Meet The Therapists
Hi, I’m Traci Phillips
Traci Phillips LCSW-R is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 26 years of experience in the mental health field. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Buffalo State College, and is a graduate of The School of Social Work at the State University of New York at Buffalo. She is a licensed and registered Social Worker with the State of New York and is a member of the National Association of Social Worker’s (NASW). She is also a member of the Washington and Warren County Disaster Mental Health Team.
Traci’s previous experiences include Adjunct Professor at Albany University and Skidmore College and has experience working as a mental health counselor at inpatient mental health units. She has extensive experience in conducting crisis evaluations in emergency room settings. Traci developed the Assertive community treatment program (ACT) with her director in Western NY where she worked as a family specialist case manager for the seriously mentally ill population. She has a depth of experience with the forensic population, where she worked at Clinton Correctional Facility and Great Meadow Correctional Facility. What she is most passionate about is working in private practice, she has worked as sole proprietor for past 12 years. Traci has now opened a new private practice Adirondack Counseling and is committed to helping individuals and couples empower themselves to achieve their treatment goals. She utilizes self-compassion and mindfulness interventions for lasting recovery.
Her expertise includes treatment of adults and adolescents with major depression, postpartum depression, anxiety disorders, trauma, obsessive compulsive disorders, eating disorders, and grief and loss.
Her areas of professional interest include treatment of women’s issues, marital issues and divorce, end of life issues and life coaching skills. She is certified in cognitive behavioral therapy, rational emotive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, and trauma-based therapy.
Traci is originally from a small town near Buffalo NY, she has been living in upstate NY for 18 years with her two children. She loves living in the Adirondack region and being out on the lake and enjoying her pool in the summer. Traci enjoys downhill skiing, boating, swimming, and just spending time with family and friends.
Hi, I’m Krista M. Bennett, LMSW
Training: Krista earned her Master’s in Social Work at Columbia University in NYC. She completed her first-year practicum as a social worker at Prisoners’ Legal Services. Her advanced practicum was with Baywood Center. Krista’s clinical specialities include mood disorders, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, addiction, and borderline personality disorder. She also has experience facilitating adolescent and adult groups addressing a variety of mental health and relationship concerns.
Krista has received formal training in a range of evidence-based treatments, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Interpersonal Social Rhythm Therapy (IPSRT), Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), Motivational Interviewing (MI), and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). Krista specializes in adolescent and adult client-centered psychotherapy and believes in fostering hope in her clients, working collaboratively to identify goals and guide clients in achieving them within the context of a trusting therapeutic relationship.
In addition, Krista is an active community member volunteering at the Moreau Community Center and Open Door Mission. She is also is a member of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW).
Samantha Steckowski, LMSW
Samantha attended Adelphi University on Long Island where she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work with a minor in art and a Master’s Degree in Social Work. She has worked in the mental health field for over 9 years in a variety of settings. Some of her previous positions include Intake Coordinator for a dual-diagnosis adult day program, Children’s Single Point of Access (SPOA) Coordinator for Suffolk County, and Child/Adolescent Trauma Therapist. She has had the privilege of supporting adults, children and families while they navigate the impacts of anxiety, depression, stress, difficult relationships, life transitions, sexual abuse, and domestic violence. Although she enjoys working with individuals of all ages and backgrounds, Samantha has a passion for working with adults who were raised in challenging family dynamics.
Samantha is trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and incorporates elements from other modalities including Internal Family Systems (IFS), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavior Therapy (TF-CBT), and Motivational Interviewing (MI) to best meet the needs of her clients. Her objective for each therapeutic partnership is to establish trust by taking a trauma-informed, person-centered approach to create a safe environment, meet each person where they are and build upon existing strengths.
In her free time, Samantha enjoys practicing yoga, being in nature, and spending time with family, friends, and her cats.
Hi, I’m Denise Brown, LMHC
Denise Brown, LMHC is a School-Based Counselor, for Saratoga Center for the Family in the South Glens Falls School District.
Denise earned a Master’s degree in Counseling and Community Psychology from Sage Colleges and a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology with minors in Women’s Study and Psychology from SUNY Plattsburgh. Denise’s education background, internships, and externships focused on interpersonal and familial trauma. Denise completed her internship at Equinox providing individual and group counseling to domestic violence survivors. She also has 15 years of experience working with families and children as a prevention clinician. In that role Denise provided home-based counseling to families whose lives were impacted by trauma, mental health, domestic violence, parenting struggles, truancy, child behavioral challenges among other child welfare issues. Denise has been a Licensed Mental Health Counselor since 2015; her approach is “person-centered and strength-based,” helping empower individuals to overcome their trauma, redefine their experiences, selves, and lives, and build resiliency. Denise uses techniques and strategies from solution-focused, cognitive behavioral, existential, family systems, and narrative therapies. Denise has extensive experience working with families and complex trauma and is trained in treating traumatic stress in children and adolescents using the foundations of Attachment, Regulation, and Competency (ARC). Denise is currently being trained in Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) as a way to continue to build her toolkit for empowerment.
Denise is a proud single mother to her amazing son. She also has a fur baby who does not leave her side. She is close to her large family and her friends. In her free time, Denise loves to either spend time at home or spend time with family and friends. You will often see her either reading, shopping, walking her dog, or watching her son play sports.
Heather Fredricks, LMSW
Heather is a Licensed Master Social Worker, LMSW who has been working in the Human Services field for 25 years prior to earning her bachelor’s degree in Community and Human Services at SUNY Empire State leading to a master’s degree from Fordham University. She has experience providing Individual, Group, Family, and Couples Counseling for all ages, genders, and diversities.
Heather specializes in working with people struggling with Depression, Anxiety, Addiction, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and Trauma, but is eager to expand.
Heather is trained and experienced in applying CBT, DBT, Grief Counseling, Play Therapy, Gestault Therapy and Suicide Assessment. She is passionate about helping others develop coping skills that will be life long and achieve their goals through a sense of self and empowerment.
With a Certificate in Functional Nutrition, Heather implements a holistic angle to therapy by teaching healing through interconnectedness of nutrition; physical fitness; mental and emotional awareness; and spirituality.
Heather holds a passion for helping others. Her professional experience includes working with people suffering from addiction and their families; individuals with criminal history; families from low economic backgrounds; and individuals with mild to severe disabilities. Heather has a willingness to work with other professionals and community organizations with her strong Case Management foundation.
Heather is a dedicated and compassionate Clinician who is motivated to utilize skills to build a strong therapeutic alliance with Clients while empowering individuals and families facing challenges within a safe therapeutic space.
She is an avid animal lover. mother of four, and grandmother of four. Heather enjoys spending time with grandchildren at her small homestead caring for her rabbits, chickens, and dogs.