Our Team
Expert Clinicians Make the Difference
Our experienced clinicians provide a variety of counseling and behavioral health services.
Echo Dean, LMSW
Echo Dean has over 20 years of experience working with people from all walks of life. She enjoys helping people find their strengths and utilize them to heal themselves and achieve their goals. She believes that everyone can make changes that will impact their lives in a positive and meaningful way. Her focus at this time is on adults and she often works with people experiencing anxiety and/or depression.
Her work experience has also involved helping people with chronic medical conditions find ways to overcome the barriers that keep them from appropriately managing their health . One of my greatest joys is seeing people find their way to where they want to be.
Echo works hard to provide a safe, nurturing environment in which people can come to discover their own path to making changes that can enhance their lives and restore relationships.
Echo’s social work career began at Child and Family Services as a foster care case manager and evolved into a role as therapist in the behavioral health department, working primarily with children but also with adults. From there, she moved into the field of medical social work, where she has been for the past five years.
From this experience, it became evident that many people with chronic illness need help to discover that they have the skills to improve their health but may need some direction and support to put together a plan to achieve their goals. As a care manager working closely with the medical providers, Echo provides help and support.
Abby Zukausky, LMSW
Mental Health Therapist
Abby holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Alma College, as well as a master’s degree in social work and a certificate in gerontology from Eastern Michigan University. She has been practicing social work since 2012, with a primary focus on helping adults and seniors navigate life transitions. Her work experience spans a variety of settings, including a home care and hospice agency, an outpatient cancer clinic, a skilled nursing facility, and an adult day health center. Although her greatest passion is for working with older adults, she also enjoys helping people across the life span who are coping with anxiety, depression, chronic illness, caregiver stress, and grief and loss. She has a special interest in using writing as a tool for finding meaning in even the most difficult experiences. Her therapeutic approach is grounded in cognitive behavior therapy with an emphasis on helping clients identify and build on their own unique strengths. She looks forward to working in partnership with clients on their journey toward a more balanced and meaningful life.
Amanda Gough, MSW
Amanda Gough is a Master’s level social worker. Amanda received her BSW & MSW from Ferris State University. Amanda is a clinical therapist at Adaptive Counseling and Case Management, as well as a case manager where she offers Motivational Interviewing interventions to help clients reach health goals that inspire better physical and mental health. She has facilitated grief groups of all ages at Michael’s Place.
Amanda is motivated by showing compassion and empathy to her client’s and offering a safe and non-judgmental space to talk about life struggles. Her passion is to facilitate connections with her clients and work as a team to integrate balance to their life. She understands that it is a courageous effort to take steps towards your mental well-being. She will actively listen and offer a diverse therapy approach to each unique individual. Amanda has a passion to support children, adolescents and adults, regarding loss and grief, anxiety, depression, life changes, and chronic illness.
Lisa Lederer, LMSW
Lisa is a Master Level Social worker who has been working with children, adolescents, individuals and families for over ten years. Lisa was inspired to go back to school for her Master’s in Social Work after her own personal experience with adoption and parenting. She is passionate in serving the needs of individuals, children and family from an understanding of the challenges that emerge from an attachment and trauma perspective.
After her internship at Pine Rest Clinic in Traverse City, Lisa began her career at Child and Family Services of NW Michigan. At Child and Family Services, Lisa moved from a treatment foster care specialist to behavioral health therapist and then supervisor of the Behavioral Health Department. As supervisor, she was an integral part of the development of the trauma assessment program and the incorporation of Equine Assisted Psychotherapy at Peace Ranch for the children and families served through the agency.
Lisa left Child and Family Services as she felt called back to a hands-on role and more direct service to individuals and family. She joined Northern Family Intervention Services as a home-based therapist working with severely emotionally disturbed children and families. From NFIS, Lisa went to North Country Community Mental Health where she worked as an outpatient therapist serving not only children and family but also adults identified with severe persistent mental illness.
Throughout all experiences and work with individuals, children, and families, Lisa remains inspired by the resilience and courage of individuals and families who seek help. Lisa is a trauma informed provider trained in TF-CBT and EMDR. Lisa is also EAGALA certified for equine assisted psychotherapy. Lisa is dedicated to serve and provide education and guidance specific to an individuals’ identified challenges.
Jenna Parker, LLMSW
“I believe that everyone is doing their best with the tools that they have. Sometimes we run into issues when we don’t have the right tools. I try to build a unique toolbox with each of my clients that honors their skills and talents.”
Jenna is a Traverse City local and loves swimming in Lake Michigan.
Breanne (Bree) Pederson
Breanne (Bree) is a Licensed Practicing Counselor who has over eight years experience of full-scope practice in her community. She is a Traverse City transplant who hails from Chicago Illinois, and holds her Master’s Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Denver Seminary in Colorado. Bree has several years of experience working with those who live with addiction, and their families, as well as experiencing providing group and individual behavioral health therapy in both a hospital and outpatient setting.
Bree provides individual, couples , and family counseling for all ages, utilizing Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and solution-focused interventions. Her goal is to provide skilled and intentional listening to assist her clients in developing coping strategies to alleviate symptoms that are causing them distress in their lives.
Bree is passionate about walking alongside her clients as they begin to discover that no matter where they find themselves in life, positive change is possible. She is committed to helping people learn ways to increase sense of self-worth, navigate interpersonal relationships with ease, and create a greater alignment with the direction they wish for their lives to take.
Mary Schaub, LMSW
Mary is a LMSW with 40 years of experience in human services. She earned her BA in Sociology/Psychology from Saginaw Valley University in 1972 and a Masters of Social Work from Grand Valley State University in 1997. Her professional experience includes working with children, adolescents, and families in the juvenile justice system, home based, and outpatient services.
Mary enjoys working with women and adolescents on depression, anxiety, change of life problems, parenting, and spiritual issues.
Ben Whipple
Ben is a counseling intern who is pursuing his M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Liberty University with an expected graduation in the spring of 2024. Though at the beginning of his journey as a therapist, Ben carries with him over 15 years of pastoral experience walking with adults of all ages through the ups and downs of their lives. He’s also enjoyed working with youth and teens through mentoring and substitute teaching. And as a father by way of adoption, Ben also understands the dynamics of childhood trauma and is comfortable working with adoptive families and children from hard places. He is a calm and steady presence, known for leading with compassion, trust, and connection. Ben believes that each person is valuable and has a story that matters, seeing the counseling relationship as a place to honor and explore that story together.
Ben has lived in the Traverse City area with his wife and three kids for nearly 13 years now, joyfully calling it home while still struggling with the winters. You might find him around town living that chauffeur-parent life while he cheers on his kids at the edge of the track field, pool, or music recital. Time to himself usually includes a good fantasy novel, a scenic hike along the shores of Lake Michigan, or making music at the piano.
Kevin DeBruyn, LMSW
Kevin DeBruyn, LMSW is a psychotherapist and healthcare entrepreneur in Northern Michigan. He founded Adaptive Counseling and Case Management to provide evidence based mental health services to the region. Adaptive provides outpatient counseling services, parenting classes, training for local professionals in the healthcare industry and has a unique partnership with local physicians to integrate aspects of behavioral health into the primary care setting through care management services.
Prior to starting Adaptive, Kevin helped to institute a social work presence in the emergency department at Munson Medical Center and helped to transition to a case management approach for inpatient admissions. Kevin has experience working with the severely, persistently mentally ill through the CMH system in Kent County as well as families involved in the child welfare system. He has over 15 years of experience working with individuals, families, and systems.
His educational background includes a B.A. from Calvin College in Psychology and Spanish and a master’s in social work from Western Michigan University. Kevin incorporates mindfulness, dialectical behavioral therapy and cognitive behavioral approaches in his clinical work. He has training in Critical Incident Stress Management as well. When he is not working Kevin enjoys spending time on the water and out in nature with his wife and four children.
Philip L. Ellis, Ph.D.
Clinical Psychologist
Philip Ellis is a licensed psychologist with over thirty years of clinical practice. He completed his doctoral work in Clinical Psychology at the Ohio State University. After a career with Pine Rest in Grand Rapids spanning twenty-eight years, Dr. Ellis relocated to Traverse City. He recently retired as the CEO of the Grand Traverse Regional Community Foundation to devote more time to clinical practice.
A primary area of practice is focused on adults experiencing transitions through various forms of loss or change, including divorce, loss of a loved one, retirement, and other life experiences resulting in change and challenge.
Sharon Harris
Sharon joined the Adaptive Counseling Team as our new Office Manager in August of 2022. She brings with her over 15 years experience within the health-care field, working as a Senior Performance Manager/Strategic Analyst for Kaiser Permanente’s Northern California Appointment and Advice Call Centers. She also carries with her over a decades worth of Emotional Intelligence and Leadership/Management training.
Sharon lived in Northern California most of her life before relocating to Traverse City in early 2021, where she worked as a Territory Scheduler at Comfort Keepers for Grand Traverse and Leelanau Counties before joining our team. During her free time, Sharon enjoys exploring the Great Lakes with her partner, daughter and mother (collecting rocks and lake glass), listening to music, drawing, painting, camping, kayaking and photography.
