CLINIC LEADERSHIP
Dr. Kelsey Hargrove (she/her/hers)
Clinical Supervisor
Kelsey Hargrove is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor Supervisor (LCMHCS), 500-hour Certified Yoga Teacher (CYT), and the founder of Living for Synergy Wellness, an embodied wellness practice dedicated to holistic psychotherapy, yoga, and clinical supervision. Based in Durham, North Carolina, Kelsey’s work focuses on integrating storytelling, mental health, cultural consciousness, and embodiment, to create accessible learning environments and wellness spaces.
With over a decade of experience across inpatient, outpatient, and partial hospitalization settings, Kelsey has provided therapeutic care to individuals and families navigating body image dissatisfaction, disordered eating, and acute eating disorders. Her unique perspective—shaped by years of serving in fitness and wellness spaces—fuels her passion for addressing mental health disparities among BIPOC populations through the integration of mindful movement and embodiment practices.
When she’s not teaching or leading yoga and group fitness classes, Kelsey enjoys being outdoors/hiking, trying new restaurants, watching thriller movies, car karaoke, trying not to over or under water her houseplants, reading, and spending time with loved ones!
Dr. Helen Lupton-Smith (she/her/hers)
Faculty Liaison
Dr. Lupton-Smith is a Professor in the Counselor Education Program at North Carolina Central University. She received her Ph.D. in Counselor Education from North Carolina State University. Before coming to North Carolina Central University, Dr. Lupton-Smith was a faculty member in the Counseling Program at North Carolina A&T State University and then the Counselor Education program at NC State University. While at NCSU, Dr. Lupton-Smith served as Co-Director of the Community, Counseling, Education, and Research Center (CCERC), NCSU program’s community counseling center where counseling services are provided to underserved populations who can’t afford services as well as training experiences for graduate counseling students. Dr. Lupton-Smith has counseling experience in both school and agency settings with teens and adults. Her interests are around supervision and teaching strategies that facilitate the development of counselors in training as well as a counseling model that promotes access, engagement, and wellness of underserved community members.
Dr. Adam Brandt (he/him/his)
Co-Director of Community Outreach
Adam Brandt, Ph.D., holds a Master of Science in Education in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from the University of Dayton and a Doctor of Philosophy in Counseling and Counselor Education from North Carolina State University. He has clinical experience working with college students, adults, and teenagers. His clinical expertise is in obsessive-compulsive disorder, existential issues, and psycho-spiritual concerns.
Adam's research interests include Buddhist psychology and the intersection of faith and multicultural development. He is also the recipient of the 2022 ASERVIC Research Award. In his free time, Adam enjoys running, cycling, improving his guitar skills, and perfecting his morning ritual–making coffee.
Dr. Mia Kennedy (she/her/hers)
K-12 Partnerships and Outreach Co-Director
Dr. Mia Kennedy is a licensed school counselor and clinical mental health counselor-associate with 17 years of professional counseling experience across K-12 and higher education settings. A proud graduate of North Carolina A&T State University (B.S., M.S.) and North Carolina State University (Ph.D.), she has dedicated her career to promoting equitable access, culturally responsive support, and advocacy for students and families. Her research centers on school counselor preparation, career development, and anti-racist counseling practices, and she has shared her work at local, state, and national conferences.
As the K-12 Partnerships and Outreach Director, Dr. Kennedy brings a strong foundation in community engagement, educational collaboration, and student-centered counseling. Her passion aligns seamlessly with the Eagle Counseling, Consultation, and Research Clinic’s mission to provide accessible, culturally aware, and socially just mental health services, as well as its vision to model excellence in community outreach, counselor training, wellness promotion, and school-based partnerships.
Dr. Kennedy’s commitment to advocacy, education, and wellness reflects the heart of the clinic’s purpose. She is excited to contribute her skills, passion, and leadership to advance the clinic’s impact within the Durham community and beyond. Outside of her professional work, she enjoys listening to music, spending time with loved ones, and volunteering.
Teneya Love (she/her/hers)
Doctoral Graduate Assistant
Teneya Love is a doctoral student in the Counselor Education and Supervision program at North Carolina Central University. She is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor, Licensed Clinical Addictions Specialist Associate, and Licensed School Counselor. As the owner of Guiding Life Therapeutic Services, she provides counseling to adolescents and young adults, addressing a range of presenting concerns. In addition to her private practice work, Teneya serves as a doctoral graduate assistant at the Eagle Counseling Clinic, where she serves as a supervisor, and supports counselors who are in training and assists with clinical operations. In her personal time, she enjoys watching Netflix and spending time with her family.
Trent Stamer (he/him/his)
Clinical Administrative and Research Assistant
Trent Stamer currently serves as the Clinical Administrative & Research Assistant at the Eagle Counseling, Consultation, and Research Clinic (ECCRC) and holds a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from North Carolina Central University (May 2026). This fall, he will begin his Counselor Education Ph.D. program at Penn State University. Trent's interests within the field of counseling include existentialism, multiculturalism, rural mental health, systems therapy, and many others. His research interests include university-based counseling training clinics, advocacy and social justice frameworks, and the ethical examination and integration of artificial intelligence in psychotherapy.
Trent joined the ECCRC in 2024 as a student counselor and research assistant. During this time, he conducted the ECCRC's inaugural research study, titled Examining Client Access, Satisfaction, and Wellness at NCCU's Eagle Counseling Clinic, which was accepted and presented at the 2025 ACES Conference alongside Dr. Helen Lupton-Smith and Dr. Alyx Beckwith. In 2025, he received the Nancy Howell Scholarship awarded by the Licensed Clinical Counselors of North Carolina (LCCNC) and the Outstanding Graduate Student Award in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from NCCU. He received his Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Art & Design from Illinois College in 2023.
In his free time, Trent enjoys reading, making art, listening to music, and following his favorite soccer team, FC Bayern Munich.
STUDENT COUNSELORS
Edward "Eddie" Archer (he/him/his)
Student Counselor
Edward “Eddie” Archer is currently a counseling student intern specializing in mental health and addictions counseling and is also enrolled in the LCAS program. He is passionate about understanding people’s experiences and supporting individuals through challenges related to emotional well-being and substance use.
What Eddie enjoys most about counseling is the opportunity to create a safe, nonjudgmental space where clients feel heard, supported, and empowered throughout the therapeutic process. He is especially interested in implementing evidence-based approaches that promote resilience, healing, and long-term personal growth.
Sharon Baker (she/her/hers)
S
tudent Counselor
Sharon Baker is in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Masters program at NC Central University. Her clinical interests include, but are not limited to, anxiety, life transitions and adjustment, relationship issues, burnout, ADHD, trauma, and addiction. Sharon believes that a diagnosis does not define you and that you are the expert on your own experiences. She takes a strengths-based, collaborative approach to counseling, where she joins you on your journey to discover what has been working and what techniques would be helpful to add to your toolbox. While her theoretical orientation is humanistic and client-centered, Sharon is also interested in applying evidence-based therapies such as Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help clients manage intense emotions and negative thought patterns. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, taking her dog to the dog park, and thrifting.
Alexis Capel (she/her/hers)
Student Counselor
Alexis Capel is in her final year in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program. She believes that every person deserves to have a safe space to grow into their best self. Alexis values autonomy and is committed to meeting clients where they are. She has a passion for advocacy within the African-American community, and she is invested in supporting men as they navigate the complexities and stigmas facing mental wellness. Her clinical style is rooted in Person-Centered therapy as she honors the client as the expert of their own life. Outside of the clinic, Alexis loves to be creative whether she is in the kitchen trying new recipes, reading a new book on how to better herself and those around her or writing poems. She also enjoys quality time with her loved ones.
Kathleen Crabbs (she/her/hers)
Student Counselor
Kathleen is currently a student at North Carolina Central University, pursuing a Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and will graduate in May 2027. She is also co-founder and principal of CounterPart Consulting with colleagues with whom she has been in partnership for over 25 years. Through their national consulting practice they support systems and leaders to bring a race-explicit, intersectional power analysis to the work of advancing social justice and change, internally and through their work in the world. She holds a BA and a MA in English, and the concentration in her initial graduate degree was on Teaching Writing and Literature.
Kathleen is drawn to the field of clinical mental health counseling in specific because of its inclusion of a strong analysis and validation of the unjust system of power within which we all live, and its effects on individual health, choices, and wellbeing. She brings this analysis to a person-centered and trauma informed approach to working with individuals and groups. The therapeutic theories that guide her are grounded always in the pursuit of equity and justice, and she is committed to deepening her knowledge and practice to support people in discovering their individual paths to wellness, liberation and peace. Kathleen believes that each of us inherently has the ability to find the way to health and wellness, and deserves unwavering support in that pursuit.
Charisse Hollaway (she/her/hers)
Student Counselor
Charisse Holloway earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Management from North Carolina A&T State University and a Master of Divinity from Hood Theological Seminary. She is currently a third-year graduate student in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program at North Carolina Central University and an active member of several national honor societies. Charisse fosters a warm, supportive, and nonjudgmental environment where clients feel safe to explore life’s challenges. She believes in meeting clients where they are while helping them recognize their strengths, build resilience, and pursue meaningful growth and well-being.
Her clinical approach is rooted in Person-Centered Therapy (PCT) and incorporates Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), mindfulness, multicultural counseling, and other evidence-based practices tailored to each client’s needs. Upon request, she also offers faith-integrated counseling. Charisse works with clients experiencing anxiety, depression, stress, life transitions, trauma, self-esteem concerns, academic stress, spirituality, and personal growth challenges, etc.
Before pursuing counseling, Charisse served as an educator and volunteer in public schools across New Jersey and North Carolina and gained valuable experience supporting students within university settings, including the University of North Carolina System Office. Outside of counseling, she enjoys teaching Bible study, exercising, reading suspense novels, and volunteering in her community.
Haley Ross (she/her/hers)
Student Counselor
Shequita "Haley" Ross is a final-year graduate student pursuing a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling with Licensed Clinical Addictions Specialist (LCAS) certification at North Carolina Central University. She is an active participant in the North Carolina IMPACT program, where she incorporates Integrated Behavioral Health (IBH) approaches into her clinical practice to address the holistic needs of her clients.
Haley earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management from Mars Hill College in 2022. Prior to entering the mental health field, she spent over a decade in the corporate sector, serving in various leadership roles where she developed a deep appreciation for understanding people holistically. This extensive experience in leadership and human development inspired her transition to clinical mental health counseling, leading her to begin her graduate studies at North Carolina Central University in Fall 2023.
As a developing clinician, Haley embraces a humanistic approach to therapy, believing that the therapeutic process is fundamentally rooted in genuine human connection. Drawing upon her background in business leadership and her commitment to person-centered care, she works to assist her clients in cultivating self-awareness and empowering them to become their fullest, most authentic selves.
Claire Stockhausen (she/her/hers)
Student Counselor
Claire Stockhausen is a graduate student at NCCU’s Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program and intern at the Eagles Counseling, Consultation, and Research Clinic. She has a bachelor’s degree in biomedical sciences and graduated with her master's in Physician Assistant Studies in 2009. For ten years, she worked as a Physician Assistant primarily in oncology before deciding to step away from the medical field to pursue a counseling degree. Claire believes that mental health is health care and should be accessible to all. As a counselor-in-training, she brings her prior professional and lived experience, with a strong emphasis on community-based care. While Claire is still developing her counseling style, she combines person-centered, relational-cultural, existential, and multicultural approaches to best meet the unique needs of the client. Outside of school, Claire enjoys spending time hiking, gardening, eating and cooking delicious meals, making pottery, exploring the many vintage and antique shops in the area, and spending quality time with her partner, family, friends, and canine companions.
