Season, PsyD
CCS Clinical Supervisor, Service Director
Hello! I’m Season (she/hers), and I’m the CCS Clinical Supervisor and Service Director here at Briarpatch Youth Services, Inc. I graduated with my BA in Psychology and Minor in Theatre from the University of Southern Maine near where I grew up in 2001. I then moved to Chicago to become a psychologist. There, I worked in a culturally specific social services agency, a women’s residential substance abuse treatment center, and several college counseling centers. I earned my doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the Illinois School of Professional Psychology. Chicago Campus in 2008. I moved to Madison and worked at Journey Mental Health Center, Inc. for 16.5 years. At this nonprofit, I began by working in the Ujima program serving Black families and supervising interns and staff in this program. In 2011, Journey established an internship clinic and my role changed to supervising diverse interns and staff seeking licensure in multiple programs. I specialized in working with culturally diverse children, adolescents and adults who have experienced trauma and substance abuse and supervising interns and staff who do as well. I’m thrilled to have landed at Briarpatch to provide clinical supervision for the fabulous team in CCS who are providing trauma informed, client centered and strength-based services to children, adolescents and young adults.
In addition to this part-time work, I’m also a mom to 3 girls, a dog named Walnut and a wife. I absolutely love spending time with my family walking in nature, going to festivals, theater, swimming and traveling together. I’m a big fan of music, sushi, thrifting, and love my water aerobics community! I’m excited to support our CCS team in their work with you!
Sami, MSW
CCS Program Manager
Service Facilitation, Individual Skills Development, Psychoeducation
Hi! I’m Sami (she/hers), and I’m the CCS Program Manager at Briarpatch! I earned my BA in Sustainability Studies from the University of Florida in 2015 and a Master of Social Work from UW-Madison in 2019. I worked for 5 years as a School Social Worker at an MMSD elementary school and joined the Briarpatch team after working with the Building Bridges program in the Monona Grove School District. I have experience working with youth and young people ages 4-24 to develop skills in a variety of areas including anxiety, depression, ADHD, trauma, family dynamics, school systems, and more. I especially enjoy working with young adolescents and doing deep identity work, particularly with queer youth. CCS Participants and their families can expect me to have a strengths-based, client-centered approach and be a fierce advocate for them.
I’m also an aunt to 6 niblings and a dog mom to Mako, a boxer/pit bull mix. I love dogs, sushi, thrifting, kayaking, and ice cream. I’m looking forward to working with you!
Emily
CCS Advocate
Service Facilitation, Psychoeducation
Hey! My name is Emily (she/hers), and I work here at Briarpatch Youth Services as one of the CCS Youth Advocates! I am so excited to get to work with youth and their families in helping them get the resources they need to reach their goals! I am extremely passionate about helping youth in their mental health recovery, for I know just how profound of an impact it can have when a child is consistently seen, heard, and supported. As a youth advocate, I will always emphasize the importance of providing such unwavering support in a way that is client-centered, strength-based, culturally responsive, and trauma informed.
I have a special interest in working with queer youth, as well as supporting youth navigate specific mental health challenges like generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety, eating disorders, and attachment issues. When interacting with youth, I prioritize creating a safe, open, and nonjudgemental space for them to gain confidence being their authentic selves. I enjoy merging this approach with my knowledge of various therapeutic modalities (like CBT, DBT, and mindfulness) when creating coping skills and providing psychoeducation for youth and families.
Outside of work, some of my favorite things include movies—I double majored in psychology and film studies, so film remains a huge passion of mine —thrifting, snowy weather, baking, and cats! I look forward to getting the chance to work with you!
Nikky
Bilingual CCS Advocate
Service Facilitation, Psychoeducation, Individual Skills Development
Hello, my name is Nikky (she/ella), and I am a Bilingual CCS Youth Advocate at Briarpatch Youth Services. I have over eight years of experience working with young people and families, offering support through school, life transitions, and challenges related to mental health. I speak both English and Spanish, and I make it a priority to ensure families feel comfortable and supported in the language that works best for them.
I am passionate about helping youth build confidence, develop coping skills, and feel heard and understood. My goal is to create a safe, supportive space where your child can grow, explore their strengths and learn tools that will help them now and in the future. I truly value working alongside families, because I believe that when we work together, youth can thrive! Outside of work, I have a love for baseball (I’m a big Dodgers fan!), I like the color blue and staying active through exercise. Music has always been a big part of my life, and I enjoy sharing these passions with others and connecting through fun and creativity!
___
Hola, me llamo Nikky y soy una Advocativa de CCS en Briarpatch Youth Services. Tengo más de ocho años de experiencia trabajando con jóvenes y familias, ofreciendo apoyo en la escuela, en las transiciones de la vida y en los desafíos relacionados con la salud mental. Hablo inglés y español, y mi prioridad es asegurar que las familias se sientan cómodas y apoyadas en el idioma que mejor les funcione.
Me apasiona ayudar a los jóvenes a desarrollar confianza, habilidades de afrontamiento y a sentirse escuchados y comprendidos. Mi objetivo es crear un espacio seguro y de apoyo donde su hijo/a pueda crecer, explorar sus fortalezas y aprender herramientas que le ayudarán ahora y en el futuro. Valoro mucho trabajar con las familias, porque creo que cuando trabajamos juntos, ¡los jóvenes pueden prosperar! Fuera del trabajo, me apasiona el béisbol (¡soy un gran fan de los Dodgers!), me gusta el color azul y mantenerme activa haciendo ejercicio. La música siempre ha sido una parte importante de mi vida, y disfruto compartir estas pasiones con los demás y conectarme a través de la diversión y la creatividad.
Becca
CCS Clinical Intern
Psychoeducation, Psychotherapy
Hello! My name is Becca (she/her), and I am one of the CCS therapy interns here at Briarpatch Youth Services. I am currently completing my Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Mount Mary University, and I am excited to continue growing my clinical knowledge, gaining experience, and further developing my ability to support youth, young adults, and families through meaningful and affirming care.
As a therapy intern, I hope to create a safe, supportive, and nonjudgmental space where young people feel respected and accepted as they are. My approach is strengths-based and trauma-informed, grounded in curiosity, collaboration, and compassion. I prioritize building trust and strong relationships so individuals can explore their experiences openly and authentically.
I am especially interested in mindfulness and somatic-based practices, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Internal Family Systems (IFS), and helping clients better understand the connection between their emotions, thoughts, relationships, identities, and bodies. I value supporting youth as they navigate life transitions, process trauma, build emotional awareness, strengthen coping skills, and grow into a stronger sense of self and belonging. I also have interests in working with queer youth, individuals experiencing body image or eating concerns, anxiety, ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, and family or relational challenges. I value supporting clients in identity exploration, self-acceptance, and healing their relationship with themselves and others while fostering resilience, healing, and long-term growth.
Outside of Briarpatch and graduate school, I love spending time outdoors, listening to music, doing arts and crafts, trying new places to eat, reading, and spending quality time with my pets and the important people in my life. I am grateful to be joining the Briarpatch CCS team this year and I am honored to work alongside youth and families within the community!
Peter
CCS Clinical Intern
Psychoeducation, Psychotherapy
Hello! I am Peter (he/him), a CCS Psychotherapist Intern here at Briarpatch Youth Services. I support adolescents and young adults ages 12–24 through individual and family psychotherapy, psychoeducation, and team-based care within the CCS program. I am pursuing a Master of Science in Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling (CRC) at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where I focus on helping young people build emotional wellness, confidence, independence, and meaningful life goals, including those related to vocational rehabilitation.
My approach is warm, collaborative, culturally responsive, and strengths-based. I create a safe and respectful space where youth feel heard, valued, supported, and empowered, drawing on over 10 years of teaching experience and approaches such as Person-Centered Therapy, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), and Solution-Focused Therapy. I am especially interested in helping young people and families navigate anxiety, stress, school challenges, family and relationship concerns, identity development, employment readiness, life transitions, and personal growth.
Through CCS, I look forward to partnering with youth, families, and care teams to support resource connection, coping skills, self-advocacy, healthier relationships, and long-term growth. Outside of work, I enjoy traveling, writing, music, soccer, theatre, mentoring, community engagement, learning from others, and spending time with family.
