Meet The Team
Matthew Gallagher, LCPC
Owner, Psychotherapist, Consultant
Matthew works as a therapist to serve individuals, couples, and children. He graduated from Tabor College and earned a Master’s degree from Wichita State University. He began his career working with students and parents as a classroom teacher and later as a school counselor before transitioning to private practice psychotherapy in 2009.
Through his work in schools and private practice Matthew offers a wealth of unique experience and compassionate support to his clients. He has pursued additional training in personality-based assessment through PCM (Kahler's Process Communication Model®) and trauma-informed treatments such as Brainspotting and EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing).
Matthew works to provide respectful care and compassionate support to help each client heal from previous experiences and learn how to care for themselves and those around them in more effective ways.
Tara Lancelot, LCMFT
Psychotherapist
Tara works as a therapist to service individuals, couples, adolescents, and families. She earned her Master’s degree from Friends University in Marriage and Family Therapy. She began her career working at South Central Mental Health in Andover, KS, before transitioning into private practice in 2013.
Tara has focused her practice on working with anxiety, depression, attachment injury, and familial patterns. She pursued additional training in the trauma-informed treatments Brainspotting and EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing) therapy.
In session, Tara focuses on building a positive therapeutic alliance with each of her clients. She works to create a comfortable environment where clients feel safe to share their experiences. She looks forward to helping people work towards healing and contentment in their lives.
Tonya Smith, LSCSW
Psychotherapist
Tonya works with children, adolescents, individuals, and families. She graduated from the State University of New York at New Paltz and earned a Master’s degree in Social Work from Newman University. She began her career working in child welfare and later as a school social worker. Her transition to mental health therapy began in 2017 while providing crisis therapy services at a community mental health center and eventually mental health therapy services in a private practice setting in 2018.
Tonya works with her clients through a strengths-based/ trauma-informed approach using evidence based practices such as EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing), Brainspotting, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Solution Focused Therapy, play therapy techniques and mindfulness practices. She desires to help her clients find relief from anxiety, depression, anger, and recovery from traumatic events. Through this work she hopes to increase resiliency, enhance healthy relationships, and improve coping skills.
Andrew Bogner, LCPC
Psychotherapist
Andy works as a therapist to serve adults and adolescents in individual, family, couple, and sometimes group setting. He graduated with a Master’s Degree in Counseling from Wichita State University. He began his career working as a therapist at PrairieView in Newton, focusing on working with individuals and groups. Following this, he spent several years as a therapist working with a major research project in the state of Kansas and implementing several evidence based practices with families in the foster system. He transitioned to private practice in 2016.
With his history working in community mental health, as well as in the child welfare system, Andy offers an abundance of experience to individuals. He works to help clients move toward emotional healing, utilizing several evidence based, trauma-informed approaches.
Michelle Drake, LSCSW
Psychotherapist
Michelle works with adolescents, individuals and families. She earned both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Social Work from Wichita State University. Michelle has a variety of social work service experience which includes child welfare, foster and kinship care, juvenile offender residential treatment, homeless families, school social work and now private practice.
Michelle uses proven therapy methods (EMDR, Brainspotting, CBT) to help her clients with anxiety, depression, relationship discord, grief and trauma. She believes that people want to be happy but don’t always know how to achieve it. She brings humor and creativity to her sessions and truly enjoys assisting her clients in tapping into their natural resources and strength to elicit their desired outcome.
Wednesday & Linus
Office Dogs
Wednesday and Linus are French Bulldogs and highly social, offering affection to everyone they meet. They each present their own unique personality and energy for those who want them.
Lori Gallagher
Owner, Office Manager
Lori is the office manager and smiling face behind the front desk. She works to help clients find appointments, manage payments, and understand insurance benefits. She has operated a daycare and directed a children's ministry before learning the ins and outs of insurance and practice management. Lori is an expert with children and shares her wisdom in the parenting workshops she hosts with Matthew and her compassionate understanding of their needs.
Esther Vantleven
Scheduler and Billing Specialist
Esther runs the front desk in the morning assisting clients with appointments, payments, insurance, and any questions they might have. She has worked as an administrative assistant for multiple local area mental health facilities and an expert with insurance claims. Through her time working as an administrative assistant, she has broadened her knowledge of medical insurance, how it works, and the behind the scenes factors of proper client care.
"One thing I am passionate about is simply people. I believe everyone has a story and a history that makes them who they are. I love being able to serve and do what I can to bring light to what can sometimes be a dark world. My goal in life is to always make a positive impact on everyone that I come in contact with. I am also currently taking classes to get one step closer to my dream of one day being a counselor."
Sharon Yates
Administrative Assistant
Sharon runs the front desk in the evenings assisting clients with appointments, payments, insurance, and any questions they might have. She has a bachelors degree in Psychology/Human Services and a Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy, both from Friends University. She is also an adjunct professor at Friends currently teaching Towards Healthier Marriages and has researched how dogs and other animals help in the therapeutic process.
"I have 2 dogs and 4 grandchildren and they bring so much fun and joy to my life. I love spending time with my family and friends. I always enjoy meeting new people and getting to know them. My motto in life is this: It's never too late! You're never too old to pursue new goals and dreams."