Connections is a core of carefully selected Professional Counselors in Utah with a shared vision to best facilitate the healing, capacity, and happiness to our clients and their families. We are CSAT certified, have specialty training in EMDR, Brainspotting, EFT and many more. Our specialized therapists are located Salt Lake City, Holladay and Provo, Utah. You can also read more about our therapists and counselors below.
Meet Our Therapists & Team
Therapists
Murray Office
Chris’s work has extended from very significant mental health and family dynamics in inpatient settings, to more common marital, family, and individual concerns, to simply enhancing happy marriages.
Chris has a particular love of supporting and helping couples and families. He enjoys helping parents and children live and work together. He finds joy in helping couples as they learn to live and grow together through life’s many challenges. Chris is excited to be a part of the Connections Clinic and the collaboration and growth resulting from working with other particularly effective professionals.
Chris was raised in northern Utah, and when not at the clinic, you will most likely find him out-of-doors with his beautiful wife Natalie and son Dalton.
Call today to schedule and appointment with Chris at 801.272.3420
Jenn received her master’s degree from the University of Utah and a Certificate of Applied Positive Psychology. She is EMDR trained and specializes in trauma work. She is also trained in Positive Psychology and Mindfulness, Gottman Couples Counseling, Trauma-Focused CBT, Motivational Interviewing, Emotion Focused Therapy, Solution Focused Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Grief Counseling, and Suicide Prevention.
Jenn aims to help you discover your strengths and find solutions to heal unhelpful stories and become unstuck in negative behavior and relationship patterns. She takes a holistic approach to support you through empowerment, clarification of values, and mindfulness to create and live a more authentic life.
Jenn is happily married and has four children. She enjoys playing golf with her husband, making jewelry, reading, and spending time with family and friends.
Call today to schedule an appointment with Jennifer at 801.272.3420
Drew comes from a family of musicians and incorporates his musical ability into a unique style of sound therapy. Drew uses a collection of crystal singing bowls, native-style flutes, drums, chimes, and rattles to create a sound immersion experience. Drew guides clients through mindfulness skills, breathwork, and body-centered scanning with various sounds to access the subconscious directly. Drew feels the goal of therapy should be to find one’s highest self.
Jess’ passion lies in helping each person achieve a more complete understanding of their own unique mind and experiences. She believes that understanding yourself comes with the ability to navigate life’s challenges more naturally and effectively. She works with her clients to process uncomfortable emotions, build communication and coping skills, and set goals that are simple but impactful.
She utilizes EMDR, Mindfulness Techniques, Psychoeducation, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and other modalities based upon the needs of each unique individual.
She is experienced and passionate about issues such as: trauma-processing (EMDR), depression & anxiety, self-esteem issues, self-harming behaviors, strained relationships, LGBTQIA+ support, and a variety of other issues and complications. She is also known to connect quickly with those who may be resistant to the therapy process.
She holds a Bachelors of Social Work from the University of Utah and completed her Masters Degree in Social Work through Louisiana State University.
Call today to schedule and appointment with Jessica at 801.272.3420
Conner is married to his wife Rebecca. He can be found outside of work hiking with his coonhound Artemis. In his free time, he enjoys movies, music, exercise, and playing guitar. Conner has had experiences working with diverse family dynamics and different cultures. This has solidified his passion for therapy and working with families.
Call today to schedule an appointment with Conner at 801.272.3420
Master of Social Work, University of Utah
Bachelor of Science in Psychology, University of Utah
Master of Science in Professional Counseling
Clinical Mental Health Counselor
PHILOSOPHY:
Matt maintains a philosophy of building a strong, safe, grounded relationship with each client. He uses a relationship based approach to connect with each client in a meaningful, individualized way. Through this work it gives the client a safe space to do the work they are looking to do. He also helps each client understand that he isn’t here to “fix” them, nor does he believe any of them are “broken.” Rather, Matt believes each client needs to learn new skills to take responsibility for creating their own happiness.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:
After Graduating from Westminster College in 2012 with his masters degree in professional counseling, Matt worked to become a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor. He was hired by his internship continuing to work with adults struggling with substance abuse and other addictions while working to become fully licensed. Upon achieving his licensure Matt then moved to residential therapy for both male and female adolescents. Here he has provided individual, group and family therapy for clients struggling with anxiety, depression, addiction, relationship difficulties, and more. Through out his career, Matt has worked to help clients use the therapy experience to achieve their desired outcomes by meeting clients where they are at and helping them gain the necessary insight and skills to start living the life they are looking to live.
PERSONAL:
Matt was born and raised in Utah. When he is not working, you’re most likely to find him spending time with family and friends in the outdoors or at home cooking and working on home projects.
She is experienced working in the areas of trauma, PTSD, anxiety, suicide prevention, depression, and ADHD. She is comfortable with the world of adolescents and skilled at helping them (and their families) successfully navigate it.
She understands that each person's story is special, individual and unique to them, and working to develop person-centered treatment approaches is how she approaches therapy. Through compassionate listening and healthy communication, healing and change can happen, and Carra is waiting to get started with you.
Becky particularly enjoys working with adolescents, young adults, and their families. She is well exposed to the latest developments in trauma-informed practices and enjoys discovering with clients the layers of their psyche through talk and experiential practices. Becky is credentialed in high-fidelity wraparound and trained in mind-body-bridging, cinematherapy, and cognitive behavioral therapy.
In her intentional free time, Becky enjoys a good story in any format (books, movies, songs, tv shows, jokes, etc.), being active outdoors in the sunshine, traveling, reviving her waning Dutch proficiency, and surrounding herself with all the fresh cut flowers she can afford. She is most proud of her awesome aunt status and capacity for an abundance of friendships.
He knows from his own experience that a life of vitality, meaningful connection, peace, and joy is not free from the messiness of struggle, but is discovered in the midst of it.
Jake is not naive when it comes to mental suffering and relational distress. Due to his own experience of mental suffering and complex relational trauma, he embodies genuine empathy for his clients and understands the courage and effort it takes to change and heal. In his personal search for healing over the years, he has discovered wisdom in a variety of philosophies and approaches relating to the mind, personality, spirituality, relationships, and the body.
He is Internal Family Systems (IFS) and Hypnotherapy-informed and employs these techniques to target the deeper subconscious parts of the mind. By doing so, he helps clients change deep-seated core beliefs that traditional talk therapy may be unable to reach. Additionally, he is in the process of becoming a certified yoga instructor and enjoys incorporating the body in the healing process.
He partners with clients to discern which approaches will be most relevant to their individual needs and hopes. He believes that relationships provide the greatest opportunities for growth and approaches change through the lens of better understanding the truth about being in relationship with oneself and others. He works with kids, teens, adults, and couples struggling with highly sensitive personality (HSP), anxiety, self-worth issues, complex and acute trauma, unwanted pornography use, faith crisis, and suicidal ideation.
Orem Office
Kyle has worked as a youth counselor at Heritage residential treatment center working with at-risk youth ages 12-18 who experienced various behavioral and psychological issues. He was responsible in building relationships of trust with them as well as preparing and assisting them to develop healthy relationships with their friends and families.
Since 2012, Kyle’s clear-headed clinical skills have resulted in his attracting full-time private practice work with couple and marital relations, parent-child relations, and sexual addiction.
Kyle received his Bachelor’s degree in Marriage, Family, and Human Development from Brigham Young University and pursued his Masters of Arts degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Alliant International University in San Diego in 2012 when he joined Connections Counseling.
Kyle is eager to help those who are struggling personally or in their relationships. He believes that a majority of people’s problems stem from troubled relationships, often starting with attachment injuries with parents, peers, siblings, and intimate partners. When Kyle is with his clients, he understands the relationship dynamics surrounding each individual and its impact. He is able to help clients formulate specific steps and insights that move them to emotional and relationship health.
Kyle has spent most of his life in Utah and currently resides there with his wife, Jessica, and his two daughters. Beside his religious beliefs, his greatest passion is his family. He looks forward to spending time with them after work. Kyle is an avid golfer and when he is not working or spending time with his family you can find him working on his golf swing.
Call today to schedule and appointment with Kyle at 801.272.3420
Alex grew up in California, and moved to Utah later in life to pursue his goals as a therapist. In the early years of his education he spent his time working with the Strengthening Families Program out of Utah Valley University teaching family and parenting classes. Alex received his Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Argosy University and began his clinical work as a LAMFT.
In Alex’s work as a Marriage and Family Therapist he has had the opportunity to work with people with various backgrounds and a wide variety of concerns that brought them to therapy. After starting his work at Connections Counseling Center, he quickly developed a passion for working with couples on their varying marital (and pre-marital) concerns. His work with couples helped him develop a profound belief in people’s capacity to change. Whether he is working with families, couples, or individuals Alex works to help people find a path that will enable them to make full use of their capacity to change.
Alex’s hobbies involve a love of music that stems from his childhood desire to be a classical song writer. He enjoys writing, and one day hopes to further his career by writing books to help other therapists grow. Alex also enjoys teaching and is currently working to further his goal of teaching upcoming therapists, and eventually supervising new therapists to help shape the field he is practicing in.
Call today to schedule and appointment with Alex at 801.272.3420
I have a broad range of diverse life experiences that will assist me in helping you as a client. I also have gifts of empathy and patience which will help you in the therapy process. If you allow me to help you, then I will do my very best to guide you through the therapeutic process, regardless of the level of difficulty you are experiencing, because I want to help you reach your personal and therapy goals.
I thrive in attuning myself to your goals, and understanding what approach will work best for you in constructing tailored, unique solutions for your life within healthy therapeutic principles.
I also am here to serve you in moving forward with tools that will enable you to sustain your progress once you leave therapy.
Specialties:
Trauma work
Brainspotting
Elderly adults
Couples and Families
Individual Therapy
Diversity and Cultural issues
Co-Parenting Therapy
Call today to schedule and appointment with Lydia at 801.272.3420
Jennifer is also a CPTT-C (Certified Partner Trauma Therapist) and has worked extensively with clients experiencing betrayal trauma both individually and by co-facilitating Connection's Betrayal Trauma Support Groups. Jennifer has been trained in EMDR and Brainspotting to treat trauma. She also draws from DBT, CBT, and solution-focused therapy in her work with individuals.
Jennifer has a son and son-in-law who are part of the LGBTQ+ community and has a special interest in working with families to maintain unity and love while navigating faith and lifestyle differences.
Jennifer has been married to her favorite person for thirty years; they have five children, four bonus kids, and three granddaughters. Jennifer's main priorities are her faith, family, and friends. She also loves participating in outdoor activities, including running, hiking, skiing, and playing pickleball.
Call today to schedule and appointment with Jennifer at 801.272.3420
I’m a retired veteran who served 29 years in the Army and deployed on five combat deployments. Most recently, I served as the sleep program manager for the 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne), where I developed and managed a program to improve sleep quality amongst special operations forces.
I’m passionate about helping others learn how to deal with life difficulties. I want to help the client feel safe and develop a meaningful connection with those I treat to work together to solve their problems. In the face of current or past difficulties, we all have the potential to find growth and deal with our problems in a way that improves our overall mental and physical well-being. I take a holistic approach where I also place emphasis on the importance of nutrition, exercise, and sleep hygiene as additional interventions when working with clients.
I was raised in Utah and am excited to return to my home state after living in various parts of the world through military service. I have been married for over 23 years and have five children. I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, working out, camping, fishing, and hunting. I also enjoy writing and am the author of the self-care book ``Self-Health Andragogy: Self-Directed Learning Approach to Mental and Physical Self-Care``, and I publish self-care articles online.
Call today to schedule and appointment with Christopher at 801.272.3420
While attending school he also gained experience in telecommunications and took a job out of college in that industry as a technician with a national fiber optic company. He enjoyed success within the corporate environment but was ultimately drawn back to counseling and obtained his Masters in Family Psychology in 2002. However, that experience was critical in helping him own and operate a mental health agency in Meridian Idaho.
The agency grew from only Will and his wife Catherine providing PSR services, to a successful business that provided Counseling, CBRS Services and Developmental Services for 13 years.
Since returning from an LDS mission to Cape Verde Africa, he and his wife have settled in Utah valley and enjoy spending time with their sons, daughters-in-law and their first grandbaby.
He focuses on marriage counseling as well as trauma and sex addiction. He believes people have untapped strengths that simply need to be discovered and cultivated to find the joy and peace they seek.
Call today to schedule and appointment with Will at 801.272.3420
Her focus in therapy centers on helping clients create and maintain individual well-being and healthy, positive relationships. She approaches therapy with compassion, built upon her conviction that everyone has value, purpose, and the innate ability to rise again and change. Finding her own healing through therapy and witnessing loved ones battle mental illness, trauma, and divorce fuels her desire to help others know they are seen, heard, and loved.
Based upon clients’ individuality and reasons for therapy, she utilizes various therapy models and approaches, such as Satir Transformational Systemic Therapy, Emotionally Focused Therapy, Gottman Couples Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Children’s Play Therapy, Mindful Self-Compassion, and Somatic Practices.
Jenny works with individuals (children 8+ to adults), couples, and families. Her areas of interest are: women’s issues, self-esteem/self-compassion, anxiety, transition to adulthood, early returned LDS missionaries, premarital counseling and newlyweds, pregnancy/postpartum challenges, parents of anxious children, adoptive parents and adoptees, marriage and family relationships, and healing after divorce for women. One of her greatest passions is helping women and girls of all ages come to understand their worth and gain self-compassion. Jenny is an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and upon client request, will integrate Christian values/principles into therapy.
Jenny holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Marriage and Family Studies with a Professional Clinical Emphasis from Brigham Young University – Idaho (2013) and is currently completing her Master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy from Abilene Christian University. When she isn’t working with clients, she enjoys spending time with loved ones, attending performing arts events, quilting, baking, driving in the mountains, and finding excuses to eat Mexican food.
Call today to schedule and appointment with Jenny at 801.272.3420
Online Only
Chris has spent several years working with youth in residential treatment settings in Utah and Arizona. He focused on individual, family, group, milieu and recreational therapy options, and worked with at risk youth ages 12-18 struggling with various mental health and behavioral issues. He collaborated with a team of line staff and teachers, clinical supervisors, nurses and physicians to understand and build therapy options to help these youth understand the struggles they have, and develop skills and strategies for success.
Chris has also worked with adults, families and youth in one on one and group therapy sessions. He is excited to work with people facing challenges, and believes that there are always options to overcome difficulties.
Chris currently resides in Arizona with his wife, Tiffany, and their 4 children! When he is not involved in family activities such as soccer, swimming or barbeques, he enjoys spending time outdoors, shooting archery or trying to catch a fish.
Call today to schedule and appointment with Chris at 801.272.3420
Everyone has their story in this life filled with unique experiences. I am interested in hearing, listening, and working with you through the accounts of your story. From the moment you walk through our doors, I am invested in gaining a better understanding of you and your experiences through your eyes. As we work together, you will find that we will use these accounts as the foundation of our therapeutic process and that understanding your story will pave the way for growth to blossom.
Who I Am: I am a Mental Health Counseling Intern actively seeking to empower individuals, facilitate growth, understand emotions, rationalize thoughts, and embrace perspective in the therapy room. As a recent graduate, you can expect my motivation for and attention to our work to be optimal. I describe myself as a directive therapist with the ability to set goals and maintain structure, without compromising feelings of comfort in the room. I’m a firm believer that without comfort and good rapport, the integrity and effectiveness of therapy are limited.
Additionally, I am incredibly empathetic, down to earth, and highly communicative with others, which I believe are some of the most fundamental qualities for establishing rapport and displaying unconditional positive regard.
Clinical Client Experience: In the past, I have worked with various populations including adults, students, couples, trauma survivors, and minorities (including ethnicities and LGBTQI+ communities). Through my clinical experience, my desire for the field has only grown, which is why I aim to continue my work with these populations to propel my growth, my experience, and my expertise. One thing to consider while working with various populations is that all clients are unique; therefore, it is important to meet you where you are at. Therapy can seem like a scary thing sometimes, and that is okay. Something to acknowledge is that this emotion is part of the process in therapy. Therefore, my focus is to be present with you through this process and help guide you through your feelings so that we may increase understanding, awareness, and create our opportunities for positive change.
More About Me: I LOVE spending time outdoors. Utah is known for its scenic beauty! When I’m not in the office, I am likely hiking, running, photographing, and/or drawing what I see in nature. I am also a big “foodie”, love music, and am often with my dog.
Education:
• Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Florida State University
• Masters Degree in Mental Health Counseling from Florida State University with emphasis on trauma
• Specialist Degree in Counselor Education from Florida State University
Call today to schedule and appointment with Katherine at 801.272.3420
Administrative Staff
- Emma Muavesi – Administrative Assistant
- Shuri Miller – Office Manager/Billing Specialist
- Akyra Woodbeck – Administrative Assistant
- Hayley Oehler – Administrative Assistant