THERAPISTS
JO ANNE NEWTON
MEd LPC-S
I enjoy working with adolescents and young women. I have spent many years helping young women be empowered, encouraged and focused. Depression, adjustment disorders and eating disorders are among the issues I tend to deal with and have had great results.
I am a Christian counselor and that is the foundation of my practice.
My experience with adolescents in the military family has made me very knowledgeable of their unique issues. I have also included equine assisted therapy into some of my sessions and it has benefited the process.
MATTHEW LITAKER
MA LPC
As a local, and child of a veteran, I have seen the need for solutions in the greater Killeen area’s mental health needs. The genesis of this awareness is from growing up in the community as well as earning my BS and MA from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in Belton.
My heart is burdened with empowering clients to create meaningful solutions while partnering with the community as needed, especially the local church. Killeen is a community rich in diversity, people from around the globe gather with their unique cultures and life experiences. This uniqueness is part of what I believe makes each person the expert on themselves and is the basis for my partnering with clients. While working in psychiatric hospitals, juvenile probation, TDCJ, local public mental health agencies, and private practice, I have joined with clients to create change in their behavior and thinking.
I have been trained in Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) for PTSD, which I have seen make incredible and measurable changes in 12 weeks or less. I also have training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) which is widely used for a variety of issues including: Depression, Addiction, Anxiety, and creating desired behavioral changes and goal completion. Individuals, couples, and families with a variety of issues can benefit from therapy.
Utilizing therapeutic training, I work from a Christian, biblically based, perspective that welcomes all faith backgrounds into treatment.
AMANDA PACANINS
LCSW
Being a military wife from a military community and having previously worked with military children and their families, I have personal and professional experience with the unique issues related to service. I am passionate about helping people use their strengths to work through their pain to find peace and growth. I enjoy helping others work through relational issues by helping them work through negative dynamics, articulate their needs and good intentions to others, and take steps to improve their relationships. I also enjoy empowering others to overcome hang ups, ambivalence, and stagnancy.
I take a practical approach to counseling and primarily use cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, and motivational interviewing. My experiences as a social worker have contributed significantly to my knowledge of societal systems, resources, and relational networks available to people in need of support.