If you’re new to behavioral health therapy, you may be wondering what the letters behind our names mean. They are credentials awarded by the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker and Marriage and Family Therapist Board.
In the State of Ohio, a psychotherapist must have or be in a master’s degree or a PhD program in one of these disciplines in order to work with psychotherapy patients. Once our education degrees are completed, we have to pass clinical tests administered by the State Board. Upon successful completion of the tests, the Board confers a professional license to practice in our field.
The Ohio Counselor, Social Worker and Marriage and Family Therapist Board has two levels of licensure, independent and non-independent. Independently licensed psychotherapists have completed the education, training and testing to be able to work on their own, i.e., they don’t have to report to a supervisor. Therpists who are not independently licensed can provide psychotherapy to patients, but report to a supervisor who is ultimately responsible for their supervisee’s work.
A LISW is an independently licensed social worker. A LPCC is an independently licensed counselor. In behavioral health, both have been trained to competently deliver psychotherapy treatment.
SUPV is the designation the State Board awards to those social workers and counselors who have the training and experience to supervise therapists who have not yet completed the education, training or have not yet passed the licensure test to work independently.
All of the therapists at Pathways of Ohio Counseling Services are independently licensed and are designated as supervisors.
Rebecca Nelis, MSSA, LISW-SUPV
Licensed Independent Social Worker with Supervisory Privilege
Clinical Focus:
- Anxiety/Anxiety Related Disorders
- Behavioral Issues
- Career Counseling
- Coping Skills
- Depression
- Grief and Loss
- Issues around Aging
- Issues around Caregiving
- Mood Disorders including bipolar disorder
- Relationship Issues/Divorce
Treatment Populations:
- Adults 18 and older
Primary Treatment Methods:
- Behavioral Therapy
- Cognitive Therapy
- Interpersonal Reflection
- Mindfulness
- Motivational Interviewing
- Problem Solving
- Relaxation Techniques
- Strength Based Therapy
About Becky
Becky is the managing owner and clinical director of Pathways of Ohio Counseling Services, LLC. Her purpose in founding Pathways was to provide extraordinary and personalized out-patient behavioral health care to adults who prefer to deal with their life challenges in a private practice setting.
While she was living in the New York metropolitan area, she had the privilege of working with a world-class psychotherapist who helped her successfully deal with life and work challenges. Becky has modeled Pathways’ unique look and approach to treatment from her own experience.
Pathways’ success is a direct result of matching the right therapist and treatment models for everyone who comes to Pathways for support.
Becky holds an Associate degree in Liberal Arts from the County College of Morris (AA), a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work (BSW) from Youngstown State University and a Master’s in Social Science Administration (MSSA) from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio.
Before she opened Pathways of Ohio Counseling in October 2008, Becky worked as a psychotherapist in public mental health and public drug and alcohol recovery for 10 years.
While working with clients who were dealing with drug and alcohol addiction, she was a member of the Mahoning County Mental Health and Recovery Board’s award-winning duel-diagnosis treatment team. The team’s focus was providing exceptional interdisciplinary treatment for people who suffer with both severe mental illness and drug and/or dependence.
Becky is a member of Give an Hour, a national nonprofit organization that certifies psychotherapists who offer free therapy services to the active military and veteran community of the Iraq and Afghanistan Conflicts.
She has been a member of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) since 2002 and is a member of several NASW committees that advocate for both her profession as a clinical social worker and the rights of mental and behavioral health clients.
Psychotherapy is Becky’s second career. Her first career was as a manager for AT&T, a position that allowed her to live in and spend significant amounts of time in different parts of the country.
In 1999, she accepted a pre-retirement buyout from AT&T. The buyout allowed her to pursue her long-time passion to help people work through life and work stressors and mental and behavioral health issues.
She enjoys spending time with her family, her friends and her cat, Henry. She is an advocate for mental health parity, protecting the environment and animal rights.
Marlene Gall, MAED, LPCC–SUPV
Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor with Supervisory Privilege
Clinical Focus:
- Anxiety
- Depression/Major Depressive Disorder
- Family Conflict
- Mood Disorders including Bipolar Disorder
- Peer Relationships
- Relationship Issues
- Self-defeating Behaviors/Personality Disorders
- Self-Esteem
Treatment Populations:
- Adults 18 years and older
Treatment Approaches:
- Behavioral Therapies
- Cognitive Therapies
- Coping Skills Development
- Mindfulness
- Problem Solving
- Psychodynamic
About Marlene
With more than 35 years of experience, Marlene is recognized as one of the most respected and highly skilled psychotherapists in the area.
She is renowned in the tristate area as an authority on diagnosing and treatment of the self-defeating behaviors associated with many personality disorders such as Borderline Personality Disorder.
Marlene holds both her undergraduate and Masters’ degrees in Counseling from Youngstown State University.
She has been a valued member of the Pathways of Ohio Counseling staff since 2011.
Marlene enjoys spending time with her family and her many friends.
Mari Alschuler, MSW, LISW-SUPV
Licensed Independent Social Worker with Supervisory Privilege
Registered Poetry Therapist/Poetry Therapy Practitioner
Clinical Focus:
- Consultation for Gender Transition
- Couples Counseling for LGBTQPIA Partners
- Gender Identity/Gender Dysphoria
- For people age 16+. Assessment and diagnosis for insurance purposes for clients who are considering transitioning, socially, psychologically, and/or medically, using WPATH guidelines.
- Lesbian and Gay Male Issues
Treatment Populations:
- Adults 18 and older
- Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning, pansexual, intersexed and asexual (LGBTQPIA) 16 years and older
Primary Treatment Approaches:
- Art Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
- Gestalt
- Journaling Therapy
- Mindfulness
- Poetry Therapy
- Psychodynamic
- Trauma Informed Therapies
About Mari
Mari holds a Ph.D. in Leadership and Education from Barry University. She has a Master’s Degree in Organizational Psychology and Counseling Psychology from the Teacher’s College of Columbia University; a Master of Fine Arts from Columbia University and a Master’s in Social Work from Fordham University. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Semiotic from Brown University.
In her academic career, her research has focused on reflective journaling, teaching mindfulness, mediation and stress management to student veterans as well as working toward the retention of student veterans in university settings.
She has taught creative writing workshops and trained mental health professionals in poetry therapy in many different countries. Her poetry and short fiction have been published internationally.
Mari has provided quality psychotherapy to her clients in New York, Florida and Ohio for more than 25 years and has been with Pathways since 2012.
In addition to her work at Pathways, Mari is a full time Assistant Professor of Social Work at Youngstown State University.
Madeline Savage, MSW, LISW-SUPV, LICD-SUPV, DBT-C
Licensed Independent Social Worker with Supervisory Privilege
Licensed Independent Chemical Dependency Counselor – Clinical Supervisor
Certified Dialectical Behavioral Therapist
Clinical Focus:
- Anxiety
- Binge Eating
- Consultation for Pre-Weight Loss Surgery and Post-Surgical Support
- Depression
- Eating Disorders
- Panic Disorders
- Trauma Based Disorders
- Weight Management
Treatment Populations:
- Adults 18 and older
Treatment Approaches:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
- Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT Certified)
- Mindfulness
- Psychodynamic
- Trauma Informed Therapies
About Madeline
Madeline is recognized as one of the area’s most successful weight management and binge eating disorder psychotherapists. She is the leader of the St. Joseph/St. Elizabeth’s pre and post gastric bypass support groups.
Madeline has also worked in supervisory roles in several large drug and alcohol recovery programs in the area. She is an adjunct instructor in the Social Work program at YSU.
She holds a bachelor’s degree and a Masters in Social Work from Youngstown State University.
Madeline has provided quality psychotherapy services to her clients in for more than 25 years. She was Pathways’ first independently contracted psychotherapist and been a valued member of the Pathways team since 2009.
Pamela D. Ramsey, MSW, LISW-SUPV
Licensed Independent Social Worker with Supervisory Privileges
Treatment Population:
- Adults 18 and older
Clinical Focus:
- Addiction/Substance Abuse
- Anxiety/Anxiety Related Disorders
- Behavioral Issues
- Career Counseling
- Christian, faith-based Counseling
- Coping Skills
- Depression
- Relationship Issues
Treatment Modalities:
- Bible Based Intervention
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
- Interpersonal Reflection
- Mindfulness
- Motivational Interviewing
- Solution-Focused Therapy
- Strengths-Based Therapy
About Pam
Pam has worked in the Behavioral Health field for twenty years. She has provided treatment for those seeking change, utilizing a variety of treatment modalities. She has been passionate about helping people make the changes necessary for a full and satisfying life.
Pam attended Youngstown State University and holds her Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Social Work. She has been a member of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) for almost twenty years. As a Bachelor level student, she was chosen as the Ohio Bachelor Student Social Worker of the Year, affording her the opportunity to be an OH NASW Board member and work with leaders from across the state. She has provided direct care service in several capacities as well as serving in leadership roles, supervising and directing others.
Having grown up and lived in this area for most of her life, Community has always been important to Pam. In the past, she served as an active member of her children’s school community as Vice-President of the Parent-Teacher Organization as well as assisting with the school district Strategic Plan. She currently serves on Advisory Committees for many of the court systems in Mahoning and Trumbull counties. She is an adjunct instructor in YSU’s Social Work program. Pam’s career has allowed her to build both professional and personal relationships with so many others who strive to make a difference in people’s lives and communities.
Through experiences she has been fortunate to have had, Pam possesses a positive attitude and genuineness that continues to define her desire to help others achieve the goals and changes they seek.
Pam and Becky have known each for more than 20 years. They met when they were in the same bachelor’s level class at YSU. Pam joined the Pathways’ team in early 2021.