Meet Our Therapists

Abby Wright, MA, LMHC

Abby Wright, MA, LMHC has an undergraduate degree in Art and a Master’s degree in Counseling from Lincoln Christian Seminary. Abby began working for Bauer in 2006 as a play therapist primarily servicing children and families affected by sexual and physical abuse as well as neglect. Abby also worked as a Homebuilders Therapist, Team Leader, Coordinator and Clinical Coordinator before becoming the Clinical Services Director. Abby is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor with specialized training in child abuse/neglect, trauma, substance abuse, play therapy, domestic violence, sexual abuse, and Biblical counseling.

 

Russ Carlson, MA, CSAYC

In the last 30 years, Russ Carlson has been a case manager, administrator and therapist at children’s residential facilities and a juvenile correctional facility, a counselor at a men’s correctional facility and most recently a therapist at Bauer Counseling.  He has worked primarily with adolescents and more recently with adults.  Russ is a Credential Sexually Abusive Youth Clinician (CSAYC) through the Indiana Association of Juvenile Sex Offender Practitioners (IN-AJSOP) and certified through the Indiana Sex Offender Management and Monitoring Program (INSOMM) to provide treatment to juveniles and adults who have been adjudicated or convicted for having committed sexually maladaptive behaviors.  He is a graduate of Northern Illinois University with a BA in Sociology and Denver Seminary with a MA in Counseling.

 

Jennifer Soelke, MA

Jennifer attended Purdue University and obtained her bachelor’s in psychology.  From there, she then went on to DePaul University where she earned her Master of Arts in Psychology.  While at DePaul, Jennifer focused on emotional expressions and developmental psychology in children.  After graduating from DePaul, she began working in early childhood education.  She was the lead teacher in a toddler classroom for a year, and the lead teacher in an infant classroom for a while as well.  During the 2009-2010 school year, Jennifer worked in the resource room at an elementary school.  She worked with children with disabilities.  In June of 2010, Jennifer began working at Bauer Family Resources.  She started working as a home-based family specialist that worked with families in crisis.  In November of 2010, she was given the opportunity to become an office based therapist. Jennifer’s specialty at Bauer is working with children.  She mainly sees clients that have problems expressing their emotions, and this often causes them to act out in different ways.  She also sees children with maladaptive sexual behavior often caused by sexual abuse or exposure. Jennifer facilitates the Domestic Violence treatment group for children.

 

Kristy Courtney, BA

Kristy has a Bachelors of Arts Degree in Sociology and Psychology from Marian University, Indianapolis.  During her undergraduate years, she worked with children of trauma, sexual abuse and domestic violence. In her graduate course work she obtained a Certificate in Human Services with a specialization in Professional Counseling. Kristy was an Intern at Bauer Counseling and graduated with a Master of Science Degree in Mental Health Counseling in September 2011. She has served in the military for 15 years the last 6 years being Active Duty. She will continue her service until 2018, as well as pursuing professional certifications that pertain to the Mental Health Counseling field. Kristy leads the Living in Balance Substance Abuse treatment groups and AfterCare program. Kristy also specializes in working with children.

 

John Catron, MS, LMHC

John Catron, Clinical Coordinator,  is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and graduated with a Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling degree from Purdue University in 2003.  He is an Indiana Certified Addiction Counselor as well as a Licensed Clinical Additions Counselor. John currently co-facilitates adult SAFTIP groups as well as provide treatment to Domestic Violence Batterers. He has worked in Lafayette as an Intensive Outpatient Coordinator and an Adolescent Childcare Specialist.

 

Hope Hadding, MSW

Hope received her undergraduate degree in Psychology from Ohio State University. She went on to get her Master of Social Work degree from Ohio State as well. After receiving her master’s degree, Hope began work with Community Connection in Ohio. While there, she worked a great deal with men and women who were convicted of various felonies and trying to get their lives straight. She also worked with sexual offenders who were ordered to complete therapy. This greatly reduced the recidivism rate for the region in which she worked. After working with Community Connection for a few years, Hope took a position with Liberty Behavioral Health. While with Liberty, she worked as a treatment provider in Indiana Correctional Facilities, providing sex offender treatment to incarcerated men and women. Hope has also worked with community providers of mental health treatment. Much of her experience is working with those individuals who have committed an offense.  She specializes in Forensic Social Work with a focus on sex offending. Hope also provides an array of general therapy treatment to individuals, couples, and families.

 

Missy Galbreth, LMHC

Missy received her BS in Psychology from Indiana University and her MS in Agency Counseling from Indiana State University.  Missy worked in Lawrenceville, IL in a community mental health clinic providing therapy in office and in schools.  Missy was trained in Wraparound services and received her LCPC while there.  Missy then worked at Wabash Valley Hospital as the Adolescent Day Treatment Coordinator and as a therapist.  Missy provided intensive services to at risk teens in a therapeutic school environment.  Missy was also responsible for overseeing the program and staff.  Then, Missy worked at Child and Family Partners as the Clinical Supervisor and therapist.  Missy provided therapeutic services to at risk families and supervised other clinicians.  Currently, Missy is the Adolescent and Adult SAFTIP Coordinator at Bauer Family Resources.  Missy works intensely with sexually offending teens as well as children and families who have been victims of abuse.  Missy coordinates the program as well as the staff of the program.

 

Brooke Widmer, MSW

Brooke began going to school to become a sign language interpreter. Following the completion of a two year program, she decided to continue education and pursue a social work degree. Brooke went on to get her Master's in social work, specializing in Child and Family. She received her master's through a one year program at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She has worked at Bauer since August of 2009. Brooke started out as a Home Based Family Specialist and later transitioned to an office based therapist. Currently, she is working part time doing assessments.

 

Ashley Belcher, BA, MSW (In Progress)

Ashley has obtained a Bachelors in Psychology and is currently pursuing a Graduate degree in Social Work.  She has previously worked in an acute mental health facility.  During her time at Bauer, she has served as a Home Based Family Specialist, Team Leader and Supervisor.  She is currently completing an internship through Bauer as part of her Masters of Social Work degree.  Ashley has completed training for Child Sexual Abuse Youth Professional as well as for DENVER II. 

 

 

Heather Madden, MA

Heather Madden, MA, has a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from St. Joseph’s College and a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Valparaiso University.  During her time at Valparaiso University, Heather had internships working with children and in chemical dependency and addictions programs. In particular, she co-facilitated intensive outpatient groups and dual diagnosis groups in two addictions programs. Additionally, she worked on a low-ropes challenge course with elementary and middle school children, and she did individual and family counseling as well as home-based case management and supervised visitations with children and adults involved in the Department of Child Services cases. She has experience working with victims of sexual abuse, physical abuse, and with various attachment disorders, particularly children.

 

Debora Apple, MS

Deb earned her Masters of Science at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston Illinois.  She did her undergraduate work at Purdue University earning a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education.  Deb has worked in the child welfare system in Illinois as a caseworker, home based therapist, and a supervisor.  Most recently she taught in a middle school in Indiana.  She started in late November 2011 and will be a part time office based therapist working with adolescents and adults.