Bringing hope and healing since 1981
Since 1981 the Counseling Group has brought hope and healing to people in need at every stage of life, providing a wide range of specialty services for individuals, couples, families, and businesses. Our main office is in Hickory, with additional offices in Lenoir and Morganton.
The Counseling Group has been a leader in providing Employee Assistance Programs to businesses throughout the Unifour area since 1981. These services offer free, confidential counseling to employees and immediate family members of companies and organizations that have contracted with us.
EAP services are essential for companies to provide a full range of help to people experiencing problems that may interfere with work performance.
The Counseling Group counselors are experts in Crisis Response for companies after a major accident and/or fatality. Our professional counselors have many years of experience providing EAP, workplace consulting, and training. Contact us today.
Contact Us
Our Staff
The Counseling Group has a group of licensed clinical mental health counselors that have undergone years of education and training so they can provide you with exceptional and effective treatment. We provide confidential and professional services in a relaxed private practice where every individual is regarded with personal consideration and respect. Our therapists will discuss your specific situation and then work with you to make a plan of treatment to achieve the best possible outcome.
Amy Owensby
MA, LCMHCS
Amy Owensby received her Master of Arts degree in Counselor Education from Lenoir-Rhyne College in 1994. She is a partner of The Counseling Group, inc. She is a Nationally Certified Counselor and a North Carolina Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor Supervisor and currently serves as a clinical supervisor for licensed clinical mental health counselor associates. She is also a member of NCEAPA (NC Employee Assistance Professionals Association). Amy specializes in therapeutic crisis intervention in the workplace
She specializes in:
- Children, adolescents, and family counseling
- Anxiety, Depression,
- Trauma
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Sexuality and Gender Issues, LGBTQ
- Phobias
- Autism
- Social Anxiety
Suzanne Trollan
MA, LCMHC
Suzanne Trollan earned her Master of Arts degree in Counselor Education with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Counseling from Lenoir-Rhyne College in 1999. She is a partner of The Counseling Group, inc.
She specializes in:
- Grief Counseling
- Adolescents and Adults
- Anxiety, Depression, and Panic Disorder
- Care-giver Support
- Anger Management
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Certified Clinical Military Counselor
Suzanne sees clients in our Hickory and Morganton offices.
Anne Hendrix
MA, LCMHC
Anne Hendrix received her Master of Arts in Counselor Education and Research in the Agency Counseling track from Appalachian State University in 1984. Anne is an NC Board of Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor. She uses cognitive-behavioral therapy, exposure and response prevention, and mindfulness techniques.
She specializes in:
- Children, Adolescents, Adults
- Eating Disorders and Body Image concerns
- Anxiety Disorders/Targeting Rewiring the Anxious Brain
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
- Phobias, School Phobias
- Social Anxiety
- Separation Anxiety
- Selective Mutism
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Depression
- Grief
- Abuse and Trauma
- Sexuality and Gender, LGBTQ
She is the trainer and handler of her German shepherd, Greta, who works with her in Pet Assisted Therapy. In addition, Ms. Hendrix serves clients in the Hickory and Lenoir offices. Ms. Hendrix is not part of the Counseling Group EAP.
Nicole McManus
LCSW
Graduated from Western Carolina University in 2013 with a Bachelor of Social Work and Appalachian State University in 2018 with a Master of Social Work. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker.
Areas of Expertise:
- Counseling of children, teens, young adults, adults
- LGBTQIA+ population, sexual identity/gender issues
- Couples counseling
- Trauma and Abuse
- Nicole utilizes CBT, SFT, Motivational Interviewing, and mindfulness practices.
Megan Martinez
MA, LCMHCA, NCC
Megan Martinez received her Master of Arts degree in Counseling with an emphasis on School Counseling in 2015. She is an NC Board of Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor Associate and National Certified Counselor. She completed additional graduate-level coursework in clinical mental health with Capella University in 2022. She served as an elementary school counselor for six years before joining The Counseling Group. Megan speaks fluent Spanish and uses play therapy and expressive art techniques to enhance her sessions.
She specializes in:
- Children, Adolescents, and Adults
- Trauma and Abuse
- Grief
- Autism
- Social skills training
- Self-Esteem
- Depression and Anxiety
Cameron Short
MA, LCMHCA, NCC, CCTP
Cameron Short is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor Associate. She graduated from Appalachian State University in 2019 and earned her master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Lenoir-Rhyne University in 2022. She has experience counseling adults and uses a trauma-informed, multicultural approach to assist clients in their journey toward wellness. She is an integrative counselor who uses cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness, and acceptance and commitment therapy to enhance counseling sessions.
She specializes in:
* Adolescents and adults
* Anxiety
* Depression
* Trauma
* Relationship concerns
* Life transitions
John Worm
LCSW
John Worm received his Masters of Social Work from Syracuse University in 1975. He is a founding partner of the Counseling Group, Inc, which started in 1981.
He specializes in:
- Marriage and Family counseling
- Substance Use Disorder
- Depression, Anxiety
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Phobias
- Trauma and Abuse counseling
- Grief
Greg Suddreth
MA, LCMHC, LCAS, NCC, BC-TMH
Greg Suddreth received his undergraduate degree in Psychology from UNC-Greensboro in 1997 and his Master of Arts degree in Community Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Appalachian State University in 2008.
He specializes in:
- Children, Adolescents, and Adults
- Certified Play Therapy
- Parent-Child Relational Therapy
- Mindfulness-based Therapy
- Substance Use Disorder
- Technology/Electronic Addiction and Other types of Process Addictions
- Depression and Anxiety
- Phobias
- Career counseling
- Crisis Counseling
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Clinical Neurotherapy/EEG Neurofeedback and Hypnotherapy
Madison Greene
MA, MS, LCMHCA, NCC
Madison Greene is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor Associate. She
received a Master of Science degree in Criminal Justice from UNC Charlotte in 2018
and earned a Master of Arts degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Lenoir-
Rhyne University in 2023.
She specializes in:
- Adolescents and adults
- First responders
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Trauma
- Relationship and adult attachment concerns
- Body image and self-esteem
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From Our Blog
Fuel or Pleasure?
Written by Suzanne R. Trollan, M.A., LCMHC When listening to clients tell their stories, I notice threads that weave through the tapestries of similar struggles. These threads can help me to develop a strategy for reframing unhelpful thoughts and habits into new,...
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Mental Illness Awareness Week (MIAW) occurs annually during the first full week of October. Congress made MIAW official in 1990, and ever since then, professionals and advocates alike work to destigmatize mental illness by educating the public. Millions of Americans...
Ready to Begin Therapy? Here Are 5 Tips to Get Started
Welcome and congratulations on deciding to start your therapeutic journey. Deciding to begin therapy is a big decision that usually results from feeling "stuck," feeling like you need help processing something in your life, or feeling like you generally need unbiased,...