Holly D. French, M.Ed., LPC, CCTP1
Holly is the founder and director of Mindful Upstate Counseling, and she is a Licensed Professional Counselor with over a decade of experience working throughout the upstate of South Carolina in a variety of settings. Holly is passionate about helping others live a fulfilling life, her family and friends, and continually learning new things. When Holly is not working, she spends her time reading, knitting, crafting, learning new things, and experiencing life with her two kids and husband.
Holly grew up in southwest Georgia, and then left home to complete a Bachelor’s of Science in Human Development and Family Studies at Auburn University. In 2007, Holly and her husband moved to South Carolina where she completed a Master’s of Education in Community Counseling at Clemson University. Since living in South Carolina, Holly has worked in a wide range of mental health settings which have helped her grow professionally to develop her areas of specialty and treatment techniques.
Holly is a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional and a Certified Integrative Mental Health Professional, and her areas of specialty include trauma, anxiety disorders, mood disorders, ADHD and behavioral problems, anger management, family and life adjustment problems, and women’s issues. Though, Holly’s passion is working with complex and developmental trauma and dissociative disorders. Holly works with most ages groups through a variety of therapeutic services, and she implements individualized dynamic interventions drawn from a range of techniques and methods including, dialectical behavioral therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, polyvagal theory, somatic experiencing therapy, solution-focused therapy, eco-therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy (including trauma focused cognitive behavioral therapy), mindfulness and skills training, and other mindfulness-based therapeutic approaches. Holly believes client-counselor collaboration is essential for successful treatment, and she values the bravery each individual exhibits as they enter the counseling office.
Tiara Stokes, BA, Counseling Intern
Tiara Stokes is a graduate level intern studying Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Clemson University. She is from the state of West Virginia, where she obtained her Bachelor of Art in Psychology and Musical Theatre from West Virginia Wesleyan College.
As a Counselor-in-Training, Tiara exercises a focus on a person-centered and integrative approach. She believes that clients are unique in what they need, whether it’s actively collaborating to create and work toward goals, or simply building meaningful relationships and support systems and knowing you’re not alone. Tiara has an interest in working with teenagers, young adults, and adults experiencing mood or neurodevelopmental disorders. Tiara also believes that counseling can be beneficial even if no disorder is present.
In her leisure time, Tiara finds joy in participating in athletics, drawing, singing, theatre, and gaming.
Melissa Gallagher, NCC, LPCA
Melissa is a Licensed Professional Counselor Associate and a member of the Board of Nationally Certified Counselors. She has nearly 2 decades of experience in the helping profession working with children, teens and adults in various settings, including group homes, psychiatric hospitals, day programs, case management and foster care agencies.
In her downtime, Melissa enjoys hiking, going to the mountains and beach, traveling, writing, listening to music, meditating, watching documentaries, reading and spending quality time with family and friends. Melissa has 2 children (a son and a daughter), who she calls her greatest joy and achievement and loves watching them laugh, learn and grow. Melissa is an avid animal lover who often jokes that if she ever won the lottery, she would open thousands of sanctuaries.
Melissa grew up in Northern New Jersey, where she graduated Cum Laude from University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey and Felician College and received a dual degree in Psychiatric Rehabilitation and Psychology. In 2011, Melissa completed her graduate program at William Paterson University, where she received her Master of Education in Mental Health Counseling.
Melissa utilizes various therapeutic modalities and techniques with her clients, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Mindfulness (including meditation and breathing techniques), solution-focused therapy, motivational interviewing and dialectal behavioral therapy. She believes establishing a trusting therapeutic relationship and helping her client feel safe is the most important, as well as occasional humor and lightheartedness to help her client feel at ease.
Through both personal and professional experience, Melissa understands how scary it can be to enter therapy and how challenging change can be. She believes that everyone has within them an intrinsic ability to become the best versions of themselves and live the life they deserve and offers a safe place free of judgment where clients can express themselves openly and honestly. Her specializations include ADHD, trauma, anxiety disorders, depression, behavioral issues, familial conflict and women’s issues.