Kristi Starkey, MS

Director of Operations and Marketing
Licensed Marriage Family Therapist, LMFT 52051
kstarkey@journeyscounseling.com
Extension: 129

Kristi is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. She earned her Master's Degree in Clinical Psychology from Vaguard University. Her passion is using EMDR Therapy (Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing). to work with clients who suffer from depression, anxiety, fear of abandonement, trauma, and PTSD. She also works enjoys working with women in career/life transition along with couples who have had infidelity iin their marriage or struggle with communication, financial or sexual issues.

Kristi began her career at Journeys in January of 2007 and is excited about using her background in business and education, combined with her clinical skills and Christian faith, to help clients find hope and healing.

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June Clayton

Associate Marriage and Family Therapist, AMF 93158
Supervised by Tim Sandstrom, LMFT 47858
jclayton@journeyscounseling.com
Extension: 105

June is an Assoiciate Marriage and Family Therapist. She graduated from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 1991, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration.

At Baxter Healthcare International and the Walt Disney Company, she was responsible for developing corporate relationships and long-term professional partnerships. June has been married for more than 20 years and after devoting several years exclusively to raising her children, June obtained her Masters of Science degree in Clinical Psychology from Vanguard University of Southern California. June is a member of the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapy. She is passionate about helping others grow, grieve loss, experience a sense of personal integrity and explore ways to experience more satisfaction, reciprocity and fulfillment in relationships.

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John Counts, MA

Licensed Marriage Family Therapist, LMFT 53164
jcounts@journeyscounseling.com
Extension: 115

John is currently a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist at Journeys. He graduated from Biola University in 1984 earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Business.

From 1987 to the present, John has owned and operated a flooring business. He received his Masters of Arts in Clinical Psychology from Trinity College of Graduate Studies, graduating in June 2005. John is passionate about people and seeing the power of intimacy in their lives, especially within the church. John has enjoyed being a part of a growth group with his church for the last few years where intimacy is pursued.

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Ross Fortier, M.A.

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, LMFT 106915
rfortier@journeyscounseling.com
Extension: 120

Ross is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist at Journeys Counseling Ministry and works out of the Costa Mesa and Mission Viejo offices. Ross is currently the Lead Therapist at Olive Crest Academy, a behavioral non-public special education school in Garden Grove, for students with behavioral challenges and other learning disabilities. At Olive Crest Academy Ross works as a therapist to students and their families in grades K-12. He also trains and oversees the therapeutic department at the Garden Grove campus.

Ross was born and raised in the Newport-Mesa area before heading to Dallas, Texas where he completed his Bachelor's Degree at Southern Methodist University. Ross returned to Orange County where he attended Vanguard University and completed his Master of Science Degree in Clinical Psychology.

Ross' passion is bringing a collaborative approach to work with adolescents and teens, as well as their parents, to navigate the demands of school, peers, and family life. Ross also works with individuals and couples suffering from anxiety, depression and relational conflict.

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Liza Gant, M.A.

Licensed Marriage Family Therapist, LMFT 84806
lgant@journeyscounseling.com
Extension: 130

Liza is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with a Master's Degrees in Psychology and Marriage & Family Therapy. Additionaly, she has more than 20 years of ministry experience in children's, youth, and parenting ministries. She combines her training in Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) with emphasis in cognitive behavioral, attachment and structural approaches coupled with Biblical principles. Her passion is to see children, adolescents, families, couples and individuals overcome depression, anxiety, life transitions, parenting and grief/loss.

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Stephanie Gardiner

Associate Marriage and Family Therapist, AMF 99830
Supervised by Tim Sandstrom, LMFT 47858
SGardiner@journeyscounseling.com
Extension: 103

Stephanie is an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist at Journey's Counseling Ministry. She earned her Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University and her Bachelor's in Liberal Studies from Point Loma Nazarene University. Prior to her time at Journeys, she spent 10 years working with children with autism and their families, specializing in Applied Behavior Analysis.

Stephanie believes that the relationship between the therapist and the client is the foundation for growth and healing. She has experience working with children, adolescents, and adults as they deal with a variety of issues including anxiety, depression, adjustment difficulties, relationship struggles, and eating disorders. She strives to provide a safe space for people to discover who they are and to connect to how their pain and struggle has shaped them, ultimately leading to a reduction of problematic symptoms, an improvement in their relationships, and a more fulfilling life.

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Marlene Morales

Associate Marriage and Family Therapist, AMF 100845
Supervised by Randy Powell, LMFT 27433
mmorales@journeyscounseling.com
Extension: 125

Marlene is an Associate Marriage ad Family Therapist at Journeys Counseling Ministry. She earned her Master's in Clinical Psychology from Vanguard University in May 2017 and her double Bachelor's Degree in Spanish and Psychology and Social Behavior at the University of California Irvine in June 2012. She is a Area Supervisor for the Regional Center of Orange County, a social service agency serving those affected by developmental disabilities in Orange County.

Marlene has experience working with adults, children, couples and families. She is passionate about helping others live their life to their best potential, by helping them learn to adapt to life changes, work , through everyday stressors, anxiety, depression, and past traumas.

Marlene is also passionate about working with the Latino community, "third" generation individuals with bicultural identity, as well as individuals whose loved ones are affected by a developmental disability.

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Kyle Pontius, Ph.D.

Licensed Psychologist, 14186
kpontius@journeyscounseling.com
Extension: 113

While new to Journeys, Dr. Pontius has been in practice in Orange County since 1987, and a licensed psychologist for nearly 25 years. He was formerly clinic director at Meier Clinics in Laguna Hills, and had facilitated the Autism Spectrum Support Group at Saddleback Church for 20 years. Dr. Pontius earned his PhD in Psychology from Alliant International University, San Diego and is a graduate of Biola University's Talbot School of Theology. He has specialized training in Gestalt Therapy, Applied Behavior Analysis, and Cognitive Behavior Therapy. If asked though, he'd say the most significant influence to his professional development has been parenting his oldest son, who is a young adult affected by autism. During the day, Dr. Pontius is a staff psychologist for the Regional Center of Orange County, a social service agency serving those affected by developmental disabilities in Orange County. He sees clients in both the Costa Mesa and Mission Viejo offices.

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Christina Wollin, MS

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, LMFT 108753
cwollin@journeyscounseling.com
Extension: 121

Christina is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and has experience working with at-risk youth, the homeless, recovery, psychiatric outpatient program, and in private practice.

She approaches each individual's healing journeys from a holistic and integrative approach that considers that whole person ~body, soul, and spirit.

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