MEET THE TEAM
Intentional Healing Empowerment Center, LLC provides compassionate and evidence-based counseling, mental health and therapeutic services for children and families, adolescents, and adults.
Joyre Montgomery,, MSSW, LCSW, Owner
I enjoy working with clients who are experiencing issues related to family conflict, parent and child disconnect, foster care/ adoption, self love, depression, anxiety, grief, postpartum issues, parenthood, personality disorders, mood disorders, behavioral challenges, adjustment, interpersonal conflict, setting healthy boundaries, building lasting relationships, trauma, personal identities and other areas. I am also trained in Brain Spotting & EMDR to deepen the healing process of trauma or difficult situations.
I am a firm believer in meeting clients where they are in their mental health journey. My goal is to help clients live through the improvement of their lives and see their own treatment goals being met. It is not my job to tell you what is right or wrong about your life, I am here to help you find the path of what’s right for you. No one is able to get there for you, I will show up for you and in this process you will see how to show up for yourself. I am excited to begin your healing journey with you. When you’re ready, I will be here.
Speciality Areas: Self Esteem & Confidence Issues, Healthy Boundary Setting, Anxiety, Depression, Grief and Trauma,
Dawn Smith Gibbs, MSSW, LCSW
Dawn is one of our contracted therapists. has been in the helping profession for over 7 years and has been a Mental Health Clinician since 2018. Dawn received her MSSW from the University of Tennessee Knoxville, and received a certification for specialized trauma and trauma recovery. She believes that it is extremely important to develop a therapeutic relationship with individuals seeking therapy. Dawn believes that this alliance allows the individual and therapist to foster a trusting, respectful and non-judgmental journey towards the individual’s healing. Her approach to an individual’s treatment is based using the modalities of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Evidenced-Based Practices, Mindfulness and Motivational Enhancement. She believes that changing thoughts may change lives. For the sake of the frequently asked question, we will include that Dawn is a clinician of color.
Specialty areas: Trauma, Anxiety, Depression, Esteem, Grief and Life Skills & Development.
_JPG.jpg)
Shavon Silvers,, LPC-MHSP,NCC CCMHC
Sarah Thomas,LMSW
Sarah is one of our therapists. Sarah has been in the helping profession for over 20 years and has been a Mental Health Clinician since 2010. Sarah received her MSW from Southern Adventist University, in Collegedale, TN specializing in children, youth, and family systems. Sarah has experience working across the lifespan including children, adolescents, young, middle, and older adult populations.
Sarah believes that healing is a unique and individualized process that varies from person to person and includes finding and using tools to help reach specific goals in therapy.
Sarah uses an eclectic approach to treatment, utilizing elements from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Trauma Focused- Cognitive Behavior Therapy (TF-CBT) Dialectical Behavior Therapy(DBT), Solution-Focused, Family Systems Theory, and other Evidenced-Based Practices.
Specialty areas: Children, Adolescents, Family systems, Parent-Child, Foster Care, Trauma, Anxiety, Depression, Mood Management, Anger Management, Adjustment and Life Transitions, Life Skills Counseling
Shavon is a contracted counselor for IHEC. Shavon is a Licensed Professional Counselor with a designation as a Mental Health Service Provider. Shavon is also a Nationally Certified Counselor with a specialty as a Certified Clinical Mental Health Counselor.
Shavon has been a counselor since 2018 with over 7 years of experience working with adolescents and parents in an inpatient setting after crisis situations. Her areas of clinical practice include depression, anxiety, mood disorders, schizophrenia, personality disorders, self-esteem, substance abuse, adjustment (life, career, illness) issues, relationship and familial problems, and day to day issues. Shavon works with individuals, families, and couples.
She uses an eclectic style of therapy with a main focus on Choice Theory/ Reality Therapy. Shavon likes to create a safe space in counseling for clients to be REAL and have REAL conversations. Whether you, your child, or partner/spouse/family need a place to come talk, cry, or just sit in the silence of the day with someone who will listen, this is the space for you.
Speciality Areas: Depression, Anxiety, Substance Abuse, Psychosis, Personality Disorders & Life Adjustments
Dr.Kia Ruffin,MSSW, EdD
Dr. Kia Ruffin has her Master of science of social work degree from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and recently received her Doctoral degree in education from Trevecca Nazarene University. She has served within the mental health field for over eight years as a master’s level clinician working with adolescents and adults in outpatient and community settings. Dr. Ruffin is trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and mindfulness techniques. She specializes in depression, anxiety, trauma- related issues, family conflict resolution, and life skills. Her experience includes In-home family counseling, school-based therapy, group therapy, anger management, behavior modification, and continues to serve as a mental health educator.
I am passionate about one’s ability to understand how mental health wellness is the key to living a life of fulfillment by learning how to work through current and past traumas in order to heal, grow, and thrive.
Erene’ is one of our therapists. Erene’ received her Master of Social Work from Tennessee State University in Nashville, TN. She has served within the mental health field for over five years as a master’s level clinician working with children and families. Her experience includes school based, foster care, in-home family counseling and group therapy. She specializes in children, adolescents, and family systems. Her approach to an individual’s treatment is based using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Evidenced-Based Practices, Mindfulness and Solution- Focused.
Erene’ values the importance of relationships with clients and is passionate about empowering individuals and communities to create positive change. Making a difference one life at a time.
Specialty areas: Anxiety, Anger Management, Grief, Depression, Self-Esteem, and Life Skills.
.
Erene Bell, MSW
Jaclyn is passionate about advocacy and promoting self-efficacy. She strives to connect with clients in a safe therapeutic alliance to assist with psychosocial skills and practical tools for empowerment and growth. Jaclyn knows the importance of meeting clients at their level and helping them increase their tolerance thresholds through psycho-education, therapeutic interventions, skills practice, mind-body connection, and self-awareness.
Jaclyn’s professional experience includes serving children, adolescents, adults, and families in the settings of community outreach, outpatient services, foster care, adoption, and mental health/addiction treatment centers. Jaclyn specializes in trauma-related issues, nervous system regulation, attachment, family conflict resolution, depression, anxiety/panic, anger/stress management, interpersonal violence, addiction/substance abuse, crisis/emergency management, resolving maladaptive coping, behavior modification, and women’s issues.
Jaclyn is a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional with additional certifications in Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Parent-Child Interaction Therapy, and Safe and Sound Protocol. She also utilizes Motivational Interviewing, Sensory Motor Arousal Regulation, Trust-Based Relational Interventions, Play Therapies, Bi-Lateral Stimulation, Art Therapies, and Somatic Therapies with her services.
Specialty areas: Complex Trauma, Relational Trauma, Interpersonal Issues, Foster Care, Adoption, Women’s Issues, Nervous System Regulation, Chronic Pain, Addiction/Substance Abuse, Self-Esteem, Interpersonal Communication, Goal Setting/Goal Attainment, and Certified in DBT, TF-CBT, PCIT, and Safe and Sound Protocol.
