LifeLine Counseling Center

Professional Counseling from a
Christian Perspective

Serving Greater Kansas City

Our Counselors

We provide a positive atmosphere of support for those who are experiencing the "Storms of Life and the Seasons of Change."

To make an appointment with a counselor(s), use our counseling request form or call 913.764.5463.

Confidential, Faith-Based, Affordable, Quality Counseling

 


Juanita M. Bartel, MA, LPC

Experience in recovery from grief, addiction, depression, anxiety and adjustment difficulties in life’s transitions, with an emphasis on adult children of dysfunctional and alcoholic families and adult survivors of childhood abuse.

After twenty-two years in chaplaincy, I decided to act on my long-term dream of being a Pastoral Counselor. In 2001, I received my Certified Pastoral Counseling status from College of Pastoral Supervision and Psychotherapy and am currently licensed by the State of Kansas and Missouri as a Licensed Professional Counselor. I am also an active member of the American Association of Christian Counselors.


Dr. Todd Bowman, PHD - Psychology

Todd joined the Lifeline team in November of 2010 to provide testing and assessment services for our adult and adolescent clients. He specializes in objective assessment of personality and relational functioning.

Dr. Bowman is the Coordinator of the Mental Health track of the Counselor Education Program at MidAmerica Nazarene University. Prior to his time at MNU Todd served as Director of the Nazarene Student Center for 4 years at Oklahoma State University. He received his PhD in Counseling Psychology from Oklahoma State in 2008 and has been practicing professional counseling since then.

Dr. Bowman's specialized training is in work on stress management and anxiety reduction, and he has more recently begun training to specialize in individual work with sexual addictions and attachment related concerns in adults and adolescents. Todd operates from an existential perspective in his work, and readily incorporates attachment and developmental perspectives as appropriate.


Ginger E. Brown, MSW, LSCSW, RPT

Ginger is a Licensed Specialist Clinical Social Worker and a Registered Play Therapist.  She received her Master’s degree from The University of Kansas and her Play Therapy Certification from The Mid America Nazarene University.

Ginger specializes in Psychotherapy for children through the age of 13, and their families.  Issues include:  Attachment, Behavior, Divorce, Abuse/Trauma, Adjustment Disorders, Blended Families, Grief and Loss, Self-Esteem, Anxiety, Anger, Adoption, Foster Care, and Stress Management.  Ginger has been trained in Filial Therapy and in addition, uses techniques based on Theraplay principles.

Ginger has experience with diverse client populations. She is a member of The National Association of Social Workers, The Association for Play Therapy, and The International Association of Trauma Professionals.


Lyle Gibbens, MA, LCPC

Following thirty-plus years as a public educator, Lyle received his Master of Arts in Professional Counseling from Mid America Nazarene University, in 2007. As a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor and a member of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists, Lyle provides individual, couple, and family therapy. Working with adolescents, couples, and families struggling with communication skills are a few of his areas of specialty. Utilizing the PREPARE/ENRICH assessments. Lyle skillfully helps strengthen couple relationships both in marital and premarital counseling. Lyle’s preferred mode of psychotherapy is cognitive behavioral, while also incorporating family systems theory. His desire and goal is to minister to the whole person and meet client needs by combining solid counseling theory and a faith–based approach to life’s problems.


Karen Goggans, MA, LMFT, LPC

Karen is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and licensed Professional Counselor that has been in private practice since 2008 and received her Master of Arts in Counseling degree from MidAmerica Nazarene University. She provides counseling services for individuals, couples, and families and specializes in the treatment of anxiety and mood disorders, grief and loss, relationship conflict and enrichment, and life transitions.

Karen believes that the way out of our pain and conflicts is to “walk through” them and considers it an honor and privilege to journey with each client and respects that we are the experts of our own lives. In order to meet each client’s counseling goals, Karen utilizes Mindfulness techniques, principles of Attachment and Emotionally-Focused Therapy, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, and Sandtray Therapy.


Stacy Johnson, MS, LCPC, RPT

Stacy is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor and a Registered Play Therapist. She received her Master’s of Science degree in Counseling Psychology from the University of Kansas and a postmaster’s Certificate in Play Therapy from Mid-America Nazarene University. Stacy practiced as a counselor for eight years at Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas before starting her private practice here at Lifeline.

Stacy specializes in doing play therapy with children ages 2 – 12.  In addition to working with children, she also has clinical experience working with adults and doing family therapy.  Stacy has experience and will see clients (both children and adults) for the following issues:  abuse/trauma, attachment, ADHD, anxiety, depression, behavior problems, anger, grief/loss, and adjustment issues.


Carol Mullenioux, ATR-BC, LCPC, BCPCC

Carol is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor and Registered/Board-Certified Art Therapist having over 20 years of private practice experience. She is also a Board-Certified Professional Christian Counselor. Carol works with women and older female adolescents addressing most women’s issues including mood disorders, body image, trauma recovery, self-esteem and development of healthier relationships. In addition to informational approaches, non-traditional basic art use and EMDR are available options towards digesting pain and learning more workable life skills.


Debbie Nixon, MA, LCPC

Debbie is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor in Kansas. She is Graduate of Mid America Nazarene University with a Master’s Degree in Professional Counseling. She is a member in good standing of AACC (American Association if Christian Counselors), KCA (Kansas Counselors Association) and AMHCA (American Mental Health Counselors Association). She has completed training coursework and is completing the requirements for becoming a Certified Sexual Addictions Specialist.

Debbie’s counseling experience includes working with adolescents, families, individual adults, and couples. Debbie’s areas of focus for therapeutic service includes adolescent behavioral issues, parenting, separation/divorce, eating disorders, substance and sexual addiction, grief and loss, depression, anxiety, anger, shame issues, faith dilemmas, chronic pain, women’s issues, abuse/trauma, as well as marital conflict/relational (dis)connection. Debbie is certified to administer Prepare/Enrich inventories to premarital/married couples.

Debbie counsels with an attachment and family systems perspective, as well as a cognitive behavioral approach. She takes into consideration the unique needs of each client, emotionally, physically, socially, and spiritually. Debbie Strives to “hear” her client(s) well and without judgment. She hopes to stimulate each client to reach his/her highest potential, not only to resolve the hurts, but to discover new meaning and purpose in life.

Find out more at www.debbienixonlcpc.com


Roxanne Quinn, MS, LCPC, Play Therapist

Roxanne is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor and Registered Play Therapist. She earned a Master’s of Science degree in counseling psychology from the University of Kansas and a certificate in play therapy from Mid America Nazarene University. She works with children, adolescents, and families. Special interests include attachment, anxiety, abuse, grief, trauma, divorce and behavioral issues. She also is trained in performing filial therapy with parents looking to relate better to their children and is a Love and Logic facilitator. Presentation on one of the following topics or presentation for MOPS groups: “Introduction to Love and Logic”;“The Importance of Play and Value of Play Therapy”; “How to Handle Anger Issues in Children”; “Introduction to 1-2-3 Magic.”


Kate Smith

Kate Smith, MS, LMFT

Kate is a Licensed Clinical Marriage and Family Therapist.  She graduated from Friends University with a Master of Science degree in Marriage and Family Therapy.  She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Mid America Nazarene University where she majored in Psychology.  Prior to obtaining her Master’s degree Kate was certified in the state of Kansas as an addictions counselor working in inpatient as well as outpatient settings providing group and individual therapy to clients and their families. 

Kate’s approach to therapy is emotion focused which enables her to connect with individuals, couples and families to explore the concerns that bring them to therapy.  Whether those concerns are anxiety, depression, grief, domestic violence, or addictions Kate is a skilled and patient therapist who will be present throughout the therapeutic journey.  Kate operates with the belief that therapy is a relational experience and offers her clients an environment of honesty, acceptance, and encouragement as healing and growth emerge. 


Denise Weller, MSW, LSCSW

Denise is a Licensed Specialist Clinical Social Worker (KS), Licensed Clinical Social Worker (MO and IL), Registered Play Therapist Supervisor and a Clinical Supervisor in Social Work. She specializes in using play therapy in clinical practice with children and their families. As part of her clinical work, she provides outpatient psychotherapy to children who have been impacted by abuse, trauma, grief, loss, adoption, attachment, anxiety, sexual abuse or difficulty managing anger.

Denise is a graduate of Moody Bible Institute and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Education with an emphasis in Counseling. She holds a Masters Degree in Social Work from The University of Illinois @ Chicago, Jane Addams College of Social Work and a Post Graduate Certificate in Play Therapy from MidAmerica Nazarene University. Denise is a member of the National Association of Social Workers, North American Association of Christians in Social Work and the Association of Play Therapy. Denise has worked as a therapist with children and families for nearly ten years in hospitals, outpatient mental health agencies, domestic/international adoption agencies and private practice.


Marcie Wheatley, MA, LCMFT

Marcie holds a Master’s in Counseling degree from Mid America Nazarene University, in Olathe KS. She is a Licensed Clinical Marriage and Family Therapist in the state of Kansas, and is a member of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapists. Her therapeutic approach includes looking at the family system and determining solutions based on the client’s strengths.

Her clinical experience includes working with adults, adolescents, families, and couples. Special areas of skill include those struggling with communication, anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, separation/divorce and parenting issues. She has the ability to help strengthen couple relationships in both marital and premarital counseling where she uses the PREPARE/ENRICH assessments, as well as her training in marital therapy techniques from the Gottman Institute.


Christian Family Services Inc.

An affiliation of Lifeline Counseling Center –A Licensed Counseling and Adoption Agency - to see a licenced Therapist at our CFS location in Overland Park - Click Here.