Andy Ferguson | www.connectioncounselingcenter.com

Our Team

 

Andy Ferguson LCSW-C

 Owner, Therapist

Andy has worked at an adolescent treatment center for girls in Utah and has also worked as a therapist at an adolescent boys’ residential treatment center on Independent Samoa in the South Pacific. In these roles, Andy developed a passion for helping adolescents and their families to overcome the effects of addiction and behavioral issues.

After returning from Samoa, Andy worked for a community mental health agency in their youth outpatient department in Utah. He worked closely with the Division of Child and Protective Services and the State Foster Care system in providing counseling to children and adolescents struggling with depression, anxiety, learning disorders, attachment disorders, oppositional defiance, as well as other struggles at home or at school. Andy also worked as a crisis worker for the agency assisting local law enforcement, emergency room workers, and ecclesiastical leaders in providing solutions and support to community members in crisis.

Prior to starting to his own practice, Andy worked as a counselor for LDS Family Services in Frederick, MD.

Andy loves his job! He’s thrilled for the chance he has to build relationships with his clients and see them grow and progress to reach their potential. He strongly believes that therapy can be a powerful tool in creating lasting change in families.

In his free time, Andy loves playing tennis, basketball, running, photography and spending time with his family. He currently resides in the Frederick area with his wife and four children.

Education

  • Brigham Young University
    MSW, 2008
  • Brigham Young University
    B.S. Psychology, 2005

Licensed

  • Maryland

 

 

Holly Steed LCSW-C, RPT

Associate Therapist

She has worked at a range of agencies including both outpatient and inpatient. While at a state hospital, she worked with adults in individual therapy sessions and group sessions to help them learn healthy coping skills and manage their symptoms. She also had the opportunity to work at LDS Family Services where she provided therapy and, in addition, worked with birth parents and adoptive couples, preparing for and navigating the adoption arena. She enjoyed working at another outpatient agency focusing on treatment for children, adults and families who struggled with an array of mental health issues including abuse and neglect.

At an outpatient community mental health agency, Holly provided counseling to children, adolescents, and adults dealing with depression, anxiety, attention problems, oppositional defiance, relationship dynamics, and other issues that were impacting their lives. As a member of interagency multidisciplinary teams, Holly provided more comprehensive treatment to clients. She also worked with Division of Children and Protective Services, Utah School District, and Utah Court System, providing therapy, instilling accountability, and reporting progress.
Holly is a licensed social worker here in the state of Maryland. She enjoys incorporating play, art, and sand tray work into her therapy practice. She helps her clients heal from trauma and manage mental health issues through learning healthy coping skills and managing associated symptoms. She believes in the power of healing through the therapeutic relationship. She knows that people have what they need to heal and make progress when given support and a safe and healthy environment to do so.

She enjoys spending time with her extended family and friends, playing basketball, baking (especially desserts), bargain shopping/couponing, dabbling with photography and blogging. Holly also serves in her Church with adolescent girls as a Stake Young Women’s Counselor.  Holly loves being with her husband and four children.

Education

  • Brigham Young University
    MSW, 2008

Activities & Affiliations

  • Registered Play Therapist

Licensed

  • Maryland

 

 

Julia Ferguson

Office Manager

Julia and Andy have worked as a team in building this practice from its onset in 2011. They met while working at a treatment center for adolescent girls in Spanish Fork, UT. Their passion for helping those struggling with emotional health and their ambition to someday run their own practice is what began the journey that is now Connection Counseling Center. Julia has worked on the administrative side of mental health treatment since 2002. She has a Bachelor's Degree in Marriage, Family and Human Development from Brigham Young University. Julia worked as a residential supervisor at New Haven Residential Treatment Center for four years before the birth of their first child in 2007, after which Julia took a position working from home as their Alumni Coordinator, organizing demographic data and planning Alumni retreats throughout the year.
When Andy took a position as a therapist at a residential program in Samoa, Julia worked part time as the company's Parent Liaison - helping parents stay informed on what was happening in the everyday schedule of their child and coordinating travel plans during parent visits.
Julia now oversees most of the administrative tasks of the practice from their home office. She and Andy are the parents of 4 children. Julia enjoys running, gardening, traveling and working with the youth in their church.
Education:
Brigham Young University, BS in Marriage, Family, & Human Development

 

 

 

Misty Pulsipher

Office Assistant

After returning from full-time missionary service to Washington, D.C., Misty worked at Heritage Residential Treatment Center in Utah, where she enjoyed mentoring inner-city youth from all over the country. More recently, Misty volunteered as a program facilitator with her husband in the LDS Addiction Recovery Program.

Misty loves working from home, scheduling and billing for Connection Counseling Center. She is passionate about advocating for marriage and family, and will graduate with a bachelor's degree in marriage and family studies from BYU-Idaho in summer of 2018. During her undergraduate work, Misty developed an online curriculum for parents of teenagers: https://connect4yourteen.blogspot.com/ Misty hopes to pursue a master's degree in social work in the near future, with the aim of becoming a counselor, child and family advocate, and family life educator.

In her limited free time, Misty enjoys sewing, writing, cross-stitching, reading, watching Netflix, and probably more than anything - sleeping. She loves spending time with her husband and three crazy/busy kids. Misty is the author of three self-published Austen retellings and hopes she'll have more time for writing when she's done with school.

 Education

Brigham Young University-Idaho, BS Marriage & Family Studies, July 2018

 

 

Contact us today!

Let our scheduling secretary help you find the right therapist for your family. Both Andy and Holly have strengths in treating different issues.