Our Team
Mary Thompson LPCC, LMHC, LPC
Mary is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC), a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) and a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) who earned both her bachelor’s degree in psychology and master’s degree in clinical counseling from Liberty University. Mary has worked several years with individuals, couples, and families suffering from brokenness and feelings of hopelessness.
Mary has extensive knowledge and experience helping others find hope through desperate times while dealing with depression, anxiety, loneliness, and suicidal ideation. Mary is further experienced in anger issues, dual diagnose, emotional disturbance, grief/loss, trauma, abandonment, spirituality, relationship issues, mental health disorders, as well as dissociative identity disorder.
Mary is skilled in numerous methodologies. However, she prefers Person-Centered Therapy (PCT), which emphasizes an empathic, non-judgmental approach that is focused on providing support, acceptance, and encouragement. Alongside PCT, Mary most often incorporates Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Narrative Therapy (NT), Exposure Therapy (ET), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Furthermore, Mary is trained in integrating mental health services with Biblical truths.
Mary is licensed to provide services in Ohio, Florida, and Virginia. She provides in-person appointments in Columbus, Ohio and provides Telehealth services throughout Ohio, Florida, and Virginia.
Dr. Joel Bergman EdD, LMHC, CAP, SAP
Joel has worked in the field of addiction for the past 19 years. He does this because he has a passion for treating those who suffer from the disease of addiction. This includes not only the person who is using but their family and friends who are affected by this disease as well. He also works with patients who suffer from both substance abuse and mental health issues. He believes that if we do not treat both diseases, people will not fully recover.
Joel is a Certified Addiction Professional and a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in Florida. He received his master's degree in Mental Health Counseling in 2011 from Springfield College, in Tampa. He has worked for several addiction and mental health treatment facilities in both New York and Florida.
In addition to working for established agencies, Joel and his wife, Cheryl, have work together or the past fourteen years, at their own treatment agency.
Shannon – Practice Administrator
Shannon brings over seven years of experience in business management, team building, and administration, along with more than 15 years of entrepreneurial expertise in business start-ups, ownership, and client advocacy.
As a founding member of the Counseling 2 Hope team, Shannon plays a vital role in ensuring the practice runs smoothly. She serves as a key liaison between clients, clinicians, and insurance providers. Shannon supports both clients and clinicians with intake coordination, scheduling, billing, insurance claims, record keeping, and overall administrative operations. Her dedication helps create a seamless and supportive experience for everyone involved.
Susan — Social Media Manager
Susan is the creative force behind our online presence. As our Social Media Manager, she’s responsible for crafting encouraging, thoughtful content that reflects our values and connects with our audience in meaningful ways.
With a talent for developing smart, purposeful strategies, Susan keeps our content fresh, engaging, and aligned with our goals. From writing uplifting posts to building campaigns that drive real engagement, she ensures our social media channels are more than just active — they’re inspiring.
Her ability to truly listen to the audience, respond with care, and stay on top of social trends makes her an essential part of our team.
Fun Fact: Susan believes that a single encouraging message can change someone’s whole day — and it shows in everything she shares.
