Meet Our Team

At this time Maryellen’s client schedule is full! E-Mail hello@pittsfordtherapy.com to see who else might be a good fit for you!

Maryellen is the owner of Pittsford Therapy & Wellness Group and a Licensed Mental Health Counselor. Maryellen has experience working with all ages and in lots of different settings such as hospitals, clinics, drug and alcohol rehabilitation facilities, and more.

Forget about your image of a mystery person in a big fancy chair, asking you about your dreams. That’s Freud, not me. I am a real human with some knowledge of psychology that might be helpful to you. My approach is to help people take a true look at themselves, which is super difficult. As you take that look, however, I will be your number one fan through the process. Together, we can dig through the crap and work towards grabbing that life you want and becoming that person you know you can be.

Jessica is a licensed mental health counselor. She earned her MS in Mental Health Counseling from St John Fisher college in 2015. After graduating she completed the necessary requirements to be come licensed. She has a history working with adults, teenagers and families. Jessica has helped individuals with anxiety, depression, grief, bipolar disorder and life transitions. She has also worked with co-occurring disorders, codependency and addiction.

Jessica’s approach combines psycho education, cognitive and narrative. This allows clients to build on their strengths while also addressing barriers they face. Jessica is passionate about helping clients build and learn skills to assist them in managing life, stressors and improve their relationships.

Jessica specializes with:

Anxiety – Codependency – Life transitions/stressors – Communication Issues – Negative relationship patterns

Erin is a licensed mental health counselor. Erin earned her Masters in Mental Health Counseling from St. John Fisher in 2017. Erin has experience working with children, adolescents and adults. She has helped individuals struggling with feelings of anxiety and depression, self-harming behaviors, and challenging life transitions.

Erin’s approach combines person centered, narrative and cognitive behavioral techniques. She believes that you are the expert in your own life and you are fully capable of working through your struggles yet sometimes you need a little back-up to feel able to see the strength within yourself. “You got this, let me help you feel like you got this.”

Erin loves her two German Shepherds, crafting, and baking (anything but macaroons). She is passionate about helping others and would love to join you on your journey.

Erin specializes with:

Kids ages 5+ – Teens – Self Esteem – Trauma – Infertility/Pregnancy Loss – Self Harm/Suicidal Ideation – Family Issues – Life Transitions – Anxiety – Grief and Loss – Gender Identity – Sexual Identity – Relationship Struggles

Joseph has a Master’s Degree in Mental Health Counseling from St. John Fisher. He believes in an integrated approach to therapy that incorporates various techniques which are tailored to each individual’s needs. Joseph understands that “you are the expert on you” and is here to help you recognize your own strengths and abilities to thrive in your life.

Joseph has professional experience working with adults, adolescents, children and doing group therapy. Joe often works with couples and families using a wraparound approach to meet every individual’s needs. He has helped individuals with substance use issues, depression, anxiety and life transitions. Joseph is passionate about helping and empowering others by providing them a safe space to be open and honest. He is here to listen to your needs and help you build new skills to better cope with life’s overwhelming challenges.

Joe specializes with:

Teens – Young Adults – Couples – LGBTQ+

Michelle graduated from Medaille college in 2018 with a Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Michelle has experience working with children, adolescents and adults and spent a year working emergency psychiatry in the Finger Lakes area.

‘I realize that therapy is not the same experience for each individual and together with my expertise and your knowledge of yourself we can begin your journey into healing/wellness. I have used CBT and DBT in therapy but I also know that those aren’t for everyone and together we can find what works best for you and your needs.’

Michelle enjoys spending time with her family, camping, reading, traveling, and taking pictures.

“You alone are enough. You have nothing to prove, to anyone”-Maya Angelou

Michelle specializes with:

Children of all ages – Teens – Self harm/suicidal ideation – Depression – Anxiety – Family conflict – Relationship conflict – Substance abuse – Anger management – Mood disorders

Ashley has her Master’s Degree in Mental Health Counseling from Canisius College. Ashley has professional experience working with children, adolescents, and adults. She is also currently a School Counselor, working with middle and high school students and their families.

We all face challenging feelings that interfere with our daily lives; these feelings are normal, however, sometimes we need help to develop the right tools to deal with them in a healthy way. Everyone deserves to feel heard, supported and encouraged to make positive changes.

Ashley has a passion for mental health and supporting those on their journey to wellness. Her approaches include person centered therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and psycho-education. She integrates mental, physical and spiritual health to help her clients achieve overall wellness. She believes in using a holistic approach tailored to fit your needs. There is no one-size fits all approach to therapy – your story is unique to you.

Ashley loves traveling, reading, and watching movies.

Ashley Specializes with:

Children, teens, young adults, anxiety, depression, LGBTQ+, self esteem, women’s empowerment, relationship conflict

Miranda is in the final year of St. John Fisher College’s MS degree program in Mental Health Counseling. She has experience counseling both individuals and groups. Miranda believes that counseling is not a “one size fits all” practice and takes an integrated approach. Using person-centered, narrative, and cognitive techniques she ensures each client receives unique and personalized care.

Miranda believes that each and every person possesses the tools to be the best versions of themselves. But sometimes we need help discovering them! If you’re looking for someone to help you feel empowered, harness your strengths, practice self-compassion and uncover negative thought patterns that might be holding you back – Miranda is your girl! By visiting this website you’ve taken the first step in becoming all you can be, and Miranda would love to help you keep going!

Fun Facts about Miranda:
She started ballet when she was 2-years-old and studied dance while in undergrad
She enjoys baking, reading, and spending time with family on Keuka Lake
Miranda loves dogs of all shapes and sizes including her family’s two great danes, australian labradoodle, and her own toy poodle.
She’s a superfan of the show Friends

Working with interns is actually a really great way to receive quality care at a discounted price. All interns are in the last year of their Graduate Degree in Counseling meaning that they have had experience working with clients prior to this internship experience. Every intern also has a Clinical Supervisor in at our group who they meet with for 1 hour per week and who reviews all of their case notes.

Due to the intern being in graduate school it’s possible that they will not continue with us after their year long internship (feel free to ask where they are in the year!) Although we actually keep many of our interns on as clinicians after graduation, sometimes they move on to other places, in that case you have the choice to continue on with another intern or with a permanent therapist.

Kristie is completing the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Bridge Program at Medaille College. She currently works as a school counselor and has previously worked in behavioral health home care management. She has experience counseling adults and adolescents in both individual and group settings.

Kristie takes an integrative approach to counseling, with the perspective that everyone is unique and has varying life experiences and views of the world. She employs different therapeutic techniques and approaches including, cognitive-behavioral, person-centered, logo therapy and psychoeducation, as well as the practices of acceptance and mindfulness. Kristie has special interests in and experience working with those who are struggling with anxiety, major life transitions, relationship issues and family concerns.

“My mission as a mental health counselor is to be with people on their life’s journey and to help them achieve an optimal state of functioning and wellness in their lives.”

If you are feeling stuck or want someone to accompany you on your journey to a fuller, more meaningful life, please don’t hesitate to reach out!

Molly is in her final two semesters of Medaille College’s Clinical Mental Health Counseling graduates’ program. Molly completed her undergraduate work at SUNY Brockport with a degree in Therapeutic Recreation. She currently works in an in-patient setting and has experience counseling both individuals and groups.

Molly’s holistic approach combines Person-Centered Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), and Feminist Therapy techniques. She emphasizes treating the whole person and uses this evidence-based approach to collaboratively work with you to meet your therapeutic needs. Molly focuses on using DBT skills such as, mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotional regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. Each person is unique and Molly tailors each session in a way that honors the individual’s lived experiences. Counseling is a reassuring space to remind you that you are not alone in this. Molly believes that you are the expert of your life and no one knows you better than you! Her goal is to help you recognize the strength you already have and empower you to create the active change you want in your life.

Molly enjoys spending time outdoors, camping, hiking, skiing, and running. Her pride and joys are her two puppies Benji and Archie, and she is always willing to share a picture and a story about her loves!

Savannah(they/them) is a second year Mental Health Counseling Masters Student at Saint John Fisher College. They have experience working with diverse clientele in both the group, individual, and family setting. They practice from a Person-Centered perspective while taking an integrative approach to counseling and acknowledging that different approaches work for different individuals. Savannah works with clients to create a treatment plan that caters to each individual’s personal needs and wants.

“Taking that first step to come into therapy can be tough. It is my job as your counselor to help you continue taking steps to reach your goals. No two people share the same path, nor is each path a straight line. I believe that flexibility as a counselor is essential to helping the client navigate their way through their current life situations.”

Savannah commonly incorporates aspects from CBT, motivational interviewing, and feminist theory into their practice with clients.

Fun Facts about Savannah:

They love playing board games, listening to music and podcasts, binge-watching tv shows, and learning new things.

learn more about mental health

Meet Our Team

ABOUT THE PITTSFORD THERAPY TEAM

Maryellen Dance, LMHC

Jessica Pruitt, LMHC

Erin Pytlak, LMHC

Joseph Aquino, P-MHC

Michelle Nageldinger, P-MHC

Ashley Hill, P-MHC

Miranda Muench, Intern

ABOUT WORKING WITH INTERNS

Kristie Holler, Intern

ABOUT WORKING WITH INTERNS

Molly MacLachlan, Intern

Savannah Irwin, Intern

ABOUT WORKING WITH INTERNS

Eve Yoder, Office Manager

PITTSFORD

PENFIELD