Meet The STRONG Team

Our Clinicians

Kaleigh Amaya, LPC-Associate

Supervised by Dr. Gerald Pennie LPC-S

I may be a good fit for you if:

“You want to feel more connected to your partner”

“You want to learn how to set boundaries with friends or family members”

“You are going through a major life transition”

“You want to connect more to yourself and strengthen your self-confidence”

“You want to explore your relationship before marriage”

“You and your partner are having trouble communicating”

Nick Bachicha, Graduate Clinical Intern

Supervised by Kristal DeSantis, LMFT

I would say I have a humanistic style that is person-
centered, psychodynamic informed, as well as draws upon many CBT and experiential techniques.

I enjoy working with premarital couples using the PREPARE/Enrich curriculum.

In working with married couples, increasing safety, trust, and open communication is foundational in providing a
structure for both partners to feel they are understood, respected, and that they have a shared vision
they can both belong and contribute to.

I also work well with teens and young adults using a solution-focused, mindfulness based approach.

Russ Walker, Graduate Clinical Intern

Supervised by Kristal DeSantis, LMFT

"Know thyself" is an Ancient Greek aphorism that goes back to the 11th century and
was used by Socrates, Plato, Thomas Hobbes, Benjamin Franklin, and Ralph Waldo
Emerson, to name a few. But even though that aphorism has a long and enduring
history, it still remains a mystery for most of us. And when life throws at us unexpected
and/or traumatic events, it is easy to completely lose oneself and one's bearings. That is
our human condition. But that does not mean that you have to get stuck. You do not
have to figure out your next step alone. It is my desire to come alongside of you as you
take your next step.

Areas of focus
 Adults 18+
 Couples
 Families
 Pre-Marital
 Depression & Anxiety
 Relational Conflict
 Identity and Spirituality
 Faith Deconstruction
 Trauma
 Grief & Loss
 Life Transitions
 Addictions

Kyle Kearns, Graduate Clinical Intern

Supervised by Kristal DeSantis, LMFT

I have spent the past 9 years as a researcher studying romantic relationships. While I love that part of my job, it usually takes 5-10 years for research discoveries to make their way into your therapy session (which is too long!). So, I became a therapist to be part of the hard work that couples are doing every day.

I specialize in working with clients in stigmatized and under-represented relationships: queer folks, consensual non-monogamy, kink, long distance, poly. Though I use a wide range of techniques, my main approach is somatic internal family systems therapy. Somatic IFS helps us uncover the ways different complex parts of you interact to protect you and shape your experience.

Our Senior Staff

Savannah Stanley, LPC

Senior Clinician

My Trainings and Areas of Specialization:

The STRONG Model of Relational Therapy

PREPARE/Enrich Certified Premarital Facilitator

Certified Clinical Trauma Professional

Consensual/Ethical Non-Monogamy and Polyamory Trained Counselor

Kink-Informed Certified Practitioner

Couples
Premarital Counseling
LGBTQ+ Couples
Emotional Intimacy
Sexual Health and Connection

Kristal DeSantis, LMFT

Clinical Director, Creator of the STRONG Model of Relationship Therapy

My specialties include:
Sex Therapy (including desire discrepancy/ out of control sexual behaviors/recovery from infidelity),
EMDR for trauma and PTSD recovery,
Conflict and Communication skill-building for high conflict couples,
Men's Issues - Life transitions, Emotional Skill Building, Identity Exploration
Working with US Veterans and First Responders.

Author of:

About the Austin STRONG Team

All of our therapists are Licensed by the State of Texas as Licensed Professional Counselors, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists, Licensed Professional Counseling-Associates and/or Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist-Associates under external clinical supervision.

Find out more about what all that means here.

Join the Team

Meet The STRONG Team

About the Austin STRONG Team

Marriage Counseling Austin