American Foundation of Counseling Services

Cindy Bartel, LCSW

Cindy Bartel is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and earned her MSW from the University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee. Her bachelor's degree is in Human Development from UWGB. She has worked at the American Foundation for 16 years as a therapist and at the Crisis Center as a crisis counselor before that. Cindy specializes in working with people who have experienced incidents of trauma. This includes physical, sexual or emotional abuse, accidents, injuries or any life threatening event. She is a Certified Trauma Specialist and has been trained in EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing). She also works with people who have anxiety or depression.

Cindy's beliefs are consistent with the American Foundation's value of healing the mind, body and spirit. She likes to create an atmosphere of warmth and comfort to encourage this to happen.

Shawn Blakley, MSE, CPC, AODA III, RCS

Shawn Blakley has a master’s degree in Community Counseling, and is state licensed as a Mental Health Counselor. He specializes in addictions and is a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor III, and has taken extra course work in gambling addictions. He has been in practice for 15 years, and is a strong believer that healing and good mental health involves the balance of mind, body and spirit. Much of his work besides addictions involves depression, anger management, anxieties, working with adolescents and marital / couples counseling.

Marilyn Brennan, LCSW

Marilyn is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a Masters degree from the University of Milwaukee-WI. She has more than 25 years of experience working in the counseling field. She enjoys working with parents and their children, specializing in issues related to ADHD, anxiety and depression. She also has training in helping children and young adults with autistic spectrum disorders. Marilyn facilitates a social skills/self-esteem group for children. She is married with 3 children, and 3 grandchildren.

Kavita Carlson, MSW, LCSW

Kavita Carlson is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. She has been a therapist at the American Foundation of Counseling Services since 1988. She also supervises the outpatient team.

Kavita enjoys working with people who are trying to build healthy relationships and coping with depression, anxiety, or trauma-related issues. She also finds it very rewarding to work with couples who want to strengthen or mend their relationships and has a lot of experience working with multi-cultural and women’s issues. Kavita speaks Spanish fluently and has been providing therapy services to the Hispanic community in Green Bay for over 20 years. Kavita also facilitates a consultation group for women in leadership positions. She has been married since 1983 and has two children.

Joyce Dirschl, LCSW

Joyce Dirschl is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who works with adults. She has worked for many years with victims of sexual abuse (volunteered with the Sexual Assault Center for almost ten years) and Post Traumatic Stress victims. She was employed by Brown Co. for 16 years as a Psychiatric Social Worker (both Inpatient and Outpatient), dealing with mental illness and crisis counseling. Joyce is experienced in dealing with problems of depression, sexual identity, anxiety, relationship issues, grief and loss, women’s issues, personal growth, self esteem and stress management. Joyce is available on Wednesday and Thursday. She works part time and the rest of the time enjoys retirement.

Bob Johnson, LCSW

Whether helping a couple renew the commitment and intimacy in their marriage, individuals wrestle control of their lives away from the grips of depression and anxiety, assist adolescent and adult men deal with issues of attention deficit disorder, or alcohol and drug abuse, or enable a Pastor to develop strategies to reduce conflicts in his congregation, Bob believes that change and growth are possible, and at the same time makes us feel clumsy and uncomfortable, and demands persistence.  He also believes that for change and growth to occur you have to focus on your whole life, integrating your mental, physical and spirit health.

Bob is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, and Certified Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor.  He is a Certified Clergy Coach, and has significant training and experience in clergy, congregational and denominational consultation.  He also holds a state certificate in divorce mediation.  Bob has worked in the Behavioral Health and Consultation field for over 20 years.  He is married and has five children.

Bill Mathias, MSSW, MTS, LCSW

A counselor since 1986, Bill is a problem solver, educator, and personal consultant. He uses experience derived from a variety of work settings (medical, corporate, educational and clinical). Bill’s work mostly involves stress management, life transitions, work situations, relationships, depression/anxiety, spirituality and male development. Bill earned a master’s degree in Social Work from UW-Madison (MSSW), is licensed by the state of Wisconsin as a helping professional (LCSW) and has his Master’s in Theological Studies (MTS). When not in the office he enjoys the outdoors, volunteering, and time with his spouse.

Chris Nelson, PhD

Chris is a Licensed Psychologist. She has been working as a psychologist for 13 years. Chris provides psychological testing and counseling services. Psychological testing services are available for children, adolescents and adults. Testing is provided to evaluate mood disorders, anxiety disorders, ADHD, learning disorders, behavior problems and personality functioning. Chris also provides counseling services and has a particular interest in helping people with relationship issues, depression (including post partum depression), and anxiety (including worry, panic attacks and social phobia). Chris has been married since 1992 and has 3 school aged children.

Amy B. Skiver, LPC, BCPC

Amy is a Licensed Professional Counselor with ten years of experience in a variety of mental health settings. She works with children to adults specializing in parent-child conflict, parenting strategies, conduct and oppositional defiant behavioral problems, ADD, ADHD, depression, anxiety, sexual abuse, relationship issues, self-esteem, social skills, anger and stress management. She utilizes cognitive-behavioral, solution-focused, and family systems approaches. Amy recognizes the importance of balance between mind, body, and spirit when working with people.

Jennifer M. Warner, LPC

Jennifer M Warner is a Licensed Professional Counselor and earned her Master’s Degree from UW-Platteville. Prior to working as a professional counselor she had been a school counselor for several years. She specializes in working with children, adolescents, college students and families. Areas of specialization includes: depression, anxiety, parent-child conflict, behavioral problems, anger and stress management. She co-facilitates a Social Skills/Self-Esteem group for children.

Jennifer also specializes in working with women who struggle with their relationship with food and eating to treat anorexia and bulimia involving a team approach. As part of the approach she facilitates an eating disorder therapy group that meets weekly. Jennifer uses a cognitive-behavioral and interpersonal approach to working with those with eating disorders.