I have chosen to be part of the MHAB because I have a passion for mental wellness and community service. I have served as a member of the Northern Virginia Licensed Professional Counselor Association since 2014 and wanted to lend my service to the Ryan Bartel Foundation in the same capacity. It is my hope that I may act as an agent of change and support against the stigma of Suicide in our community. It is my hope that the work I do as a psychologist can be a support to the families that the foundation works with. I am both a Psychologist, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Licensed Professional Counselor with over 25 years of counseling, psychotherapy, and teaching experience. I am committed to the overall well-being of families and work with families in transition, such as divorce, grief and loss, and becoming new parents. During my career, I have provided counseling and psychotherapy services to a wide variety of populations in both public and private sectors. I have considerable experience working with victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, suicidal ideation and individuals and families dealing with substance abuse/addiction issues. I have also worked extensively with adolescents assisting in college preparation and career planning. I graduated from Texas A&M University with a bachelor’s degree in Sociology and received my master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from Marymount University. At Capella University I completed my Doctoral Degree (Ph.D.) in Psychology with a specialization in Work-Family Conflict and Women’s studies. My approach to counseling is simple: Everyone faces challenges in life from time to time for which they may feel that they do not have all the tools to deal with alone. I see myself as a ‘coach’. I work with you to help you move from where you are now to where you want to be. I help you identify what you want and develop a plan to get there. In addition to clinical work, I have extensive experience as a college professor and as a Clinical Supervisor. I am affiliated with the following organizations: American Counselors Association, Psychology Today and Northern Virginia LPC group. I am the founder and clinical director for Battlefield Counseling Centers which serves Prince William, Loudoun, and Fairfax counties. I have served as a board member for the Northern Virginia Licensed Professional Counselors association since 2014 and was president for the past 2 years. At present, I am the immediate past president. I am married and have three children and like to spend time outdoors and with my family. When I am not teaching, counseling, or volunteering, I enjoy traveling with my husband and spending time with my children, nieces and nephews.

Cameron (Dr. Cam) Caswell, PhD, “The Teen Translator,” is an adolescent psychologist, parent coach, and Director of Parent Education for the Thriving School Community, a revolutionary program she co-founded to improve student, educator, and parent well-being within the school system. Dr. Cam is on a mission to change the trajectory of youth mental health by helping parents build strong, positive relationships with their teens through improved communication, deeper understanding, and mutual respect. She has been working with the Ryan Bartel Foundation for the past several years to help them develop teen workshops and provide support and education to parents. She is honored to continue her partnership as a member of the Board of Directors and hopes to use this position to expand awareness and equip more parents and educators to better support teenagers and ultimately prevent mental health issues from arising in the first place. Dr. Cam received her doctorate in Developmental Psychology from George Mason University, where she was mentored by Dr. Susanne Denham and recognized for her superb teaching as a professor of Adolescent Psychology. She has been working with teens and parents for over two decades and launched her private practice in 2019, which was recognized as a Best of Loudoun Finalist. Since then, she has established herself as a TEDx speaker, host of the Parenting Teens with Dr. Cam podcast, author of Power Phrases for Parents: Teen Edition, and co-author of Improving School Mental Health: The Thriving School Community Solution. Dr. Cam speaks around the world at schools, national organizations, and conferences to inspire, encourage, and educate parents and educators on teen development and communication. After her presentation at the Nysmith School for the Gifted, the coordinator described it as, “The best Parent Education event the school has ever had.” She has also been featured as a parenting expert on television, radio, podcasts, and in publications including Newsweek, Grown & Flown, and HerMoney. Most importantly, Dr. Cam is a mom of a teen daughter, whom she adopted from Guatemala as a single parent. Together they love to travel to NYC to see Broadway shows and stage door; binge watch competitive “reality” shows; go to the gym; play board games with the family; and cuddle with their two cats, Dorothy and Oz.

I have worked in the Northern Virginia Region as a social worker for over 20 years. I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Virginia and New Jersey. Adolescent mental health has been a focal point of my education and career as a social worker. While pursuing my Bachelor of Social Work degree from James Madison University with a minor in family issues, I focused on adolescent mental health and completed my four-month practicum at the Commonwealth Center for Children and Adolescents (CCCA) in 2002. During my Master in Social Work Advanced Standing degree program at Virginia Commonwealth University, I completed my yearlong practicum at Graydon Manor in Leesburg providing in-home and outpatient therapy to client’s ages 4 to 18. Upon completion of my master’s degree, I began my career at Loudoun Citizens for Social Justice where was I the Director of the Youth and Children’s program focusing on sexual assault and domestic violence work with children and adolescents. I transitioned into private practice in 2005. In 2021, I founded NOVA LiveWellBeing, an outpatient mental health practice serving Viginia, Maryland, and New Jersey. In addition to being on the Mental Health Advisory Council for the Ryan Bartel Foundation, I am a board member for Backpack Buddies Foundation of Loudoun, a non-profit organization that works to ensure that no school-aged child goes hungry. I am certified by the Virginia Board of Social Work as a clinical supervisor. Throughout my career as a social worker, suicide prevention and working with adolescents with suicidal ideation has been present in all work settings. Talking about suicide ideation, prevention and education is a part of each therapeutic relationship that I have with middle and highschool students in outpatient therapy. Suicide awareness and prevention is one of the most important parts in addressing adolescent mental health. I feel very strongly about helping children and adolescents enhance their overall wellbeing by building trusting relationships with people who can be resources in times of need. I have found that there is a direct correlation between feeling connected to people and overall wellbeing and resiliency. I am excited to be a part of the Ryan Bartel Foundation Mental Health Advisory Board and support the amazing work that the Foundation provides for the community.

I have chosen to be a part of the Mental Health Advisory Council as a way of informing best practices that impact service delivery to the adolescent population. I have a master’s degree in counseling. I am a Licensed Professional Counselor and a Licensed Substance Use Treatment Professional in Virginia. I have over 15 years of clinical experience, including individual and group therapy. I have worked in inpatient settings, as well as outpatient settings with individuals and families exhibiting a range of mental health concerns and Substance Use Disorders. I incorporate aspects of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), mindfulness, and solution focused techniques in my sessions. I work to meet the individual’s needs in a non-judgmental manner. My goal is to help clients be the best version of themselves and help them find the strength to empower their lives. I specialize in working with clients who are struggling with life stressors, self-esteem issues, depression, anxiety, interpersonal issues, and substance use disorder.

If you’d told me twenty years ago that I’d end up in mental health advocacy, I wouldn’t have believed you. I was immersed in the world of major political conventions and high profile corporate events, running productions across the globe and loving every minute of it. As some of you reading this may know, the path into the mental health field is rarely a straight line, and there is usually a story behind the pivot. For me, that story began with a profound personal loss. Navigating the healthcare system alongside my late husband, Howard, during his battle with cancer showed me how much the outcome, and the experience itself, depends on having someone in your corner. Someone who can assess the situation, bring a sense of calm, and help guide critical decisions in real time. Living through that experience gave me something no training could: a real understanding of what it feels like when the ground shifts beneath you and you’re not sure who to call or what comes next. We all need an advocate. That stayed with me, and eventually it brought me to Sandstone Care, where I serve as Senior Clinical Outreach Manager for Northern Virginia. At its core, my work is making sure people don’t have to figure it out alone. I partner with government agencies, schools, healthcare providers, and community organizations to ensure that when a parent is scared and unsure where to turn, or a young person reaches out for help, there is already a clear path forward. A big part of what I do is helping people understand their options and connecting them to the right level of care at the right time, whether that’s within our programs or elsewhere in the community. It was through that work and shared efforts that I connected with the Ryan Bartel Foundation. From the start, the alignment was clear, a shared belief that community, connection, and access to the right support can change the trajectory of a young person’s life. I’m honored to serve on the Mental Health Advisory Council and look forward to expanding recovery supportive social programming that remains evidence informed and responsive to the needs of youth and families in our community.

I have spent over 20 years dedicated to the health and mental wellness of children and teens — work I care about deeply, both professionally and personally. After earning my B.A. in Psychology from The George Washington University and my M.D. from The University at Buffalo (SUNY), I completed my Pediatric Residency at Hasbro Children’s Hospital through Brown University. For more than a decade and a half, I built a thriving private pediatric practice in Alexandria, Virginia, where I became a trusted voice for families navigating the full spectrum of childhood health, including the emotional and mental well-being so central to a child's development. My clinical credentials reflect both my expertise and my ongoing commitment to personal and professional growth. I was certified by the American Board of Pediatrics and served as a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics for 17 years. Recognizing the critical intersection of mental health and pediatric care, I completed the REACH Institute's Patient-Centered Mental Health in Pediatric Primary Care Mini-Fellowship — a rigorous, evidence-based program equipping pediatric providers with the tools to identify and address mental health needs directly within primary care settings. In 2022, I made an intentional decision to step away from traditional western medicine, choosing to redirect my energy toward a more holistic, familycentric, upstream approach to wellness. Earning my certification as a Transformational Parent Coach through the Jai Institute of Parenting allowed me to support families with compassion and practical guidance in an entirely new way. I then founded Heartwise Parenting, a parent consultation and coaching practice dedicated to supporting families that are navigating difficult situations and teen mental health struggles, and also helping families explore unique educational alternatives and solutions. I am passionate about strengthening the family as a whole, and I am deeply committed to neurodivergent-affirming care, believing that every child deserves to be seen, understood, and celebrated for exactly who they are. I work to equip parents with the tools and support they need to create homes where children and teens feel truly seen, safe, and free to thrive. I view the parent-child relationship as one of the most important protective factors in a young person's mental health, and I recognize that this work doesn't happen in isolation. Upstream community efforts like those of the Ryan Bartel Foundation are equally critical in addressing teen suicide and mental health crises before they arise, helping to build the kind of support networks where young people can flourish. As a parent myself to a teen who is currently experiencing the transformative impact of the Ryan Bartel Foundation's programs firsthand, my connection to this organization is both professional and deeply personal. I have witnessed the foundation's unique ability to reach young people in meaningful ways, and I am passionate about advocating for teen mental health wellness at every level. Joining the Mental Health Advisory Council is a natural extension of that passion, and I am especially excited about helping to bridge the professional pediatric community with the Ryan Bartel Foundation, so more teens and families can discover and access these vital programs.