Integrating Mind, Body & Spirit
"Where Grace, Love and Hope Greet You At The Door"
Offering Mental Health and Wellness since 2015.
Our Team of Purpose is here to Serve you.
Embrace Counseling and Consulting was inspired by wanting to be a resource of Hope for others. Through this concept, Embrace Founder realized most people struggle with giving themselves Grace and being comfortable with promoting self-love. On purpose, the flowers, butterflies, the sea and trees are placed throughout each page to represent transformation. Helping others navigate their life’s journey by integrating Grace, Love and Hope into the therapy session helps the client build a foundation that includes the mind, body and spirit to create a vision that they can envision for themselves, transform their lives and find their own sense of purpose.
Meet our Experienced Team of Therapists
Lyresa McGriff
Lyresa McGriff Is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Nationally Certified Counselor who earned a Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Richmont Graduate University. Lyresa is the Owner and Director of Embrace Counseling and Consulting, LLC as well as a practicing Psychotherapist. Lyresa specializes in Trauma and is intensively trained in EMDR with other Certifications such as Prepare Enrich for Pre-Marital and Marital Counseling, Anger Management Certification, and Telehealth Certification. Lyresa is also trained to integrate faith and spirituality for clients who desire counseling from a Christian perspective. Additionally, Lyresa is a National Board Certified Forensic Mental Health Evaluator to include Court mandate Classes, Evaluations and MRT (Moral Reconation Therapy) for those in need of these services. Lyresa believes that everyone’s journey has a purpose and meets clients where they are with Grace, Love and Hope regardless of the circumstances that lead them to Embrace for help. Specializations include – PTSD/Trauma, Grief and Loss, Relationships and Marital Distress, End of Life/Transitional Care and Process Planning and Preparation, Life Skills/Coaching, Personal Growth, Parenting and Caregiver Support that serves Individual’s, Couples, Veterans and Seniors.In addition to Private Practice, Lyresa partners with others to serve and provide resources and training that help others lead healthy and productive lives. Lyresa believes in building up others from a Leadership perspective to help serve others in need. Specialized Mentorship and Counseling services are offered to Pastors, Shephard Leaders, Business Leaders, Other Therapists and Industry Servants in Ministry, Mental Health, Medical and Celebrity Profiles. Whatever our purpose is in life, we all need to have our Vessels poured into to be able to continue to give. Thanks for having me on your journey.
Christine Sims
Christine is a graduate of Richmont Graduate University where she earned her Masters of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling with a specialization in Children and Adolescents. She is also a certified Prepare/Enrich therapist for premarital and couples counseling. Christine has a background working within the educational systems with youth from various socioeconomic backgrounds. She also has experience working with families, couples, groups, and adults with a wide range of needs. She offers services from a Christian perspective. Christine’s style of therapy is warm, innovative, safe, fun, and interactive. She welcomes the opportunity to join you alongside your journey to wellness!
Charles Houston
Charles is a graduate of Richmont Graduate University where he earned his Master of Arts in Marriage & Family Therapy. Charles is certified in Level 1 and level 2 of the Gottman Method Couples Therapy. He is a certified Prepare/Enrich facilitator as well as a certified SYMBIS facilitator for marital and premarital couples counseling. Charles has a certificate to assist clients with Anger Management and enjoys helping clients develop self-care plans. Charles loves working with individuals, couples, and families and desires to encourage and empower clients from teenagers to members of our senior population. Charles is trained to integrate faith and spirituality for clients who desire counseling from a Christian perspective. Charles is open to face to face clinical sessions, phone sessions, and he is also trained to conduct Tele-mental Health sessions. His desire is to create a safe and healing environment where clients can reach their therapeutic goals and develop mental, emotional, and spiritual strength for their life journey toward wellness.
Amber Johnson
Amber earned her Masters Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy, with a specialization in Sex Therapy, from Richmont Graduate University. Amber is a relational and vibrant therapist who has a passion for relationships. She enjoys working with diverse adults and elders—both as individuals and couples—who aspire to grow healthy relationships and emotional wellness. Amber uses a holistic approach, focusing on the mind-body connection. As an unapologetic extrovert, she has a uniquely engaging therapy style that provides a safe space for her clients to process their stories and explore their emotions. Amber’s expertise includes couples therapy, sex therapy, post-affair recovery, and relationship conflict. She also works with individuals struggling with depression, anxiety, and relational problems.
Cristina Morales
Relationships are hard. Sometimes we experience anxiety around navigating a new relationship, or we’re trying to take our current relationship to the next level and we’re not sure what that next level is. For some of us, we’re experiencing so much frustration around being misunderstood by our partner. For others, we just have so much tension in our relationship that it feels like we’re stuck in a never-ending cycle of issues. It’s exhausting. So, how do we navigate the parts that we want to connect and the parts of us that want to protect? I say, let's explore that together.
My approach to counseling with couples and individuals is research-based, trauma-informed, and interpersonal. What that means is I relate to you as another imperfect human being who understands the impact of trauma and how relationships can thrive. I will offer you a space to freely explore your struggles and opportunities for healing.
Let’s be real, we don’t know each other and it’s going to feel weird at first to share your story with me. Thank you for even considering me to be a part of your journey. Sometimes the hardest step is the first one. I recognize and respect that. Whenever you’re ready, I am ready to join you. You don't have to figure it out on your own.
David Ryan
David is a dedicated counselor and recent graduate from Richmont Graduate University, where he earned his Master's in Clinical Mental Health Counseling with a specialization in trauma counseling in 2024. With a profound passion for supporting adolescents and young adults facing challenges such as depression, anxiety, and various personal issues, David's journey into counseling was sparked by the transformative impact therapy had on his own life during college. Driven to give back to the community and provide the same life-changing support he received, David approaches his work with unwavering dedication and empathy. He believes in the power of storytelling and is deeply committed to creating a safe and nurturing space for individuals to explore their experiences and embark on a journey of healing and growth. At Embrace, David extends a warm welcome to those ready to take the first step towards healing. With an ethos rooted in grace, love, and hope, he meets each individual at the door, ready to listen, support, and guide them on their path to wellness.
Sasha Brown
Hi, I’m Sasha, a Master's-level Mental Health Clinician in Marriage and Family Therapy. I am a Certified Prepare & Enrich Facilitator, deeply passionate about offering support and resources that inspire hope and growth for individuals and couples alike.
I work with a diverse range of clients, including individuals, couples, and young adults (ages 18-35), and have a special focus on premarital counseling for couples navigating the exciting yet challenging early stages of their relationship. Whether you are looking to strengthen your bond, improve communication, or lay a solid foundation for a lasting partnership, I provide a safe and supportive space for exploring your relationship dynamics and building the tools you need for success.
My ideal clients are women and young adult couples who are navigating intense emotional experiences, struggling with self-esteem, and seeking stability in relationships. For women, this may look like feeling overwhelmed by emotional ups and downs or managing significant life transitions, such as adjusting to motherhood or building a career. For couples, it might involve preparing for marriage or strengthening their partnership while learning to navigate communication, conflict resolution, and mutual support. Additionally, I specialize in helping clients with anxiety and depression as well as past traumas that are impacting their daily lives build emotional resilience, improve self-worth, and foster healthier, more fulfilling relationships with themselves and with others. My compassionate and collaborative approach focuses on understanding your emotions, developing self-regulation skills, and building stronger coping strategies. Whether you are preparing for marriage or simply navigating life’s transitions, we will work together to help you gain clarity, confidence, and emotional stability.
I understand how overwhelming it can feel to navigate significant life changes, relationship challenges, or emotional instability especially when it feels like you’re facing it alone. Whether you’re a young couple preparing for marriage or an individual seeking emotional balance, I’m here to support you. Together, we can create lasting change and move toward healthier, more resilient relationships.
Erin Blount
Erin finds joy in working with individuals and families that are striving to develop the necessary skills to cope with life’s greatest challenges. This work is enjoyed in an environment that is open, safe, and full of care. Erin considers it an honor to come alongside each client she engages as they work to master the goals of the journey.
Erin has experience working with children, teens, and adults in a partial hospitalization setting as well as experience working with individuals, couples, and families in a private practice setting. Her professional interests have allowed her the opportunity to journey from the heights of Corporate America all the way to thrills of academia stimuli. Life experience has prepared her to walk the healing journey with many.
Specialty areas include: Family issues, stage of life transitions, codependency, self-esteem, and multicultural & diversity issues.
Erin received a Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy from Richmont Graduate University in 2018. She graduated from the University of Auburn at Montgomery with a Master of Business Administration with a Concentration in Accounting in 2003 and from Alabama State University with Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a Concentration in Accounting in 2000. Erin is an Associate Professional Counselor under supervision and direction.
Tabitha Wilson
Tabitha Wilson is a therapist dedicated to helping adults navigate trauma, emotional distress, and the pressures that often accompany high-functioning lives. Her work focuses on trauma, anxiety, mood disorders, and substance use disorders, with a particular interest in supporting high-achieving professionals experiencing significant stress and emotional fatigue.
Tabitha’s clinical experience includes work in behavioral health hospitals and substance use recovery centers, where she has supported individuals navigating complex mental health concerns and co-occurring substance use challenges. These experiences have strengthened her belief that meaningful healing occurs when individuals are given the space to explore their stories honestly while developing the insight and tools needed to create lasting change.
She earned her master’s degree from Richmont Graduate University in Atlanta and approaches therapy through a trauma-informed and relational lens. Tabitha believes therapy is not about “fixing” people, but about helping individuals better understand themselves, challenge long-standing patterns, and reconnect with their inherent resilience.
Her goal is to create a thoughtful and collaborative therapeutic environment where clients feel supported as they move toward greater emotional clarity, balance, and personal growth.
Outside of her clinical work, Tabitha enjoys spending time with her young daughter, writing, watching romantic comedies, and exploring new food experiences.