Therapists

    Carolyn Rexius, LCSW, CAFA Executive Director     

Carolyn Graduated with a Bachelors degree in Sociology from the University of Oregon in 1986 and with her MSW from Portland State University in 1989. She is Licensed in the state of Oregon by the Oregon Board of Social Work in 1992. Carolyn takes special interest in child development, couples work and relationship, families, domestic abuse, and neuroscience. Carolyn co-founded Christians As Family Advocates (CAFA). She has worked in private practice and with CAFA for 21 years. She currently is involved with counseling, the batterer intervention program, and the couple's enrichment project (CARE) with CAFA. Carolyn was married to Marv Rexius until his death in August of 2009. She has three married children with six grandkids all living in Lane County. In 2006, Carolyn won the National Sunshine Ladies Peace Award for her work in contributing to stopping domestic violence. Her career is dedicated to "Making a safer place for children."

    Kathy Janzen, LMFT

Kathy is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. She works with adult clients on individual and relationship issues. Kathy's areas of special interest include grief, life development, and trauma. Her goal is to create a warm and safe atmosphere for healing and growth. She works from a faith based perspective, employing client strengths and their support systems.

    Stephanie Raglin, LMFT

Stephanie holds a master's degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from a nationally accredited (COAMFTE) Marriage and Family Therapy graduate program at the University of Oregon. She works with individuals, couples, and families in resolving personal and relational issues. In seeing individual clients, Stephanie's specialty areas include working with children and teens. She has several years of Psychiatric Residential experience with children and teens in Subacute Residential care. Specialty areas include children and adult survivors of sexual abuse, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, self harm behaviors, and adjustment disorders. She has also been trained in conducting play therapy and utilizes Cognitive Behavioral, Family Systems, and Dialectical Behavioral therapy.

    Carol Rexius, LMFT

Carol Rexius is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, she received her undergraduate degree in Business Administration from the University of Oregon and received her Masters degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Northwest Christian University.  She has raised two sons and been involved in leading bible studies for over 17 years. She is a sponsor for The Sunshine Lady Foundation that gives money to survivors of domestic violence for furthering their education to the goal of living independently. Her specialties are depression and anxiety, individuals and couples, adolescence, grief, self esteem issues, anger, abuse, blended families, premarital, and personal growth.

    Sharon Brown, MA, QMHP

Sharon works with teens, adults, family, and couples counseling.

    Angela Ard, MA

Angela Ard is a young therapist, having joined the CAFA team nearly a year ago as an intern, and more recently as a counselor. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from the University of Oregon, with a focus on Special Education. She received her Master’s Degree in Counseling from George Fox University, where she had the opportunity to train at the Northwest Center for Play Therapy. Her focus and passion is working with children who have experienced trauma. Angela also has experience and enjoys working with individuals, couples and families who have or are experiencing anxiety, depression and/or abuse.

    Tita Evans-Santini, MA, QMHP, ATR

Tita Evans-Santini was born in Chihuahua, Mexico and has lived in the U.S. for over 40 years. She holds a Masters degree in Art Therapy from Marylhurst University. She is a Registered Art Therapist and a Qualified Mental Health Practitioner. Ms. Evans-Santini has counseled children, adolescents and their families for over a decade. Tita's special approach includes art therapy, supportive, relaxed peer discussion, laughter and self-expression. She loves her work and the enthusiasm she brings to the program is evidenced by the rapid rapport she builds with the children that come through our doors. 

    Linda Keepers, MA, QMHP, CADCI

Linda has been a therapist with CAFA for 16 years. She enjoys working with children. She utilizes play and talk therapy. Not only does Linda work with children, she also works with adults both individually and for couples or marital counseling. She has her drug and alcohol certification and specializes in working with families and individuals impacted by addictions.

    Sally Palmer, MA, QMHP

Sally Palmer, MA, earned her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Oregon. She completed her Master of Arts degree in Professional Counseling at Northwest Christian University in 2008. Sally is working toward licensure with the State of Oregon, seeing clients under the supervision of Carolyn Rexius, LCSW. She works with individuals and couples. Sally works to help you identify, understand, and become motivated to change what no longer works. She believes in CAFA’s vision that we are all created in God’s image to live deeply satisfying lives. However, many of us were raised in damaging environments as children, and did not learn some of the basic life skills to help us navigate difficult times. Instead, we learned how to subdue the pain, but eventually we become overwhelmed. Because of Sally's history, she strongly empathizes with those who struggle with depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and the damaging effects of childhood sexual abuse.

    Sharon Rimmer, MA, MFT, QMHP

Sharon is a therapist at CAFA with a Master of Arts in Marraige and Family Therapy from Northwest Christian University: June 13, 1997. She is married and has two married sons and three granddaughters. Her work history includes private practice in Eugene and agencies: Christian Family Services, and Christians As Family Advocates. She enjoys working with individual clients, both men and women seeking help for anxiety and depression. She also enjoys working with couples seeking to build healthy relationships. Sharon has traveled in the USA and abroad, is active in her church, and gardens for pleasure.

    Vicki Silverthorne, MA, QMHP

Vicki graduated from George Fox University with a Master's Degree in Counseling. She works with individuals and couples who are in need of assistance. Vicki's ways of thinking and working are heavily influenced by her Christian assumptions, beliefs, and worldview. However, it is not necessary to share her beliefs to have a satisfactory therapeutic relationship with Vicki. She employs both talk therapy and somatic work. Vicki's approach to therapy is to create a setting in which you feel comfortable to tell her about yourself and your concerns. She believes that we are all experts on ourselves; however, the stress of a problem can cause a loss of objectivity and prevent us from identifying our options. In working with Vicki, you will explore together, your issues, as well as your resources and possible choices. The goal of counseling is to become more effective in our lives whether it is in our relationships at work, within the family or in our social environment.

    Karin Stark, LCSW

Karin is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. She graduated from the University Of Oregon with a major in Psychology and holds a Master's degree in Socail Work from Portland State University. She received her license from the Oregon Association of Social Workers in 2003 and follows their code of ethics. Karin has pursued specialized training in the following areas:
Grief, trauma, somatic, Hakomi, family systems, child development, domestic violence, sexual abuse, Aspergers and Art therapy. Throughout the years she has offered group therapy for children, teenagers and adult women. The themes have ranged from abuse recovery, self esteem, Asperger related issues and parent-child. Karin has worked in residential and out-patient settings and with foster care and adoptive individuals and families. Currently she offers individual child, adult and family work. She also offers group therapy in the fall and winter. Karin's approach to therapy is to create a safe environment in which you can express the dilemmas that have brought you in. She believe's that everyone is an expert on themselves and that adopting an attitude of mindfulness can help facilitate healing and change. She utilizes Somatic, Talk Therapy and Family Systems Theory. Mostly Karin strives to offer her presence so that togehter, we come up with a plan that will work to fit your needs. Although Karin has her own private practice, she also serves as the Clinical Supervisor for CAFA and her office is located in the CAFA building.

    Teresa Syrios

Teresa has worked at CAFA as a neurofeedback clinician since 2004. She has a passion for improving brain funtion that stemmed from her experience with her own children. A serach for answers to help them, led her to the root causes in the brain. She is the mother of 4 boys, and has a background in elementary education. She was trained in Nuerofeedback in 2004. Teresa has kept up with the constatnly developing field through attending trainings and consulations throuh EEG info. She trained in the Othmer Method and uses the Cygnet Software. Neurofeedback is a helpful intervention for anxiety, depression, ADHD, PTSD, sleep issues, and much more. Instead of targeting the chemistry of the brain (ie drug therapy), it targets the electrical activity of the brain by training it to new patterns of function. For more information on neurofeedback check out the Nuerofeedback link under services, or www.eeginfo.com.

    Echo Lucas

Echo was a co-founder of CAFA and helped start up the Women's Support Group. Echo supervised the women's support groups for 14 years as a volunteer. She has also served as a board member. She joined the staff at CAFA in September 2007 as the Program Director of Kids Connecting, CAFA's supervised visitation program.