The Bloom Team

Madeline Hawkins, LISW-CP

Founder, Director, and PCIT Trainer

Bloom Behavioral Therapy has been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember. As a child, a therapist helped me cope with mental illness within my immediately family. Since then, I’ve been driven to provide the same support, kindness and guidance I received to other children in need. I pursued a bachelor’s degree in psychology at Clemson University and went on to earn a master’s degree in social work from the University of South Carolina. (Yes, I went to both schools, but go Tigers!)

After graduate school, I worked for Greenville’s community mental health center as a school-based therapist. In my time as a school-based therapist, I recognized that no matter how hard I worked to help students, it was very difficult to effect real change without significant family involvement. 

Consequently, I began pursuing training in the family therapy modality Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT). PCIT is a highly effective, evidence-based, parent-training model in which parents wear an earpiece and are coached on positive parenting techniques by a therapist in an adjacent room. I started using PCIT with my students and their families and was amazed by how quickly and profoundly their relationship and interaction improved, transforming children’s behavior and functioning. 

After recognizing the immense value of and great need for PCIT in the Upstate area, I decided to take a leap of faith and opened Bloom Behavioral Therapy in 2018. I am so excited to help children and families Bloom through PCIT and the other services we offer!

Martie Solesbee, LPC

My name is Martie Solesbee and I am a mental health therapist specializing in children and families. I received my bachelor of science in Psychology from North Greenville University and my Master of Science in Clinical Psychology from Francis Marion University. I am currently a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and in the process to become a Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor (LPC-S). I began my counseling career working with maximum-security inmates and individuals with severe substance abuse disorders. Throughout those years, I came to realize that these men and women had such amazing potential, but often had no guidance in their younger years to help them channel that potential. Hearing the same sad story with the same sad ending became really heavy for me as a therapist. But, through that experience, a passion for early intervention was sparked! I began working for Greenville Mental Health Center as a school-based therapist at an elementary school. In that position, I realized that working with kids was 100% where my heart wanted to be! I learned about Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) and fell in love with the idea of helping children by strengthening the parent-child bond and equipping parents with the skills needed to improve their child’s behavior. That is when I joined the team here at Bloom Behavioral Therapy to focus on the PCIT model! I absolutely love it here and see it as a privilege to play a small part in helping children and families!  

Carly Guari, LPC

You might be asking, “But what about my kids that are older than 7 and need help?!” Don’t worry! I’m here to help you and your older children through many different challenges and stressful experiences. I specialize in Child and Family Therapy here at Bloom Behavioral Therapy. I have a special focus on traumatic events throughout adolescence, but can see kids and families for any number of reasons. 

I work with children and adolescents to increase their confidence and ability to communicate their complex feelings, while empowering you (the caregiver) to find solutions and lead your families toward healing. In the case of a traumatic experience, we work on expressing the thoughts and feelings around the event and building strength so that it no longer has power over your child or family. If your child has not had a traumatic event, these skills are helpful for a number of problems including anxiety, depression, self-esteem, and opposition. 

With you, the parent or caregiver, we will work on your own experience of the event and your own roadblocks. I want you to reach your highest parenting potential. I will help you learn how best to respond to your child when they need you most. We will focus on emotions, trust, identity, and communication in every relationship, whether that is with yourself, your family, or others. I believe that once you are tuned in to your own emotions you can approach problem solving from a calm and insightful position.

If you are interested in the details, I am a Licensed Professional Counselor here in South Carolina. I grew up in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and when I say it you’ll hear my accent peek out. I have lived here since I graduated from Furman University with a degree in Psychology. I spent two years in Johnson City, TN to get my degree in Couples and Family Counseling from East Tennessee State University. I promptly returned to Greenville and worked for a year with adults and the past 4 years with children who have experienced trauma. I am trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TFCBT), two approaches specifically for resolving trauma in children. 

Desiree Bowers, LPC

My name is Desiree Bowers and I am a mental health therapist, specializing in providing therapy to children and families, as well as adults. I graduated from Anderson University with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology in 2006. In 2009, I graduated from Webster University with a Master’s degree in Professional Mental Health Counseling.  At the start of my career, I worked as a school- based therapist in Tennessee and Alabama.  I have also worked as a Group Home Day Treatment Director for adults with mental health disorders and drug/alcohol addictions. In 2017, my husband and I decided to move back to South Carolina to raise our children and be closer to our family. During this time, I worked as the Early Intervention Program Manager for Greenville Mental Health Center. Throughout my career, I have come to recognize that my purpose in life is to help others be the best possible version of themselves that they can be, no matter their age. I have joined the team here at Bloom, not only to implement the PCIT model and help children and parents strengthen their relationships, but also to help adults find healing and confidence. I enjoy working with such an amazing team, and I am honored to be able to help children and families successfully strengthen their family bonds and relationships. 

Carolina Bustamante, LPC

My name is Carolina Bustamante. I am a bilingual mental health therapist. I received a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of South Carolina Upstate and an master’s degree in Clinical Psychology from Carlos Albizu University in Miami, Florida. I decided to become a therapist because I wanted to provide support, kindness, and guidance to children and families. My unique cultural background allows me to provide this service for both English-speaking and Spanish-speaking communities. 

I am originally from Colombia, South America; my family moved to America when I was just four years old. This move was very challenging for me at first, especially due to the language barrier. This experience fueled my desire to be able to provide services to the Hispanic community like I wish I had when I was little. 
After graduate school, I began working for the Spartanburg Area Mental Health Center. Shortly after, I moved to Greenville Mental Health Center where I worked as a school-based therapist. Here, I started to focus on working with the Hispanic community. Which led to a position within the Spanish Services department.

I have always had a passion for working with children and families. Thus, when I discovered Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), I fell in love with it! PCIT is a program that helps children develop a positive relationship with their parent/caregiver and helps them learn effective coping skills aimed at improving disruptive behaviors. Throughout my career, my focus has always been to provide support, kindness, and guidance to children and families.

Me llamo Carolina Bustamante y soy un terapeuta bilingüe de salud mental. Recibí un bachillerato en Psicología de la Universidad de Carolina del Sur-Upstate y una Maestría en Psicología Clínica de la Universidad Carlos Albizu en Miami, FL. Decidí convertirme en terapeuta porque quería brindar apoyo, amabilidad y orientación a niños y familias. Sin embargo, mi experiencia cultural única me permite proporcionar este servicio para las comunidades de habla inglesa como para las de habla hispana.

Soy de Colombia, SA; mi familia se mudó a los Estados Unidos cuando yo solo tenía cuatro años. Este traslado fue muy desafiante para mí, especialmente debido a la barrera del idioma. Esta experiencia alimentó mi deseo de poder brindar servicios a los hispanos como me hubiera gustado tener cuando estaba pequeña.

Después de graduarme, comencé a trabajar para la salud mental del área de Spartanburg. Poco después me mudé a Greenville Mental Health, donde trabajé como terapeuta escolar. Aquí comencé a trabajar con la comunidad hispana. Lo que llevó a una posición dentro del departamento de servicios en español.

Siempre me ha apasionado trabajar con niños y familias. Por lo tanto, cuando descubrí la terapia de interacción entre padres e hijos (PCIT), ¡me enamoré de ella! PCIT es un programa que ayuda a los niños a desarrollar una relación positiva con sus padres / cuidadores y les ayuda a aprender habilidades de afrontamiento eficaces destinadas a mejorar los comportamientos disruptivos. A lo largo de mi carrera, mi enfoque siempre ha sido brindar apoyo, amabilidad y orientación a niños y familias. 

Amy Rogers, LPC

Hello! I am Amy Rogers and I am so excited to be part of the Bloom Behavioral Therapy team! In 2003, I graduated from High Point University with my Bachelor’s Degree in Human Relations.  Unsure of exactly what career path I wanted to follow, I was very open to wherever life took me and fortunately life eventually took me to Hawaii! It was there that I first discovered my love of working with children on the Autism Spectrum and I realized I needed to go back to school to be able to really make the difference I wanted to make. In 2012, I graduated from Chaminade University of Honolulu with my Master’s Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. While obtaining my degree and licensure, I was able to work with a wide range of clients from young children to adolescents and adults. I have also had the opportunity to work with clients overcoming substance abuse, worked with couples, and provided individual therapy for anger issues, stress, and anxiety.  

In 2014, I moved back to Greenville where I was happy to settle down around family. Most recently, I have had the opportunity, through my work in Early Intervention, to help children with developmental delays and their families. While I love seeing the children I work with meet milestones, it is being able to provide parent support and guidance that lets me know I am helping make a difference. It is my goal, when working with any client, to meet them with an open mind and empathetic heart to help them fulfill their potential. I provide a tailored therapeutic approach based on your needs to help you achieve your goals in therapy. I find that Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Solution-Focused techniques help you identify your priorities, learn to express yourself clearly, process and work through what’s holding you back, and promote self-care. I look forward to working with you!! 

Bri DellaSala, LMSW

Hi! My name is Bri DellaSala, and I am excited to be one of the mental health therapists at Bloom! I received both my Bachelor of Arts in Experimental Psychology and Master of Social Work degrees from the University of South Carolina (go Gamecocks!). While my counseling career began as a school-based therapist with the South Carolina Department of Mental Health, my passion for working in the helping profession developed while volunteering with survivors of sexual violence during college. Since then, my specialty has evolved into providing services to families that include children/adolescents with a trauma history and emotional, social, and behavioral difficulties. I have received training in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) to help my clients learn coping skills and ultimately incorporate traumatic events into their larger life story. I am also in the process of becoming a clinical social worker (LISW-CP), and I plan on receiving further training in treatment modalities geared toward resolving traumatic experiences and behavioral issues. I look forward to working with you!

McKenzie Clemons, LMSW

Hi! My name is McKenzie Clemons and I am a mental health counselor with a passion for working with children, young adults, and families. I was born and raised in Athens, Georgia (Go Dawgs!) and have known that I wanted to work in counseling since a very young age, so having the opportunity to professionally help people and their families overcome obstacles is a dream come true. I received my Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Georgia College & State University and my Master’s in Social Work from the University of Southern Mississippi. I am currently a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) and in the process to become a Licensed Independent Social Worker in Clinical Practice (LISW-CP). After getting my master’s degree, I moved to Greenville where I began my career of working with families and children. I have developed a wide range of experience including working with individuals struggling with anxiety, ADHD, depression, stress, relationship issues, life adjustment difficulties, and other emotional and behavioral issues. 

When I’m not working, you'd find me exploring Greenville, playing with my dog, or spending time with my friends and family. I am thrilled to be apart of Bloom Behavioral Therapy and I am excited to work with you and your children!

Alexa Wilton, LMSW

Hi! My name is Alexa Wilton and I am a mental health therapist specializing in providing care to children, families, and adults. I graduated from Furman University with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and went on to receive my Masters in Social Work from the University of South Carolina. From the foster care system to hospice, outpatient pediatrics to adoptions, my experience as a social worker involves a number of diverse sectors. Prior to joining the Bloom team, I provided therapy to children, families, and adults at a child advocacy center for clients who have experienced sexual or physical abuse and/or witnessed domestic violence. I am trained and will soon be nationally rostered in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for children ages 3 to 17 years old. I am also trained in providing Cognitive Processing Therapy for adults who have experienced traumatic events. I love helping individuals and families work towards healing by providing empathetic, non-judgmental, and evidenced-based therapy at Bloom and would be honored to have the privilege of working with you!

Zoie Alexander, LPCA

Hi! My name is Zoie Alexander. I graduated from Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, New York with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and gender studies. I received my master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling from Bay Path University in Longmeadow, Massachusetts. After graduating, I moved to Greenville and I started my counseling career working as a school-based therapist at a middle school. It was then I discovered my passion for working with children and their parents. 

I am trained in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), an evidence-based psychotherapy model for children and parents impacted by trauma. I decided to join the Bloom team to work in a more intimate setting with families after discovering how the interaction between parents and children significantly influences a child’s behavior. My intention is to provide a safe space for you and your child and assist you in developing and implementing the skills needed to strengthen your bond. I look forward to working with you and your family!

Lakita Allen, LPCA

Hi! My name is Lakita Allen, I am blessed to have the opportunity to be a part of Bloom Behavioral Therapy. I am a mental health therapist who has a passion for working with children, adolescents, adults and families from countless backgrounds. I have experience working with individuals with anxiety, autism, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, conduct disorder, post-traumatic stress, depression, addiction, relational challenges, stress, learning disorders, personality disorders, and among others. 

I have always had the desire to help others from a very early age. Growing up I witnessed two of my siblings deal with challenges with mental illness. I saw first-hand how those illnesses affected their lives and the ones around them. They had a great support system down to their caseworkers, social workers, teachers, therapist and family. I got the opportunity to see how big of an impact those individuals made in their lives on the day to day and I was determined to do the same for individuals dealing with similar challenges. 

So, with that being said, it inspired me to go pursue my bachelor’s degree in psychology at Lander University and from there I worked at the Department of Social Services. While gaining experience helping families and children that were dealing with abuse and neglect, I decided that I needed to do more! I wanted to be able to be more hands on with my clients and really dig deep into their lives and help them overcome the challenges they were facing. I went on to earn a master’s degree in mental health counseling from Webster University. 

Along with my educational background I have vast experience in working in mental health settings with children who suffer from psychological, behavioral, emotional, and developmental delays. While many behaviors may be noticed in the home settings, I also realized that I had a passion for helping children in the school setting, and this is when I embarked on the journey of becoming a school-based mental health therapist for a Greenville County elementary school. 

My experience in diverse fields of work has shown me how much a child’s behaviors, emotions, academics, and future can be impacted depending on various factors such as family stress, poverty, substance abuse, physical, psychological, verbal and emotional abuse, neglect, parental mental health, and the ways they are disciplined. As a mental health therapist, I feel that no two factors are less than the other, and each one can have a tremendous influence on the child, parent, and family as a whole. 

My goal in therapy is to bring awareness to the various factors that may be causing challenges within the child, parent or family, implement interventions in order to work through the conflicts and to provide support and resources to allow the client and/or clients to become a more functional individual and/or family. 

Leisha Solesbee, LMSW

Hi there, my name is Leisha Solesbee and I am a mental health therapist specializing in adolescents and adults encountering behavioral and self-esteem issues, as well as eating disorders. In 2014, I received my Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Lee University in Cleveland, TN. Following graduation, I moved to a tiny town in Texas to work at a therapeutic boarding school for adolescents struggling with behavioral issues. Through my time working with adolescents and their families, I gained a desire to learn more about helping individuals and families better cope with difficult emotions and challenging life circumstances. I returned home to Greenville and went on to obtain my Masters in Social Work from the University of South Carolina. 

While in graduate school, I worked both in a non-clinical role as a youth mentor for adolescent girls placed in the foster care system as well as a group therapist for patients with eating disorders.The past four years of working with patients with eating disorders have taught me a great deal about the importance of how individuals view themselves and communicate their needs. Additionally, I have gained a variety of experience working in pediatrics and the aging population. I have received training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT). 

My desire is to provide a non-judgmental and empathetic space for you to explore your emotions, develop new insight, and enhance communication. It is an honor to be part of the Bloom team and I look forward to working with you!