Creative Solutions for Living
CLINICAL TEAM
Chuck Wint, LICSW
Chuck is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker who received his Master’s degree in Social Work from The University of Alabama in 1988. He has worked in a variety of mental health and substance abuse settings over the past 40 years which has allowed him to form breadth of understanding around the wide variety of issues that impact people’s lives. He provides creative programs, counseling, and interventions for fraternities, athletes, and young adults. Chuck is a seasoned counselor who has worked extensively with individuals and couples to reclaim direction and purpose for their lives. Like all of the counselors at Lifeline, he is trained in EMDR therapy for treating trauma...
Erin Hinz, LPC-S
Erin is a Licensed Professional Counselor with a profound dedication to helping individuals navigate their path towards optimal well being. She received her Master's degree in Counseling from The University of Alabama in 1999 and has over 25 years of expertise in the mental health field. She has dedicated her career to counseling thousands of individuals and families and most recently co-founded Lifeline Solutions in 2016 and The LiveWell Community in 2022. Since that time, she has focused her practice on helping people heal from trauma. She is passionate about understanding the root cause of issues and prefers to focus on “what happened to me” instead of “what’s wrong with me”. She believes the most essential ingredient to change is found in nurturing a strong therapeutic relationship with everyone she serves to ensure they feel safe, seen, heard, and believed.
Melanie Darling, LPC
Melanie is a Licensed Professional Counselor who received her Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from The University of Alabama in 2015 with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy. Her experience includes helping people in the LGBTQ+ community navigate sexuality and gender identity as well as issues stemming from marginalization and interpersonal conflicts. She also has experience working closely with families and couples, especially those negatively impacted by addiction. She is trained in EMDR therapy and has worked...
Deb Walker, LICSW
Deb is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker. She received her Master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Alabama in 2009. She has 20 plus years experience working with adults, children and teens in various mental health settings. Her past work has included medical social work, clinical social work with children, adolescents and adults, as well as advocacy for severely mentally ill patients. Deb has also provided clinical social work in the field of addictions providing care in an intensive outpatient setting working with adults. She utilizes a Person-Centered therapy......
Colette Peters, LICSW, PIP
Colette is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker who earned her Bachelor of Science in Psychology in 2005 along with her Master of Social Work in 2007 from The University of Alabama. She has worked in a variety of Mental Health settings over the past 18 years including inpatient and forensic settings. She has experience in utilizing CBT and mindfulness, with a client centered approach and is EMDR trained. She believes in meeting people where they are to assist in their healing journey. Colette also has experience working with people with a history of abusive relationships both physically and ...
Sara Beth Lovelady, LICSW-S
Sara is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker who received her master's degree in Social Work from the University of Alabama. She has a decade of experience in working with adults whose lives have been impacted by complex trauma, substance use, eating disorders, borderline personality disorder, ADHD, and infertility. She is fully trained in EMDR and is in the process of obtaining her EMDR Certification. In addition to EMDR, Sara frequently utilizes DBT, IFS, EFT Tapping, and Mindfulness techniques to treat clients whose lives and belief systems have been negatively impacted by trauma. Sara is a strong advocate and is committed....
Julie Arrington, LICSW
Julie is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker who received her master's degree in social work from the University of Alabama. She has more than four years of experience working with adults in an outpatient mental health setting and has worked in medical and forensic social work. She believes everyone can make positive changes in their lives and is passionate about guiding and supporting individuals on their journey through the healing process. Julie has experience helping adults who are struggling with a variety of concerns including depression, anxiety, stress, substance use issues, lack of motivation, and shame as well as other ....
Darmecia (CJ) Cash, LPC
Darmecia is a Licensed Professional Counselor who received her Master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling with an emphasis in Addictions Counseling from the University of Alabama in 2015. Darmecia has five years of experiencing working with adolescents and adults, who are dealing with the ramifications of substance use. She has experience working in inpatient and intensive outpatient settings, being driven to help clients move towards a life of recovery. Darmecia has also worked with children in the school setting who struggle to deal with daily challenges of coping. As a part of her experience, she has also helped family members...
Cindy Gelb, LICSW
Cindy is a Licensed Master Social Worker, having earned her Master of Social Work from the University of Alabama where she worked with clients in the UA Athletics Department and Counseling Center. She also holds a BA in Psychology from Johns Hopkins University. Cindy has experience working with individuals from diverse backgrounds, bringing twenty years of experience in leadership development and career mentoring from the fashion industry. Cindy works from a strengths-based perspective, collaborating with clients to explore, develop and reach their goals, while providing the support, tools and techniques needed to live life with grace...
Maura E. Cain, LPC-S
Maura E. Cain, Licensed Professional Counselor, and Licensed Counselor Supervisor, earned her Master’s degree in Rehabilitation Counseling 1992 and her Educational Specialist degree in Counselor Education in 1999, both from the University of Alabama. Maura has years of experience working in therapist and/or program coordinator roles with children, adolescents, and adults. Her background includes a variety of mental health settings, including outpatient, residential, and hospital, along with volunteer work, locally and nationally. Using an eclectic approach, Maura incorporates a variety...
Mercer Boatright, ALC, NCC
Mercer Boatright, Associate Licensed Counselor, is a graduate of the University of South Alabama with a Master’s Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Mercer primarily works with children, teens, and young adults, helping them navigate life’s challenges with compassion and utilizes an eclectic approach. His areas of experience include anxiety, depression, grief, life transitions, and adjustment challenges. While these populations are his primary focus, Mercer welcomes clients of all ages and backgrounds. He is committed to empowering individuals to discover their strengths, make....
Hannah Adams, LMSW
Hannah is a Licensed Master’s Social Worker who received her master’s degree from the University of Alabama. She has prior experience working with adolescents with substance abuse and behavioral problems, and advocating for children who were victims of abuse. She enjoys working with children, adolescents, and young adults. Hannah is passionate about helping individuals thrive in their environment by utilizing their own strengths. She hopes that anyone who comes into her office feels comfortable and safe. She uses a client-centered approach, focusing on individual needs, and is EMDR trained. In her free time she enjoys going to concerts, traveling, and reading.
Dana Farrar, LMSW, BCBA
Dana Farrar is a licensed master social worker who studied at The University of Alabama and is trained in providing EMDR. Dana was a special education teacher for teenagers and young adults with autism for a decade and is a board certified behavior analyst (BCBA). As a therapist, she is passionate about helping people flourish by letting go of trauma and finding their unique strengths. Dana has a keen understanding of how our scars and vulnerabilities can lead us to renewal and resilience. Her clinical interests include....
Donna Gast, LICSW
Donna is a licensed independent clinical social worker who received her master’s degree in social work from the University of Alabama with an emphasis in mental health/health. She has 37+ years of experience working with adults including in outpatient and inpatient mental health/health settings as well as with active-duty military and Veterans. She also has worked with adoptive families for the last 14 years. She has worked with a vast age range of individuals from their 20’s to 90’s with....
Deanna Burkett, MS CYT
Deanna's counseling approach is guided by somatic and mindfulness-based methodologies and strength-based, client-centered models such as Solution-Focused Therapy and Motivational Interviewing.
Deanna has a master's degree in Community Counseling from the University of South Alabama (2009). For the past 15 years, she has worked in wellness and integrative settings, to include the UPMC Center for Integrative Medicine in Pittsburgh, PA. In 2021 she began...
Nancy Payne, LICSW-S
Nancy Payne is a lover of adventure and has a firmly held belief that people should not face difficulties alone. In addition to participating in high adventure sports such as sky diving and kayaking around the country, she taught at the University of Alabama School of Social Work for over 20 years. She has also worked in a variety of mental health and social service settings, including outpatient mental health treatment, child welfare, family preservation and community crisis intervention. She has been a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker for decades and has taught and practiced a variety of therapy modalities. She has experience with a wide....
Holly Prewitt, LICSW
Holly is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker who received her Master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Alabama in 2008. Holly has 19 years of experience in mental health counseling. She has experience working with late adolescents/young adults, and adults, in various mental health settings. Holly has worked in settings providing counseling to individuals experiencing adjustment to new situations and counseling for the unexpected situations that occur along our journey in life. Holly has experience and training in EMDR, and other therapeutic models that are used to meet the client where they are and....
Hilary Beatty, LMSW
Hilary Beatty is a Licensed Master Social Worker, who received her Master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Alabama in 2003. She has more than 15 years of professional social work experience in a variety of settings, including mental health, substance abuse, medical care, and forensics. She exhibits a high degree of professionalism and draws upon a wealth of knowledge in providing high quality clinical care to those she serves. She has employed her skills in case management and individual and group therapeutic settings, and is particularly adept at helping clients identify strengths, needs, and determining the most appropriate resources....
Bailey Moody
Bailey is a counseling intern and current master’s student at the University of Alabama in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, having earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology in 2024. As an athlete, competing in wheelchair basketball on Team USA and at Alabama, she has personal experience with mental health in relation to sport performance and will seek to implement these concepts into her practice when applicable. She is also a cancer survivor and has personal experience with adoption, trauma, and other complex life events which will help her create a therapeutic environment...
Jada Harrison
Jada is a Clinical Mental Health Counseling Intern from the University of Alabama. She graduated from Alabama in 2024 with her Bachelors of Science in Psychology. She will be graduating with her masters degree this coming May! Her previous practicum experience was with Collegiate Recovery and Intervention Services on the UA campus working with students who are at risk of or currently experiencing issues with substance misuse. Jada is looking forward to gaining experience at Lifeline and the Livewell community. She is interested in working with populations that have experienced....
ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM
Kristen Wilburn
Kristen is a graduate of the University of Alabama. She has worked with Lifeline Solutions for years handling financials, account payables, development and implementation of policy and procedure, and general day-to-day operations. More importantly, she strives daily to ensure our mission of taking care of people is fulfilled. She enjoys spending time with friends and family and learning ASL.
Kelly Wiggins
Kelly is a graduate of the University of South Carolina. She handles our bookkeeping, accounts payables/receivables, client referrals and customer service. Kelly feels blessed to be a part of a team that continues to make a positive impact in our community. She enjoys cooking, reading and spending time with family.
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Takeshia Smith
Takeshia is a creative partner with a bachelor's degree in Marketing and many years of experience working in graphic design and photography. She is an independent contractor providing web design, marketing, and creative services to local small businesses. She has been working with Lifeline for several years and typically enjoys being behind the scenes, but very much considers herself...
Christine Jennings
Christine Jennings is a Leadership Consultant with Lifeline Solutions. As a certified Emergenetics Professional, her passion is working with individuals and groups to help drive innovation and change. She spent the first half of her career working with companies such as Schneider Electric and Cox Communications as an HR Director. A graduate of Wheaton College in Norton, MA, Chris lives in Tuscaloosa with her family.
Lesley Powell
Bio coming soon!
WELLNESS TEAM
Dianne Mancus
Yoga has been a major force in my personal development. Through yoga, I have learned to be grounded and happy. Yoga helps me know and remember who I really am. Like everyone else, I’ve had ups and downs, perceived failures and successes, life challenges and crises. Through yoga, no matter the external circumstances, I find stillness and peace. I teach yoga because I want to share that gift with others, beginners and more advanced yogis. No matter where you are on the yoga journey, there is a welcoming place for you in my classes and in my heart....
Silke Steg
Silke is a German-born yoga teacher. In her years of traveling and living abroad first in Hungary and then in the USA she also found a yoga home at Lifeline. Now that she is back in Germany you can still find her teaching online on Lifeline´s schedule.
She describes her style of teaching as “Silke Yoga”. Over the years of her yoga journey, she explored a lot of different styles and in her classes now, she mixes them all to create classes for each student´s needs...
Ashley Durant
In her classes, Ashley aims to bring students back home to their own bodies. Taking Pema Chodron’s concept of maitri, befriending the self, as inspiration, she encourages students to use yoga as a means to enter into a trusting relationship with themselves – which begins with simply showing up on the mat and tuning into what’s there. Students inquire within to see what’s needed, set intentions, and use those intentions to inform their movements and choices in class. Ashley comes from a trauma-informed yoga background, and diversity and inclusion are key aspects of her teaching ...
Jenny Shemwell
Jenny Shemwell is a seasoned practitioner of yoga discovering her love of this practice in the 90’s when she was right out of college. Many years and many moves, experiencing yoga in all the places she lived and visited, her decision to finally share her love of yoga came in 2019 when she completed her 200 hour Yoga Alliance certification at Asheville Yoga School. With an adventurous and open heart, Jenny’s exploration of yoga has led her to practice almost every form of yoga from aerial to ashtanga, yin to more restorative and meditative practices like Iyengar and Nidra. Yoga is a practice that grows and changes - it is always available and ...
Steph
Steph has been a practicing yogi for over 20 years. She attended her first intensive meditation retreat in 2009, where she fell in love with the yoga community and quiet contemplation. She became more serious about her yin practice in 2017 when her chronic illness became tougher to manage. In 2019, she earned her 200-hour YTT certification with HereNowYoga in Birmingham, Alabama.
Yoga has been a transformative experience ...
Dr. Sarita Cox, ND, L.Ac.
Dr. Elizabeth Cox, ND, L.Ac., has practiced integrative medicine in both Alabama and Mississippi for the past 20 years. Some of Dr. Cox’s colleagues and beloveds call her “Sarita,” a name given to her by her first meditation teacher, and she believes names have power and energy. Sarita is Sanskrit for river, flow, and fluent (as in speech).
Dr. Cox received her BS in English literature from the University of Alabama. She completed her professional medical training at...
Diane Frea
Diane Frea (pronounced "free") taught yoga at several locations in Tuscaloosa prior to moving to Hoover during the early days of the pandemic to be closer to her daughter's family. She moved to Alabama in 2018, following a career in Human Resources and non-profit management in Columbia, SC. After practicing yoga for many years, primarily for stress relief, Diane completed her 200-hour yoga teacher training through YogaFit, a vinyasa (flow) style designed to be accessible for all body types and....
Kelley Schoger
Kelley Schoger is a theatre actor, director, and educator who holds certifications in the Alexander Technique (American Society for the Alexander Technique, 2014, Charlottesville, VA), Art of Breathing (2023, NYC), and Intimacy Direction (Consent-Forward Artist Certification, IDC, 2022). She is a tenured Professor of Theatre (Acting/Movement) in the graduate and undergraduate theatre programs at The University of Alabama (UA). She has worked...
Dr. Jessica Hoggle
Jessica Hoggle is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker. She graduated with her Doctorate in Social Work from the University of Alabama, where her project focused on integrating creative and body-focused modalities into trauma therapy, specifically rhythm and drumming. She currently works for VitAL Alabama through the University of Alabama providing mental health...