Our Staff & Their Specialties

Steven Armstrong, M.Div., M.A., L.P.C.
Steven Armstrong brings giftedness and experience as well as scriptural and psychological insights to help individuals, couples, and families. He has the experience to help with various forms of relational struggles and personal brokenness. Steven sees every person as a creation of God with immeasurable value and eternal worth. He extends to all the unconditional love and mercy God has shown him. His caring sensitivity and genuine acceptance provide a safe place for clients to share their thoughts and feelings, enter into the healing process, and receive assistance in adjusting to life transitions. Steven's greatest joy is to see people experience God's transforming love and healing grace!

Steven has a Master's degree in Counseling from Dallas Baptist University and a Master of Divinity degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. His undergraduate degree includes concentrations in psychology, Biblical studies, and music. Steve is licensed as a professional counselor (L.P.C.). As a member of the American Association of Christian Counselors, Steven receives updates on ongoing training opportunities and the latest counseling resources available from a Christian perspective.

Steven and his wife Kay, a registered nurse, have three married daughters. They have lived and served as cross-cultural missionaries for over sixteen years in Africa. Steven has thirty years experience in Christian ministry professions. They both currently enjoy leading weekly Bible study groups in their local church.

Stephenie Cheshier M.A., L.P.C. Intern
Stephenie believes the client/therapist relationship is central to the healing process. She desires to walk with her clients through their pain. Stephenie's compassionate heart and gentle spirit allows clients to feel encouraged and safe as they work through their struggles in therapy. Stephenie believes a healthy relationship with God and others is vital to living an abundant and joyous life. Stephenie works with adolescents and adults. Her special interests include adolescent and young adult issues, codependency, depression, family, grief/loss, marital problems, emotional and sexual abuse, stress and life transitions, self-image, spiritual issues and trauma recovery.

Stephenie received her B.S. in Psychology and her Masters of Arts in Counseling at Dallas Baptist University. She is a member of the American Association of Christian Counselors. Stephenie is married to Kenny, who is a youth minister. She enjoys helping him minister to teenagers in the Dallas area.

Vera Garcia, M.Ed., L.P.C., N.C.C.
Vera believes the counseling process resembles a highway. Sometimes there is need for improvement, widening, and reconstruction. The authorities survey the situation, have a set goal, and start working on the highway. As work is being done, traffic will be slower, diverted, or even at a stand still at times. However, the workers press on, knowing if they don't stop working their goal will be accomplished.

When clients come to counseling, Vera's role is to listen to their goals, give them tools to achieve those goals, and help them develop the skills or perspectives they might need. She walks side by side with her clients, encouraging them when the walk becomes rough and bumpy. Her desire is to equip clients by the Holy Spirit, assisting them through their life's highway. Vera firmly believes God is the Master Engineer, the One who oversees the whole process.

Vera is a licensed professional counselor (LPC) and national certified counselor (NCC). She received her undergraduate degree from the Bauru Law School in Brazil, her native country. She completed her graduate studies at the University of North Texas. Vera specializes in play therapy for children, trauma, sexual abuse, and spiritual issues. She also does crisis intervention at on-site corporate grief debriefings. Having a passion for God, Vera wishes to have an undivided heart towards Him and help others to do the same.

Mark Gomez, M.Ed., L.P.C.
God has used Mark's personal life experiences to greatly enhance his formal education and training in helping people. His experience with depression lends itself to helping others in their journey through it. His 14 years of marriage have provided keen insights into helping couples. His work with young people in church, school settings (mentoring) and as a parent have allowed him to stay connected with the challenges of youth.

Mark also specializes in anger management. He conducts seminars throughout the year. Many issues in anger management or "life management" are covered with the teaching model he uses - forgiveness, anxiety, grief, abuse, etc. It is all about "the God who heals" - Jehovah Rapha!

Mark has been in the people helping professions for 14 years. He graduated from the South Houston Bible Institute in 1988 and served as a pastor in churches in Houston and Irving. He received his counseling training at the University of North Texas and at Rapha, where he has worked for three years. Mark has also served as a part time Chaplain at Irving Baylor Hospital for the past three years.

Susan Laukoter, M.Ed., L.P.C.
Susan's desire to help people experience relational healing is at the core of her work with people. She believes that God created us a relational beings and with needs that can only be met through relationship with Him and others. It is because of broken relationships, then, that most of our problems arise. It is from this framework that Susan encourages/challenges her clients toward emotional and spiritual maturity so that wholeness and healing can be found.

Susan also believes that a strong client-counselor relationship is imperative for true healing to take place and works hard to foster this therapeutic relationship. Susan firmly believes that the Word of God is "useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness" (II Timothy 3:16), and she is committed to using Scripture to help illuminate God's purposes and plans for each client.

Susan received her undergraduate degree from Texas A&M and completed her graduate studies in Marriage and Family at The University of North Texas. She has been counseling since 1992. Her specialties include working with couples, families, adolescents, and women's issues.

Todd Linder, M.Ed., L.P.C.
Todd has been a counselor since 1993 and has been with Rapha Christian Counseling since 1991. He brings insight and sensitivity of core issues related to individual, family and couples work. One of Todd's greatest satisfactions comes form being with clients as they make decisions to trust God with their deepest hurts, fears, dreams and hopes. He combines a warm, engaging relational style of counseling with the ability to challenge clients regarding issues of the heart.

Todd holds a Master's Degree in Counseling from Dallas Baptist University and is licensed in the state of Texas as a Professional Counselor (L.P.C.). He has held numerous leadership positions in local churches including full time staff and lay leadership roles. Todd worked for nine years in youth ministry in the Dallas area along with an intradenominational camping program for children and youth.

Todd currently serves as the Executive Director of Rapha Christian Counseling and is an adjunct faculty member of Dallas Baptist University and LeTourneau University. His current role at Rapha is providing therapy for couples, individuals and families as well as providing supervision for other therapist on staff. Additionally, he serves as a consultant for several pastors in the areas of discipleship, leadership and mental health issues.

Todd has been married to Karen for the past 14 years. He lives with Karen and their two children, Rachel and Jonathan in Irving, Texas

Sheri Miller, M.A., L.P.C., L.M.F.T.
Sheri has been a counselor since 1986 and has witnessed God's power and grace in healing people's lives. She believes embracing God's mercy and His willingness to bring restoration to those whose lives are hurting are cornerstones in the therapeutic process. Forgiveness of others as well as oneself is a focal point in the journey of healing.

Sheri received her undergraduate degree from Kansas State University and completed her graduate studies in Clinical Psychology at Wheaton College. She currently is enrolled in the doctoral program for Natural Health at Clayton College. Sheri enjoys doing workshops and seminars and has taught at Dallas Baptist University. She is also a Licensed Professional Counselor and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Supervisor.

Her specialties include eating disorders; sexual, emotional, and physical trauma; depression/anxiety; codependency; women's issues; and dissociative disorders. She counsels individuals, couples, and families.

Melinda Roberts, M.A., L.P.C. Intern
Having been a client in a counseling relationship, Melinda understands how scary it can be to enter into the counseling process. But she also knows the growth, healing, and freedom that can come from counseling; and has answered God's call to proclaim that message to others. As Paul said in 2 Cor 1:3-4 "All praise to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the source of every mercy and the God who comforts us. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When others are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us." While she recognizes that everyone's struggles and pain will be experienced in an individual way, she also knows that it's God's presence, comfort, and mercy that brings about healing, heart transformation, and life change.

Melinda's genuine respect and care for her clients helps to create a safe, non-judgmental environment where people feel free to explore their places of pain and wounding. Her desire is to help clients develop an authentic relationship with themselves, others, and God, and to help identify methods of unhealthy relating present in her client's lives. Her particular areas of passion include marital counseling, Play Therapy with children, divorce recovery, self-esteem issues, sexual abuse, depression, self-injury, spiritual warfare, and suicide. Believing in whole-person healing, Melinda seeks to address all aspects of a person's life - spiritual, physical, psychological, and emotional.

Melinda received her Bachelors degree in Marketing from California State University Sacramento, and her Masters degree in Counseling from Dallas Baptist University. She is a member of the American Association of Christian Counselors, involved in her church's prayer ministry, and a sexual/relational healing ministry in Ft. Worth. In her free time, she enjoys reading, singing, going out for coffee with friends, and playing with her "furry kids" - two cats and a dog.

Patrice Sampley, M.A., L.P.C.
In the therapeutic setting, Patrice considers the physical, psychological and spiritual aspects of the client's need and struggle. The therapy offered is biblical and Christ-centered. One of the biggest hurdles to a person's emotional healing is the struggle of aloneness-that is, having to face problems and emotional pain alone. Patrice believes that clearing this hurdle involves a threefold process: 1) meeting the person at the point of their pain with compassion and acceptance; 2) identifying current obstacles and relational struggles at the spiritual and soul level; and 3) experiencing biblical truth in these areas while addressing faulty belief systems, healing painful emotions, and changing unhealthy behaviors.

Patrice works with various population groups, addressing such issues as single adult challenges; marital conflict and enrichment; the struggles of aging, and the dilemmas of young adulthood. Her areas of focus include: relational issues, sexuality and sexual brokenness, anxiety, depression, loneliness, grief/loss, self-worth; addictive behaviors, codependency, and the effects of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse. She works with clients individually or in a small group setting.

Patrice has been involved in Christian ministry for over 15 years working for several ministry organizations and in her local church. In recent years, she has served as a counselor and speaker/teacher for Intimate Life Ministries (Austin, Texas), addressing the topics of intimacy with God and intimacy with others. Patrice has led small group intensive exercises, spoken at seminars and workshops, taught weekly classes in her local church, and served as a consultant in the development of single adult resources.

Patrice received her Bachelor's degree in Sociology from the University of Texas at Arlington and completed her graduate studies at Dallas Baptist University, earning a Master's of Arts in Counseling. Currently, Patrice serves on the Rapha team as a Licensed Professional Counselor and is trained in Critical Incident Stress Management. Patrice is also a member of the American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC).

Joe Shaw, M.A., Intern
Joe believes relationships can significantly influence healing and growth. He sees the client/therapist relationship as one tool for development in a person's life. In counseling, he provides a safe environment in which people can move toward authenticity before God, others, and themselves.

Currently, Joe works as a bereavement coordinator with a hospice. He enjoys reaching out to families at a critical time of transition in their lives. Joe has received training at the Suicide and Crisis Center in Dallas and is presently working toward his Masters degree in Counseling from Dallas Baptist University. He is a member of several counseling organizations including the American Association of Christian Counselors, the Association for Creativity in Counseling, and the Association for Adult Development and Aging.

Joe is interested in the areas of depression, grief/loss, life transitions, relationship difficulties, and spiritual issues. Also, he is a Prepare/Enrich certified counselor who provides premarital and marriage counseling. He works with individuals, couples, and families. Having worked as a computer animator for years, Joe approaches therapeutic problem-solving with unique creativity. He has been married to his wife, Maya, for the past 12 years and they have two young sons.

Because he is a student, Joe is able to see clients at very reasonable rates.