Psychiatrist
John Applegate, MD
Dr. Applegate is a board certified psychiatrist. He majored in Psychology and East Asian Studies at Bucknell University. He received his M.D. from the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and completed his residency training in Psychiatry at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, where he continues to teach residents and medical students.
He has been in private practice and working at the hospital since graduating in 2005. He has also spent several years working in a local university counseling center. John is a ruling elder at his local urban church where he and his family are thankful to live in gospel community.
Dr. Applegate’s areas of interest and experience include, but are not limited to: anxiety, mood, attention deficit, psychotic, sleep, and personality disorders. He has competency in several therapeutic strategies but has an even greater passion for redeeming the practice of these in a gospel framework.
Counselors and Therapists
Bonnie Currie, MA, LPC
Bonnie holds an MA in Biblical Counseling from Westminster Theological Seminary, a post-graduate Certificate in Professional Counseling from Missio Seminary, an MS in Post-Secondary Education from Troy University, and two bachelor degrees from the University of Georgia. Bonnie has extensive experience working with children, and adolescents – as a counselor, elementary school counselor, high school teacher, and youth-ministry leader. Bonnie is married to Chris, the pastor of Resurrection Philadelphia, and has three children.
Bonnies’s areas of interest and experience include but are not limited to working with women, adolescents, and children experiencing: anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, depression, and self-image and identity issues.
Esther Lee, MA, LPC
Esther is a licensed professional counselor with the state of Pennsylvania. She received her M.A. in Clinical Psychology from Wheaton College after receiving a B.S. in Psychology from the University of Michigan. She has also pursued further education at Westminster Theological Seminary. She has a diverse background and areas of expertise, having worked in inpatient drug and alcohol rehabilitation, outpatient community mental health centers, and for Redeemer Counseling Services.
Esther’s areas of interest and experience include but are not limited to: substance addiction, depression, anxiety, anger, bereavement, self-image and identity issues, relationship issues, pre-marital and marital counseling.
Jeff Stark, MDiv
Jeff graduated from Westminster Theological Seminary. Jeff has over 30 years of experience in biblical counseling, and practices in several locations in both Pennsylvania and Delaware. Jeff started his counseling career as a staff counselor in the early 1980's with the Christian Counseling and Educational Center. Through the late 1980's to the present Jeff has been the Director and Counselor for the Life Enrichment Christian Counseling Center. Throughout those same years Jeff has spoken at many Christian retreats and conferences on a wide variety of individual, marital and family issues. Additionally, he equips local churches through The Gospel Seminar. He has also served as an elder for many years, most recently in a suburban church body that he and his wife of 36 years, Donna, have joined.
Jeff’s areas of interest/experience include but are not limited to: depression, fear and anxiety, and relational issues. He has a special interest in marriage counseling (especially those marriages suffering from sexual unfaithfulness) and pornographic addiction.
Dave Goneau, MA, LPC
David received his Master of Arts in Counseling from Biblical Theological Seminary. In 2001, he received his MDiv. from Westminster Theological Seminary. David also holds a B.A. degree in sports medicine from Messiah College.
Prior to pursuing his counseling degree, David served as a pastor. For 5 years he worked as a youth pastor and for 4 years served as a solo pastor in the Presbyterian Church in America. In these roles, David discovered his desire and skills for working with teens and children. He is currently pursuing Registered Play Therapy certification.
David has also worked with couples for pre-marital and marital counseling, people struggling with depression and anxiety. As a pastor, he walked alongside teenagers, some who struggled with substance abuse and others who were searching for spiritual guidance and life direction.
Rachel Stout, MA, LPC
Rachel holds a Master of Arts in Counseling from Westminster Theological Seminary and a post-graduate Certificate in Advanced Professional Counseling from Biblical Theological Seminary. She is licensed in the state of Pennsylvania. Rachel provides individual counseling and has practiced as an outpatient therapist in various community behavioral health and private practice settings.
Her areas of expertise and interest include: anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression, trauma, boundaries and relationship issues, and self-image and identity. She enjoys working with adult, young adult, and adolescent clients in various stages of life.
Samantha Mathews, MA, LPC
Samantha received her MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from The University of the Cumberlands and her B.A. from The University of Mary Washington. Her experience includes working in outpatient community mental health providing comprehensive trauma treatment, and a domestic violence agency providing individual and group counseling for survivors of family and intimate partner violence. Samantha also has previous experience in outpatient addiction treatment. Samantha and her husband Vernon are on the leadership team at their local church, Redemption City Church in Fairmount/Brewerytown.
Samantha’s areas of interest include: trauma, domestic and sexual violence, childhood trauma, depression, anxiety, substance use, group counseling, and psychoeducation in trauma.
Debbie McIntosh, MA
Debbie received her masters from Wheaton College in Chicago and has been counseling for the past 11 years. She has a diverse background as she has counseled in the states and in Peru as a missionary. She was married to her husband for over 40 years and has several grown children and grandchildren.
Debbie's areas of interest and experience include but are not limited to: martial relationships, self-esteem/identity, mood disorders, sexual abuse, and spiritual issues.
Jesse Carroll, MS
Jesse Carroll has his Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy. His experience includes training at Alternatives in Counseling in Cherry Hill, NJ, as well as working as a behavioral assistant at A Better Tomorrow Counseling Services, where he works with youth and their families in New Jersey's Children's System of Care. In addition, he has had roles in supporting the Child Study Team with the school district of Collingswood, NJ. Jesse holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from Geneva College, and currently serves as an elder at Liberti Church Collingswood, where he also serves as the youth ministry leader with his wife.
Jesse's interests include trauma, anxiety, depression, identity issues, and helping couples and families work through relational conflicts. He also has a passion for working with children and youths and desires to help bring therapeutic care to local church bodies.
Mary Schuelke, LMFT
Mary is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with the states of Pennsylvania and Minnesota. She received her Bachelor's in Art History from the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign, before pursuing her Master's in Marriage and Family Therapy at Bethel Seminary in St. Paul, MN. She has been in practice since completing her Master's in 2016. Mary has worked in various settings including private practice, schools, and in-home.
Mary primarily provides individual and family therapy. She enjoys working with adolescents and their families. Her interests include: Anxiety, Depression, social skills, Attention Deficit, trauma, attachment, and more. She is in the process of becoming certified in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT).
Jabez Yeo, MA
Jabez graduated with honors with his Masters of Arts in Counseling from Missio Seminary in 2022 and is pursuing licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in the state of Pennsylvania. He is a training facilitator with the American Bible Society’s Trauma Healing Institute. Jabez has a person-centered approach and his preferred methods of counseling include rational emotive behavioral therapy (REBT) and emotionally focused therapy (EFT). He has received training from the Albert Ellis Institute as well as the International Centre for Excellence in EFT. Jabez has worked with clients that have wrestled with depression, anxiety, PTSD, sexual identity concerns, cross-cultural adjustment and various addictions.
Prior to his counseling, Jabez graduated with honors from the University of Pennsylvania with a B.A. in Biology from the College of Arts and Sciences and a B.S in Economics from the Wharton School. After several years in the financial services industry, Jabez experienced a life-changing shift in his understanding of God and spirituality that led him to seek counseling for his own lived experience of trauma and to eventually pursue a career change into counseling. He is ethnically Chinese and is passionate about counseling as a means of providing a safe space for people to undergo transformative healing by the power of the Holy Spirit, especially amongst people and communities of color.
John Alexander, MDiv, MTH
John holds a Master of Divinity from Westminster Theological Seminary as well as a Master of Pastoral Care and Counseling from Antiochian House of Studies. For thirteen years he pastored a congregation right here in Philadelphia, walking with men and women of various life stages through the joys and challenges of their spiritual journeys. He also spent over a decade chairing his denominational leadership development team, mentoring many ministry candidates toward ordination.
John approaches counseling by integrating the client’s faith and worldview with evidence-based therapies, while watching for the hope that is always available through the Gospel of grace. He is particularly influenced by narrative therapy, person-centered therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, and emotionally focused therapy.
John’s areas of interest and experience include but are not limited to: faith struggles, grief and loss, life stage and vocational transitions, premarital and marriage counseling, conflict resolution and mediation, counseling of church and ministry leaders, anxiety and fearfulness, depression, men’s issues, spiritual direction
Counseling Fellow
Carmen Aranda, MA
Carmen graduated with her Masters of Arts in Counseling from Missio Seminary and is pursuing licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in the state of Pennsylvania. She has a history of working in various settings including federal government, ministry, and community behavioral health clinics. Her approach is integrative utilizing cognitive behavioral therapy, biblical worldview, and holistic approaches for overall well being. Carmen is bi-lingual in English and Spanish and first generation born in the United States.
Carmen joined the counseling field after wanting to join the 6% of Latinx therapists in the US and facilitate a space of restoration for people of color from a lived experience. Her practicum and internship experience allowed her to work within the scope of drug and alcohol addiction and trauma at a partial hospitalization clinic, which she continues to be passionate about. Carmen also enjoys working with adult individuals experiencing anxiety, life transitions, heartbreak, grief, faith challenges, vocational calling, and depression.