Stacey Lewis, LPC

Owner
Child & Family Therapist

Opening my own private practice has been a life-long dream of mine. Even in high school, I remember knowing I wanted to be a child psychologist someday. While I didn’t exactly know all that it would entail, I knew I wanted to work with children who were hurting. ​

I went on to get my bachelor’s degree in Psychology from a small, private Christian university called Harding. After graduation, I worked for various counseling agencies, always with the dream of opening my own practice. Of course, life has a way of interrupting plans.

The moment I held my first child, I decided to put my professional dreams on hold. It was love at first sight with my son, and I wanted to be a stay-at-home mom in the biggest way. My husband and I ended up having three awesome boys, and I was home with them for 13 years.

During the 13th year, however, my desire grew to get back into counseling. I went back to school at Liberty University and completed my MA in professional counseling. During this time I worked for several counseling agencies with the goal of becoming licensed and setting up a practice.  Eventually both of these dreams came true. I feel so blessed!

​My heart began stirring for Seeds of Hope back in 2016 while I was working as a school counselor.  I realized many kids had lots of emotional needs that were not being met.  I noticed a need for more counseling agencies specialized in creative therapies designed for kids & teens.  I began brainstorming ways I could help with that in the community I lived in.  In 2017, I opened Seeds of Hope and began seeing clients in my home office. My clientele steadily grew to the point in which my family wanted me out of the house.  They gave me the push I needed to find a new location. I am so thankful they did!  Exactly a year later in 2018, I opened up a new office in downtown Shrewsbury, PA.  It was a perfect, cute little place for the time.  I quickly saw the need, however, to hire another therapist to help with the growing demand of clients.  God instead supplied me with two amazing therapists and when both of them were booked our little space became too little.  Even though I wasn't quite ready to move on, God pushed me forward by opening up a bigger space right next door exactly another year later in 2019.  I am so thankful the Lord guided me to this equally adorable and again perfect destination! I have no doubt it was His plan all along!  Our team at Seeds continues to grow!  We began by offering child therapy, but expanded in 2020 to offer therapies for everyone in the family. Our mission has grown bigger and we are continually looking for Gods direction.  We are excited to see what will happen in 2021!

Jenny LaBarbera

Child & Family Therapist

Hi; I’m Jenny! I am a proud wife and mother of two. I have always had a passion for helping others grow and achieve their highest level of self. I love nothing more than witnessing an individual find peace, self-fulfillment, and genuine happiness. Growing up, I enjoyed volunteering within the community and staying active through various sports.  

I received my undergraduate degree in Psychology from Lock Haven University. I went on to earn my Master of Science in Psychology, with an emphasis in applied behavior analysis, from Kaplan University. I currently have my behavior specialist license (BSL) and I am also working towards my LPC. I have previous experience working as a mental health worker, mobile therapist, behavior specialist consultant, and school-based therapist. Specifically, I have worked with children and adolescents ages 2-21. I have knowledge regarding various diagnoses including, but not limited to Depression, anxiety, trauma, ASD, AD/HD, ODD, and mood dysregulation. 
I believe that each individual is unique, in which my methods and techniques vary accordingly. If I were to describe myself with three words, I would go with authentic, honest, and understanding. It is especially important to me that my clients always feel safe and comfortable. I am thrilled to be joining Seeds of Hope, as I strongly believe in the mission to plant and water positive seeds for a strong inner foundation, in which one may achieve confidence and peace. I look forward to engaging with each individual that Seeds of Hope sends my way! 

Katrina Spencer, MA

Child & Family Therapist

I always knew my calling in life was working with people, especially children.  There is nothing more significant to me than walking alongside children as they become the best versions of themselves – the unique and beautiful people God created them to be.
With this passion planted in my heart, I earned a BA in Psychology from Muhlenberg College in Allentown, PA and a MA in Clinical Psychology from Loyola University Maryland in Baltimore.  I also spent a glorious semester studying abroad in London, England as part of Higher Education in Europe.

My many years of experience working with children and families has encompassed a number of different settings: residential treatment center, treatment foster care, and a group home setting for males coming out of the juvenile justice system.  I have also provided crisis counseling for women and children in domestic violence situations.
For the past six years, I have home schooled my own two children.  This has been a blessing to them as well as to me.  I have loved being a part of their educational journey and fueling their desire to learn and grow!
When not working or teaching, I enjoy spending time exploring and adventuring with my family, soaking up God’s glorious creation, and reading and learning as much as I can about this amazing world and its diverse people.
I look forward to working with each family and child God brings my way here at Seeds of Hope!

Jen Mattheu

Christian Counselor & Motivational Speaker

 I live in Glen Rock, PA with my husband, Glen and son Macallan.  I am so excited to finally being doing what I believe God has called me to do here with Seeds of Hope.  I have seen and experienced first-hand the life transforming power of God’s Word manifested in my life.  I grew up going to church and believing in God, but never really experiencing God.  I found myself going through the motions and pretending to be someone I wasn’t.  As a result, my life went into a downward spiral in my late teens.  I continued making choices that were affecting my life in negative ways and ended up in the hospital.  After I graduated, things were good for a while but I was still living in bondage.

When I got married in my late 20’s, I brought all the guilt and shame from my past into that relationship.  Needless to say, it was a huge strain on our marriage.   Shortly after our one year anniversary, I knew I needed rescued, not from my husband but from myself.  I ended up dedicating my life to Christ and that changed everything.  I am in my late 40’s now and married almost 22 years.  God has restored my health, my marriage and my mind.  God’s Word set me free from fear, shame, guilt and addiction.  Seeing my own transformation has made me passionate about disciplining others and helping them grow deeper in their relationship with Christ.  I want everyone to experience what I have, lasting change and freedom!  As an ordained Minister and Christian Counselor and Life Coach, it is my goal to encourage women to rise above their strongholds and embrace who they are truly are in Christ.  This freedom, I believe, only comes from God.  John 8:36 says, “Who the Son sets free is free indeed.”  I believe God offers all of us freedom, we just have to know how to seek and receive it.   I want all women to experience this freedom as I have.   At Seeds of Hope, this will be my goal as I will offer Christian counseling both individually and in group settings.  During this time we will pray together, study scripture, work through parenting issues or personal challenges learning how to love ourselves as Christ loves us with the goal of finding freedom in Him.  I feel confident all of my experiences have led me to this moment, to this ministry and to you.

Ashley Gavoni, MA

Child & Family Therapist

As a part of my life’s journey, I am now blessed to be a part of the Seeds of Hope Team. My hope is to use my experience in Art Therapy to add additional perspectives to the unique blend of services already being offered. I attended undergraduate and graduate school in Pennsylvania. I hold a Bachelors Degree from Arcadia University in Photography with a concentration in Pre-Art Therapy. After following in love with my experience of Art Therapy as an Undergraduate, I then went on to peruse my Masters Degree in Art Therapy from Drexel University. During this time I had the opportunity to work on developing and implementing programming, as well as exposure to many aspects of therapy from intensive residential care to alternative school settings.

After graduation, I moved back to my home state of Maryland. I worked for several years in Baltimore and the surrounding area, gaining much of my clinical experience with clients on the Autism Spectrum and with various Developmental Diagnoses. Much of my experience lies in working with clients with anxiety, mood disorders, poor social skills, low self-esteem, behavioral concerns, and victims of traumatic events. I have experience working with children and adults, individuals, groups, inpatient, outpatient, in schools, and in homes. It is during this time in MD that I found my true calling as a therapist, to work with clients on the Autism Spectrum and focus on working with children collectively.

PA has always been in my heart, as my entire family, aside from myself, are all native Pennsylvanians. So it is no wonder that I have found myself back in the Keystone state. I believe in working with clients from a wholistic viewpoint, attending at mind/body/spirit in order to support self exploration and understanding through the expressive arts therapies. While Art is my specialty, I also strongly believe in play, dance/movement, and music therapy as additional creative modalities that are also integrated into sessions. I believe as a therapeutic facilitator that I am the vessel, but the client the guide so whatever medium that resonates most with the client is the path we will follow. I am pleased to meet you here as we take a journey together in self exploration and healing by planting seeds of hope.

Melissa Houck, MS
Child & Family Therapist

​Hi!  My name is Melissa and I am a proud mama of two rambunctious boys.  I am officially out-numbered at home.  Family is very important to me.  That is why I knew from a young age I wanted to be a part of helping families grow together.  I truly believe God has called me to help kids grow and bloom within their family unit.  I have been working in the field of counseling for over ten years.  I began as a bachelor level family-based therapist and progressed into outpatient therapy once I received my Master’s degree.  I have worked with children from all different backgrounds always with the goal of helping them strengthen their identities, overcome hardships and trauma and become their best selves. 

 I love seeing clients realize their own potential and self-worth.  I want them to know their value and the love God has for them.  I recently decided I was ready for a career change and Seeds of Hope was just the opportunity I was looking for.  I am excited to be a part of such a welcoming team!  I look forward to working with each family that comes my way.  I am excited to be a part of your healing journey and know God has great things planned!

Come join the fun and play therapy with us!