About Ayama

We are clinicians valuing overall health and intentional living. Our therapists balance appreciation of the individual, while drawing heavily from empirical evidence of what works.

Our licensed clinicians accept several insurances, including Highmark Blue Shield, Aetna, and Geisinge, and Capital Blue Cross. Some of us are also in-network with Medicare and UPMC.

Sage Stevens, LSW (they/them)

"Mental illness is nothing to be ashamed of, but stigma and bias shame us all."

LICENSED SOCIAL WORKER - Therapy for LGBTQIA+, trauma, ADHD, anxiety, depression, body image, self-harm, & chronic illness.

I’m so glad you’re here! My name is Sage (they/them). I believe that no one is “too much” to have a connection with. You deserve the support you need, in a judgment-free therapeutic space. When meeting together, you will be met with non-judgment, empathy, connection, and compassion. You are always welcome to come as you are.

I believe that everyone deserves an individualized plan to support healing and therapy goals. I often help individuals struggling with the intersectionality of their identities, which can lead to feelings of shame, the desire to isolate, and lead to coping behaviors like self-harm, disordered eating, or thoughts of suicide. I often assist individuals through transitions - whether it be to/from college, gender identity, or other life transitions. Trauma, PTSD, LGBTQIA+ concerns, and ADHD are main focuses.

I utilize evidence-based interventions from Internal Family Systems, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Somatic Mind-Body work. I also incorporate art and dance when it feels right to you to support your process, which I love based on my own experience with art and dance (like the painting beside me!). I am excited to also serve as a therapist for the multidisciplinary Penn State Musical Theatre Wellness Team.

Outside of the therapy space, I love engaging with the local dance community, painting, immersed in nature, spending quality time with loved ones and my senior rescue pup, and fostering animals!

**Select immediate openings available after Noon. Sage in-network with several insurances, and they are working towards clinical licensure under the supervision of Kai Thigpen, LCSW, PA license number CW021753 and Christine Bergman, LCSW, PA license number CW016958. Sage works with adults 18+ and LGBTQIA+ individuals who are 14+. Sage offers a free 15-minute Zoom consultation for potential clients.

Julie Pelletier, Ph.D. (she/her)

LICENSED PSYCHOLOGIST - Specialist in CPAP adjustment and insomnia (CBT-I) for adults

The effects of poor sleep often creep up over time, impacting health, relationships, and daily functioning. Sleep apnea treatment with a CPAP can feel frustrating and hopeless, leading many to abandon it and to be resigned to never getting a restful night of sleep again. Fortunately, adapting to daily use of a CPAP is achievable with evidence-based strategies from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and support from someone who truly understands what you are going through. Similarly, insomnia can be effectively managed long-term without medication using a specialized CBT approach for insomnia (CBT-I).

My goal is to help you take charge of your health and achieve restful sleep, aligning your life with your core values. As a psychologist trained in CBT-I and experienced with CPAP therapy for my own sleep apnea, I will partner with you to develop a personalized approach that works best for you. This involves gradually shifting your thoughts, behaviors, and feelings around sleep, including adjusting to using a CPAP machine if you have sleep apnea. I strive to create a warm and supportive environment while providing direct feedback when needed. Clients tell me that they feel well-supported and empowered to make meaningful, sustainable changes through our work together.

Outside of the office, you can find me enjoying the outdoors with family and friends, listening to my favorite bands, and hanging out with my dog.

*Dr. Pelletier has immediate evening availability. She is in-network with Aetna, Capital Blue Cross, and Geisinger, and she is awaiting insurance credentialing from Highmark and UPMC.

Caitlin Chun-Kennedy, Ph.D. (she/her)

“We’re built to live simultaneously in love and loss, bitter and sweet.” ― Susan Cain, Bittersweet: How Sorrow and Longing Make Us Whole

LICENSED PSYCHOLOGIST - Fertility counseling for individuals and couples navigating infertility issues including assisted reproduction (ART including third-party reproduction), reproductive trauma and loss, fertility preservation, and complex issues in family building (adoption, childless/childfree) 

I'm excited for the opportunity to work with Ayama to offer compassionate psychotherapy to adults (individuals and couples) who are experiencing the physical and psychological impact of infertility and assisted reproductive technology (ART), the grief and loss associated with attempting to build a family, and the challenges associated with undergoing infertility treatment and third-party reproduction. Within this context of fertility counseling, I look forward to working with clients who are experiencing a variety of concerns including but not limited to recurrent pregnancy loss, alternative approaches to family building, changes in mood, functioning, and quality of life, and interpersonal/relationships issues.

I have extensive clinical experience working with trauma, specifically providing individual and group psychotherapy to college students who are survivors of sexual assault and interpersonal violence. In my role as Extern Coordinator at CAPS, I’m involved in the clinical training and supervision of master’s and doctoral level students in counseling and clinical psychology. My research experience has focused primarily on college student mental health, and I currently serve as a Penn State CAPS research advisor to the Center for Collegiate Mental Health (CCMH).

Outside of the therapy room you can find me attempting to tackle the large stack of half-finished books on my nightstand and spending time with friends and family (ideally outside and breathing fresh air!).

**Dr. Chun-Kennedy has immediate evening appointments. She is in-network with Aetna (active from 11/22/24), Capital Blue Cross, and Geisinger, and she accepts private pay and FSA/HSA. She is awaiting credentialing with several other insurances.

Sarah Hamrick, LCSW (she/her)

“Feeling welcomed to show up as your most authentic self is vital when working to transform the relationship you have with others, with yourself, and with your body.”

LICENSED CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKER - Parenting and perinatal mental health, adult ADHD, and general practice for anxiety, depression, and life changes and stressors.

Hello! I'm glad you're here. If you're looking to create a more fulfilling life and better understand yourself, especially around parenting stress or ADHD, I can help.

On parenting: Parenthood comes with challenges at every stage, often triggering worries, doubts, and fears about being "good enough." You might also feel isolated or struggle with changes in your identity. Whether you're considering parenthood, adjusting to it, dealing with postpartum issues, or working through your own childhood trauma to be a more present parent, I'm here to support you.

On ADHD: If you have ADHD or suspect you do, I can help you embrace your neurodiversity, understand how your brain works, improve executive functioning, and manage emotional dysregulation.

As a therapist, I focus on building a relationship rooted in unconditional positive regard, humor, warmth, affirmation, and insight. I will challenge you to achieve your goals, using a blend of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, and Compassion-Focused Therapy. My approach is process-oriented and exploratory—best suited for those seeking flexibility over rigid structure. Clients describe me as warm, direct, funny, and an advocate. I work with people-pleasers to help them prioritize their own needs. I am sex-positive, anti-racist, fat-positive, and affirming of all sexual orientations and gender identities.

In my free time, you’ll find me enjoying time with my kids and spouse, reading, traveling, or trying new hobbies. I am an extrovert who is always interested in learning something new!

**Please contact us to inquire about immediate openings (telehealth or in-person). There may be specific openings. Sarah is in-network with multiple insurances.

Amy Marshall, Ph.D. (she/her)

“With commitment and hard work, anybody can recover from trauma.”

LICENSED PSYCHOLOGIST – Specialized practice with adults focused on recovery from trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder.

Experiences of trauma, particularly when they result in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), can impact individuals’ ability to feel safe and trusting in close relationships, whether it be with intimate partners, family members, friends, children, co-workers, or others. This can jeopardize some of the most wonderful aspects of being human. With Ayama Psychotherapy, I offer cognitive processing therapy (CPT), which is the most powerful and scientifically validated treatment for PTSD. Because this approach also works quite well when delivered in a couple therapy format, I see both individuals and couples in my practice. I concentrate on providing support, efficiency, and creativity in how we get the work done to help clients move forward in life.  

My research is on trauma and family relationships, and I enjoy teaching and training doctoral students in how to be exceptional therapists. My work with Ayama helps me to ensure that I stay up-to-date in the latest clinical innovations, and that I don’t become one who teaches without doing.

Outside of work, you will likely find me spending time with my loved ones or hiking with my dog (also a loved one!) in the forest. I believe that sunshine, nature, exercise, and time with positive human beings serve as the foundation for all aspects of wellness.

** Dr. Marshall’s sessions are conducted in-person, and she is currently full. She is in-network with multiple insurances. Trauma can refer to a single traumatic event, as well as to long-term exposure to traumatic environments, and treatment can be sucessfully done under circumstances when the details of the trauma are not well-remembered.

Elana Szczesny, Ph.D. (she/her)

“Difficulty sleeping doesn’t have to last forever.”

LICENSED PSYCHOLOGIST - Insomnia specialist for adults

Most people with sleep problems are exhausted, describing having “tried everything” to sleep better. They are often very surprised to discover that tossing and turning during the night in an effort to sleep can be relieved in a long-term manner and without medications, and typically within a handful of sessions.

I especially enjoy working with clients to find restful and restorative sleep, and I work primarily in the mode of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I), which is a highly-validated method and is the gold standard of treatment for insomnia. Clients who work with me will find that I am well-versed in health psychology and use the the bio-psycho-social model of the interaction between mental and physical health.

Currently, I offer telehealth sessions, either self-referred or referred via a family doctor, sleep specialist, physician, general therapist, or other health provider.

When not at the office, you can find me enjoying the outdoors or knitting. I believe that engaging in meaningful activities that are enjoyable is critical to enhancing mental well-being!

See Dr. Szczesny’s vita

*Dr. Szczesny has regularly available openings due to the brief nature of insomnia treatment and is in-network with multiple insurances. Potential clients are provided with a free, 15-minute phone consultation to determine if CBT-I is a good fit for your needs. She has immediate openings.

Alissa Yamasaki, Ph.D. (she/her)

“Quality of life matters, and learning how to relate to uncomfortable aspects of ourselves is the path to reducing our suffering.”

LICENSED PSYCHOLOGIST, MENTOR, OWNER - Stress, anxiety & insomnia specialist for mid-life to elderly adults; consultation and mentorship in psychology and private practice management

Anxiety and stress interfere with good relationships, zap energy, and take away from the joy of life. My focus is on the mind-body connection, helping clients build on their existing skill set from previous therapy or self-reflective practices, so that they can live in a deeply mindful and compassionate way with their loved ones and the world around them.

As a therapist, my approach is strongly rooted in cognitive-behavioral and psychodynamic orientations, blended with mindfulness and Buddhist practices. I tend to be direct, open to feedback, and willing to enjoy a laugh alongside clients. Clients tell me that I can be tough in a session, but that the work is life-changing and fulfilling. Those who work with me are expected to take an active role in their own progress, bring self-observations into sessions, examine life values, compassionately explore interpersonal patterns, and seek opportunities in their daily lives to implement strategies we discuss. Breathwork, mindfulness, and facing uncomfortable situations are integrated as a part of work that I do with all clients.

Currently, I offer both telehealth and in-person sessions, and I am part of the Penn State Musical Theatre Wellness Team.

Outside of the therapy room, you’ll find me collaborating with others, including mentoring and consulting with other providers and small business owners, or just taking time to breathe.

See Dr. Yamasaki’s vita

**Dr. Yamasaki works primarily with insomnia and adults in mid-life or later who have been in therapy previously and is in-network with many insurances. No immediate openings.

Ainsley Rager, M.Ed. (she/her)

PRE-LICENSED COUNSELOR - Ms. Rager is currently working with Ayama soley as part of the Penn State Musical Theatre Wellness Team and does not accept general referrals through Ayama Psychotherapy.

Ms. Friedenberg practices under the supervision of licensed counselor, Nadya Maree, LPC, ATR-BC, CAADC.

Becky Friedenberg, M.Ed. (she/her)

PRE-LICENSED COUNSELOR - Ms. Friedenberg is currently working with Ayama soley as part of the Penn State Musical Theatre Wellness Team and does not accept general referrals through Ayama Psychotherapy.

Ms. Friedenberg practices under the supervision of licensed counselor, Chelsea Minsky, LPC.