Meet Our Experts
Meet Jake, our friendly office therapy dog! Jake brings comfort, calm, and smiles to our clients, offering a warm, furry presence that helps ease stress and anxiety.
With his gentle nature, Jake is here to make your visit to Passages Therapy & Counseling even more welcoming and supportive.
MHA, MSW, LICSW, CIMHP, NCTTP
Marlena Chestnut, a dedicated therapist and founder of Passages Therapy & Counseling, brings years of experience and a deep passion for helping others to her practice.
Driven by a desire to create a safe and supportive environment for individuals seeking mental health support, Marlena established Passages Therapy & Counseling to make a positive impact in her community.
Receptionist
Meet Stephanie Simmons, our welcoming receptionist and the friendly face of Passages Therapy & Counseling.
Stephanie ensures every client feels comfortable from the moment they walk in, assisting with scheduling and answering questions with warmth and professionalism. Her caring approach helps create a seamless, supportive experience for everyone at Passages.
Meet Ashley Roy, our billing clerk at Passages Therapy & Counseling.
Billing Clerk
MA, LPC
Beth Wright-Bragg, MA, LPC, is a dedicated and compassionate Licensed Professional Counselor at Passages Therapy & Counseling.
With a Master’s degree in counseling and years of experience, Beth specializes in helping clients navigate challenges such as anxiety, depression, and life transitions. She uses a client-centered, evidence-based approach to create a safe, supportive environment, empowering clients to achieve personal growth and mental wellness.
Erica Davis, MSW, LGSW, is a skilled and empathetic Licensed Graduate Social Worker at Passages Therapy & Counseling.
With a Master’s in Social Work, Erica supports clients through life’s challenges, including stress, grief, and relationship dynamics. Her approach combines evidence-based practices with genuine care, fostering a safe space for clients to explore their emotions and work toward lasting positive change.
MSW, LGSW
MSW, LGSW
Bernarda Bandak, MSW, LGSW, is a compassionate Licensed Graduate Social Worker at Passages Therapy & Counseling.
With a Master’s in Social Work, Bernarda is dedicated to supporting clients dealing with challenges like anxiety, trauma, and life adjustments. Her approach is client-centered and empathetic, creating a safe environment where individuals can openly explore their experiences and work toward healing and personal growth.
Shamae Jones, MSW, LGSW, is a compassionate Licensed Graduate Social Worker at Passages Therapy & Counseling.
Holding a master’s in social work, Shamae specializes in helping clients navigate challenges such as stress, trauma, and emotional well-being. Her approach is empathetic and client-centered, providing a safe, supportive space for individuals to explore their feelings and work toward meaningful change and healing.
SMSW, LGSW
MSW, LGSW
Jennifer Hartley, MSW, LGSW, is a dedicated Licensed Graduate Social Worker at Passages Therapy & Counseling.
With a Master’s in Social Work, Jennifer focuses on supporting clients facing challenges such as depression, anxiety, and life transitions. Her empathetic, client-centered approach creates a safe and welcoming space, empowering individuals to explore their emotions and make strides toward healing and personal growth.
Vicki Stroud, MSW, LGSW, is a compassionate Licensed Graduate Social Worker at Passages Therapy & Counseling.
With a master’s in social work, Vicki is committed to helping clients work through issues such as stress, grief, and relationship challenges. Her client-centered, empathetic approach fosters a safe and supportive environment, allowing individuals to explore their experiences and take positive steps toward healing and self-discovery.
MSW, LGSW
MSW, LGSW
Tara L. Donnen is a WV licensed, independent, clinical social worker. She received her master’s degree from Catholic University’s School of Social Service in Washington, DC in 2001. During her social work career, Tara has provided services to individuals and families in their homes, has provided crisis intervention in both inpatient and outpatient settings, and has worked as a therapist in several outpatient clinics in the area.
Primarily, Tara’s therapeutic work has been with individuals who have experienced
multiple adverse experiences in their childhoods and/or trauma in their pasts and are having difficulty coping in the present. Tara uses a client centered, multimodal approach which includes using the individual’s strengths and protective factors to motivate and propel the individual forward. Tara’s goal as a clinician is to improve the client’s mental health, quality of relationships, and ability to cope with multiple stressors. Tara provides
telehealth and appointments during evening hours and Saturday at Passages.
With over two decades of experience as a licensed social worker, I have extensive expertise in addressing a wide range of mental health concerns, including anxiety, depression, relationship struggles, stress management, addictions, and trauma recovery.
I believe in creating a safe, supportive environment where clients can explore their thoughts and feelings without judgment. I am passionate about achieving balance by managing stress, setting healthy boundaries, and fostering self-care practices.
Using a collaborative approach, she tailors treatment plans to each individual’s unique needs, incorporating techniques from CBT, mindfulness, and other therapeutic modalities to promote healing, resilience, and a sense of equilibrium in everyday life.
My goal is to empower clients to overcome obstacles and achieve personal growth, providing tools and strategies to enhance emotional well-being and foster a balanced, fulfilling life.
MSW, LGSW
MSW, LGSW
Julie is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker in the State of West Virginia. She graduated from Glenville State College with a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and Sociology, and from West Virginia University with a Master of Social Work degree. Julie has over 20 years of experience working with adults and adolescents experiencing a variety of concerns, including mood disorders such as depression and bipolar disorder, anxiety, grief, relationship difficulties, trauma, substance use, suicidal ideation, anger management, and ADHD. She has worked in a range of settings and populations, including inpatient and outpatient treatment within hospitals, substance use treatment centers, Assertive Community Treatment programs, and integrated treatment within local community health centers.
Julie uses an eclectic therapeutic approach to help individuals identify mental and behavioral health concerns that disrupt their functioning ability in order to develop healthy coping strategies to improve overall quality of life. Some of these therapeutic approaches include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Solution-Focused Therapy, Person-Centered Therapy, Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy, and Trauma Informed Care. Julie creates a warm, non-threatening, non-judgmental environment for individuals to feel comfortable opening up about the most difficult aspects of their lives.
She meets individuals where they are, while focusing on the development of increased insight and
awareness, the creation of personal change, and the experience of improvement in their lives.
Julie is a West Virginia native, residing in Morgantown with her son, their two cats, and a Pac-Man frog. She enjoys watching movies at home or at the theater, dining out, attending performance theater, concerts, comedy show events, and festivals, reading, watching TV programs, spa days, and napping.
Two meaningful quotes that she wishes to share are: 1) “We cannot solve problems with the kind of thinking we employed when we came up with them.” —Albert Einstein, and 2) “You are greater than you know.” —Mother Teresa.
I am dedicated to helping you find resilience and empowerment through evidence-based and compassionate strategies. I believe that therapy should be a collaborative journey, tailored to meet your unique needs and goals. My approach is centered on empathy, understanding, and respect, always aiming to create a space where you can feel seen, heard, and valued.
MSW, LGSW
MSW, LGSW
Beth McCreight, MSW, LGSW, is a compassionate Licensed Graduate Social Worker at Passages Therapy & Counseling. She holds a master’s degree in social work and specializes in helping individuals manage anxiety, build self-esteem, and navigate relationship challenges. Her person-focused approach emphasizes collaboration, empathy, and respect for each client’s unique experiences.
Beth creates a safe, supportive, and nonjudgmental space where clients feel heard and empowered. Using evidence-based, strengths-based practices, she helps clients build coping skills, increase self-awareness, and work toward meaningful, lasting change.
My ideal clients are those who are willing and/or motivated to work collaboratively to overcome barriers to success and happiness. I enjoy assisting people with a variety of mental health issues in improving communication skills, emotion regulation, relationships, behavioral issues, and personal strengths/skill building, while fostering their independence and autonomy.
Throughout my years of service, I have assisted many people with an array of issues, including addiction, anxiety disorders, behavioral difficulties, child welfare issues, depression, eating disorders, life transitions, mental health challenges, mood-related disorders, parenting difficulties, physical health challenges, psychosis/psychotic disorders, relationships/conflict, self-esteem issues, social difficulties, spirituality, stress, and trauma. I tend to lead from a strengths-based perspective, while utilizing an integrative approach to therapy that is tailored to the needs of each client.
Providing counseling, support, and advocacy to individuals to help address and navigate challenges and setbacks is my passion. I believe that every client has the potential to reach their goals and minimize suffering/severity of symptoms through consistent hard work and commitment. It is an honor for me to have the therapeutic role of supporting clients in their personal journey toward self-growth, meaning, and purpose.
MSW, LGSW
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to commonly asked questions about our Passages Therapy & Counseling.
