Susan Sheidy, LMFT, is the Grace Counseling Services Clinical Director and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Christian Counseling from Liberty University and also received her Master of Arts graduate degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Liberty.

She believes there is incredible potential for healing and growth that emerges in a counselor's office. The late poet Maya Angelou quoted, “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside of you”. This quote holds a powerful message to those interested in a therapeutic relationship. There is no substitute in the act for good therapy. It is where vulnerability and courage cross paths. Therapy offers a safe place to take the mask off, and explore new ways to establish living healthily. Susan is also a part of the AAMFT Clinical Fellowship accruing hours to become to an approved Supervisor.

Susan's work is centered on our identity in Christ, meeting everyone at the cross, and offering an abundance of grace. Susan offers an approach that integrates Christianity and the models of psychology. At her core, her interventions commonly used are attachment-based therapy, goal-setting, inner child work, differentiation, mindfulness, modeling and EMDR. Susan's primary area of work has been focused on trauma. She is an EMDR level 2 therapist and has worked alongside victims of domestic violence, grief and loss, marital crisis, suicide, addiction, adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse, and soul repair. She has worked extensively with both complex and single incident traumas.

Susan has a huge heart for mission work, and has spent much time loving on the children and wonderful people of Nicaragua. She enjoys spending time with family and friends and is always up for anything fun. Susan has experience in youth leadership and mentoring. Susan is a member of the American Association of Christian Counselors, American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, and is certified in pastoral care counseling for soul care, trauma and abuse, domestic violence, marriage and family counseling, children, and counseling for women. Susan is slated to be an AAMFT Supervisor by 2024 and is currently attaining hours in the Clinical Fellowship program.

Beth is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism at Penn State University and worked in various fields, including publishing, travel and the music industry and had a personal chef business prior to earning a Masters of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy/Counseling from Trevecca Nazarene University in Nashville, TN. She recently returned to her home state of Pennsylvania after living in Tennessee and Oregon over the past 23 years.

Beth’s therapeutic viewpoint is that each of us is born wired in certain ways, and our experiences have a large part in shaping us after that – particularly those we have in childhood. Beth believes we are born with the need to feel safe, secure, seen and heard, and many of our life experiences do not fulfill those needs. When those needs are not fulfilled, some level of trauma can occur.

Her passion is to help people heal from their wounds, clearing the path in becoming who God created each of us to be. To that end, her practice of therapy is trauma-informed, and she is certified in EMDR and trained in brainspotting, two research-based therapies that are effective in treating trauma. Beth has worked with trauma and abuse, anxiety, depression, and those who are in addiction recovery. She is a member of the American Association of Christian Counselors and the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists.

Beth currently lives on the family farm where she grew up, reconnecting with her roots and her enjoyment of gardening.

Jodi is a licensed Behavior Specialist and a Child Therapist at Grace Counseling Services. She will facilitate play therapy with children at Grace Counseling Services. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Social Work from Slippery Rock University and received a Master of Social Work from the University of Pittsburgh.

Jodi has a heart for God, children, families, and those who struggle with personal life challenges. She has been working with children for close to 20 years. Jodi feels that it is important to identify core issues that have caused emotional or personal problems and effectively develop strategies to resolve the issues that have you stuck. Jodi has worked with children in the home and school settings, and in group homes. Children are so powerful and often need to be heard, even if they do not realize it. Creating a safe environment for a child is essential to their healing and growth process. Having God alongside, makes this process more powerful.

Jodi and her family have been attending Grace Community Church since 2018. She and her husband, Justin, volunteer with Grace Kids as greeters.

Jodi loves to spend time with her family. Both of her children, Brooke and Payson, are involved in sports. She is at the baseball and softball fields regularly. She enjoys traveling with her family as well and always looks forward to summer vacations together. She is from Pennsylvania and has lived here all of her life.

Pastor Bob Zonts earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Logistics, with an emphasis in Marketing from Penn State University before moving on to attain his Master of Arts in Human Services: Marriage and Family Counseling, from Liberty University. Bob has 16 years of corporate/business ministry experience and has been serving in Christian pastoral ministry since 2000. Previous experience includes hospital diagnostic sales for a large healthcare corporation, as well as an entrepreneur (one of the founders and Vice President of Cornerstone Enterprises, Inc.)

Bob had the privilege of serving as one of the pastors at North Way Christian Community in Wexford, PA, and since July 2007, Bob is honored to serve as the Care Pastor here at Grace Community Church. Along with providing executive team oversight for Grace Care and Counseling, Bob provides pastoral counseling, as well as premarital counseling as part of the wedding process at Grace. Moreover, while not a licensed professional counselor, he is very passionate about providing Post-Masters-level marriage counseling. Bob is a member of the American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC) and utilizes Hope-Focused Marriage Counseling (Brief Therapy) which is an evidence-based, integrated approach consisting of a couple-specific assessment and then psychology and empathetic, biblical Christianity, based on level of principle. Bob has also received a certification in the treatment of sexual addiction.

Originally from Pennsylvania, Bob and his family have lived in West Virginia, Colorado, and then returned to Pennsylvania in 1995. He enjoys time at home with their dog Digsby, loves the Rocky Mountains, Penn State, WVU (because of his daughter!) and, sports.  He and his wife, Cindy, are parents to a beautiful adult daughter, as well as incredibly thankful for such a great son in-law and have one grandson.

Mary earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Southern New Hampshire University and is working on her Master’s degree in Marriage, Couples, and Family Counseling at Geneva College, Beaver Falls, PA. Her much-anticipated graduation is May 2024. Mary is currently serving her internship here at Grace Counseling Services.

As a Certified Biblical Counselor, Mary received her training from the Pittsburgh Laymen’s Bible Institute, is a member of the American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC), a member of the Multi-Cultural Division of AACC, and a member of the Grief, Crisis, & Disaster Division of AACC.

Mary and her husband Michael have resided in the Center Township area of Beaver County for 36 years and have an adult daughter who resides in Arizona, and an adult son, his wife, and their three children who reside in Beaver County. She is passionate about combining Christian-based counseling with various evidence-based psychological theories such as Cognitive Behavioral, Structural Family, Solution-Focused, and Emotionally Focused Therapies.

Mary is also very passionate about helping people heal from anxiety, and depression, helping singles realize their worth, and helping couples avoid the pitfalls of allowing others to enter their marriage space, resulting in unresolved conflicts, unforgiveness, and ultimately divorce.

“Too many marriages are dissolved, and families are destroyed because many couples forget that marriage is not a contract, but a covenant made between them and God. Given the right coping and application tools, the healing and restoration of the relationship can begin”.

Mary is very active in her local church as one of the praise and worship leaders, as a prayer intercessor, and as an evangelist missionary presiding over various services. She has a heart for encouraging young adults through one-on-one communication and maintaining an online site for connection.

Melissa is currently pursuing her master’s degree in Marriage, Couples, and Family Counseling at Geneva College and is fulfilling her practicum and internship requirements at Grace Counseling Services.  She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Public Health from Indiana University and has over 15 years of experience working with youth and families in various roles, including positions as a foster care case manager, adoption social worker, community health worker, and most recently as the facilitator for the Diabetes Wraparound Program. 

Melissa is passionate about meeting people where they are at emotionally and spiritually and has a strong desire to create a safe, loving, and accepting space where individuals can grow and explore their thoughts and feelings throughout the counseling process.  Melissa believes counseling is a highly individualized process that benefits from the structure that evidence-based theories, such as Cognitive Behavioral, Dialectic Behavioral, and Emotion-Focused therapies, provide.  Melissa enjoys working with youth and adolescents, individuals, couples, and families.  She has a heart for walking through the healing process with individuals struggling with anxiety, depression, grief and loss, marital struggles, emotional strain of chronic illness, and life’s challenges.  

Melissa moved from Indiana to Pennsylvania in 2015 with her husband and daughter to be closer to family.  In her free time, Melissa enjoys spending time with her friends and family engaging in outdoor activities such as backpacking, hiking, biking, and kayaking.  She loves to travel and experience new cultures and foods and also enjoys baking and knitting.  She loves playing board games and leads a game night at her local church.  Melissa serves in the student ministry at her church and is an active member of the type 1 diabetes community.  She is also a student member of the American Counseling Association (ACA).

Irina is currently enrolled in the graduate program at Duquesne University, where she is pursuing a career as a clinical mental health counselor. Her path to this field began with a master’s degree in architecture and environmental design, but her passion for helping others led her to work in Child Life and therapeutic activities for hospitalized pediatric patients. Now, Irina is fully committed to counseling, where she blends her love for nature, animals, and the healing process.

She lives on a ranch with her husband, surrounded by their horses, dogs, and cats. This connection to nature deeply influences Irina's belief that humans are part of a larger ecosystem, and by supporting one another, we can overcome life’s challenges and thrive. In her counseling practice, she draws from attachment theory and Gestalt therapy, viewing each client’s story as a unique tapestry woven from their life experiences, strengths, and coping abilities. Irina is particularly passionate about working with individuals who have experienced trauma, including generational trauma and adverse childhood experiences.

Currently, Irina is fulfilling her practicum and internship requirements at both a faith-based counseling agency and an agency offering equine-facilitated therapeutic services. Her goal is to eventually open a private practice where she can integrate her passion for horses and nature into a therapeutic setting, helping people on their journey to healing and self-discovery.

As an immigrant who moved to the USA in 2011, Irina is multilingual and has a deep respect and appreciation for people from diverse cultural backgrounds and faiths. She excited to be part of our team and to support her clients in their healing and growth.

Jackie Eppler, MAOL, MPH, is a certified life coach, trainer, and group facilitator. She earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology and sociology at Thiel College. Later, she completed a Master of Public Health in Health Services Administration at the University of Pittsburgh and recently completed a Master of Art in Organizational Leadership with the Townsend Institute for Leadership and Counseling at Concordia University, Irvine. She is certified in coaching and consultation with the Townsend Institute and is also a certified John Maxwell Team member.

Trained and certified in emotional intelligence as a personal empowerment facilitator with a strong foundation in leadership and coaching, she brings these concepts to her coaching clients to help them lead themselves in a way that aligns with their goals. Jackie’s passion has been bringing hope and a persevering mindset to overcoming the barriers that hold us back from finding our purpose and realizing our greatest potential.

In addition to her role as Professional Coach with Grace Counseling Services, Jackie oversees all aspects of the Grace Care Ministry including care groups, one-on-one care, and prayer. She also facilitates GriefShare and a women’s small group. Outside of Grace, Jackie is a part time instructor/facilitator of emotional intelligence and personal empowerment with Butler County Community College. She is Director and Board President for the regional Special Needs Consortium. She serves as a team member and Vice President of the Butler County Critical Incident Stress Management Team.

Beyond her coaching and consulting certification, Jackie has these additional certifications: personal empowerment, individual group, and advanced crisis intervention, Critical Incident Training (CIT), suicide prevention, suicide loss/survivor support, interviewing individuals with disabilities, and motivational interviewing.

In her free time, Jackie enjoys spending time with family, especially as a new Mimi to her grandson. She also enjoys time at her lake property in Somerset County where she grew up.

Mandi provides administrative support to the Grace Counseling team. She is one of the first points of contact for intake inquiries and first impressions. She helps maintain the Simple Practice account and welcome area to ensure both counselor and client are well cared for. Mandi has several years of previous experience in the Mental Health field as an office manager and is very passionate about what she does. It is a privilege for her to come alongside clients and connect them with one of Grace Counseling Services’ faith-based therapists. Her heart is to provide a place that is safe and welcoming to all who walk through the doors of GCS.

Mandi has been attending Grace Community Church since 2017. She volunteers in several ministries here at Grace, including the nursery and Women Together events, and is an active participant in a women’s small group. 

Mandi graduated from Knoch High School having grown up in the Evans City area. Mandi and her husband, Kevin, live in Cranberry and have been married for over 14 years. Their son, Aaron, attends Keystone College, studies Criminal Justice and Political Science, and plays football for the school. Mandi and Kevin are extremely proud of Aaron and look forward to everything the Lord has in store for him. 

Mandi loves spending time with her family and getting to travel to see God’s beautiful creation. She enjoys shopping, fashion, summer, sweet tea, and connecting with her friends. Mandi desires to live her life for Jesus and to learn more about him every day. 

Katelyn provides administrative support to the Grace Counseling team. She is one of the first points of contact for intake inquiries and first impressions. She helps maintain the Simple Practice account and welcome area to ensure both counselor and client are well cared for. Katelyn is actively pursuing a degree to be a licensed therapist through Liberty University.

Katelyn has attended Grace Community Church since 2010. She has volunteered in Kids and in the café. Katelyn is currently a small group host for college aged girls to connect and grow in their faith.

Katelyn loves to spend her time with her son, Leo, and having small adventures with him. She loves to bake, especially with her little boy. To Katelyn, nothing is better than to sit with her friends at a coffee shop to talk about Jesus.