Laura Baker
Co-Founder, Executive Director
(They/Them) Marriage and Family Therapist
As the director of Inclusive Counseling, Laura oversees therapeutic cases while facilitating staff consultation, training, and supervision. With a clinical focus on gender-affirming care, trauma treatment, personality disorders (particularly borderline personality features), adolescent and young adult treatment, neurodivergence, and sex therapy, they employ interpersonal and anti-oppressive approaches to therapy.
Laura graduated summa cum laude with a BA in Psychology and earned an MA in Counseling from the California Institute of Integral Studies, specializing in Community Mental Health. During this time, they were awarded a Fellowship from the CIIS Center for Writing and Scholarship, gaining training in critical pedagogy, teaching, and facilitation.
In addition to their Master’s degree, Laura has completed the Manhattan Institute for Psychoanalysis program Psychoanalysis and the Sociopolitical World and has three years of individual interpersonal analytic supervision. They hold a certificate in Sex Therapy from the American Association of Sex Educators and Therapists and are an Equitable Care Certified Provider. Laura has trained with leading clinicians such as Dr. Joy DeGruy, Dr. Gabor Mate, Dr. Janina Fisher, Dr. Eduardo Duran, and Linda Graham on trauma and the impact of sociopolitical factors on mental health.
Beyond their clinical work, Laura provides consultation and training to colleagues and organizations on best practices for working with the 2SLGBTQIA+ community and is involved in community advocacy to improve health care and material conditions for queer and trans folks. They co-facilitate the Gender Affirming Care Consultation Group, facilitate regular training in supporting LGBTQIA+ folks, co-developed the Queer Social Work Training Program in partnership with Our Center, are an adjunct lecturer for the California Institute of Integral Studies Integral Counseling Psychology program, and developed the Gender Affirming Care Certificate Program in addition to their work as a founding board member of Crown the Foundation and The Nevada Gender Clinic.
Before establishing their clinical career, Laura worked in nonprofit development and community organizing, where they were recognized among the nation’s top-performing fundraisers. This early experience in advocacy and public education laid the foundation for their ongoing commitment to social justice and systemic change in mental health care.
Laura is passionate about fostering learning environments grounded in critical pedagogy for clinicians-in-training and firmly believes in creating welcoming, inclusive spaces for all clients.
Liz Blieden
Co-Founder, Clinical Director
(They/She) Marriage and Family Therapist
Liz is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and clinical director of Inclusive Counseling, specializing in trauma treatment, LGBTQIA+-affirming therapy, somatic interventions, and the impact of sociopolitical factors on mental health. With a Master’s degree in Counseling from the California Institute of Integral Studies and a certificate in Integrative Somatic Trauma Therapy, Liz brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to their practice.
Liz’s therapeutic style is described as integrative, empowering, and inviting. They believe comprehensive care includes understanding the sociopolitical factors that influence wellbeing. Liz encourages clients and clinicians in training to identify what growth and healing look like for them while deconstructing assumptions of what that process should entail.
Liz’s expertise extends beyond adult therapy to encompass extensive work with children, adolescents, and families. Her background in education, both as an educator and a mental health professional, has equipped her with unique insights into supporting young people. Through group and individual interventions, Liz has guided students in identity exploration, resilience-building, and fostering healthy relationships. Their practice thrives on supporting clients through various life stages and challenges, including those navigating complex identities, healing from relational trauma, overcoming systemic oppression, addressing self-worth issues, and individuals embarking on journeys of self-discovery later in life.
Liz provides case consultation to colleagues on best practices for LGBTQIA+-affirming care and is a member of the Northern Nevada Standards of Care Collective, which offers low-cost assessment and letter-writing services for gender-affirming medical procedures.
Their commitment to continuous learning is reflected in numerous trainings focused on trauma, LGBTQIA+ issues, and sociopolitical impacts on mental health. Liz’s approach emphasizes creating safe, inclusive spaces that empower individuals through compassionate and affirming practices. They take pride in being an affirming provider and advocate for their queer community.
Hannah Zipes
Co-Founder, Programming Director
(They/Them) ATRP, CPC Intern
As Programming Director at Inclusive Counseling, Hannah organizes our community programs, speaking engagements, presentations, and staff events. Their leadership ensures that Inclusive Counseling’s outreach and educational efforts are inclusive, creative, and rooted in social justice.
In addition to their leadership role, Hannah is a Registered Art Therapist (Provisional) and Clinical Professional Counselor Intern. Their therapeutic style is person-centered, empathetic, and holistic, with a firm belief in the profound healing power of art. Hannah’s mission is to facilitate positive change and personal growth through creative expression, helping clients build resilience, promote self-expression, and overcome life’s challenges using a variety of artistic mediums.
Hannah’s journey in art therapy began with a Bachelor of Fine Art in Painting from Herron School of Art and Design, where they first discovered the transformative power of artistic expression. Inspired by this experience, Hannah pursued a Master’s in Counseling with a concentration in Art Therapy from Pennsylvania Western University, combining their passion for art with a commitment to healing and personal growth.
Deeply committed to serving and supporting individuals within the LGBTQIA+ community, Hannah continuously expands their knowledge to provide culturally humble and affirming care to all clients—regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or relationship structure. Their approach is grounded in the intersection of psychology and art, leveraging these disciplines to enhance both individual and community well-being.
Through their warm and direct approach, Hannah creates spaces where clients and community members can explore intersecting aspects of their identities and be witnessed holistically, without judgment. Their dedication to anti-oppressive practices ensures that every individual’s unique experiences and perspectives are valued and respected throughout the therapeutic process.
Hannah is supervised by Megan Evans, MFT.
Nicole Dunn
Clinical Lead
(She/Her) Clinical Professional Counselor
Specialties: LGBTQIA+, Trauma, Neurodivergence, Sex Therapy
Ages: Youth ages 16 and up, Adults
Therapy Provided: Individual Therapy, Relationship Therapy (couples, friends, polycules, and other expansive relationships)
Languages Spoken: English
Nicole is a Gender-Affirming Care Certified Provider.
Nicole holds a Masters in Counseling from Capella University and has 17 years of experience in the field of human services. Her vast experience includes career counseling, case management, client advocacy, suicide assessment and prevention, and inpatient and intensive outpatient care. Nicole specializes in working with individuals and expansive relationships and providing LGBTQIA+ and neurodivergent-affirming care. Nicole is sex positive, kink friendly and supportive of all relationship models. She is passionate about creating a safe, judgement free space, where individuals can process trauma, manage daily stressors, and explore themselves.
Nicole works from a trauma informed perspective and considers the impact of systemic influences such as family, culture and social oppression on individuals’ overall health and well-being. She believes that providing individuals with an empathetic, compassionate and supportive environment to explore themselves and their relationships is the foundation for growth and empowerment.
Kamea Sandstrom
(She/Her)
MFT Intern
Specialties: Identity Exploration, Neurodivergence, LGBTQIA+
Ages: 13+, Teens, Young Adults, Adults
Therapy Provided: Individual Therapy, Family Therapy, Relationship Therapy (couples, friends, polycules, and other expansive relationships)
Languages Spoken: English
Kamea is a Gender-Affirming Care Certified Provider.
Kamea was born and raised in Northern Nevada before she ventured to Washington state to receive her B.A. in Psychology from Gonzaga University. Kamea has since returned to continue her studies at the University of Nevada, Reno where she completed her M.A. in Counseling for Marriage and Family Therapy.
Kamea values the client centered approach of counseling with the acknowledgment that clients are the experts of their lives and may need varying approaches. The approaches she has explored range from Narrative, Existential, Emotionally Focused, IFS, and ACT as well as some background in CBT. Most vitally, she believes the therapeutic relationship involves an open space for reflection, curiosity, and growth between the client and therapist to slowly build together as they discover the client’s true strengths. She enjoys working with clients on their values and exploring one’s identity, whatever that looks like for them.
Kamea enjoys working with ages 13 and up, primarily teens and adults. She is interested in supporting LGBQIA+ and neurodiverse individuals in their exploration and journey of their identity and what paths their life may take them on.
During her leisure time, Kamea enjoys spending time with her partner, family, friends, and her cats, as well as delving into anything “nerdy”—from playing video games, watching anime, and listening to music to perfecting make-up looks, engaging in amateur photography, and everything in between.
Kamea is supervised by Natalie Sanchez, MFT.
Kate McLeod
(She/Her)
MFT Intern
Specialties: Autism and ADHD, Complex Trauma, LGBTQ Issues, Body Image
Ages: Teens and Adults
Therapy Provided: Individual Therapy, Relationship Therapy (couples, friends, polycules, and other expansive relationships)
Languages Spoken: English
Kate is a Gender-Affirming Care Certified Provider.
Kate is a dedicated Marriage and Family Therapist – Intern with an M.A. in Marriage and Family Therapy from Touro University Worldwide, where she graduated Summa Cum Laude. She brings a neurodiversity-affirming, sex-positive, and kink-aware perspective to her practice, specializing in trauma, queer positivity, body image, men’s issues, gender affirmation, and neurodivergence. Kate is committed to creating a safe, inclusive environment for all clients, integrating a range of modalities including Internal Family Systems, Narrative Therapy, Attachment-Based approaches, and Mindfulness-Based CBT.
Her therapeutic approach includes parts work, inner child connection, and a “bottom-up” method that respects each client’s unique lived experience. Kate values collaboration and works closely with clients to develop personalized strategies that foster growth, healing, and positive change.
Outside of her professional life, Kate enjoys crocheting, cross-stitching, playing Dungeons and Dragons, and spending time with her beloved French Bulldog, Toby. A lifelong musician, she has been playing the flute since she was six years old.
Kate is supervised by April Lang-Barroga, MFT.
Dr. Danny Phung
(He/Him)
CPC Intern
Specialties: Asian American, Trauma Informed, LGBTQIA+
Ages: 16+, Teens, Young Adults, Adults
Therapy Provided: Individual Therapy, Teletherapy, Relationship Therapy (couples, friends, polycules, and other expansive relationships)
Languages Spoken: English
Danny specializes in helping clients navigate anxiety, depression, life stressors, and identity development. He takes on a person-centered approach, integrating a wide range of techniques that will benefit the client. Danny taps into cognitive behavioral approaches, attachment work, and a trauma-informed lens using an internal family systems approach, and is LGBTQIA+ affirming. He enjoys working with young adults (18-25), especially at the intersections of ethnic and sexual marginalized identities. Danny believes in providing a therapeutic relationship that is honest and direct while creating a space that is also understanding, curious, and empathetic.
Danny appreciates clients who are honest, open, and motivated to change. He wants clients to become their authentic selves and does so by identifying the challenges and barriers that impede on one’s wants and needs. Danny’s therapeutic style is warm and relational, and he encourages clients to view and think from different perspectives.
Danny earned his Ph.D. in Counselor Education & Supervision at the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) in 2025. He received his M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in 2022, and his B.S. in Neuroscience from UNR in 2018. His dissertation utilized a minority stress framework to explore psychological distress in gay Asian American men. Additionally, Danny conducts research on video game addictions and hypersexuality.
Outside the therapy room, Danny is a Las Vegas native, he enjoys music festivals, movies, playing video games, trying new foods, going to the gym, and reading. He loves chocolate cake, soy matcha lattes, and coffee. Something he wants to start doing more is traveling and running.
Megan Huffman
(She/Her)
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Specialties: Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Perinatal Mental Health, Trauma, Mood Disorders, Anxiety Disorders, Grief & Loss
Ages: Adolescents, Adults
Therapy Provided: Individual Therapy
Languages Spoken: English
Megan is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) who believes that human connection is at the heart of healing. Megan brings warmth, compassion, and authenticity into every session, with the goal of helping clients feel truly seen and supported. Megan’s clinical background includes extensive training and experience in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and previous experience as the lead therapist at Thrive Wellness’s perinatal Intensive Outpatient Program, It Takes A Village.
Megan has experience treating mood disorders, personality disorders, anxiety disorders, trauma and stressor related disorders, substance use disorders, and severe mental illness. Megan also has experience providing Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) therapy for individuals navigating OCD and anxiety disorders.
Megan’s approach is person-centered and flexible, drawing from DBT, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), internal family systems therapy (IFS), solution-focused therapy, and psychodynamic perspectives. At the core of Megan’s work is the belief that clients are the experts of their own lives, and with the support of a strong therapeutic alliance, can cultivate resilience and create fulfilling, balanced lives. Megan values human connection above all else and views the therapeutic relationship as the foundation of meaningful change. Building trust, rapport, and safety from the very beginning is at the heart of her work.
Outside of the therapy room, Megan enjoys spending time outdoors with her husband, young son, and their dog, as well as with family and friends. Music and singing are lifelong passions of hers, and she also loves adventuring, shopping, trying new cuisine, listening to live music, being spontaneous, and crystals. A Halloween enthusiast at heart, she has a special love for horror movies and all things spooky.
Eli Fitzpatrick
(They/She)
Counseling Psychology Student Intern
Specialties: 2SLGBTQIA+, Neurodivergence, Systemic Oppression & Social Justice, Trauma-Informed, Career Counseling, Dreamwork, Grief
Ages: Adolescents, Adults
Therapy Provided: Individual Therapy, Relationship Therapy (couples, friends, polycules, and other expansive relationships)
Languages Spoken: English
Eli is a compassionate therapist-in-training pursuing their MA in Counseling Psychology with an emphasis in Integral Counseling at the California Institute of Integral Studies, with anticipated graduation in May 2026. They are also a Fellow at the Center for Writing and Scholarship at CIIS and are currently completing Janina Fisher’s Complex Trauma Certification Training (CCTP/CCTP-II). They bring specialized education in supporting trans and gender nonconforming clients alongside a rich interdisciplinary foundation through their triple BA in Anthropology, Creative Writing, and Critical Identity Studies from Beloit College.
Eli’s therapeutic approach is collaborative and growth-oriented, drawing from psychodynamic, Gestalt, Internal Family Systems (IFS), and structural dissociation models. They emphasize authentic connection and the exploration of relationship dynamics, with particular passion for identity exploration, understanding how intersectional identities influence wellbeing, and supporting neurodivergent individuals in embracing their unique ways of being. They recognize the ways broader social systems impact individual experiences and are committed to neurodiversity-affirming care that honors different neurological styles. Drawing from over eight years of people-centered work including career coaching and leadership roles, their background naturally extends into helping clients navigate vocational exploration and life transitions, while their interest in dreamwork offers unique pathways for self-discovery and personal meaning-making.
Whether working with teenagers navigating identity development, adults exploring life transitions, couples deepening their connection, or families strengthening their bonds, Eli creates a warm, trauma-informed space where clients can explore their authentic selves. They are particularly passionate about group work and the unique healing that emerges through shared experiences and collective support. Committed to social justice principles and continuous learning, Eli believes in building therapeutic relationships grounded in openness, empathy, and genuine respect for each client’s unique journey. When not engaged in their clinical work, Eli enjoys spending time with their partner, cat, and the wonderful community they’ve found here in Reno, and has a deep appreciation for memes and absurdity.
Olivia Huerta
(She/Her)
Counseling Psychology Student Intern
Specialties: Identity Exploration, Grief and Loss, Life Transitions
Ages: Children, Adolescents, Adults
Therapy Provided: Individual Therapy, Relationship Therapy (couples, friends, polycules, and other expansive relationships)
Languages Spoken: English
Olivia is a biracial clinician currently pursuing her Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at St. Bonaventure University, with the goal of becoming a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. She is passionate about supporting individuals navigating grief, adversity, and major life transitions, with a special focus on working with women and members of the LGBTQIA+ community.
Guided by values of empathy, inclusivity, and authenticity, Olivia approaches the therapeutic relationship as a collaborative space where clients can feel seen, supported, and empowered. She is committed to fostering a compassionate and nonjudgmental environment that honors each client’s lived experiences, unique path toward healing, and multifaceted identities. Olivia is especially attuned to the complexities of identity and the importance of culturally responsive care.
Drawing from her diverse professional background in education, administration, and the arts, she brings not only strong organizational skills to her work, but also deep creativity, intuition, and sensitivity to human expression and connection.
In addition to her graduate studies, Olivia has been an active member of the Northern Nevada arts community for nearly two decades. Through her performances and volunteer work, she has partnered with local nonprofits to raise funds for women’s shelters and LGBTQIA+ organizations, reflecting her dedication to advocacy and community care.
Outside of her clinical training, Olivia enjoys spending time with her family, dogs, and cat, as well as gardening, crafting, and diving into a good book or a spooky film.
Becky Murray
(They/Them)
Social Work Student Intern
Specialties: Depression, Anxiety, identity exploration, LGBTQIA+
Ages: Adolescents and Adults
Therapy Provided: Individual Therapy, Family Therapy, Relationship Therapy (couples, friends, polycules, and other expansive relationships)
Languages Spoken: English
Allison Martone
(She/They)
CPC Intern
Specialties: 2SLGBTQIA+, Sex Therapy, Anxiety, Depression, Life Transitions, Identity
Exploration, Trauma-Informed Care, Couples Counseling
Ages: 16+, Teens, Young Adults, Adults
Therapy Provided: Individual Therapy, Teletherapy, Relationship Therapy (couples, friends, polycules, and other expansive relationships)
Languages Spoken: English
Mental Health Counseling. Allison works relationally, believing that healing happens in
connection. Together with clients, Allison builds a space where people feel seen,
supported, and empowered to make meaningful shifts in their lives. As a non-binary sex
therapist, Allison offers warm, affirming support for 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals and
couples, as well as those exploring gender identity, sexuality, or relationship structures that may not fit the mainstream.
connection—including non-monogamy, kink, and other non-traditional paths. Their
work is rooted in a feminist lens, with attention to the ways systems and power
dynamics shape experiences. Allison especially enjoys working with people who are on a
journey of self-discovery.
and depression, and developing more compassionate, flexible ways of thinking. Their
approach is collaborative, nonjudgmental, and grounded in the belief that every person
deserves to live as their most authentic self.
Collaborating Providers
Dr. Zhizhong Li
(He/Him)
PHD, MSN, MA, APRN, PMHNP-BC, CNL
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