Pathways Counseling & Growth Center
Directors & Therapists
Our Team
Ruthie Lasecki
Executive Director
Ruthie Lasecki has more than 25 years of experience specializing in healthcare management, quality assurance and compliance and healthcare consultation in behavioral and ancillary healthcare services. Ms. Lasecki has served as the Executive Director of Pathways Counseling and Growth Center since 2016. Ms. Lasecki was first engaged with Pathways in 2005 when she had consulted with the Center and was instrumental in preparing Pathways for their first CARF accreditation. She continues to successfully lead the Center through its CARF accreditation process every three years meeting their strict guidelines and standards of care.
Ms. Lasecki provided consultative services to clients nationwide with various healthcare needs ranging from organizational management, accreditation, and service delivery diversification as she served as the president of a specialty healthcare firm, she founded in 2002. Prior to her consulting services, Ms. Lasecki served on the Executive Team as the Vice President of Total Quality Management and Continuous Improvement at the Nord Center in Lorain, Ohio.
At Pathways Ms. Lasecki leads a team of dedicated professionals who share her commitment to providing quality mental health services to clients in the community.
Ms. Lasecki holds a Bachelor of Science Degree from Ohio Northern University and a Paralegal Degree from Sawyer College of Business.
Doreen George-Thomas
LPCC-S & Clinical Director
I have a Masters degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Cleveland State University, a Bachelors degree in Psychology from Baldwin-Wallace University, and an Associates Degree from Cuyahoga Community College. I enjoy working with college students, and during my masters program I interned at Baldwin-Wallace’s Student College Counseling Center. My competencies include personal, social and mental health counseling, parenting skills, adolescent/children behavioral issues, chemical dependency, LG family and partner relationships, assessment and testing, anxiety disorders with an emphasis on Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, and reintegration into the community after incarceration.
Danielle Ries
LPCC-S
Danielle has been with us for nearly 20 years and has transitioned from a clinical therapist to a Clinical Supervisor. She works to support our staff through supervision, mentoring and guidance, helping to ensure the highest quality of care for our clients.
Spencer Keech
LPCC
With a background in visual and sound media, followed by service in ordained United Methodist ministry, Spencer was licensed as a psychotherapist in 2012. In the decade since he worked first with juveniles with court involvement and persons engaged with children and family services, working to improve life circumstances. He next worked with a broad variety of adults, with a particular emphasis on young adults newly diagnosed with schizophrenia. Returning to his home town, in 2021 he began work at Pathways.
Brittney Lindway
LPCC
Works under supervision of Danielle Ries, LPCC-S
Brittney Lindway received a Bachelor’s of Arts in Psychology at Kent State University in 2014 and a Master’s of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling with a Specialization in Addictions at Walden University in 2020. Brittney is certified in EMDR Therapy through The Institute for Creative Mindfulness. She has experience working in residential and community mental health settings working with a wide range of clients, including children, adolescents, and adults. Brittney uses a Person-Centered Approach when working with clients and utilizes multiple techniques such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, and Trauma Focused treatments to best fit the needs of the client. She has experience working with a variety of concerns such as anxiety, depression, trauma, chemical dependency, and mood disorders. Brittney is dedicated to making each one of her client’s feel comfortable in a safe space and creating a treatment plan specifically tailored to suit their needs moving forward in counseling.
Alexis Clement
LPC
Works under supervision of Danielle Ries, LPCC-S
Alexis graduated with a Master in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Capella University in 2022. Alexis has a background in community mental health work and residential work with populations ranging from children to elders. Alexis tailors treatment to each individual person to create a unique blend utilizing modalities such as CBT, DBT, MI, ACT, some ERP and CPT. Alexis has a background of working with anxiety, depression, ADHD, adjustment/transitional stages of life, mood disorders, some OCD and PTSD. Alexis is LGBTQ+ friendly and actively part of the community.
Kyrsten Adley
LPC
Works under supervision of Danielle Ries, LPCC-S
Kyrsten uses a client-centered approach, tailoring therapeutic interventions to best suit the client’s individual needs. Approaches often include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, and Cognitive processing therapy and Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Kyrsten’s competencies in mental health counseling include diagnostic assessment and testing, treatment of anxiety, depression, trauma, and adjustment disorders, as well as behavioral issues, LGBT relationships, and crisis intervention. Kyrsten will continue to work towards establishing experience and competency in the treatment of OCD, personality disorders and complex trauma. Kyrsten enjoys working with children, and adolescents, focusing on creative expression and emotional regulation.
Eric Sparrow
Eric Sparrow graduated from Cleveland State University with his Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Eric has experience working with a variety of mental health disorders including depression, social anxiety, trauma, and ADHD. Eric views each client as a unique person with a distinct life story, tailoring client’s treatment and care based around their values using a variety of methods such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Cognitive Processing Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Eric strives to create an atmosphere of equality, validation, and collaboration, meeting clients where they are and helping them get to where they want to be.
Lance Darling-Mellott
LPCC
Works under supervision of Danielle Ries, LPCC-S
Lance obtained his Bachelors in Psychology from Kent State University and has a Masters in Community Mental Health Counseling from Ashland Theological Seminary. He is an LPCC and has seven years of experience in both mental health and substance use counseling with the focus of the mental health being on managing anxiety, depression and trauma.
He has experience with treating teenagers as well as adults of various age groups. He views each person as an individual and the expert in their wants and needs. Their story and experiences matter. He uses a client-centered approach as well as use of motivational interviewing, homework and solution focused counseling with a focus on talk therapy, grounding techniques,validation, positive affirmation and developing proper self-care practices with the client. He also is willing to incorporate the client’s spiritual beliefs into treatment at the client’s request and operates from the biopsychosocial-spiritual axis
