Meet Our Counselors

Bala, Vilasini, MS, LCPC is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor with a Master’s Degree in Pastoral Counseling from Loyola College, Maryland.  She employs mindfulness techniques to treat anxiety disorders and teach stress and anger management.  She has advanced training in family therapy, working with oppositional children and sexual abuse. She has also trained in premarital counseling and couples counseling.  Vilasini has a rich background in multicultural issues, particularly South Asian.  In addition, she conducts seminars on stress management and parenting skills.

Berger, Fran, MSW, LCSW-C is a Certified Clinical Social Worker with a Master’s Degree from the University of Maryland.  Fran works with couples and individuals, specializing in relationship issues, parenting concerns, separation and divorce, self esteem and loneliness.  In addition, she leads groups in assertiveness, building self esteem, and separation and divorce adjustment.

Campenni, Jean, MS, LCPC is a licensed professional counselor in Maryland and has worked in the field for over twenty years. She has an undergraduate degree in education and a graduate degree in pastoral counseling from Loyola, Baltimore. She recently completed additional graduate certificates in counseling and spiritual direction. She works with adults and couples for marital issues, depression, anxiety, job stress, and life adjustments.  Jean also has extensive education and experience in drug and alcohol counseling through  the FAA, Rutgers, and Suburban Hospital. Jean has worked as an EAP counselor in the workplace to make referrals for treatment and for post-rehab counseling for relapse prevention and ongoing recovery. She believes that addictions of all kinds, such as food, sex, the internet, for a few, abounds in our world today and treatment in a holistic manner can save lives and marriages.

Dejanikus, Tacie, MSW, LCSW-C received her Master’s in Social Work from Howard University and also holds a Master’s in Woman’s Studies from George Washington University.  She employs an eclectic approach in her work with adults and families, including the use of cognitive behavioral therapy.  Her specialties are chronic mental illness, the coming-out process and recovery from substance abuse and dependency.

Epstein, Sandra F., MSW, LCSW-C is a Clinical Social Worker with a Master of Science in Social Work form Simmons College School of Social Work, draws on more than twenty-five years experience in pediatric specialty programs at Children’s National Medical Center.  At ACCI since 1995, she specializes in treatment of children from pre-school age to young adolescence, and their families.  She is a highly qualified source of help for coping with the effects of chronic disease, complex medical illness and childhood disabilities, parent-child relationships, developmental and behavioral issues, learning difficulties, transitional stresses, and separation and loss. Sandy is available for consultation and individual child and family therapy.

Garcia Golding, Patricia, MSW, LCSW-C holds a Master's Degree from Catholic University. In addition, she has completed the Advanced Psychotherapy Training Program and The Group Institute Training Program from the Washington School of Psychiatry.  Patricia is bilingual and bicultural in Spanish. She has extensive experience working with adults, older adolescents and couples around issues such as depression, anxiety, eating disorders, relationships and life transitions. 

Lyles, Raynette, LGPC, Masters of Science in Pastoral Counseling from Loyola College. She has experience working with adults, adolescents and children with depression, anxiety, anger management, low self esteem, adjustment to challenges associated with various life changes such as divorce and loss of employment and other personal concerns. She is also experienced with supporting clients challenged with spiritual issues and concerns.  

Janice Herold, LCPC, is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor and National Certified Counselor with over twenty five years experience working with a diverse, and multicultural clientele in short-term counseling as well as long term psychotherapy. She works with individual adults and with couples. Prior to entering private practice she was the Clinical Supervisor at the Montgomery County Commission for Women Counseling and Career Center where she counseled men as well as women. Janice specializes in working with adults who are going through transition and change.  She has an expertise in solution focused, goal oriented counseling and therapy. Other specialties include integrative career counseling and clinical supervision. She is also qualified to administer and interpret the Myers Briggs Type Indicator. Janice dynamically and empathically works with you to help you accomplish your goals.

Kimes, Dan, MSW, LGSW, is a Licensed Graduate Social Worker with a Masters Degree from University of Maryland.  He has experience working with adults who have depression, anxiety, loss or grief, trauma, and anger issues.  Dan has training in Emotionally Focused Therapy for Couples, which helps couples to become more emotionally connected and increase their sense of trust and joy.
 
McHarry, Laney, MDIV, MSW, LCSW-C received her Master’s of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary and her MSW from Columbia University.  In addition, she is a graduate of the Institute of Contemporary Psychotherapy, a psychotherapy training program.  Her areas of specialization are in lesbian and gay relationships, HIV/AIDS, depression and anxiety concerns, and coping with changes at the end of life.

Meller, Ilana, PsyD (Doctor in Psychology) from the Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology, Senior analytic candidate at the Washington Institute for Psychoanalysis. Assistant Professor at Catholic University in Chile. Works with older adolescents and adults, specializes in long term psychoanalytic psychotherapy, for life transitions, anxiety, depression and relationship problems. Speaks Spanish and English.

Metz, Elinor, MA LCPC holds a Master’s Degree in Counseling from Catholic University.  Her areas of specialization are adults and adolescents in individual, group and couples counseling.  These areas include communication, conflict resolution, mediation, crisis intervention, anger management, life transitions, grief counseling, pain management, habit control, stress management, anxiety disorders, career planning, and alcohol and substance abuse screening.  In addition, Elinor has had specialized training in brief solution focused therapy, hypnotherapy, couples counseling, crisis intervention/trauma, grief counseling, alcohol and substance abuse screening and negotiation and conflict resolution.

Mittler, Jennifer, MSW, LCSW-C is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who received her master's degree in Social Work from New York University.  In the past, she worked in therapeutic schools providing individual and group therapy to children with emotional difficulties.  For more than ten years, she has served as a counselor at ACCI providing individual therapy to individuals with relationship issues, anxiety and depression.  She has a special interest in working with adolescents.

Owens, Ellery Allen, MSW, LCSW-C holds a Master’s Degree from Tulane University and serves as the Clinical Director of ACCI. Ellery spent much of her professional life abroad and has special interest in cross-cultural adjustment. Other areas of specialization are depression, anxiety, domestic violence, loss and grief.  She works with children, adolescents and adults as well as couples.  She has studied widely throughout the United States as well as abroad.

Rahn, Charles W., MSW, LCSW-C, and Ph.D. is a Licensed Certified Clinical Social Worker with a Master’s Degree from The Catholic University of America.  Dr. Rahn has a Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology from the University of Maryland.  In addition, he completed The Dynamics of Psychotherapy Training Program at The Washington School of Psychiatry.  Dr. Rahn lived in Europe and West Africa for 10 years studying language and cultural diversity.  He works with adults on issues of anxiety, depression, learning disorders, self-esteem, loss and grief, and life-style changes.  He has particular interest in working with individuals from other cultures helping them with adjustment and assimilation issues.  He is fluent in German and French.

Sassoon, Rachel EdM, LGPC received her Master’s degree in Risk and Prevention and Certificate in Adjustment Counseling from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.  She works with children from a psychodynamic orientation and utilizes play therapy. She has experience working with children around issues such as developmental delays, behavioral and adjustment concerns, depression, grief and loss, and separation and divorce.  In the past she has also taught in early childhood centers and therapeutic nurseries.  She is currently in the Infant and Young Child Observation Program at the Washington School of Psychiatry.  Rachel is available for work with children and families.

Stevens, Jane P., MS, LGPC holds a Master’s degree in Pastoral Counseling from Loyola University, MD. She has experience working with adults, adolescents and couples dealing with trauma, depression, anxiety, anger management and relationship issues.