as an education assistant helping children on the Autism spectrum adjust to pandemic-related changes, as well as in community mental health settings. Through these experiences, Julianna solidified her passion for helping individuals and families through difficult life transitions, as well as through the struggles of everyday living.

Everyone has the capacity within them to change; they may just need some help navigating through the challenging process. Julianna's primary goal in the therapeutic process is to create a safe, nonjudgmental, and supportive environment where she and the client can work together toward creating positive change.

Kelly is a Registered Mental Health Counselor Intern who received her degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Liberty University. Prior to obtaining her Master's degree, she worked in the field of case management, where she assisted individuals with intellectual disabilities and their families. Kelly has also had over fifteen years of volunteer experience working with children and teenagers.

Kelly enjoys utilizing a person-centered approach to meet clients where they are in their journey to help them get where they want to go. She is passionate about helping people pay attention to how emotions show up in their bodies and to process how their thought patterns can be adjusted in order to work through their past issues so that they can live their best life. It's Kelly's goal to create a sense of safety and trust so that her clients are able to explore their personal stories without judgment.

Kelly is EMDR trained and has training in Dialectical Behavior Therapy. She also enjoys using Person-Centered and Experiential approaches.

In her free time, Kelly enjoys going on adventures with family and friends, gardening, and doing DIY projects. Kelly is the proud "fur mom" of her squad of cats and dogs.

Specialities:

Kystral Boyd is a Registered Licensed Clinical Social Worker Intern who received her Bachelor’s degree at Southern University New Orleans and a Master’s degree in Social Work with a concentration in Mental Health at Clark Atlanta University. She has received training in Sexual Assault: Sexual Violence Response and Intervention from the Victim Service Center of Central Florida. She has experience in individual, family, and group therapy. She specializes in Anxiety, ADHD, Bipolar, Depression, Trauma, Substance abuse, and co-occurring disorders with adults, adolescents, and children. She also has experience working with Veterans and their families with the Department of Veterans Affairs: Military Sexual Trauma, PTSD, and overall adjusting to pre- and post-military life. Kystral served in the United States Air Force as a Military Police Officer for 10 years when she decided to transition and continue to serve her community as a Registered Licensed Clinical Social Worker Intern.

Kystral has a Dementia Certification from the National Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners. She has a strong passion for mental health care and respectful treatment of the senior community.

Kystral is eager and willing to assist clients with their journey through life. She has the heart to serve all populations. She enjoys meeting new people. She creates a judgment-free atmosphere and allows the client to be comfortable and transparent.

Rachael is a Registered Clinical Social Work Intern who received her Master's in Clinical Social Work at Florida State University. She is passionate about being a resource for others to express their emotions and find the support they need to feel like the best versions of themselves. She has experience working with children and adolescents in the foster care system and individuals who have experienced trauma.

Therapeutic modalities that Rachael utilizes include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Play Therapy, and Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.

Rachael's goal is to find creative outlets for those who need a safe space to feel heard and valued. When you meet with her, you can expect to feel accepted and validated while letting go of the thoughts/feelings you might have been holding in. Through her calm demeanor and kindness, it will feel like you can take a deep breath and have the time to just focus on yourself.

In her free time, Stephanie loves to sing on her church worship team, play ukulele, cook, travel, take pictures, and play board games with friends..

Stephanie has a heart for meeting people where they are by looking at the whole person, including physical, mental, spiritual, social, and emotional well-being. She believes that empathy and safety from a counselor are the cornerstones of successful healing. Her background includes working with Human Trafficking Survivors, substance abuse, anxiety, depression, trauma, and childhood attachment. She graduated from Florida Gulf Coast University with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary with a Master of Arts in Counseling with a Specialization in Clinical Mental Health.

In her free time, Stephanie loves to sing on her church worship team, play ukulele, cook, travel, take pictures, and play board games with friends..

Bethany is a Registered Clinical Social Work Intern. She earned her Master’s Degree in Social Work from Louisiana State University. She also has a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Development and Family Studies from the University of Wisconsin. Bethany has a passion for helping people through life’s challenges and changes and improving overall mental health.

Bethany has experience working with children and families, people with substance use disorders and co-occurring disorders, trauma (including sexual trauma) survivors, grief (including disenfranchised grief), families experiencing abuse and/or are involved in the child welfare system, crisis intervention, court mandated individuals, and those who identify as LGBTQIA+. She has experience with group topics, including Parenting Education, Domestic Violence, Anger Management, and Women’s Issues.

Bethany prioritizes building a safe, trusting, non-judgmental therapeutic relationship with her patients. She uses a variety of therapeutic methods, including Person-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Trauma Focused CBT, Solutions Focused Therapy, Play Therapy, and Family Systems Therapy.

Bethany is married with 4 children and has an American Bulldog. She enjoys family time, swimming, reading, fishing, and crocheting.

Bethany feels genuinely honored to work with her patients and be a part of their stories. She enjoys empowering and inspiring her patients and witnessing growth. She looks forward to the opportunity to work with you and your family.

Donnie Burchfield