Meet The Team
“When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too.” –Paulo Coelho
Meet Sandra M. Pattinato, MEd, LPC
I am a Licensed Professional Counselor and have been working in the field for 15 years. I believe we all have the capacity to change and grow, and that we possess the skills to do so. Sometimes, we need someone to guide us through this transformation.
My passion is providing therapy for adults struggling with depression, anxiety, family conflict, life transitions, and relationship difficulties. Each person I see is unique, so I individualize my approach based on your goals. Treatment will be tailored to your cultural and social background, including ethnicity, race, socioeconomic status, gender, religion, and sexual orientation.
I draw from CBT, DBT, Person-centered background and Motivational Interviewing Therapy to help my clients develop healthy coping strategies to make positive changes in their lives.
I have also led an Anger Management group for adults and adolescents, as well as an early recovery Drug and Alcohol Recovery group for adults.
I am fluent in Portuguese, and I accept all major commercial health insurances.
Meet Susan Cononge, MA, NCC, LPC
Susan is a Licensed Professional Counselor who has been working in the counseling field since 2018. She completed her Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Waynesburg University in 2018 and Bachelor of Science from Univeristy of Pittsburgh in 1999. Susan is passionate about her work in the mental health and addiction fields. She believes what happens early in life affects us later and supports individuals in a non-judgmental, supportive environment to promote the ability to process and heal. She uses an eclectic approach, calling on client centered therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness and psycho-education when working with clients.
Susan has worked with a variety of individuals with substance use disorders, anxiety, depression, boundary issues and anger issues. She has also worked in dual diagnosis agency settings.
Accepting all major commercial health insurances.
Meet Danielle Hammitt, MS, NCC
Hello, how can I help??
Danielle is a masters level counselor working towards her LPC. She attended California University of Pennsylvania for Clinical Mental Health Counseling and has a minor in music. Danielle has 3 yrs. experience in crisis, drug and alcohol, and mental health counseling including in person, Telehealth, and group platforms.
Danielle believes everyone is unique and needs to develop skills that work for each individual. She uses a solution focused approach to meet you where you are and assess underlying causes.
Danielle also draws from multiple theories and techniques such as cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectal behavioral therapy, and motivational interviewing to help you feel better and work towards your goals.
Whether you are experiencing depression, anxiety, anger, hopelessness, PTSD, or just struggling to adjust to life’s challenges, Danielle is here to help!!!
Meet Catherine Fergunson, MA, LPC, LCPC, CCTP-1
I will be honest, which is something I always strive to be, writing a blurb to attract others for therapy services is difficult. You may ask, “Why? Aren’t you looking for business?” While I can’t argue that, my reason is somewhat unconventional in the therapy world, I identify as a human first and a therapist second. I have found that when you take the personality and humanness out of the therapist, there is no true therapeutic connection and trust from the client. I’ve learned to combine my two identities through my conversational yet professional style and belief that therapy is most effective when presenting oneself as the client does-as a person with a unique past and personality that can inhibit, or prohibit, what they want for themselves.
Over the course of my career I identified trauma as a commonality amongst the majority of my clients. I am trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), which has become one of the “go to” trauma treatments supported by research. It can help significantly in reducing symptoms related to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder as well as various other issues. I am also Certified Clinical Trauma Professional 1 (CCTP-1).
I have also completed the Integrative Somatic Trauma Training certificate course which focused on the area of Somatic Psychotherapy. Somatics focus on how the mind and body work either together or against another. I utilize different mind-body techniques from various somatic treatment modalities such as Internal Family Systems (IFS), Polyvagal Theory, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, and physical movement. These techniques and approaches to therapy allow clients to recognize how their mental health symptoms have been impacting their bodies, thus encouraging the ultimate goal of reconnection towards themselves as a whole.
I come from a diverse background that has ultimately led to one goal-helping others, no matter their past or present experiences. I have worked with those experiencing chronic mental health issues including anxiety, depression, PTSD, borderline personality disorder, bipolar disorder, psychotic disorders, and psychosomatic presentations. No matter the setting or presenting problem, my goal is to be both transparent and personable, as well as to provide support and unconditional positive regard.
If you are interested in learning new ways to address mental health concerns, or exploring different therapeutic interventions in addition to traditional talk therapy, please feel free to reach out in whatever way feels comfortable to you. It’d be my pleasure to serve as both a guide and companion on your journey to wellness!
Catherine is only able to accept Highmark, BCBS, and UPMC at this time. She offers self-pay sessions for $50 while she awaits to become in-network with other major insurance companies.