Executive Director

Zoe Jack, LCSW-C, MBA has been a professional in the intersecting field of nature, mental health and education for over a decade. She works as the Executive Director of Chesapeake Mental Health Collaborative. Zoe is a licensed clinical social worker and Maryland board approved supervisor. She received her Master’s in Social Work from the University of Maryland and her Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Louisiana. Zoe is Co-creator of the Nature Informed Therapy Training and Certification Program, the first nature-based training program approved for CEUs for social workers through the Association for Social Work Boards. Zoe is the author of "Social Work Outside: Evidence Based, Micro and Macro Perspectives" and believes in advocacy efforts that increase incorporation of nature into a social worker’s professional practice.

Therapist

A Licensed Clinical Professional Counsel (LCPC), Katie earned her Master’s degree in Clinical Professional Counseling at Loyola University Maryland. Prior to pursuing her path toward licensure, she enjoyed a career in the performing and visual arts, which meandered slowly toward and within the wellness field before finding a home in mental health counseling. Katie’s eclectic experience has led her to feel passionate about providing and holding space for adults dealing with transition, upheaval, change, loss, grief, stress, anxiety, and depression, especially as these elements pertain to relationships, family, divorce, roles, career, identity, burnout, performance, injury, or illness.

Therapist

Tee (she/her/hers) is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and a Maryland Board Approved Supervisor. She has over a decade of experience working with children, teens, families, and individuals in multiple settings. Tee believes in the human need for connection with self, others, and the earth, and collaborates with clients to manage individual and systemic barriers to these connections. Tee brings warmth, curiosity, and authenticity to the therapeutic relationship. She believes therapy can support individuals, partners, and families in responding and adapting to stressors in an authentic manner that builds resilience.

Therapist

Patty brings a wealth of life experience to her practice, having come to the field of therapy later in life. As a mother of three grown children and with a 20-year career in the business world, she understands the complexities of life’s ups and downs. Her personal and professional journey has instilled in her a deep appreciation for the healing power of nature, which she often incorporates into her work with clients. Patty earned her Master of Social Work from the University of Maryland School of Social Work and is passionate about helping individuals across all stages of life.

Therapist

Taylor Byrd, LGPC, is a born and raised Marylander who brings warmth, curiosity and support to each session. Taylor believes in the transformative power of therapy and connection. With a deep love of nature and psychology, Taylor hopes to create a safe and supportive environment for clients, encouraging exploration of thoughts and feelings. Her approach is tailored to meet each individual’s unique needs with empathetic listening and insightful guidance to empower clients to navigate their challenges, and foster resilience and growth. Taylor received her master’s degree in counseling psychology from Towson University. When she’s not in a session, Taylor loves to bake, take walks and hikes, and make crafts!

Founder, Clinical Supervisor

A Licensed Professional Counselor, Heidi specializes in the treatment of stress, anxiety, and grief related mental health challenges. Over 15 years experience in the counseling field and a Ph.D. graduate from Loyola University Maryland.

Therapist

If you're looking for growth and/or healing- if you feel motivated by pressing questions about life, specifically your own- then Matthew may be a good fit! Matthew studied counseling at William James College, following advanced studies in philosophy and theology at Harvard Divinity School and Columbia University.

Therapist

Amy believes in the client’s need to be heard and validated. She understands that the client holds within them the answer to their struggle. Amy has a collaborative communication style with a calm and warm energy. She knows that you are the expert on your life and her role is to challenge, clarify, and pose insightful and thought-provoking questions. Amy earned a Master of Education in School Counseling and Post-Masters concentration in counseling from Loyola University Maryland. Amy’s undergraduate studies were in Journalism at the University of Maryland.

Therapist

Renee help clients address mental health concerns including depression, anxiety, grief/loss, trauma and difficulty adjusting to change. She works individually and in small groups with solution-focused, strength-based and person-centered holistic approaches. Renee offers genuine warmth and curiosity about experiences for deeper reflection and processing. Art therapy helps people understand themselves in ways that can not be shown with words. Renee offers patient and empathic support when working through trauma with safety in mind. Art making with diverse materials also supports long term self-care and health.

Therapist

Timothy Ayd, LGPC believes that there is no growth without challenge and has embodied that belief by spending the past several years furthering his education in the field of psychology. He received his Master of Science in Clinical and Professional Counseling from Loyola University Maryland, where he received a lifetime achievement award from Loyola’s Department of Recreation and Wellness. Timothy spent several years gaining experience in providing psychotherapy, most notably by helping Native Americans in Baltimore City. Born and raised in Maryland, his previous outdoor experiences have fueled his passion for joining CMHC and he enjoys bringing his passion for the outdoors into his sessions.

Timothy is an avid Lord of the Rings fan and his favorite quote from the series in many ways represents his approach to therapy and to life: “So do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.”

Therapist

Throughout her career, Gina has worked as an advisor, counselor and teacher in a variety of educational settings with children, adolescents, and adults. She currently works as a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor at Chesapeake Mental Health Collaborative and as the Program Coordinator and Senior Faculty Member for the Center for Nature Informed Therapy. In addition to her M.A. degree in Counseling Psychology from Towson University, she has a M.A.degree in Applied Healing Arts from Maryland University of Integrative Health (formerly Tai Sophia Institute) which adds a unique perspective to her clinical approach. In her personal life and through her professional experience as a certified nature informed therapist, Gina partners with the wisdom of Nature and inspires others to do the same. She enjoys working with children, teens, and adults and brings an awareness of cultural sensitivity to her practice.

Therapist

Creating a safe space to help clients achieve self-awareness and feel accepted is Rachel's priority. Rachel earned her Master's Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Villanova University. She helps adults with anxiety, emotion regulation, and negative self-talk. Holistically, she is a trained sound healer and has experience incorporating nature in her therapeutic work. She assists adults (18+) with maintaining eating disorder recovery. If you are an adult seeking eating disorder recovery support, she will strive to help challenge your eating disorder thoughts and strengthen your True Self utilizing an Eating Disorder Intuitive Therapy (EDIT) approach.

Therapist

Transform your relationship with anxiety in as little as 3 months with Jasmine, who specializes in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with Exposure & Response Prevention (CBT-ERP). This evidence-based approach helps 60-90% of participants reclaim their lives. Jasmine also offers Trauma-Focused CBT for ages 5-18, supporting youth and caregivers in healing from trauma together.
Clients praise Jasmine’s ability to bring clarity and hope, helping them work through grief, fear, and shame. For those with a Christ-centered faith, Jasmine incorporates spiritual growth into therapy. With a passion for nature, she integrates outdoor interventions into her sessions, often held on CMHC’s serene covered porch.
Originally from New Haven, Jasmine has called Baltimore home for 10 years and is eager to guide you toward wellness!

Therapist

Ryan takes a "big picture" approach to helping others, acting as a companion to clients as they find and traverse their life journeys. He emphasizes aspects of identity such as ethnicity, gender, sexuality, spirituality, and ability, and how they impact us individually and systemically. Experiencing how powerful stillness and nature can be for psychological healing, Ryan deeply values each person’s untapped potential. He wants to help you figure out who you are, who you want to be, and how you see yourself fitting into the world.

Therapist

**Virtual appointments only**
Veronica believes that every human being has unfulfilled potential and internal wisdom that can be unlocked during therapy. Her goal is to enable her clients to tap their true potential by exploring challenges to live more fully and implementing effective strategies for addressing those challenges.
In addition to a Master’s degree in counseling psychology, she has gained additional education in the Treatment of addictions and substance abuse disorders from Grand Canyon University, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy training, Dance and Movement Therapy, and other evidence-based practices. She loves mindfulness-based counseling for alleviating symptoms of trauma-related issues, depression, anxiety, and life transitions (i.e., career changes, divorce, or loss).
Veronica has been working with adults as a therapist for more than seven years, and with children for the last two years. Her professional background includes teaching yoga and art, implementing applied behavioral analysis with autistic children, helping teachers struggling with burnout, and career counseling.
As an immigrant who moved to the US in 2015, Veronica provides culturally-sensitive counseling for international clients, including counseling in Russian.