Counselors
We have a wonderful group of counselors dedicated to extending grace to hurting people.
Nate Bagley
Master of Arts in Counseling - Western Seminary Nate counsels from a Christian worldview and a compassionate understanding of people, life, and growth. He is committed to serving clients by understanding them and their situation. He serves as a mirror through which they can more accurately see themselves and the reality of their situation. Nate acts as a catalyst to help clients move toward their desired and needed change. He assists children, adolescents, and adults. Nate’s areas of concentration include play and art therapy, parent-child relations, couples, abuse and trauma, peer relations, depression, and anxiety.
In counseling, such things as clarification of problems, personality characteristics, past and current experiences, consideration of alternate ways of thinking and behaving, and future hopes and goals may be explored. Since counseling is often less effective if the client works on the issues only during sessions, part of Nate’s approach, includes asking clients to do specific activities, complete assessments, and/or read specific books that will help them make lasting changes.
Nate is a graduate of Western Seminary, Portland, Oregon, completing his Master of Arts in Counseling degree. He received his Bachelor’s degree from Moody Bible Institute. Nate abides by the American Counseling Association Code of Ethics. He is a registered counselor in the state of Washington (RC 00053221). He is in the process of becoming a licensed mental health counselor. Nate supervises graduate students, teaches at a local Christian university and speaks on a variety of parenting and relationship topics.
Shelley Besemann
Master of Arts in Counseling - Western Seminary Shelley believes that counseling is a partnership. Together, client and counselor discuss unhealthy patterns of behavior and explore healthier options. While Shelley uses a variety of counseling techniques, she primarily utilizes approaches which uncover faulty beliefs, thinking, and behavior patterns that contribute to distress. She assists children, adults, individuals, couples and families struggling with life transitions, relationships, parenting, addictive patterns, anxiety, depression, and struggles with family.
Counseling may not be effective if the client works on the issues only once a week. Therefore, as part of Shelley’s approach, she may ask you to do specific activities, assessments, readings that will help to make efficient use of therapy.
Shelley received her Master of Arts Degree in Counseling from Western Seminary in Portland, Oregon. She is a Registered Counselor with the state of Washington (RC00053282), and is also a Registered Intern with the Oregon Board of Licensed Professional Counselors and Therapists (RO428). She is working toward licensure as a mental health counselor. She abides by the American Counseling Association Code of Ethics.
Lauri Borgmeyer
Master of Arts in Counseling - Western Seminary
Lauri compassionately assists children, adolescents, individuals, families, and groups on a variety of issues, including: depression, stress and anxiety, co-dependency, anger management, abuse, communication, relationships, social skills, grief and loss, ADHD, parenting problems and skills, identity development, and adjustment to life transitions. She has experience in play therapy with children, but her primary focus is partnering with individuals to help them explore their past, thought patterns, feelings, choices, and behaviors to promote growth and achieve positive change. Lauri is genuinely committed to offering her clients compassion and understanding while strives to integrate Biblical truth with therapy techniques.
Lauri has a Master of Arts in Counseling from Western Seminary in Portland, Oregon. Her bachelor’s degree was attained at Warner Pacific College. She is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in the state of Washington (LMHC 5630). Lauri speaks on a variety of parenting, relational topics, and women’s issues.
Megan Bouslaugh, M.A.
Master of Arts in Counseling - Western Seminary Megan assists people of all ages, individuals, and groups, on a variety of issues, including: adjustment to life transitions, marital problems, depression, anxiety, eating disorders, post abortion trauma, identity development, and spiritual concerns. Her approach to therapy incorporates a Christian worldview. In counseling Megan focuses on the thoughts, behaviors, and beliefs that are problematic to the client.
Megan has a Masters of Arts degree in Counseling from Western Seminary. She obtained her bachelors degree from Warner Pacific College. She is a registered counselor and is working towards licensure as a mental health counselor in the state of Washington. Megan abides by the ethical codes of Licensed Mental Health Counselors and of The American Counseling Association. Megan teaches at a local Christian university.
Bart J. Fowler, Psy.D. Doctorate in Clinical Psychology - George Fox University
Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Ministries - Talbot Seminary
Dr. Fowler is passionate about thriving rather than surviving, to live the fullness of what God intended. He offers compassion, understanding, honesty, and his broad range of experience to those who are struggling with anxiety and depression; interpersonal, couple, family, and parenting problems; grief and loss; life transitions; addictive patterns; stress and anger management. He makes use of sound psychological research and understanding that is consistent with Biblical truth and Spiritual wisdom to promote emotional health and reconciliation in relationships. This approach involves partnering with clients to explore and change thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and patterns in relationships in order to encourage healing.
Dr. Fowler has worked in the mental health treatment field since 1985. He completed a doctorate degree in Clinical Psychology at George Fox University. He previously obtained a master’s degree in Marriage and Family Ministries from Talbot Seminary. His bachelor’s degree was attained at Biola University. Dr. Fowler is a licensed psychologist in Oregon and a registered counselor in Washington. He is experienced with a wide variety of clients and ages.
Dr. Fowler is married with three children. He enjoys a variety of outdoor sports and time with his family. Prior to joining CHARIS, he worked in several inpatient hospitals, a community mental health center, and private practice. As an ordained minister, he previously shared pastoral and teaching ministries with fellow elders in his church. Dr. Fowler provides consultation to residential treatment centers and clinical supervision for a graduate counseling program. He speaks on a variety of marital and parental concerns, counseling skills, and professional topics.
Sarah Gross
Master of Arts in Counseling - Western Seminary
Sarah believes that each person is unique, dealing with problems in ways that are shaped by upbringing, beliefs, social environment, and personal choices. She assists children, teens, adults, and families with a variety of issues, including depression, anxiety, life transitions, relationship and family difficulties, co-dependency, identity formation, and attachment disorders and oppositional behavior in children.
Sarah’s goals are to be a listening ear, to extend compassion, and to help each client become more self-aware. She sees counseling as a joint effort, and her job is to assist and support each person as they explore ways to improve their life. The counseling process involves setting goals for personal, social, and spiritual growth. Sarah may use homework if it will be helpful, and will attempt to adjust therapy to the specific needs of each client.
Sarah graduated with a Master of Arts degree in Counseling from Western Seminary in Portland, Oregon. She abides by the American Counseling Association Code of Ethics. Sarah is a registered counselor in the state of Washington (RC 00054660).
Mae Soderquist-Bell
Marriage & Family Intern - George Fox University
Mae is energetic, compassionate, caring, creative, and patient. Her genuine desire is for each client to explore at their own tempo their positive and negative emotional feelings regarding their life journey; while at the same time, working on healing and personal growth to reach the most fulfilling and vibrant life possible. Her approach rests in a Christian worldview. She believes God is the Great Physician and Healer of all human suffering and pain. Mae is systemic and contextual in her thinking and desires to collaborate with each individual where they are in their life. She also draws upon the expressive therapies of sand-tray, play, projection, and filial therapy. Drawing from her extensive teaching career, Mae helps clients sort out thinking and feelings through educational assignments.
Mae graduated from Oregon State University in 1984. She holds a Teaching License. Her teaching career included refugees, exchange students, teen parents, and the homeless. She has taught classes in: healthy relationships, prenatal health, parenting, substance abuse, domestic violence, family stress and loss, and career development. She is presently a Marriage and Family Therapy Intern under the code of ethics of The American Association for Marriage and Family Therapists and the Washington Board of Licensed Professional Counselors and Therapist. She is registered as a WA state counselor: RC00058014. Mae is married and has four children.
Kevin Storm, M.A., L.M.H.C.
Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Counseling - George Fox University
Kevin’s approach to therapy with a Christian worldview incorporating family systems, parenting, cognitive-behavioral, and anger management theory and techniques. He abides by Washington State law and ethics pertaining to counselors, American Counseling Association ethics, and American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy ethics.
Kevin is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in the state of Washington. He received his B.A. in Social Work in 1987. In 1997, he graduated from George Fox University with an M.A. in Marriage and Family Therapy. His experience includes over ten years of providing services to families. He specializes in marriage and family therapy but he is also trained as an adolescent therapist. He has worked extensively with teen boys, adult men, couples, and families. Kevin is married and has three children. He has over ten years of service to families. |
