"I believe in the good of everyone and the hope of redemption, that we are not defined by circumstances but with the right help, support, and mentorship, we have an opportunity to change our paths and achieve positive outcomes in our lives."

Ina Sciscoe is a Supervisee in Social Work in the state of Virginia, who has over 10 years of providing therapeutic care and psychoeducation to Service Members and families in the military. She currently serves in the United States Army as a Religious Affairs NCO in addition to working towards her clinical licensing in social work. 

Ina graduated from Florida State University with a MSW in 2018. She offers a nonjudgmental, safe space that will welcome you with compassion and care.

She provides support in the areas of conflict resolution, healthy communication, domestic & sexual violence, crisis, suicide, anxiety, depression, bereavement, moral injury, coping, stress management, military transition & adjustment, LGBTQIA+, and spiritual counseling.

She practices with a holistic model that incorporates multiple approaches, such as strength-based, cognitive-behavioral, solution-focused, person-centered, and motivational interviewing.

Ina has a strong sensitivity and deep empathy for individuals, and is committed to support and empower individuals to meet target goals, improve life satisfaction, and function at their highest levels as they navigate their journey of healing, wholeness, resilience, and transformation
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Hi, I am Lauren Doroski, I earned both my Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Social Work from George Mason University, and am now working towards my license to practice as a LCSW.

I am excited to join the team at Vanguard Therapy !

I have experience working with children, adolescents, adults, and families from a variety of backgrounds. I utilize a strengths-based approach with all my clients, and tailors the specific interventions to individual clients’ needs.)

My husband and I have two children and two dogs, and on days off we like to spend time together doing family activities. I also enjoy reading, baking, and going for walks.)

“I’ve found that there is always some beauty left- in nature, sunshine, freedom, in yourself; these can all help you.”))-Anne Frank)

Elizabeth Arrowood began her professional career as a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist after receiving a B.S.in Education in 1996 from the University of Kansas. She continued her education with a Masters in Counseling in 2006 from Southwestern College in Santa Fe, NM, completing her internship in a recovery treatment center.

Elizabeth became a Certified Yoga Instructor in 2012 and finds mindfulness meditation and other mind/body healing modalities to be invaluable in her own pursuit of fulfillment and healing, as well as being complementary to her therapy practice. 

Elizabeth’s strengths include her intuition to help clients navigate their therapeutic process, as well as her clinical knowledge and skills to tailor their treatment according to their needs. She blends various approaches, such as Client-centered Therapy, Compassion-Focused Therapy, and Cognitive and Dialectical Behavioral Therapies to meet client goals. She has worked with all populations in a variety of settings including inpatient, outpatient, residential, substance abuse treatment, and crisis stabilization and has helped lead substance abuse and eating disorder groups. Elizabeth’s passion is helping her clients with a holistic approach to find their own inner wisdom to transform their lives.

Elizabeth has a playful, caring spirit and strongly believes that everyone already has what they need inside to create the positive change they desire. When she is not meeting with clients she enjoys spending time with her devoted husband and two wonderful daughters. She loves playing outdoors, dabbling in the arts, and she hopes to swim with dolphins in the wild one day.

“The Universe is not outside of you. Look inside yourself; everything that you want , you already are.”  RUMI

John Shawki is a Christian focused life coach that draws on his 17 +  years of experience as a youth and young adult minister.  John graduated with a Bachelor's in Political science from Rutgers university and went on to obtain a Master's of Science in Intelligence Analysis from Johns Hopkins University.

John has worked as a deputy sheriff where he spent seven years serving the community in many capacities to include handling many domestic cases that stemmed in homes filled with disagreements and life situations which could not be resolved without help.  For the past 12 years John has worked as an analyst responsible for tracking and identifying problems and offering solutions that take into consideration multiple parties of interest.

Through his Christian studies and ministry, and his work and personal life experiences, John is available to help guide you through life's questions and intersections that at times require a second set of eyes and a helpful mentor.  He is available to coach single men and women through life's situations and decisions. He is also available to coach couples who need some help navigating pre and post marital concerns. 

For you when you seek coaching:

Proverbs 11:14 - Where there is no counsel, the people fall; But in the multitude of counselors there is safety.

Proverbs 1:5 - A wise man will hear and increase learning, And a man of understanding will attain wise counsel,

Proverbs 15:22 - Without counsel, plans go awry, But in the multitude of counselors they are established.

 
These are John’s verses of choice when offering coaching:

Job 27:4 - My lips will not speak wickedness, Nor my tongue utter deceit.

Psalm 45:1 - My heart is overflowing with a good theme; I recite my composition concerning the King; My tongue is the pen of a ready writer.

Proverbs 15:2 - The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly, But the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness.

Proverbs 28:23 - He who rebukes a man will find more favor afterward Than he who flatters with the tongue. 

Tina Kavarligos graduated from George Mason University with a degree in psychology in 2000, and went on to obtain her Master's Degree from Argosy University before becoming a Licensed Professional Counselor. She has over 20 years of experience working in the human services field in a variety of settings, including psychiatric hospitals, day treatment programs, home-based counseling, outpatient and residential programs. 
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Tina began working with adults, adolescents and families in 1998, and has worked passionately to provide services to them since that time. She has provided services for a range of other populations as well, including people struggling with substance use problems and severe mental illness, and has had a special certification to work with people with traumatic brain injuries. Tina speaks fluent Greek as well.

Tina's Email Quote: To laugh often and much, to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children, to earn the genuine appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends, to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others, to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch...to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded! - Emerson -

Hi my name is Nancy Shaker, 

  
I am in my first year of college and I am majoring in kinesiology!

I have two siblings, a younger sister and an older brother. Helping others has been a really important value of mine and I am so excited to work in a place where I can do that !

Shaina Chandler is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Certified Trauma Provider. Shaina earned her graduate degree in Art Therapy and Counseling from The George Washington University in Washington, D.C.

Shaina focuses on a holistic, strength-based approach and has experience working with children, adolescents, and adults. Shaina utilizes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, creative expression, and solution-focused interventions when working with individuals, families, and couples.

As a Certified Clinical Trauma Provider and a Certified Child and Adolescent Trauma Provider, Shaina is able to support clients managing difficult past experiences and current grief. Shaina describes a goal of “learning what has happened to a person, and not judging what is wrong with them. My goal is to identify strengths, enhance coping skills, and work towards healing.”

Vanguard Therapy was founded by Nancy Shawki LCSW-C, and was created on the tenets of an eclectic style of therapy utilizing different treatment modalities to assist clients in reaching their optimal level of functioning. 

Nancy believes that people have the capacity to change provided they are afforded the right atmosphere. At Vanguard Therapy, treatment methods are always customized to help meet each client’s or family’s needs. Nancy uses a variety of  therapeutic modalities including eclectic, cognitive-behavioral, client-centered therapy, empathy & unconditional positive regard while providing a nurturing environment, life coaching, solution-focused, family therapy ,couples therapy, and individual therapy. Nancy has been in the field of social work & mental health for over 14 years and has broad range of experience varying from the mental health arena, children & adolescence and the school system, families & couples and individual therapy, domestic violence victims & perpetrators, case management, crisis intervention, and child protective services.

These experiences in the field of social work have provided her with a well-rounded exposure to a variety of social service settings that have prepared her to work well and adapt to any situation in the mental health and field of social work. 

"My goal as a therapist is to provide a healthy, nurturing, and professional atmosphere that allows my clients to feel supported in their journey to wellness. As a therapist, I always feel honored when clients feel comfortable to express their deepest thoughts and private life story and journeys because each one is very sacred and precious. Nancy feels being a counselor and therapist is an honor and privilege to help others heal in their journeys in life. It is a very intimate moment and dynamic in therapy when a client fully trusts me and allows me in their lives by telling me their journey and personal story. As a therapist, I’m excited to depart my clients with knowledgeable information that they can utilize as coping skills or tools to enhance their relationships and lives."

Nancy has been a guest speaker on the podcast, The Visible Man and has been working on raising awareness and advocacy for Men’s Mental Health, a population that has been over looked. She’s been a guest speaker on radio and tv addressing various mental health topics like Men’s Mental Health, Domestic Violence, and other mental health topics.

Nancy also works as a clinical director and supervisor at Vanguard Therapy helping to train future therapists of the field and has taught interns with universities like NYU, George Mason, & Divine University.

When she is away from the office she enjoys spending time with her family  creating memories. During her spare time, she enjoys reading, scrap booking, music, engaging in public speaking events about wellness and mental health, and volunteering in the community. Nancy serves as a volunteer couples group leader helping couples have enriched and happy marriages and volunteers with Give an Hour to help our veterans of the military.

Hello, my name is Naga Vallika. I graduated with a Masters in Clinical Psychology from Roosevelt University and am currently working towards my License in counseling.

I moved from India to pursue my masters and had the opportunity to experience both worlds.

I worked with clients of all ages and like to include art during my sessions. I believe we all have the power to heal with some emotional support and validation.

I am an active listener trained in CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) and have experience working with anxiety, depression, maternal mental health, emotional and cognitive health issues.

“Sometimes life feels unreal and that is when we find it hard to trust another person” those are the times you will find me to help you navigate through the hardships.

I believe in providing a non judgmental, safe place to all my clients .

I have a person centered approach that focuses on individual achievements and progression, together we can work on strategies that will allow you to heal. 

Wendy CDebaca has experienced the military life from all aspects, as a child, a member, a spouse and parent through her own children’s experiences.

She also worked for the government before beginning her journey to become a therapist. Witnessing and experiencing the toll that working and moving through many life adjustments can take, she entered this field to assist others through experiences. During her program she found that there were many other groups that she was interested in helping and seeks to aid others who are working through issues that present from all areas of life. She whole heartedly believes that with education and support, clients can be assisted in developing skills and techniques that will enable them to feel success and regain control in areas that they have sought to overcome.

While each client requires a tailored approach given their own story, Wendy’s overall arc is naturally toward humanistic, cognitive behavioral therapy and a systems approach. Clients all have strengths in which they will be able to work from and she endeavors to emphasize this in all her interactions.  She has experience working with children, adolescents, and adults. Wendy earned her M.S. in Clinical Counseling from Bellevue University in Nebraska.

“Meanings are not determined by situations. We determine ourselves by the meanings we ascribe to situations.”- Alfred Adler.

Hi my name is Kayla, 

I am a receptionist and billing specialist at Vanguard Therapy.

I am overjoyed to be able to help clients through their journey with us, and ensure I am doing everything in my power to provide guidance and assistance with a smiling face!

I plan on becoming a therapist one day, and I love knowing that even as a receptionist I could make a difference in someone’s life. 

I am very excited to be a part of the Vanguard team!

I am currently working towards my Bachelors degree in Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience at George Mason University.  I am an avid outdoorsman, I love to play guitar and I enjoy spending time with my family and friends!

Emily Stone is a Licensed Professional Counselor. 

She earned her graduate degree in Community Counseling and Bachelors in Psychology from Radford University in Radford, Virginia.  Emily focuses on a holistic, strength-based approach and has experience working with children, adolescents, and adults.  She has over 15 years of experience working in the human service field in a variety of settings including day treatment, outpatient counseling, residential, community, and home-based counseling.  She has provided support when dealing with substance abuse, grief/bereavement, life transitions, depression, anxiety, and impulse control.  Emily utilizes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, art therapy, play therapy, and solution-focused interventions when working with individuals, couples, and families. 

As a counselor Emily focuses on empowering her clients, giving them tools to move forward and strengthen their self-awareness and coping skills.  She believes in utilizing counseling as a wellness tool to realign ones goals with their thoughts and intentional living.  Life is not always how we planned and often we do not have the tools or preparation for half of what is thrown at us.  Understanding what is in our control and out of our control is key to finding balance in your life.  She provides a safe and nonjudgmental environment for her clients to process their inner most thoughts, feelings, and struggles and supports them as the leader in their own life.  Being intentional and asking yourself "does this support the life I'm trying to create?" You are worthy of every good thing in your life and stronger than you believe.

"Be enough for yourself first.  The rest of the world can wait" -Emerson T.

My name is Tiffany Donahue.

I am a Supervisee in Social Work. Throughout my social work career, I have had the opportunity to work with children, adolescents, and, both individually and in group settings. 

My experience has enabled me to work with a variety of problems, including low self-worth, anxiety, and past trauma. I am genuinely interested in the well-being of others and providing support to achieve healthier and happier lives.

As I join the Vanguard family I am looking forward to seeing you so we can explore your therapeutic journey together !  

My name is Crystal McCamley, and I am a  mother of two sons and hold an Associates Degree in Early Childhood Development. 

I formerly worked at an International Law Firm located in Washington D.C. as a Conference Services Coordinator.  I started my former occupation in 2008 and worked there approximately four and a half years. I had the privilege of booking client meetings, ordering business meals, handled billing invoices for meetings, and coordinated Information Technology Services.

I am wife to a Sergeant in the Sheriff's Department, and am proud of the work my husband does to improve the quality of life for everyone he serves. 

I am happy to join the Vanguard Therapy team, as I can see that this is a truly loving environment where growth is a natural part of working here with Nancy.