Our region is comprised of four key service areas which include: the Winston-Salem area, Mount Airy area, and Kernersville area. To see the centers within each of our service areas, select ‘locations’ on the menu to the right or scroll to the bottom of the page.
We are a compassionate, spiritually-integrated and community-based care organization affiliated with Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist. As one of six regions in the CareNet Counseling family, we are committed to improving the mental health of our region and the counties we serve.
We are supported in our mission by highly-engaged boards in each of our three key service areas above, made up of religious, business and professional leaders with one driving goal – making sure everyone has access to our counseling services and educational programs regardless of their ability to pay.
Our Team
WINSTON-SALEM TEAM
Mary Anne Helm, LCMHCS, LCAS, CCS
Regional Manager
Michael Branton, LCMHCA
Michael Branton is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor Associate who joined CareNet in 2024 as a clinical resident. He holds a Master of Arts in Counseling and a Master of Divinity degree at Wake Forest University. Michael brings experience working with both adults and adolescents. His clinical interest include anxiety, depression, life-transitions, grief, stress management, self-esteem, substance use, and exploring meaning and purpose. He utilizes solution-focused techniques grounded in an existential framework to help clients achieve their personal and therapeutic goals. Michael is committed to providing trauma-informed, culturally competent care.
Michael A. Ferguson, LMFT
Michael A. Ferguson is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. He graduated in 2020 from Webster University with a MA in counseling with an emphasis in couple, marriage, and family counseling. He has additional training and certifications in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Emotionally Focused Individual Therapy (EFIT), and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). Michael also graduated in 2002 from Truett Seminary with a MDIV. He is a retired Army chaplain and is willing to integrate spirituality in therapy. He has experience working with adolescents, adults, and families. His clinical interests include complex trauma, family conflict, anxiety, depression, grief and loss.
Morgan Brame Goforth, MA, LCMHC
Morgan Goforth is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor who joined CareNet Counseling as a clinical resident in 2016. She earned a Master of Arts in mental health counseling and a Bachelor of Science in psychology from Campbell University. Morgan completed a two-year residency program and a one-year fellowship program in Spiritually Integrated Psychotherapy through CareNet and Wake Forest Baptist Health. She provides counseling to adolescents, adults, couples and families in individual and group settings. Morgan’s clinical interests include anxiety, depression, mood disorders, family conflict, identity and self-esteem issues, spirituality, stress management, life transitions and marital counseling. Morgan is also trained to treat trauma with EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapy.
Kirby Hastings, LCMHC
Kirby Hastings (she/her) is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor Associate who joined CareNet as a clinical resident in 2024. She graduated from Wake Forest University with a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling in 2024. Kirby has experience working with children five and up, adolescents, young adult/college students, adults, couples, and families. Her clinical interests include grief and loss (including anticipatory, complicated, disenfranchised, traumatic), anxiety, depression, family conflict, relationship issues, self-esteem, stress, and trauma. Kirby’s theoretical orientation includes a client-centered and trauma-informed approach, along with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and arts-based therapies. She views the therapeutic experience as an opportunity to address the human experience in a holistic sense, considering the mind, body, and spirit.
Shaquona Hocutt, LCSWA
Shaquona Hocutt is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker Associate and Certified Health Education Specialist. She graduated from UNC-Greensboro and NC A&T State University joint program with a Masters of Social Work. She has experience using Cognitive Behavorial Therapy (CBT), Person- Center Therapy, and mindfulness. Shaquona has experience working with children and adolescents developing appropriate strategies to foster emotional regulation, social skills, and positive self-esteem. Her clinical interests include anxiety, depression, ADHD, and grief and loss.
Claire Morison, LCMHCA, MT-BC
Claire Morison is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor Associate who joined CareNet in 2023 as a clinical resident. She earned a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and a Master of Music Therapy from Appalachian State University, and is additionally a Board-Certified Music Therapist. Claire has worked as a music therapist to address needs related to grief, persistent mental illness, developmental disabilities, autism spectrum disorder, and neurologic conditions such as stroke, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s, and dementia. Claire’s counseling experience includes addressing needs related to depression, anxiety, trauma, grief, and stress for individuals of all ages. Claire is committed to a culturally responsive approach to counseling, and bases her theoretical orientation in client-centered, trauma-informed, and expressive arts practices.
Elizabeth Sandoval, MS, LCMHCA
Elizabeth Sandoval is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counseling Associate who recently joined Carenet in 2024. She graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2020 with a BA in psychology and graduated from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro with a MS in mental health counseling in 2023. Elizabeth offers marital, premarital, family, and individual counseling. She has experience with Emotionally Focused Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, as well as Existential Therapy. Some of her clinical interests include building trust in relationships, generational trauma, post traumatic stress, recovery from domestic abuse, women’s issues, immigration trauma, grief, and end of life care. She is bilingual and offers therapy in both English and Spanish.
Elizabeth Sandoval es una Asociada de Consejería Clínica de Salud Mental con Licencia que recientemente se unió a Carenet en 2024. Se graduó de la Universidad de Carolina del Norte en Chapel Hill en 2020 con una licenciatura en psicología y se graduó de la Universidad de Carolina del Norte en Greensboro con una maestría en consejería de salud mental en 2023. Elizabeth ofrece asesoramiento matrimonial, pre matrimonial, familiar e individual. Tiene experiencia en Terapia Centrada en las Emociones, Terapia Dialéctico Conductual, Terapia Cognitivo Conductual, así como Terapia Existencial. Algunos de sus intereses clínicos incluyen generar confianza en las relaciones, trauma generacional, estrés postraumático, recuperación del abuso doméstico, problemas de la mujer, trauma de inmigración, duelo y atención al final de la vida.
Ella es bilingüe y ofrece terapia tanto en inglés como en español.
Wiley Smith, LCMHCA
Wiley Smith (he/him) is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor Associate. He joined CareNet in 2022 as a clinical resident after completing Master’s programs in music therapy and counseling at Appalachian State University. He is also a Board Certified Music Therapist and has been practicing music therapy since completing training in 2015 at Cleveland State University. Wiley’s music therapy clinical experience includes working with patients in medical and hospice settings, children with severe emotional and behavioral disorders, and children and adults with disabilities. Wiley’s counseling work incorporates music therapy and other arts-based approaches to address a variety of clinical needs including grief/loss, depression, anxiety, stress, trauma, persistent mental illness, addictions, and life transitions. His theoretical orientation is grounded in a client-centered philosophy but also draws on cognitive-behavioral and Gestalt approaches.
Stacey Steck, MDiv, LMFT
Stacey Steck is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist as well as being a Presbyterian pastor. Stacey holds an MA from Pfeiffer University and has served churches in Salisbury, NC, San José, Costa Rica and Saint Cloud, MN. He is a 1996 graduate of Pittsburgh Theological Seminary (M.Div) and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from The American University in Washington, D.C. (1990). Incorporating insights from the field of family therapy into his pastoral work, Stacey has published a book for couples contemplating marriage called From Newlywed to Foreverwed.
Stacey takes a pragmatic but compassionate approach to helping individuals, couples, families, and adolescents. Whether the need is to solve a specific problem or grow in knowledge of self and faith, Stacey brings more than twenty years of pastoral experience, as well as a broad understanding of how families function. For Stacey, hope, grace, and love are not simply words in the vocabulary of faith, but an essential part of the experience of therapy.
Stacey offers therapy in English and/or Spanish.
Stacey Steck es un Terapeuta con licencia de Pareja y Familia además de ser un pastor presbiteriano. Stacey recibió su maestría de artes del Pfeiffer University y has servido iglesias en Salisbury, NC, San José, Costa Rica, y Saint Cloud de Minnesota. Se graduó en 1996 del Seminario Teológico de Pittsburgh con una Maestría en Divinidad y de The American University de Washington, D.C. en 1990 con una Licenciatura en Comunicaciones. Integrando las enseñanzas de la terapia familiar con su formación teológica, Stacey ha publicado un libro para parejas que se van a casar, que se titula De la Luna de Miel hasta el Matrimonio Eterno.
Stacey utiliza un planteamiento pragmático pero compasivo para ayudar a los individuos, las parejas, las familias y los adolescentes. Si la necesidad es resolver problemas específicos o simplemente crecer en autoconocimiento o de la fe, Stacey trae más que 20 años de experiencia pastoral y sabiduría sobre cómo funcionan las familias. Para Stacey, la esperanza, la gracia, y el amor no son simplemente palabras en el vocabulario de la fe, sino una parte esencial de la experiencia terapéutica.
Stacey ofrece la terapia en inglés y/o en español.
Lori Michelle Tirado, PhD
Dr. Lori Michelle Tirado is a licensed psychologist who earned her doctorate degree from Palo Alto University in Palo Alto, CA, in 2005. Dr. Tirado has specialized training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Psychodynamic modalities. She possesses extensive experience in treating anxiety, bipolar disorder, depression, grief, trauma, and age-related transitions. Her therapeutic approach is client-centered, aiming to empower clients by leveraging their positive traits and self-awareness strategies to help them identify and implement their own solutions. Dr. Tirado is also experienced in working with children and adolescents, including those within the school system and students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). Additionally, she has conducted parenting classes, focusing on enhancing family communication, conflict management, and overall growth support.
Ron Wachs, LCMHCS
Ron Wachs is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor Supervisor. He is an ordained United Methodist minister with over 15 years of service in parish ministry. After completing his clinical training in 1992, he worked as a part-time therapist at Baptist Hospital until becoming full-time in 2001. Having previously earned an M.A. from Wake Forest University and a Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, he taught History at Atlantic Christian College, now Barton, from 1968 to 1983. His areas of clinical interest include depression, grief and loss, life stage transitions, issues of aging and Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR).
Eshaa Ahmed, CIT
Eshaa Ahmed (Pronounced Ee-sha Em-med) is a Counselor in Training (CIT), studying for her master’s degree at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Eshaa joined CareNet Counseling as a Counseling Intern in August of 2024. Her clinical interests lie in advocating for the community, bridging the mental healthcare gap especially for minorities, and understanding more about the relationship between Trauma and Depression. Modalities used are often Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) as well as a focus in Person-Centered Therapy (PCT). She often works with clients from all walks of life, and treats concerns such as depression, anxiety, life management & transition, relationship issues, stress management, self-esteem & self-worth, and finding purpose in this life. She also practices with individuals, couples, and groups. She likes to use methods that empower and enlighten her clients whilst giving them the opportunity to practice autonomy and make their own informed decisions. Eshaa believes that counseling is an integral tool for an individual that can aid in them gaining control over their life and emotions.
Kevin Harrison
Kevin Harrison is a Counseling Intern who joined in May 2024. He is currently pursuing a Master of Counseling Psychology in Marriage and Family Therapy from Montreat College. Kevin’s prior education and work experience was within the field of rehabilitative health, working as an exercise physiologist within cardiac rehabilitation, before moving into sleep medicine and gaining BPRT board certification in clinical sleep health. This experience provides him with a holistic perspective on the interplay between physical and mental health.
During his internship, Kevin is working as a generalist, with a desire to work with families, couples, children, and adolescents. He also has a strong interest in behavioral sleep medicine. Kevin employs a variety of interventions, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Solution-Focused approaches, and the Gottman Method. Dedicated to providing professional, compassionate care, Kevin is committed to helping his clients improve their relationships, health, and overall quality of life.
MOUNT AIRY – BLUE RIDGE CARENET COUNSELING TEAM
David Sylvester, MA, LCMHC
David Sylvester is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor who joined CareNet in 2010. Prior to that he was a CareNet clinical resident from 1999 until 2002 and President of Counseling Solutions, Inc. in Wilmington, N.C. from 2002 until 2010. He earned his Master of Arts in marriage and family therapy and counseling from Reformed Theological Seminary in 1999 and his Bachelor of Arts in social work and criminal justice from University of North Carolina at Winston-Salem in 1978. David has previous career experience as a crisis intervention specialist, outdoor adventure counseling trainer and school student services director. He is certified in Prepare/Enrich for premarital and marital enrichment and DISC personality profiles. His approach emphasizes the interconnectedness of spiritual, psychological and relational health. He works with couples, families and individuals (middle school age and older), with a variety of issues including: premarital, marital, parenting, intimacy, depression, anxiety, trauma, spirituality, sexual compulsions, ADHD, and school and workplace issues.
KERNERSVILLE TEAM
Richard Horn, DMin, LMFT
Dr. Richard Horn is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and is certified by the American Association of Pastoral Counselors at the Fellow Level. He works with individuals, couples and families. An ordained minister with the United Church of Christ, Dr. Horn received his D.Min. in psychology and clinical studies from Andover Newton Theological School in Massachusetts. Previously, he was director of the Samaritan Counseling Center of South Florida in Ft. Lauderdale and the Executive Director of the Samaritan Center of North Central Florida in Gainesville.
Carleton Irving, MA, LCMHC
Carleton Irving is a counselor with over 10 years of experience with parenting, teens, children and families. He enjoys helping others with spiritual matters, depression, anxiety, and identity concerns. Trained in CBT and Internal Family Systems, he has also completed a full residency in the integration of psychotherapy and spirituality. As a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor, Carleton also works with individual adults, trauma, athletes, men’s issues and marriages. He earned a Bachelor of Arts from Guilford College in 2000 and later gained a Master of Arts in professional counseling from Liberty University in 2010.
Locations (Winston-Salem Area)
Winston-Salem
403 South Hawthorne Road
Winston-Salem, NC 27103
Phone: 336-716-0800
Fax: 336-716-0822
Other locations in the area where clients are seen by appointment:
Wake Forest Lexington Medical Center
250 Hospital Dr
Lexington, NC 27292
Wake Forest Baptist Clemmons Pediatrics
2311 Lewisville Clemmons Rd
Clemmons, NC 27012
Locations (Mount Airy Area)
Blue Ridge CareNet Counseling Center
To schedule a first appointment, please call 336.716.0800
131 W. Lebanon St.
Suite C&E
Mt. Airy, NC 27030
Phone: 336.786.1922
Fax: 336.786.1923
Locations (Kernersville Area)
Main Street United Methodist Church
To schedule a first appointment, please call 336.716.0800
306 South Main Street
Kernersville, NC 27284
Phone: 336.716.0855
Fax: 336.716.0822
New Client Forms
New Client Forms – ONLINE
(Click on the form name to complete and submit online)
Donate
At CareNet we know everyone should be able to get the mental health care they need that’s why we’re inviting you to support our mission and help make it happen.
Remember, it’s because of donations from organizations, service clubs, corporations, foundations and individuals like you, that we’re able to provide these critical counseling services for the communities we serve here in the Piedmont Triad Region.
Please join us by giving the gift of mental health and help us help the children, teens and adults who need us most. Every gift makes a difference.
ONLINE GIVING
GIVING BY MAIL
Please mail your donation to the appropriate address below with your check made payable to CareNet Counseling:
CareNet Counseling Center
403 South Hawthorne Road
Winston-Salem, NC 27103
Blue Ridge CareNet Counseling
P.O. Box 6525
Mount Airy, NC 27030
CareNet Counseling of Kernersville
306 S. Main Street
Kernersville, NC 27284
VOLUNTEER – An Invitation to Give Your Time & Talent
We always need volunteers to serve on our volunteer board of directors and committees. If you are interested in volunteering please contact Mary Helm at mhelm@wakehealth.edu or 336-716-0800.
Our Administrative Staff
Brenda Thiel
Associate Administrative Coordinator
LaToya Johnson
Billing Specialist
Kathleen Young
Billing Specialist
Our Boards
Winston-Salem Area Board
Michelle Shanks – President
Genevra Kelly – Vice President
Scott Walker – Treasurer
Ellen Kesler – Secretary
Katherine Atala
Michelle Gross
Robert Leak III
Chip Mims
Kris Ryan
Melvin Scales
Stan Scott
Mount Airy Area Board
Dr. Dawn Hawks – President
Heather Elliott – Secretary
Rev. Kennette Thomas – Treasurer
Abigail Linville
Rev. Santiago Reales
Jane Rountree
Kernersville Area Board
Pieter Van Iderstine – President
Diana Phillips – Vice President
Tina Crew – Treasurer
Susan Furmage – Secretary
Tammy Caudill
Carol Faltynski-Privette
Betsey Dagenhart
Terry Griffin
Rev. Phil Kuntz
Richard Phillips
If you or a loved one are struggling with thoughts of suicide or experiencing emotional distress, contact the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Call or text 988 (24/7, free and confidential, English or Spanish).
It is the policy of CareNet Counseling, Inc. to administer all educational and employment activities without discrimination because of race, sex, age, religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation or veteran status (except where sex is a bona fide occupational qualification or a statutory requirement) and in accordance with all local, state, national laws, executive orders, regulations and guidelines.
