Gathered Connections Counseling has expanded! Our new office in Surprise, AZ is now open.

Meet the Team

At Gathered Connections Counseling, we believe healing happens in relationship—with ourselves and with others. Our team of compassionate, highly trained therapists brings diverse backgrounds, specialties, and approaches to meet you where you are. Whether you’re seeking support for your child, navigating life transitions, healing from trauma, or strengthening your relationships, our clinicians are here to walk with you every step of the way. Meet the dedicated professionals committed to helping you grow, heal, and thrive.

Michele Weist-Alvarez, LCSW

Michele Wiest-Alvarez, LCSW

Michele Wiest-Alvarez, MSSW, LCSW is a seasoned therapist who works with teens, adults, older adults, and families. She uses a holistic, trauma-informed approach to help clients manage stress, navigate life changes, and heal from grief, anxiety, and relationship challenges.

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Jennifer Ramos, LCSW

Jennifer Ramos, LCSW

Jennifer Ramos, LCSW, is a bilingual therapist with over 17 years of clinical experience, offering trauma-informed, culturally responsive care to children, families, and caregivers.

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Karen Tabloff, LCSW

Karen Tabloff, LCSW

Karen Tabloff, LCSW is an Arizona-licensed clinical social worker with decades of experience supporting children and adults through grief, anxiety, depression, and major life transitions. Her approach is warm, relatable, and collaborative, helping clients feel seen, supported, and grounded as they build coping skills and move toward steadier emotional well-being.

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Julie Reeves

Julie Reeves, MAS, LAC, NMT™

Julie Reeves is a trauma-informed mental health therapist and developmental brain-mapping specialist with over 12 years of experience supporting children, adults, and families impacted by trauma. Her work is grounded in the Neuro-Sequential Model of Therapeutics™ and emphasizes compassionate, brain-based care that fosters understanding, regulation, and healing.

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Luis A. Lopez, LMSW

Luis A. Lopez, LMSW

Luis A. Lopez, LMSW, provides compassionate, culturally humble therapy for children, teens, adults, and couples. With specialized training in trauma-informed care, he combines a person-centered, strengths-based approach with evidence-based methods like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. His background in school settings informs his collaborative work with families, and he offers services in English, with Spanish available upon request.

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Courtney Larson, LMSW

Courtney Larson, LMSW

Courtney Larson, LMSW, is a compassionate therapist specializing in trauma-informed care for children, adolescents, families, and adults. With training in EMDR and CBT, she blends evidence-based techniques with a warm, holistic approach to support clients through anxiety, trauma, behavioral challenges, and life transitions.

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Julie Kent-Patridge, LMSW

Julie Kent-Partridge, LMSW

Julie Kent-Partridge, LMSW, helps children, teens, adults, and couples overcome anxiety, trauma, and relationship challenges through a strength-based, person-centered approach using CBT, ACT, and trauma-informed care.

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Sarah Kircher, LMSW

Sarah Kircher, LCSW

Sarah, LCSW, helps individuals facing anxiety, trauma, and life transitions using mindfulness, holistic therapy, and trauma-informed care to foster healing, balance, and personal growth.

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Matt Sandoval, LMSW

Matt Sandoval, LMSW

Matt Sandoval, LMSW, offers therapy for individuals, teens, and couples, blending talk therapy with creative expression to support healing, emotional growth, and better communication in relationships.

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