Annelyse founded Branch Counseling with the desire to offer Stark County and the surrounding communities spiritually mature and clinically excellent care. She is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor who completed her professional education at Ashland Theological Seminary in June of 2008 with a Master of Arts degree in Clinical Pastoral Counseling. She received a Bachler’s of Science in Occupational Therapy from Mount Mary College in 1982. Although she no longer practices as a Registered Occupational Therapist, her training in neuroscience has helped her to understand and apply new scientific discoveries in Mental Health. She comes with over 40 years of experience in spiritual formation ministry and believes that Christ is our ultimate healer. She excels in integrating her knowledge of Christ with the science of Mental Health Treatment.
Site Location:
RiverTree Jackson Church

Clinical Interests:

• Abuse and Trauma
• PTSD
• Marital Concerns
• Anxiety
• Panic Disorder
• Stress
• Depression
• Special Leadership Concerns
• Grief and Loss
• Spiritual Formation Issues

Population Served:
Adults

• Trainings and Certifications
• EMDR (Certified through the Body Mind Institute)
• IBSR (Certified through the BodyMind Institute)
• Level I Trauma Certification through Janina Fisher
• Emotion Focused Marriage Counseling
• Level I Marriage Counseling through the Gottman Institute
• Treatment of Depression
• Treatment of Anxiety
• Somatic Based Treatments and Understandings
• Spiritual Formation
• DBT
• Grief and Loss
• Childhood Trauma
• Attachment and Trauma
• Trauma and the Body
• Internal Family Systems
• Interpersonal Neurobiology

Community Involvement:

• Church Elder
• Speaker/Teacher
• Developed Spiritual Formation Teams

Beth is a lifelong resident of Stark County, Ohio. She is a 2002 graduate of Mount Union College and a 2013 graduate of Ashland Theological Seminary. Beth has been a practicing clinician since 2011.

She has served in a variety of settings throughout her career including community mental health, hospice care and private practice. Beth works with adults, children, and groups and has always had a particular drive to work with, and help bring healing, to those individuals who have experienced trauma and may have, or do, struggle with PTSD.

In addition to this, Beth also has a heart for working with individuals who are struggling with depression, grief, anxiety disorders, and life adjustments. Coming alongside parents of children with special needs is also a population that is near and dear to Beth’s heart.

Beth has extensive training in Trauma (Including New Frontiers in Trauma Treatment with Bessel van der Kolk, MD), Crisis Intervention, DBT (Dialectical Behavioral Therapy), Expressive Arts, Grief, Mindfulness, Narrative Therapy, Sand Tray, and Integration of Faith into clinical work. She is Level 1 and 2 Trained in EMDR (Eye Movement and Desensitization, Reprocessing) through The Institute for Creative Mindfulness and has also sought many additional trainings in advanced topics in EMDR therapy.

Beth is married to her husband Brent. They have three children and are very active in their community. Prior to Beth leaning in and answering her call to become a therapist, Beth served and worked in the non-profit sector.  She loves the outdoors, and also spending time with family and friends. Service and involvement in her greater community are important values to her.

Specialties:

• ADHD
• Adjustment Disorders
• Adoption
• Anxiety Disorders
• Behavior Issues
• Child Abuse & Neglect
• Christian Counseling
• Foster Care
• Mood Disorders
• Parenting Education
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• Relationship and Boundary Issues
• Sexual Abuse Victims
• School Issues
• Specialized in an intensive trauma treatment known as Instinctual Trauma Response (ITR)
• Trauma

I view the therapeutic relationship as a partnership between myself and the other person(s) as we work towards goals together. I consider it a privilege to have the opportunity to walk alongside people in some of their darkest moments, because I believe that connection is a powerful thing, and can greatly impact the course of our lives if we are able to have at least one meaningful relationship where we feel seen, heard, known and accepted. I enjoy making connections with others, and partnering with them as we take steps forward because I believe others are worthy of being heard and their struggles are significant. I have deep compassion for people who have experienced trauma and other related challenges, and a passion for helping each person realize the strength and resilience they possess which helped them survive their past, and will continue to help them learn to thrive in their lives.
I have experience providing counseling within a Christian faith setting and am able to integrate faith into the therapeutic setting if requested by a client in order to meet your individual needs.

I look forward to walking alongside you as you take the brave next step forward on your journey.
I am a Licensed Independent Social Worker through the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, and Marriage & Family Therapist Board and obtained my Bachelors’ degree in Social Work, with a minor in Psychology from Malone University in 2010, and Master’s degree in Social Work in 2014 from the University of Akron.
Throughout my professional journey, I have provided direct care as a social worker and mental health clinician within the home, community, and office environments to children ages 4 and up, adolescents and adults. I have partnered with clients to address a broad range of diverse challenges including mental health, severe trauma experiences, family dynamics, developmental disabilities, domestic violence, substance abuse, foster care and adoption, and childhood physical & sexual abuse and neglect. I particularly enjoy working with children, adolescents, and adults who are seeking out support related to experiences with adoption, adjustment disorders, anxiety, depression, foster care, stress management, PTSD, and trauma experiences. I enjoy helping clients through a client-centered and strengths-based approach while utilizing methods through the lens of Motivational Interviewing, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Internal Family Systems (IFS.) I have experience providing a specialized intensive trauma treatment known as Instinctual Trauma Response(ITR) model. In this brief, intensive therapy, a directive form of play or art therapy is utilized to assist in organizing and re-coding trauma memories to be shared by both sides of the brain and provide the opportunity for relief and increase a person’s capacity to connect with themselves and others in a compassionate manner. As a therapist, I focus on utilizing methods that are going to help each individual make the progress they need to move forward in their unique challenges.

Merisa is a Licensed Independent Social Worker (LISW)who earned her MSSA from Case Western University and her BA from Malone University. She counsels individuals of all ages, families, and groups. Her focus areas of treatment are for those struggling with anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, life adjustments and children with behavioral issues. Merisa has a special interest working with the LGBTQ+ community and minority groups. Her compassion for minority groups comes from her own Mexican heritage, as she understands the unique circumstances this can create for each person. Being an LSW, she goes beyond traditional therapy for her clients to promote advocacy when needed.

Merisa has been EMDR trained by the Institute of Creative Mindfulness and uses this interactive approach to help relieve symptoms of psychological stress, trauma, PTSD, anxiety and depression.

Merisa’s clients can rest assured they will feel seen, heard, and cared for in her presence. She believes it is important to collaborate with each individual to discover the best course of treatment, and she understands how difficult it can be to sit on the other side of the couch. She admires her clients for their courage and vulnerability and also believes that laughing can do a great deal of healing to hearts. Above all else, she believes her clients are worthy of giving themselves a chance at living a healthier life and is humbled to walk alongside them during this invaluable discovery.

Merisa lives with her fur babies Finley (a Miniature Australian Shepherd), and Hagrid (the cat). In her free times she enjoys hiking, traveling, playing board games with friends, and fishing. Being from California, she is a big-time Las Vegas Raiders fan, but (unfortunately) relates to the same pain associated with being a Browns fan.

Mary Lou retired after spending over 40 years performing various capacities in the medical field. Finding retirement boring, she began volunteering with her Canton area neighborhood association and the Be A Better Me Foundation. She enjoys traveling with her family, spending time with her friends, listening to live music, and her 2-year-old Bichon, Beau.