Rachel Bentley, MMFT, LMFT

Specialties

• Addictions
• Anger Management,
• Anxiety & Depression
• Art Therapy and Play therapy
• Children Teens & Young Adults
• Christian Counseling
• Grief & Loss
• Marital, Couples, & Family Counseling
• Parenting
• PTSD, Military Families and Veterans Issues 
• Relational Issues & Boundaries
• Women’s issues

About Rachel

Originally from Southern CA, Rachel (“Army wife” of 20 years) moved to Arizona in 2011 following her husband’s employment transfer.  She earned her Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology (MMFT – Emphasis in Marriage & Family Therapy) through Pepperdine University, Phoenix, AZ (2005), completing her LMFT licensure in 2010.  In her professional experience, Rachel has provided therapy as a group home childcare worker, school-based counselor, play therapist, addictions treatment clinician and therapist in private practice.  Rachel has in depth exposure to diverse clinical populations with a large range of mental health issues and concerns.  Taking some time off from therapy to raise her family Rachel returned to mental health work in 2017, expanding her experience by providing home-based counseling services to Severely Mentally Ill (SMI) populations in the Phoenix area, before joining Light of Life Counseling.

Rachel approaches therapy through an Object Relations and Attachment theoretical orientation. Both theories center on early attachment experiences with parents, caregivers and other significant individuals.  Through this framework, Rachel empowers clients to understand how relational patterns developed in past relationships, from wounds and strengths, impact an individuals present mental health.  Rachel helps clients discover and understand the effectiveness of existing coping skills and behaviors, challenge and change negative thought and relating patterns, to aid clients learn new skills and perspectives to improve relational strength and emotional stability.  Focus is always on empowering clients toward personal growth and advocacy.

When Rachel is not working she is spending significant time involved with her family’s activity needs, being highly involved with her children’s academic and sports activities.  

Amelia Lohr MSW, LMSW 

Specialties

• Anxiety & Depression
• General Women’s Issues
• Life Transitions
• PTSD and Trauma
• Relational Issues & Boundaries
• Substance Abuse
• Trauma & Abuse Recovery
• Tweens, Teens and Young Adults

Michelle Lunka, MS, LAMFT, TBRI Practitioner

Specialties

• Children, Teens & Young Adults
• Complex Developmental Trauma
• Foster Care & Adoption
• Marital & Family Counseling
• Parenting Children with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Disorders
• Adult Attachment

About Michelle

Michelle received her Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy in 2007 from Arizona State University. She has previously held a Family Trauma Professional Certification, is a TBRI Practitioner, and a Making Sense of Your (Past) Worth Facilitator. She has been working with children and families involved in the foster care and adoption systems for over 10 years. Michelle and her husband were foster parents for several years, caring for children with behavioral needs, developmental delays, and neurodiversity. Her combined experience both professionally and personally allows her to truly understand the challenges parenting children from hard places presents and the importance of brain-based, connected parenting. She has studied FASD as well and is able to help families navigate this unfamiliar road.

Michelle also has a passion for helping couples and families working in law enforcement, experiencing infertility, or seeking pre-marital counseling.

Michelle approaches every client – individual, couple, or family – with a systemic perspective, seeing the impact past and current relationships and experiences have on our well-being. Michelle incorporates movement, sensory work, neurobiology, attachment, and play into her therapy sessions (yes, sometimes with ALL ages!). Family systems, TBRI, attachment theories, and Interpersonal Neurobiology are at the heart of her work.

Outside of the office, Michelle is a busy wife, mother of two teenagers, and a Scoutmaster. She has grown to love camping, is learning to love hiking, and in between it all loves to scrapbook her family’s adventures.

Ulises Gonzalez, MAPC, LPC, LMFT

Specialties 

• Anger Management
• Anxiety & Depression
• Career & Leadership Issues
• Developmental Concerns
• Faith, Ministry and Spiritual Concerns
• Holistic Healing and Lifestyle Wellness
• Marriage and Family Counseling
• Men’s Issues and concern
• PTSD & Trauma Therapy (Veterans and First Responders)
• Seniors, Teen & Young Adult concerns
• Substance Abuse

About Ulises

A transplant from Northern California, Ulises arrived in Phoenix in 1993 through active duty military assignment to Luke AFB.  Shortly after arriving, he discovered his life’s calling in the helping profession, through ministry with at-risk youth and families.  In 2007, Ulises completed a Masters in Arts in Professional Counseling, with subsequent licensing as both a Professional Counselor and as a Marriage and Family Therapist.  Being passionate about caring for the people of his community Ulises began Light of Life Counseling Services LLC, in 2014 noting few available services for Buckeye residents.

Ulises approaches therapy through Systems Theory; the understanding that an “individual is a part of a greater system,” and that individual change occurs best when relationships become healthy.  Through this approach, Ulises focuses on aiding clients understand and learn effective skills to fulfill their individual and relational needs.  Ulises incorporates Attachment Theory, Solution Focused and Transtheoretical Models of change, emphasizing that growth is an ongoing process and not a single event.  Varied experiences as an inner-city minister, community developer, addictions therapist, crisis counselor, and therapist over the course of 23 years has given him a deep understanding of the development and challenges in treating Mental Health concerns and Addictions.

Outside of therapy, Ulises is highly involved with his family, church and civic community.  He spends his free time highly involved in his sons’ school and sports activities, volunteering as a community sports coach, and leading his churches Men’s Ministry.  Ulises also enjoys camping, animal husbandry and working on his acreage.

Joyce Gross, MSW, LMSW

Specialties

• Anxiety and Depression
• Grief and Loss
• Marital, Couples and Family Counseling
• Relational Issues and Boundaries

About Joyce

A native of southwest Arizona, Joyce came into the helping profession as a second career, as she was married and a homemaker for most of her life.  After her children had grown, Joyce completed a Masters in Social work through ASU in 2005 with subsequent licensure as an LMSW.  Joyce gained about 15 years of therapy experience providing children and families therapy in DFCS family reunification, and later as the director of the Buckeye Family Services Center.   

Joyce counsels using a wide range of educational, professional and life experience approaches best described as Strength’s Based.  Through psychotherapy and active listening she affirms the importance of cultural diversity and the autonomy of each client, acknowledging the importance of an individual’s personal experiences and challenges.  Joyce would like clients to know that if they remain willing and committed to resolving their concerns they will be successful.

Outside of therapy Joyce enjoys spending time with her mother and children; two adult sons and daughters, and 10 grandchildren.  She enjoys animal husbandry, owning and working with two beautiful quarter horses.  She is a strong proponent of exercise, evidenced by walking her three dogs and riding her horses daily.  She also enjoys sewing, reading, and playing card games with family and friends.