Cape May Court House Clinicians
At Village Counseling Services we are a diverse group of independent professionally licensed and board certified practitioners. To learn more about our backgrounds please read our brief biographies listed here:
Charlie M. Atzert, MSW, LCSW
Psychotherapist
Charlie M. Atzert is a Licensed Social Worker with a Master of Social Work from Stockton University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Stockton University.
Charlie has been working in the mental health field for over 15 years in a variety of positions. Prior to becoming a therapist, Charlie worked in both adult and children residential group homes, provided case management services in the community for at-risk clients, facilitated groups at an adult partial care program, and was an assistant director at a supportive housing program. Charlie utilizes cognitive behavioral and dialectical behavioral techniques to help his clients improve mood regulation and counter the negative self-talk that can be a common occurrence in our daily lives. Charlie provides individual therapy for adolescents and adults and has experience providing help with depression, anxiety, anger management, grief, and communication difficulties.
Charlie utilizes his past experiences working with clients in a variety of settings to inform treatment that best fits the needs of each client.
Mary Burns, MSW, LSW
Psychotherapist
Mary is a licensed social worker, with a Master of Social Work and a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, both earned with honors from Stockton University. Her graduate studies focused on clinical practice and leadership, while her undergraduate work emphasized older adult populations, neuropsychology, and cultural competence. Mary holds a certification in Trauma Informed Cognitive Behavioral Therapy from the Medical University of South Carolina.
Mary integrates a range of modalities into her practice, including traditional psychotherapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, Positive Psychology, and Nature-Based Therapy. She continually explores evidence-based techniques to enhance her work and empowers her clients to build tools they can use outside of therapy, such as Emotional Freedom Technique (tapping), Progressive Relaxation, Breathing techniques, and mindfulness meditation.
Mary works with clients across the lifespan. She has experience supporting individuals with a range of neurocognitive and developmental diagnoses, including Autism Spectrum Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder, and sensory processing challenges.
Prior to joining Village Counseling Services, Mary spent 14 years working with adults, ages 18+ and their families as a licensed medical massage therapist in hospice and palliative care. Additionally, she has experience in behavioral therapy with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and brings earlier career experience in corporate Human Resources Management and Training and Development.
Mary creates a compassionate, individualized approach for each client, helping them and their families develop practical skills, emotional awareness, and strategies for self-regulation in a safe and affirming environment.
A lifelong south Jersey resident, Mary is actively involved in the community, volunteering with organizations that support youth, individuals in recovery, survivors of human trafficking, and unhoused populations.
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Emma Feldhake, MSW, LSW Psychotherapist |
Emma Feldhake is a Licensed Social Worker with a Master’s degree from Rutgers University School of Social Work and a Bachelor’s degree in Arts and Cognitive Science from McGill University.
Emma works with children, adolescents, young adults, and adults who are experiencing issues with depression, anxiety, ADD, Autism, OCD, and self-esteem issues. She provides her clients with support, validation, and empathy during their most challenging times. Dedicated to uplifting and motivating clients towards positive change in their lives, Emma understands the unique experience that therapy offers and seeks to empower clients throughout the process. Emma utilizes an approach rooted in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, guiding clients in understanding and reflecting on their own emotional experiences.
Prior to joining Village, Emma began her career in therapeutic support for children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities. Emma found a passion for therapeutic counseling after receiving the Yedid Nefesh Mental Health Fellowship, which brought her to upstate PA to provide mental health support for youth at a local camp. Emma went on to establish herself as an outpatient therapist in Linwood, NJ, where she worked with individuals, children, and families.
Emma works with children, adolescents, young adults, and adults who are experiencing issues with depression, anxiety, ADD, Autism, OCD, and self-esteem issues. She provides her clients with support, validation, and empathy during their most challenging times. Dedicated to uplifting and motivating clients towards positive change in their lives, Emma understands the unique experience that therapy offers and seeks to empower clients throughout the process. Emma utilizes an approach rooted in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, guiding clients in understanding and reflecting on their own emotional experiences.
Prior to joining Village, Emma began her career in therapeutic support for children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities. Emma found a passion for therapeutic counseling after receiving the Yedid Nefesh Mental Health Fellowship, which brought her to upstate PA to provide mental health support for youth at a local camp. Emma went on to establish herself as an outpatient therapist in Linwood, NJ, where she worked with individuals, children, and families.
Candace Ibrahim, APN, PMHNP-C
Board Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Candace Ibrahim is a board certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner with a Master’s degree from Wilkes University and a Baccalaureate degree from University of Delaware.
Candace has 23 years of nursing experience, including medical/surgical, pediatric, maternal/newborn, neonatal intensive care unit and mental health nursing. Candace was trained at Penn Medicine Behavioral Health and currently works there in their acute partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient program. She works with men, women and young adults at Penn Medicine Princeton House, providing care in multiple tracks such as psychiatric, emotional regulation, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), trauma, and addiction.
Candace believes in working together with the client to help them live their best life possible. She counts on her many years of working with patients in diverse settings to assimilate a course of care that best meets each client’s unique needs.
Jenna Michael, MA, LAC, NCC
Psychotherapist
Jenna Michael has a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Rowan University and a Master’s degree in Counseling from Stockton University.
Jenna brings experience working with a diverse group of clients, including children, teens, adults, couples, and older adults. Her therapeutic approach integrates cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and Rogerian principles, with influences from motivational interviewing and a strengths-based perspective, helping clients to build upon their internal resources.
Jenna is skilled at fostering supportive therapeutic relationships while also challenging clients to examine unhelpful patterns and develop new ways of thinking, coping, and strengthening relationships. She is passionate about helping individuals manage mood disorders, anxiety, depression, and substance use concerns, helping them develop practical tools to navigate life’s challenges.
In her clinical work, Jenna has facilitated addiction recovery groups, helping participants strengthen their coping skills and build supportive networks essential to the healing process. She helps clients manage high-stress situations through a calm and collaborative approach that fosters stability.
With a strong commitment to lifelong learning, Jenna actively seeks opportunities to stay current on evidenced based therapeutic practices. She balances warmth and empathy with the ability to thoughtfully challenge clients, helping them gain new insights and take meaningful steps toward growth and change.
Joanne Pawelko, MS, LPC, NCC
Psychotherapist
Joanne Pawelko is a Licensed Professional Counselor with a Master's degree in Mental Health Counseling from Capella University's Harold Abel School of Social and Behavioral Sciences and a Master's degree in Literature from DePaul University. She joined Village Counseling Services in 2011.
Joanne is intensively trained in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and facilitates weekly DBT skills training groups as part of the DBT treatment team. Joanne's treatment emphasis is on the role of mindfulness and its use in the treatment of depression, anxiety and associated disorders in children, adolescents and adults.
Joanne is trained in Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), which combines the ideas of cognitive therapy and meditative practices in a way that helps prevent depression relapse and lessen anxiety. She facilitates MBCT as well as the weekly Mindfulness Meditation Practice Group.
She has additional training in Polyvagal Theory, play therapy, ADHD/ADD, meditation and Sandtray Therapy, which helps integrate memories, emotions and traumas hidden in the unconscious mind.
Joanne began working with individuals and families in 2009 at All Access Mental Health. She has advanced training and experience working with families who find themselves in the supportive care-taking role of a family member suffering with mental illness, including children (and adult children) of parents with mental illness. She is a member of the American Counseling Association, a National Certified Counselor and a member of Sigma Chi Iota, the International Counseling Honor Society.
Barbara Stewart, MSW, LCSW Psychotherapist Barbara Stewart is a licensed clinical social worker who brings multiple experiences as a multi- dimensional educator and psychotherapist. She supports individuals with intellectual disabilities and their families, adults with depression, anxiety, cancer, and stroke complications. Her passion is helping teens and their families transition through the myriad of challenges in adulthood.
She received a BA in Early Childhood and an MA in Business from Webster University in St. Louis. Barbara continued graduate education at Saint Louis University obtaining an MSW. Barbara's early training includes courses taught at the Devereau Schools and McGill University. Barbara's work experiences include founding a non-profit early childhood program where she was Executive Director for twelve years. She was then recruited to serve as Deputy Director of Missouri's Department of Mental Health to assist in developing a program that would provide ABA services statewide to all families. Additionally, she worked as a Psychotherapist in private practice and developed and facilitated support groups for an agency. Her therapeutic approaches include Dialectical Behavior-informed Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Mindfulness. She believes in the change process and adapts her approach for each client's individual needs. |