Songbird Counseling - Mental Health Care Huntsville

Hello, and welcome! I’m Ethan, and my mission is to provide a safe and secure haven for anyone struggling with depression, anxiety, addictions, or challenges in their life and relationships. With a Person-Centered Therapy approach, I offer professional counseling through genuine, therapeutic care. Together, we will explore the story of your life, unlocking the key to your future by understanding the broken pieces of your past. As we discover how your deepest hopes and disappointments have brought you here,my promise is to promote new healing and growth by coming alongside you as a voice of kindness and hope throughout your journey.

I hold a Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Liberty University and a Bachelor’s of Science in Business Administration from Thomas Edison State University. My counseling techniques are informed by various therapeutic approaches, including Internal Family Systems, Narrative Therapy, and Motivational Interviewing. I work as an Associate Licensed Counselor under the supervision of Robert Thomas, MA, LMFT-S, LPC-S, and I am a certified SYMBIS (Save Your Marriage Before It Starts) Pre-Marital Assessment Facilitator. In my spare time, I love rock climbing, learning complex board games, teaching contra dance, playing guitar and piano, and designing escape rooms and other puzzle-based adventures.

Hello, I’m Lauren! My desire is to promote freedom, healing, and flourishing for every individual through compassionate and collaborative counseling care. I strive to meet each client with empathy, evidence-based strategies, and openness to their unique story, tailoring the counseling process to their individual needs, values, beliefs, and goals.

I work with clients navigating anxiety, depression, trauma, stress, relationship with food, eating disorders, disordered eating, body image, relationship challenges, spiritual concerns, life transitions, sexual addiction, betrayal trauma, and other issues. I integrate several therapeutic approaches, including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Internal Family Systems (IFS), and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). I am also aligned with the framework of Health at Every Size (HAES).

I hold a Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Liberty University and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Judson College. I am a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor (CIES) and a Certified SYMBIS (Save Your Marriage Before It Starts) Pre-Marital Assessment Facilitator. I am an ALC working under the supervision of Aaron Shaffer, MA, LPC-S, CSAT, CMAT. If we’ve met before or received a referral from someone who knows me professionally, you may recognize me by my previous name, Lauren Hurt.

Apart from my work as a counselor, the joys of my life are being in nature, hammock naps, hiking, frisbee, spikeball, podcasts, reading, bubble tea, music jam seshes, trying out new hobbies, and spending time with friends and family.

I am passionate about helping individuals navigate through anxiety, depression, self-esteem issues, body image concerns, relationship challenges, and intrusive thoughts. With compassion and understanding, I draw from my competence in Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), Mindfulness-based Therapy, Narrative Therapy, and Motivational Interviewing. I thoughtfully integrate these and many more approaches with a Christian worldview to provide personalized care aimed at alleviating suffering and promoting well-being.

I hold a Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Liberty University and a Bachelor of Science in Mass Communication from Boston University, where I minored in world religions. Additionally, I have a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Alabama in Huntsville. My journey in counseling began in Boca Raton, Florida, at Hope Christian Counseling, where I had the privilege of working with individuals, groups, and couples. I further honed my skills through training at DaTerra Psychotherapy & Wellness and Lifeskills South Florida Outpatient in Delray Beach. I am a SYMBIS Assessment Facilitator (Christian premarital assessment and counseling).

I have been blessed with a loving marriage of over 30 years, three wonderful adult children, and one delightful granddaughter. I am deeply involved in my family, community, and church. In my free time, I enjoy running, hiking, reading, writing, listening to podcasts, and traveling. I am also dedicated to volunteering as an English teacher for English as a Second Language (ESL). I am an ALC working under the supervision of Aaron Shaffer, MA, LPC-S, CSAT, CMAT.

Hi, I’m Christy Spink. I take care of billing so our counselors can focus on providing the best possible care. I also love gardening, baking, and spending time with my husband and our three daughters.

Hi, I’m Whitney Cooper. I’m happy to help our clients schedule appointments with the right therapist for their care. Away from work, I love reading and spending time with my husband and our two boys. I’m a Mississippi State graduate and enjoy living in Huntsville.

My name is Wes Spears, and my vision and desire is to give clients a safe space to be deeply honest, vulnerable, and curious about their story – even the darkest parts – and to walk alongside them toward hope, healing, and growth. Currently, I am a student in Liberty University’s M.A. in Clinical Mental Health program, and I am excited to be practicing here at Songbird under the supervision of Aaron Shaffer, MA, LPC-S, CSAT, CMAT.

I graduated from the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) in 2016 with a B.S. degree in Economics, and have since worked in the defense contracting industry. However, I have felt an unrelenting invitation from God to more deeply care for people’s hearts and stories. This has led me to serve in a number of local church and relational ministry contexts over the years, and now brings me to becoming a professional counselor.

My wife and I currently live at the foot of Monte Sano in northeast Huntsville with our four (ridiculously cute) kids and a backyard full of chickens.

Hello, I am Allex Provens! I am a recent graduate of Alabama A&M Counselings program. I proceeded these studies with a Bachelors in Psychology from Kennesaw State University. Within these programs, I have gained a lot of interest in research, assessment, diagnosis, and treatment. During my field coursework I realized being welcomed into someone’s personal life is not only honorable, but an opportunity to discuss reality; and more important the suppressed portions of that reality.

Within the various roles of our identity, appreciation for ourselves is my primary focus. I intentionally work towards creating a space to be unapologetically ourselves. Having foundational emphasis in existential, person-centered, and cognitive-behavioral theories, each session’s navigation is empowered by the unique experiences we possess and our desire to understand the effect of these experiences.

I have recently transitioned from inpatient therapeutic settings, and I am currently working as an ALC under the supervision of Aaron Shaffer, MA, LPC-S, CSAT, CMAT.

My name is Spencer, and I am a clinical mental health intern from Liberty University, practicing under the supervision of Aaron Shaffer, MA, LPC-S, CSAT. I live in Huntsville with my wife, Hilary, and my blended family of four children.

Originally from South Carolina, I received my BA in Psychology from Clemson University in 2000. In 2020, I walked away from an established career in graphic arts to chase my dream of becoming a helper.

I am a firm believer that everyone deserves a happy life. Change is difficult, and sometimes we have to fall before we can get back up. I hope to provide a safe space, full of hope and validation. Together, we can unravel your unique story.

Hi, I’m Kelli Pavlovec! I recently graduated with my Masters in clinical mental health counseling at Townsend Institute of Concordia University, Irvine. I completed my undergrad at UAH majoring in English, and have worked many years as a content marketer. For over seven years, I’ve been running a grief support group and serving on the Abuse Advocacy team at my local church. These experiences gave me a desire to become more equipped to help shepherd those in my care. I hope you will consider joining me to begin your own journey of change and healing.

Following my calling to become a counselor, I decided to attend the Townsend Institute to sit under the teachings of John Townsend, Author of the Boundaries series. I’ve seen the benefit of counseling in providing change and healing, and am excited to be on this journey. I am an ALC working under the supervision of Aaron Shaffer, MA, LPC-S, CSAT, CMAT.

My name is Kendall Saunders, I am an ALC under the supervision of Kathy Troyanek, MA, LPC-S, CSAT. I specialize in trauma-informed psychodynamic therapy and Christian spiritual formation. I am trained in EMDR, providing a holistic, evidence-based approach. Through my own story of trauma and healing, I recognize that seeking help can feel overwhelming. Taking that risk to invest in your journey will be the best decision you will ever make for yourself. It’s not easy, but it does get so much better and there is so much more for you on the other side of this journey..
For the last seven years, I have served as a counselor and case manager with various ministries in the Louisville area, including Scarlet Hope and Bethany Christian Services. I earned a B.S. from Boyce College and an M.A. in Counseling from Townsend Institute at Concordia University Irvine.
As you begin this journey, I will provide a safe place for transformational growth and healing. You will be empowered and equipped with tools and resources to thrive

My name is Aaron Shaffer, and my goal in therapy is to create a relaxed environment where we can explore and process current life issues as well as dive into the complexity of your own story. I operate out of a relational style of counseling, utilizing a blend of narrative therapy, person-centered therapy, mindfulness, etc. Therapy does not come in a box, so my approach is tailored to meet the unique needs of each client.

My desire to become a counselor began with exploring my own story, leading to a deeper curiosity about how the stories of others have shaped their own lives. Through more than a decade of counseling, I have witnessed the devastating weight of shame, but I have also seen the healing that begins when people have the courage to share their stories.

I earned my Master of Arts in Counseling from Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando in 2014 after completing my undergraduate degree at Covenant College. I am a Certified Sexual Addiction Therapist (CSAT) and a Certified Multiple Addiction Therapist (CMAT), with specialized training in Internet and Gaming Addiction through the International Institute for Trauma and Addiction Professionals (IITAP).

I am originally from the Atlanta area, an avid Braves fan, a husband, and a father of two wonderful kids.

Welcome to Songbird Counseling

Our Services

Sex Addiction

Depression

Trauma

Eating Disorders

Anxiety

Marriage Therapy

Aaron Shaffer— Licensed Professional Counselor, Licensed Supervisor, Certified Sexual Addiction Therapist.

Lauren Bolha - MA, ALC

Crysti Laney - MA, ALC

Ethan Cox - MA, ALC

Pricing plans

Light session

$150

Standard session

$250

Individual session

$400

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+1 256-202-4799

2313 Starmount Cir SW

info@songbirdcounselinghsv.com

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