Dr. Mary Kathryn Gastinel is a Licensed Professional Counselor with 12 years of professional practice, and is the co-owner and founder of The Wellness Studio, LLC. Dr. Gastinel also has over five years of experience in psychosocial oncology with a focus on young adults, and specializes in grief and bereavement counseling. She spent her first three years at Tulane Cancer Center.

While there, she served as a patient navigator, mental health counselor and director of psych-oncology training. She was also responsible for administrative oversight of the social work and counselor master’s level interns, along with her management responsibilities.

Before reaching 30 years old, Dr. Gastinel co-founded her private practice, earned her master’s degree and Ph.D., fought cancer alongside her husband, and founded two cancer-related nonprofit organizations in her husband’s memory. She received her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Alabama, and then went on to the University of New Orleans to receive her Masters and Ph.D. in Counseling. Dr. Gastinel utilizes her personal experiences and insight with cancer patients to help others stricken with the disease. Dr. Gastinel’s other speciality areas include general mental health concerns.

Dr. Katie Fetzer is a Licensed Professional Counselor-Supervisor and is the co-owner and co-founder of The Wellness Studio, LLC. Dr. Fetzer is a former assistant professor and current adjunct professor at the University of the Cumberlands where she teaches masters level coursework, and also a former adjunct professor for LSU and ULL. Dr. Fetzer is trained to both diagnose and treat mental health disorders. Dr. Fetzer earned her bachelors and master’s degrees from Louisiana State University, and her doctorate degree from the University of New Orleans. She has practiced in both psychiatric inpatient and outpatient settings. Her areas of clinical focus include general mental health concerns, end-of-life counseling, spiritual identity, anxiety and depression, and career issues. Her research interests include mental health policy, creativity, and globalization of the counseling profession.

Dr. Fetzer has over a decade of clinical practice working in trauma and crisis settings. Dr. Fetzer has worked in inpatient hospital settings where she provided mental health counseling and crisis stabilization services to adult and adolescent patients suffering with acute mental health and/or substance abuse issues.

Outside of the counseling office, Dr. Fetzer can be found writing music and is frequently creating and providing educational workshops to school and community agencies as well as large organizations. In December of 2014, Drs. Fetzer and Rodrigue organized and facilitated an empowerment workshop for youth athletes in the New Orleans Superdome in partnership with The New Orleans Sports Foundation in efforts for mental health advocacy and education. Drs. Fetzer and Rodrigue assimilated a team of panelists including ESPN’s Avery Johnson, NFL star Michael Lewis, and motivational speaker Eric Searcey.

With a dedicated interest in the globalization of mental health, Dr. Fetzer travelled overseas for 3 summers where she taught mental health assessment coursework to counselors in training at the University of Malta, alongside her graduate professors Drs. Barbara Herlihy and Matthew Lyons.

Dr. Fetzer has also engaged in advocacy efforts to combat issues related to inequity in our local community. Dr. Fetzer has guest lectured law students at Southern University Law School alongside Professor Angela Allen-Bell in efforts to increase awareness of psychological bias and its negative impacts in legal arenas. Dr. Fetzer has also presented at local, national, and international professional conferences on topics related to the globalization of mental health.

Mallory is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and is trained to both diagnose and treat mental health disorders. Mallory is also a Board Certified TeleMental Health Provider (BC-TMH). Mallory is an independent contractor for the Wellness Studio. Mallory specializes in general mental health and substance abuse. Mallory earned her Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) in 2015.

Her most recent employment experience was with Behavioral Health Group (BHG) in New Orleans, LA, where she worked with adults struggling to overcome opiate addiction.

Mallory can assist individuals who are struggling with substance use, addiction, anxiety, depression, relationship issues, self-esteem issues, women’s issues, and other general mental health concerns. Mallory utilizes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, and Mindfulness-based techniques when helping clients learn healthy coping skills to achieve a healthier, more balanced lifestyle. Mallory offers a collaborative, accepting environment for clients to discuss goals, growth, empowerment, and overall satisfaction with their day-to-day lives.

Mallory welcomes the opportunity to help others forge a fulfilling future!

Lauren is a Licensed Professional Counselor and is trained to both diagnose and treat mental health disorders. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology with a minor in Family Studies from Southeastern Louisiana University in 2016, and her Master’s Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Louisiana State University in 2019. She completed her internship at an inpatient psychiatric hospital and then started her counseling career at an intensive outpatient program where she provided individual and group therapy to adults managing various mental illnesses.

Lauren is passionate about working with adult clients who are seeking to cope with mental health issues, develop healthy habits, improve self-worth and self-esteem, learn problem-solving skills, process grief, explore unhealthy relationship patterns, manage stress, and navigate career exploration. She also has three years of clinical experience helping clients manage depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and schizoaffective disorder.

Lauren approaches counseling from a person-centered perspective and views counseling as a unique opportunity for individuals to have a safe and compassionate space to cope with life’s many challenges. She applies different counseling strategies including solution-focused and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) with the goal of learning helpful skills clients can utilize for the duration of their lifetime. She is committed to building trusting relationships with her clients to empower them to live in alignment with their personal values.

Peyton Franklin is a Provisional Licensed Professional Counselor (PLPC) with a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Psychology and a Master of

Science and Education (M.S.Ed.) in Mental Health Counseling; both degrees were earned from the University of Miami. She completed her practicum training at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach, FL, and gained professional experience in behavioral health settings including inpatient units, outpatient partial hospitalization (PHP), and intensive outpatient programs (IOP). Here, she gained exposure to diagnosing mental and cognitive disorders and provided various counseling interventions, including group psychotherapy, psychoeducation, crisis intervention, and individual therapy. Peyton is passionate about working with younger adults (18 years of age) and older adult clients of all cultural backgrounds. Her specific areas of interest include, but are not limited to, anxiety and depression, mood dysregulation, emotion regulation, coping skills, stress management, behavior modification, self-esteem, interpersonal effectiveness, and life transitions and adjustments. Peyton’s therapeutic approach includes a cognitive-behavioral perspective with dialectical-behavioral and mindfulness-based therapy interventions, in that patterns of thoughts and actions are explored to better understand the clients’ problems and to develop solutions. Peyton sees counseling as a process in which the client and therapist have a working therapeutic alliance in which they come to understand and trust one another to initiate beneficial change. Peyton finds the counseling relationship to be comprised of warmth, responsiveness, and unconditional positive regard and is dedicated to assisting each client during their vulnerable journey to authenticity and well-being!

Elizabeth Sampson, a Licensed Professional Counselor, has a decade of hands-on experience in both clinical and collegiate mental health arenas. An alumnus of LSU with a bachelor’s in Psychology, Elizabeth furthered her education with a master’s in Counseling Education from Southeastern Louisiana University. As a proud member of the Louisiana Group Psychotherapy Society and the Louisiana Counseling Association, she brings a wealth of knowledge and passion to her work.

Elizabeth’s diverse experience spans inpatient psychiatric hospitals, substance abuse treatment facilities, outpatient clinics, and collegiate settings, where she offered personalized counseling to adults and young adults alike. At the heart of her practice lies a passion for guiding adult clients towards empowerment, assisting them in navigating mental health challenges, stress, relationship dynamics, and cultivating self-compassion. Furthermore, she has a particular fondness for supporting young adults as they grapple with collegiate pressures and strive for healthier interpersonal relationships.

Clients can expect a warm, person-centered approach when working with Elizabeth. She prioritizes establishing trust, ensuring that every individual feels equipped and empowered to tackle their challenges. Drawing from a rich tapestry of therapeutic techniques, including CBT, self-compassion strategies, and trauma-informed approaches, Elizabeth tailors her approach to align with each client’s unique goals and aspirations.

Dr. Holger Christian Heap is a Licensed Professional Counselor trained to diagnose and treat mental health disorders. Holger completed additional training in grief and trauma counseling. He is certified to provide Telehealth services for Louisiana residents. Holger is nationally certified through the National Board for Certified Counselors and maintains professional memberships in the American Counseling Association and Louisiana Counseling Association.

Holger completed his undergraduate work at Louisiana State University where he majored in political science with focus on politics of third world countries. Before becoming a counselor, Holger worked in the hospitality industry for over fifteen years. His experience in customer service fueled his desire to become a counselor. In 2020, Holger received his Master of Science degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Southeastern Louisiana University. Dr. Heap completed his PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from the University of Holy Cross in New Orleans in May of 2024.

Prior to joining The Wellness Studio, Holger worked in substance abuse recovery where he helped people work through anxiety, depression, bipolar, grief, trauma, and substance abuse issues. His goal is to help his client’s find meaning and purpose through a person-centered cognitive behavioral and solutions focused approach. Holger is currently accepting new clients aged eighteen and older.