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Leah Wilson, LPC, TCK
Leah grew up as a Missionary Kid in Jamaica. She holds degrees from Central Bible College and Assemblies of God Theological Seminary, both in counseling. She spent almost 9 years counseling students at Southwestern Assemblies of God University in Waxahachie, Texas, as well as teaching. She has taught adjunct at Evangel since 2018, and is now the Behavioral Health Program Coordinator within the College of Adult and Graduate Studies. She currently has her own private counseling practice and also teaches indoor cycling. She lives in Springfield with her husband, Joel, and their three daughters
Elizabeth Silkey, LPCC, TCK
Elizabeth Silkey spent her teen years as an TCK in Lithuania and Belgium. She is now a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) living in Minnesota. She received her Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology from the University of St. Thomas in Minneapolis, MN. She has experience working with children, adolescents, adults, couples, and families. Elizabeth enjoys helping TCKs and their families with a variety of topics, including anxiety, depression, trauma, relationship issues, behavioral problems, parent-teen conflicts, suicidal/self-harm behavior, and spiritual issues. She uses CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy), EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), and DBT-informed (dialectical behavioral therapy) therapy. Elizabeth finds great joy in helping others find healing and wholeness on the journey of life.
Eve Austin, LMFT, Global Worker, parent of TCKs
Eve Austin lived with her family for 20 years (1996-2016) as a worker in Tajikistan and Turkey. She is married to Tim Austin, a Certified Life Coach and Executive Pastor. They now reside in Northern California and have three Adult TCKs including one teen daughter, one married son and one married daughter. Eve has one adorable grandson.
During her years oversees, she was a wife, mom, worker, educator, entrepreneur, and counselor for workers, refugees and survivors of human trafficking. She continues to invest time overseas at counseling centers, speaking at conferences and providing support for TCKs and their families. One of her favorite topics of study and conversation is the neuroscience behind teen brain development. She has a passion for supporting TCKs through tween, teen and young adult transitions. Eve's life and work overseas provide her with understanding and empathy to journey with clients walking similar, unpaved roads. She takes a wholistic and client-centered approach to counseling.
Currently, Eve is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) in private practice in Northern California. She earned a BA in Psychology from Bethany University (1992) and a MS in Clinical Psychology from Simpson University (2013).
Eve enjoys reading and research, cooking and eating ethnic food, and time with her family…especially if it is outdoors on a trail, in the Sierras, pedaling a bike or paddling a kayak
Micah Watson, Psy.D, TCK
I’ve always been interested in what makes Third Culture Kids (TCKs) unique. Spending 15 years of my childhood overseas (4 African countries and 1 European) profoundly impacted me in ways that, decades later, continue to pop up in surprising ways. But as different as TCKs are from each other, there are common threads that run through us—we tend to approach life in a different way, from our shallow grounding to any particular location to what careers we pursue. For better or worse, TCKs stand out in a crowd. But why is that?
When I started my doctorate in psychology, I shifted that “why” to “how can I help?” I did my doctoral dissertation on differences between those that do well returning to America and those that struggle more because I wanted to become an expert on TCK research, not just talk from personal experience. In my early career, spent some time at a community mental health center and working in a prison. I’m now working with the military to support recruiters and their families, many of whom are experiencing the culture shock living outside a military installation for the first time.
While Micah is a part of our network, he is unable to take international clients at this time.
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Grant Jones, PhD, TCK
Grant is an MK from Malawi, Senegal and Nigeria. "Dr. Grant" is a Licensed Psychologist in the State of Missouri, a University professor, and the President of Gateway Counseling Center. Dr. Jones began his practice in 1989. In that time he has helped hundreds of individuals, couples, and families find healing, hope, and health as they overcame obstacles to their well-being. His areas of expertise include dissociative disorders, complex trauma, PTSD, marriage and family, and depression. He sees clients in his office setting and when appropriate, provides services over the phone, doxy.me or via Skype. All methods are great ways to meet the needs of MKs seeking help in finding therapeutic solutions to their problems. In addition, he offers counseling services from a faith-based perspective and specializes in the integration of religious/spiritual methods and the treatment of mental health issues.
In his past life, he coordinated MK Boot Camp and YSOM (AGWM renewal). He loved boarding school in Malawi and Nigeria. He truly understands MK issues and needs. But there is no doubt that his love of Africa will never go away!
Andrew Southerland, MS, PPC, TCK
I am a Licensed Professional Counselor in Texas, Colorado, and Wyoming. With over eight years of experience, I have supported countless people in facing life’s unknowns. From helping families adjust after a recent relocation to high school students exploring their next steps, I believe that no one should have to walk through life alone.
As a former TCK, I am particularly passionate about supporting families, and their relationships, as they confront the unique challenges that come with living away from “home.” Outside of providing counseling services, I am also a counselor educator who trains and supervises graduate-level counseling students. I received my Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision from the University of Wyoming and my M.S. in Counseling Psychology from Southwestern Assemblies of God University.
Website: southerlandwellness.com
Email: info@southerlandwellness.com
Phone Number: 307-222-9243
Andrea Frey Metzger, MS, LPCC, TCK
In today’s world, it’s hard to find moments of calm and focused attention, and this is all the more difficult if you are going through a crisis. No matter where you are in life or what you are struggling with, I believe you can benefit from the gift of therapy. Having a dedicated time and space to meet with someone who is entirely focused on your own wellbeing is rare, and my hope is to provide you with practical tools to find your way through the challenges of life.
I specialize in multicultural, third-culture environments, creative living, and helping individuals find practical tools to better understand themselves and thrive in their lives. Although there are no quick fixes in life, I believe in using emotion-focused, experiential approaches, mindfulness-based techniques and creative interventions to equip you with what you need to navigate your journey.
I strongly believe that each person has her own story and the ability to change the narrative at any point in time. Counseling can give you the opportunity to take time for yourself to find the right tools and your own voice to change the story.
Multicultural/Third-Culture Work
I grew up in Mexico City, Mexico, and it was my upbringing in a vibrant, constantly-moving city that has made me who I am today. Navigating the waters of cultural change and development as a child and adolescent can be confusing. I know this firsthand, but I also know it is not impossible and given the right tools you can flourish in new, changing environments.
Empowering Women
I have worked with women throughout the world, and so many of the messages are the same despite different cultures and languages. We face barriers in family, career, and culture that can sometimes be hard to recognize, let alone talk about. It is my firm belief that counseling can provide the transformative space for a woman to find her voice and explore her own background and story in order to succeed in her life and be an agent of change in the world.
Play Therapy
I am specialized in play therapy and trained in CPRT (Child-Parent Relationship Therapy). I believe parents can be the strongest agents of change in the lives of their children. If you are struggling with family relationships, I’d love to stand with you as you navigate family issues.
Brianna White, LMFT, TCK
Brianna White grew up in Papua New Guinea where her parents were Bible translators. She got her Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy from Fuller Graduate School of Psychology and Marriage Family Therapy. Brianna chose this school to get clinical mental health training with a theological foundation. Working at a Child Advocacy Center in Washington State, she gained expertise in coming alongside children and families recovering from sexual assault and physical abuse traumas.
Brianna is licensed in Georgia and Washington State and has worked online into a variety of foreign countries. Brianna says, “As a TCK, I know how scary complicated it can be to admit you need help. I work with TCK teens and young adults around the world who are in the process of overcoming trauma and/or processing the complex mix of griefs, joys and complicated identities that come with being a TCK. I can meet you where you are, and we will work together so that you get back to feeling like yourself, and stronger. We’ll work out what it means for you to thrive as a TCK and I’ll walk with you there.”