Who Are We?
CounselingWise is the work of Becky DeGrossa, who has been contributing to the world of online marketing for therapists since 2007. After earning a degree in Computer Science from Cal Poly and spending 20 years at IBM, Becky pursued a master’s in psychology and became a successful therapist. Now she combines her technical, marketing, and psychology backgrounds to serve the therapy community, and has helped hundreds of therapists in the fine art of website communication. Becky is a “process nerd” meaning that she LOVES Learning something new…Testing it out to see if it works…Tweaking it so it works better…and then Systematizing it so it can be done over and over. This predilection has resulted in efficiencies that range from…yes, the loading/unloading of the silverware basket in her dishwasher…to…rapid increases in marketing effectiveness for her clients. In her spare time, Becky loves hanging out with two-year-olds, reading good novels, and listening to thought leaders while on the beach in Maui.
Our Team of Amazing Folks
Kathryn Bloom, Conscious Business Consultant | Life Coach
Kat brings a strong passion for simplicity and creating an authentic work environment to CounselingWise. With over 20 years of high-tech experience, including positions in software development, project management, process development, and architecture, she excels at seeing the “forest and the trees.” This, combined with her lifelong study of psychology and mindfulness, as well as her background in marketing and Business/Life Coaching, makes CW a great fit! Lover of lemurs, college basketball, hiking and the symphony… her next adventure might be trekking in Madagascar, cheering with the Cameron Crazies at Duke University, or exploring Iceland.
Sarah Grosboll, Billing Manager
Sarah was born and raised in Fort Collins, CO, and is a true Colorado native. Sarah graduated from Colorado State University. Sarah has been in the office management and billing world for over 14 years. From Fort Collins, CO to Johnstown, CO, Sarah did not venture very far but enjoys the slower pace out East. If Sarah is not working, you can find her spending time with her husband Chris and two boys, Connor and Hunter and running from sport to sport with them. Sarah also had two dogs that run the household, a yorkie poo named Botwin and a Golden Doodle named Winston.
Sara Humphrey, Operations Manager
Over the past 15 years, Sara has worked with over 30 non-profit and mission-based organizations, to improve their marketing, education outreach, and fundraising efforts using digital media. With a degree in Video Production from the Art Institute of Colorado, she has been honored with a Heartland Emmy for her documentary work and nominated for a National Emmy for co-editing a special for HBO. She is dedicated to storytelling and thrives on shedding light on otherwise unnoticed parts of the world. Sara is a native of Colorado and enjoys everything our beautiful state has to offer. She recently left upper management to work part-time and have more time at home with her baby girl.
Rocco Baldassarre, AdWords Specialist
Rocco consults companies with online advertising strategies like Google AdWords, Facebook and cross-channel advertising among other things. Rocco has been shortlisted as Young Search Professional of the Year in 2013 and 2014 by the European and the US Search Awards. He holds two Master of Science and two Bachelor of Science degrees and is fluent in English, Spanish and Italian.
Project Managers
Bill Bradley, Project Manager
Bill is from Georgia originally. He has an undergraduate degree from the University of Georgia in Business Education and a Master’s degree from the University of Colorado, Denver in Instructional Technology. After college, Bill traveled the world as a flight attendant and a supervisor of flight services. He taught classes in Web Design, Animation, and Graphic Design in high school for many years. Bill has coached high school basketball for the last 25 years in Georgia, Tennessee, and Colorado. When he isn’t working, he and his wife, Kim, love traveling and are both avid disc golfers.
Brandon Clarke, Project Manager
Brandon is east coast born and raised, and recently moved from New Jersey to Boulder in search of a change of scenery, and a change of pace. He attended Stockton University, where he received a BS in Computer Science and Information Systems. With experience as a professional web developer and IT support technician, Brandon is excited to be able to apply his skill set at Counselingwise. When away from his computer, Brandon enjoys strumming his guitar, and snowboarding on fresh rocky mountain powder.
Samantha Harms, Project Manager
Samantha graduated from University of Colorado – Boulder in 2007, and is currently a continuing education student in web development. She has worked at multiple startups, including a social music network, a dynamic geospatial wiki, and a suite of survey software. She loves spending time with her boyfriend and family, learning new technology, bird watching, taking long walks, and hanging out with her three cats, Tricky, Izzy, and Monkey. As an east-coast interloper originally from Pennsylvania, she has always wanted to live next to the mountains, and has appreciated all 300 days of sun a year since coming to Colorado.
Kelly Lopez, Project Manager
Kelly is originally from Utah and has also lived in Los Angeles and the Seattle area. Now after 11 years in Colorado she calls it home. She earned her Undergraduate Degree in Information Technology from the University of Phoenix while working full time for a Fortune 500 company. She has experience working in IT on big and small projects as a Business Analyst and Project Manager. She also worked in technical support roles focusing on customer satisfaction. She recently graduated with a Master’s degree from Colorado State University in Computer Information Systems. She loves to spend time with her husband Jason, daughter Pilar, and her little Havanesse dog named Tribble.
Willie Milam, Project Manager | Strategy Consultant
Born and raised in Lake Oswego, Oregon, Willie is a native Northwester at heart who loves the greenery, colorful seasons, and amazing running trails that Oregon and Washington have to offer. Graduating from Gonzaga University with an undergraduate degree in Finance and Economics, and continuing on to get his Master’s in Business Administration, Willie moved back to Portland in the summer of 2015 to work as a Financial Analyst for an Investment Firm. Through his education and time in Portland, he gained valuable experience and analytical, project management, and communicational skills that he excited to apply to CounselingWise and its’ clients. His passion for running takes up most of his free time and is what led him to Colorado, as he joined an Olympic Development Group named Roots Runnings Project where he is hoping to continue running competitively.
Halley Predell, Project Manager
Halley grew up in Delaware, the home of tax free shopping and I-95. They attended the University of Delaware, graduating with a Bachelor of Science. in Math & Economics and a Bachelor of Arts in Women & Gender Studies. Throughout college, they designed websites and provided IT Support to various departments throughout the university. After graduation, Halley worked as a backpacking instructor in New Hampshire. They’ve since settled in Colorado, focusing on higher-education pursuits, weightlifting, and getting into the mountains.
Lorena Weber, Project Manager | Strategy Consultant
Lorena originally hails from New Jersey with family ties in Mexico, Spain and Switzerland. She has a Masters in Art Business from the Sotheby’s Institute of Art, London and a BA in Foreign Languages and Linguistics from Georgetown University. She specializes in project management, communications, and visual design with experience in fostering and building client relationships within several industries including outdoor apparel, energy, luxury retail, fine art, and fashion. Lorena has a passion for painting and drawing and works in watercolor, acrylic, and oil. She has a cat named Kinky Boots and enjoys skiing, cycling, running and hiking in her new home state, Colorado.
Developers
Mohammad Bayezid, Developer
Mohammad Bayezid is a professional web developer, who upholds a strong inclination towards technological advancements and enjoys internet surfing to discover cool stuff around the web.
Writers
Flash Clark, Lead Writer | Editor
Born and raised in the fertile Shenandoah Valley of the Virginian Blue Ridge Mountains, Flash Clark, or Michael Wayne, as his parents named him, is a professional fashion designer, musician, and writer with thirteen years experience in journalism. He has published everything from food recipes and cartoons to textbook rewrites and high-profile interviews. He is a proud, lifetime VA Tech Hokie with a degree in apparel design that led to an MFA degree in prose writing from the Jack Kerouac School at Naropa University. He also once built a Charlie Brown-style lemonade stand and offered advice, resumes, and laughs to passersby. Co-founder of 16 Blocks Magazine and Innovative Thought Consultants, LLC., Flash now writes freelance while working on several personal literary projects, pursues running, Aikido, and the Colorado sunshine.
Kim Castillo, Writer
Originally from Corpus Christi, TX, Kimberly received her Bachelors degree in Communication Arts with a concentration in Journalism at the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio, TX. She went on to pursue her Masters degree in Writing & Poetics from the Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics at Naropa University in Boulder, CO. When she’s not writing, Kimberly enjoys spending time with her daughter, teaching yoga, tending her vegetable and herb garden, painting, and enjoying the beautiful outdoors of Colorado. She hopes to write that novel and live part-time in New Orleans.
Rachel Chesbrough, Writer
As the daughter of a counselor and a higher education administrator, it’s perhaps no surprise that Rachel’s path led to CounselingWise in 2018. That path formally began with a BA in English from Regis University in Denver, CO, which set the stage for a diverse and enduring writing career. She cut her teeth on music journalism, followed quickly by sociopolitical reporting, and copywriting for everything from non-profits to ad agencies. Rachel is perpetually eager to listen to and amplify the voices of others through her writing. In her free time she can be found in a park by her home in Denver, taking far too many pictures of her dog.
Danielle (Dani) Ferrera, Writer
Dani is a writer, teacher, and musician from New Jersey, currently living in Denver. She received her MFA in Writing and Poetics as the Anne Waldman Fellow from Naropa University, a mindfulness-based hybrid writing program. Currently she co-runs a poetry collective called .off and conducts memory care poetry workshops at Balfour Senior Living Community. She is especially interested in practicing and learning about alternative healing modalities, such as sound healing, yoga, meditation, and contemplative writing.
Angela Poulson, Writer
Angela Poulson has written content and managed marketing initiatives for a variety of public, private and nonprofit organizations. Specializing in interviewing and blog writing, Angela has created both online and print content for a wide variety of industries, including business consulting, natural resources, geographic information systems, software-as-a-service, space exploration, and wholesale distribution. She has been honored with several writing awards, including the John Hurst Prize for Populist Poetry and – as part of a three-person editorial team – a “Best Newsletter” award from the Specialized Information Publishers Association. She graduated with a “summa cum laude” distinction from the University of Arizona with a bachelor’s degree in creative writing and journalism (double major), and since then has completed the graphic design certificate program at Boulder Digital Arts.
Susan Silkwood, Writer
Susan has a BA in Behavioral Science, an MA in Geopolitical Writing (thanks to an advisor/mentor willing to think outside the box), and a couple of minors and a certificate to boot. The highlight of her university experience was an internship in Paris for the US Consulate, and she hopes to live there at least part-time one day. She’s now seeking her MA in Marriage & Family Therapy, and loving what she’s learning about mental health professions from working with CounselingWise clients.
Susan Silkwood lives with her two lovely, clever daughters and three adorable, semi-obedient dogs in a cute little house in a hip (-adjacent) neighborhood just south of Denver. Her darling adult son is out of the house and an aspiring writer and artist.
Bloggers
Carola Garvin, Blogging Coordinator | Editor
Carola received her formal education in her native, Germany, where she also learned English. Her love affair with creativity – particularly drawing and writing – began early in her life. Many years later, after coming to the United States, Carola began working as a substitute teacher. During those years, she enjoyed helping children of various backgrounds and ages, including those with special needs. Eventually, she put all her time and energy in homeschooling her two teen-aged sons. It was them that sparked her renewed interest in creative writing. The knowledge Carola acquired throughout the years and through her ongoing volunteer work has proven to be invaluable to her writing endeavors. In 2015, she joined CounselingWise’s blogging team, which has provided her with a new opportunity to expand her experience and skill as a writer. A geek at heart, Carola loves watching, reading, and writing sci-fi stories in her private time. When she’s not space-bound, she enjoys knitting, baking, and painting… here on earth.
Aisha Geaither Simmons, Blogging Coordinator | Editor
Aisha is a freelance writer, short story author, and poet. She is still learning the ways of the Internet and enjoys unlocking its doors of writing opportunity. She graduated from DePauw University where was awarded the Roy and Anna Kennedy Prize in Creative Writing and fell in love with the dream of quiet hours and a good idea. With the dream still alive, she spends half the day driving hither and yon to football games and gymnastic practice with her adolescent brood and the other easing the pain of writer’s block by systematizing pantries, office files, and closet piles for fun or profit.
Dyanne Harvey, Blogging Coordinator | Editor
Hailing from the Midwest, Dyanne grew up in the cornfields of central Illinois. She earned a B.S. from Greenville College and joined the workforce as a corporate educator. Realizing she didn’t want to spend days working away from her young daughter, she exited the corporate world to pursue freelance writing. When she’s not writing, you can find her spending time with her family and three rescue dogs. Doubling as an Americana singer/songwriter, she loves the independent music scene. Dyanne also enjoys the outdoors, baking, and practicing yoga.
Stacey Blaske, Blogger
Growing up in an (extremely) small town in Southwest Michigan, Stacey Blaske has always enjoyed the simple things in life. After trying out the corporate world for a few years in her post-grad days, she quickly found out she missed her little town and all the charms that went with it. She’s been a full-time freelance writer for over three years, and loves being able to work at home with her little boy and two dogs. In her free time, Stacey enjoys baking, walks with her child and four-legged children, and unapologetically binging on her favorite Netflix shows!
Bill Sassani, Blogger
Bill grew up in Hershey, Pennsylvania but fell in love with the Rocky Mountains as a teenager backpacking in New Mexico. He graduated from Penn State University with a degree in History and earned a master’s degree in Outdoor Education from the University of Northern Colorado. Before working with Counselingwise Bill was a wilderness therapy backpacking guide for teens in Utah. He began working as a freelance writer in 2007, and has been published both online and in print. When not at his computer Bill enjoys spending time with his wife and getting outside to enjoy the beauty of Colorado.
Kathryn Vercillo, Blogger
Kathryn Vercillo is originally from Arizona, but moved to San Francisco in 2006 because her heart found it to be her natural home. She has worked as a professional full-time blogger / writer/ author for the past 15+ years. She believes that self-expression is the key to to self-realization and ultimately to connecting communities, and one of her primary goals is to use her skills as a writer to help others to explore, articulate, and share their own unique stories. Kathryn has worked previously in social work, and in 2017 received her Masters in Psychological Studies from California Institute of Integral Studies, an MFT-track program that emphasizes the merging of Eastern and Western Psychological for a holistic, integrated approach to wellness. Kathryn is especially passionate about the topic of crafting to heal and is the author of several related books including Crochet Saved My Life.
Mickey Z, Blogger
Born and raised in NYC, Mickey is a self-taught, self-employed writer. He’s worked in a wide range of mediums (from blog posts to screenplays to poetry and beyond) and covers an even wider range of topics. When he’s not writing, he’s reading or exercising or taking photos or…