Hamilton Wellness, PLC

09/21/2025

Therapist Spotlight ⭐️!

Meet Stephanie!

Stephanie is a nationally certified and state-licensed Speech-Language Pathologist. With over 18 years of experience in schools, clinics, and skilled nursing facilities across Macomb and Oakland counties, Stephanie brings a wealth of knowledge and compassion to her work.

She provides speech and language evaluations and therapy for children and adolescents who may struggle to understand and use language effectively. Her areas of expertise include receptive and expressive language delays, articulation and phonological disorders, fluency disorders, pragmatic language, and autism spectrum disorders.

What Stephanie enjoys most is partnering with children and families to create personalized communication goals. She celebrates every success—whether it’s a new sound, a smoother phrase, or a boost in confidence. Stephanie is passionate about helping kids build the skills they need to thrive in school and beyond. We are grateful to have Stephanie as part of our Hamilton Wellness Team!

09/10/2025

🗓️ September 10th is World Su***de Prevention Day — a time to raise awareness, fight stigma, and remind people they are not alone.

Everyone can play a role in prevention, supporting those in crisis, and helping individuals and families find pathways to healing.

***dePreventionDay

07/06/2025

Therapist spotlight!

Meet Liz!
It has been an honor to have worked as a school social worker for over 25 years. I am privileged to
continue my journey with Hamilton Wellness as a therapist with the goal of assisting individuals to
become the best possible version of themselves.

“Good mental health is one of the foundations for living a healthy and happy life. Any time
and effort you spend caring for yourself is a worthwhile investment.” (Credit CALM)

I believe the ingredients to meaningful and effective therapy, includes equal parts of:
*Instilling Encouragement, Empowerment, Positivity and Hope to improve a healthy growth mindset.
*Providing Active Listening, Validating Feelings and engaging to Uncover Core Issues.
*Gaining a meaningful therapeutic relationship of Trust, Mutual Respect, being Non-Judgmental and affording Confidentiality.
*Creating an Effective Treatment Plan which is mutually agreed upon with meaningful and realistic goals.
*Enacting Treatment Approaches such as: Strengths Based, Client Centered and
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT).

Liz works with Children/Adolescence/Young Adults and Specializes in:
*Anxiety and Depression
*Anger management and Emotional Awareness/Regulation
*Trauma
*Adjustment/Transition with various life stages
*Grief and Loss
*Divorce
*Parenting Guidance
*AD/HD

Liz’s Hobbies and Interests:
Traveling, spending winters in Florida, pickleball, E-biking, euchre and spending time with her husband and 2 adult children.

Liz’s Coping Strategies/Relaxation Activities:
Mindfulness, walks with her dog Ivy, walks on the beach collecting shells and beach glass, bonfires and exercise.

06/18/2025

Therapist Spotlight!

Meet Dr. Maria Aretakis!

Both young people and adults face a range of challenges and stressors that can feel overwhelming. Even reaching out for help can be a difficult first step. Dr. Maria Aretakis offers an empathic, collaborative approach to therapy—prioritizing a strong therapeutic relationship and tailoring treatment plans to each individual’s unique needs.

Dr. Aretakis works with clients across the lifespan, including children, adolescents, young adults, and adults. Her areas of focus include:
Anxiety
Depression
Relationship conflict
ADHD
Life transitions (e.g., divorce, new parenthood, aging)

Using evidence-based interventions—including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), humanistic, and psychodynamic therapies—Dr. Aretakis helps clients reduce stress, manage strong emotions, improve relationships, and move toward their personal goals. Her compassionate, client-centered style supports individuals in navigating their challenges and fostering meaningful change.

05/06/2025

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness about mental health, reducing stigma, and promoting education, support, and resources for individuals affected by mental health conditions. Let’s talk about it. Let’s normalize it. Let’s heal—together.

04/06/2025

April is Neurodiversity Awareness Month! 🧠

Neurodiversity Awareness Month is observed annually in April. It aims to raise awareness about neurodivergence, celebrate the unique strengths and perspectives of neurodivergent individuals, and promote understanding and acceptance.

What is Neurodivergence?
Neurodivergence refers to a range of conditions that affect how the brain processes information, including autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyslexia, and dyspraxia. It is a term used to emphasize that these conditions are not disabilities but rather variations in the human brain.

🫶 🎉♾️

04/06/2025

April therapist spotlight! 🎉

Meet Sarah!
Sarah has been a therapist for 15+years and has been part of the Hamilton team since 2013,
utilizing a client-centered holistic approach by treating the whole person, addressing not only
the immediate symptoms but also the underlying issues that contribute to clients’ struggles,
and the impact on their mental well-being. Over the years Sarah has worked with clients of all
ages but is now focusing her attention on the adult population with a wide range of issues
including, but not limited to, depression, anxiety, adult ADHD, mental health difficulties relating
to chronic pain disorders, and trauma.

In the future (May 2025) Sarah will further her expertise in trauma therapy by continuing her
education to become an “EMDR Trained Clinician,” via Oakland University (An EMDRIA
Approved EMDR Basic Training). Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
Therapy is an extensively researched integrative psychotherapy approach to relieve
psychological stress, help process disturbing memories, reduce the lingering effects of traumatic experiences, and develop adaptive coping mechanisms in clients.

03/01/2025

Therapist Spotlight! 🎉

Meet Casey!

Casey believes that fostering strong relationships with each client is essential to the success of their work together. Using an integrative approach, Casey tailors treatment plans to meet the unique needs and concerns of each individual client. Additionally, Casey completes psychological assessments of ADHD, Autism Spectrum, and Learning Disorders. Casey serves as a dedicated advocate, ensuring clients receive the full range of support they deserve.

Q&A:
Q: Can you tell us about your background and what led you to become a therapist?
A: I decided to become a therapist after I took my first psychology class in high school and was fascinated by the brain and how it works. I started working in the mental health field while in college by working as an office assistant at a pediatric trauma assessment center and as a counselor at a summer camp for kids with various special needs. That helped me realize that I really enjoyed working with kids/teens and their families and led to my other positions while in grad school that ultimately led me to achieving my goal of becoming a therapist.

Q: What types of issues or conditions do you specialize in?
A: I specialize in working with teenagers and young adults on a variety of issues including anxiety, OCD, depression, and LGBT issues. I start with a humanistic foundation and use elements of cognitive and behavioral therapy to customize the therapy process for each client.

02/14/2025

Self-Love 💌

Self-love is about accepting yourself wholeheartedly, treating yourself with kindness, and making your well-being a priority. It’s not about perfection but about embracing who you are—flaws and all. There are many ways to practice self-love, from setting boundaries to celebrating your achievements, but one of the most powerful tools is self-reflection. Taking time to check in with yourself can help you build a stronger, healthier sense of self-worth. Wishing everyone self love today and everyday! 💌

02/03/2025

Therapist spotlight 🎉 . . . Meet Ini!

Ini is deeply committed to supporting individuals across all stages of life, including adults, couples, families, adolescents, and children, in improving their mental health. He takes a compassionate, evidence-based approach, combining empathy with collaboration to guide clients on their personal growth journey. With experience in treating a wide range of issues such as anxiety, depression, ADHD, and more, Ini helps clients gain a deeper understanding of their emotions, thoughts, behaviors, and relationships. His goal is to equip clients with effective strategies for making lasting changes in their lives, all within a safe, confidential, and therapeutic environment.

Q: What do you believe is the most important quality for a successful therapeutic relationship?
A: The most important quality in a successful therapeutic relationship is the client’s trust in the therapeutic relationship. Therapy can be a challenging process. The client’s motivation to make changes might be variable, circumstances in the client’s life can impact progress in therapy, and some therapeutic interventions might not work well. I believe therapy is a journey and the therapeutic relationship is at the heart of that journey. If the client trusts that the therapist will be supportive, empathetic, and competent, difficult aspects of the therapeutic process can be overcome.

Q: What do you find most rewarding about your work?
A: The most rewarding aspect of my work is witnessing the maturation of a client’s ability to manage emotions, thoughts, behaviors, and relationships. I am passionate about helping clients develop insight and learn skills so that they feel empowered and capable of healthy functioning.

01/08/2025

January therapist spotlight! 🎉

Mary Katherine (MK or Mary) has her master’s degree in developmental clinical psychology from University of Detroit Mercy and has been in practice for 8 years. Beginning her career in ABA and Neuropsychology, MK has a passion for understanding and aiding people of all ages, neurodivergencies, and psychological challenges. With her undergraduate degrees in sociology and technical theatre, MK believes in the power of the individual to shape their environment and write their own story. Building collaborative efforts therapy with clients to empower everyone with the tools to resolve emotional, behavioral, and relational barriers to personal growth and wellbeing. Along with her dog Kenzi, a licensed therapy dog, they provide clients with a safe, confidential, and empathetic environment to reduce the stress of the transformative process, while instilling hope for a healthy future.

Q: What advice would you give to someone who is considering starting therapy for the first time?
A: Often times we don’t fully understand the amount of emotional, psychological, or environmental stress that we are under and how it is impacting health and functioning. Someone can be uncertain of starting therapy because they are not sure if they could benefit, or because it can be scary to be completely vulnerable with a stranger. If you are considering starting therapy or coming back after some time, it is important to know that clients hold the power in the relationship. While your therapist holds expertise and training in methods to help, you are the expert at your own life. Not every therapist is going to get it right all the time. If you are needing a different approach or thinking that your therapist is not a good fit, that’s okay! Therapy is about you and your betterment, not the feelings of your therapist. Please speak up. Tell your therapist what you are needing and/or seek out a new therapist. I promise we won’t be offended.

Q: What is your therapeutic approach or methodology, and why do you find it effective?
A: Along with training in assessments and diagnostics, MK’s training includes behavioral, cognitive-behavioral, psychodynamic, psychoanalytic, and humanistic approaches. MK believes every individual has a unique set of needs, strengths, and circumstances. Being able to utilize a multidimensional approach allows the therapeutic process to be tailored to meet a client’s needs and help them reach their goals.

Q: What role do you think self-care plays in mental health, and how do you incorporate it into your own life?
A: Self-care has been reduced to a buzz word for an activity that can make you feel better in the moment- a pedicure, a dinner out, a vacation. But self-care truly goes beyond the momentary dopamine pleasures. Sustainable self-care involves caring for the whole-self long term, making sure to put focus toward serotonin building. For MK, this looks like making the hard choices to workout even when it’s been a long day, balancing rest and recharging, and setting boundaries when necessary, alongside a good vacation reset.

12/02/2024

Check out our December newsletter!

Welcome to Our Monthly Newsletter! We are grateful for your continued trust and care in our team. As we wrap up 2024, we reflect on the...