Mother tree Project

 

MotherTree Project offers sliding-scale mental health and wellness services to the community. We work within a network of practitioners to respond to the specific needs of each client. Our practitioners are highly skilled and have a variety of experience and training.

Sliding-scale services are sustainable when we all work together. Clients who work with one of our practitioners and can pay the practitioner’s full rate help provide services for those who need a reduced fee. The Greater Mercy Foundation also supports this project through grants, community contributions, and income generated by offering monthly continuing education for licensed professionals (CEUs) and donations.

If you are interested in Mother Tree Services, please call Amy Lyles at 512-644-1778.

 

Mother tree Case Managers

 

Ashley Cooke, LCSW

Ashley Cooke is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who has been working with children and families for more than 35 years.  Her experience includes working with children in foster care and residential treatment as a therapist and case manager, training and supporting foster and adoptive parents, as well as many years in school social work.  For the past 16 years she has worked with teen parents in the San Marcos CISD, where she helped develop a mentorship program and continues to train and supervise teen and young adult mentors.  She raised her two sons in Wimberley and remains connected to the Wimberley community.  She enjoys spending time with family and friends, training dogs, hiking, and spending time in nature.  She has trained and used therapy dogs, both in her work and as a volunteer.

“I have always felt a deep connection to the natural world and to animals and they have been my  greatest teachers.  I am passionate about finding ways to listen more deeply, to learn the lessons hidden in all things, and to foster connections and community with others.  I am grateful to be part of The Greater Mercy and envisioning the new forms it may take.”  

Gael Thompson, LPC, M.Div., EMDR

Gael supports, guides, and is an agent of healing with children, teens, adults and families. She is a licensed professional counselor and has worked the human experience of grief at Bo’s Place in Houston, in private practice, and in school settings. Her practice and client work is grounded in connection, spirituality, and practicality.

“I am honored to join The Greater Mercy Foundation’s Mother Tree Project as a case manager. I look foreward to assisting people seeking counseling and ensuring each is matched with an appropriate professional.”

 

Mother Tree practitioners

 

Xochitl (So-cheel) Gamas, MS, LPC-Associate

Hello, I am Xochitl (So-cheel), and I am truly grateful to be part of The MotherTree Project. As a bilingual (English-Spanish) and bicultural therapist, I warmly welcome people from all walks of life, honoring each person’s unique story and identity. I work with kids, pre-teens, teens, young adults and women navigating challenges such as low self-worth, chronic stress, anxiety, life transitions, trauma, and grief and loss. 

I take a person-centered approach to therapy, offering a safe, non-judgmental space where I listen deeply, accept clients fully, and support their strengths and inner wisdom. I aim to help each person discover their own path to healing and growth at their own pace. I also integrate evidence-based techniques, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, Somatic Therapy, SandTray Therapy, and Play Therapy, to meet the unique needs of each client.

In my free time, I enjoy quality time with my family, exploring new places to eat, traveling, and working out.

Supervised by Melissa Fleming LPC-S, RPT-S, CCST-T

Amy Lyles, LPC-S, RPT-S

I provide an integrated approach to therapy utilizing traditional counseling theories along many tools such as: mindfulness practices, art and other expressive modalities (symbols, dreams, etc), play therapy, yoga therapy/somatic experiencing, ayurveda, and sound therapy. As we work collaboratively, we will arrive at the pace and utilize tools that may assist the work, as the healing process is very comprehensive and extremely specific to the individual. I work with children, teens, adults, families, and elders using a variety of modalities including Play therapy, Filial Therapy, Yoga therapy, Sound Therapy, Nature Based Therapy.

The way I engage in these practices are also unique to me and my life experiences. I have many decades of walking with people on their journey.  While they may have benefitted from our time together, so did I. It gives me so much more depth and breadth of the space I am able to co-create collaboratively. While I have a very strong mind, the way in which I utilize the above practices are very heart centered.  I strive to Co-Create without Claiming, Produce without Expecting, and Guide without Interfering.

Summer Milam, LPC-A

I am a Licensed Professional Counselor Associate under the supervision of Jenn Popovich, LPC-S. I help individuals navigate life’s challenges and emotional struggles with compassion, curiosity, and evidence-based care. I believe in the power of a safe, supportive space where clients can explore their emotions, uncover inner strengths, and move toward healing and growth.

My approach is integrative and tailored to each client’s unique needs, blending Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), mindfulness practices, and expressive techniques. I work with children, teens, and adults  navigating anxiety, depression, low self-worth, life transitions, stress, and relational challenges.

I strive to create a non-judgmental, heart-centered environment where clients feel deeply heard and supported, while also equipping them with practical tools for resilience, balance, and a greater sense of connection in their daily lives.

Sarah Myers, LMSW

Hello! I'm Sarah Myers, a Licensed Master Social Worker currently under supervision with Dr. Christine Norton, and I'm thrilled to be working with The Greater Mercy Foundation. In my work with children and families, I take a non-directive child-centered approach, fostered by the belief that your child innately has everything within them they need to grow towards healing and wholeness. In my work with adults, I use a trauma-informed experiential approach and draw upon an eclectic variety of evidence-based tools to work with clients experiencing burnout, anxiety, and relationship issues. With clients of all ages, I utilize our original partner and healer, nature, as a co-therapist and inspiration. I am especially passionate about the ancient enneagram and enjoy exploring that tool with clients to initiate self-discovery. When I’m out of the office, I most enjoy spending time with my family, traveling, cooking, and finding a river or creek to splash in. 

Jennifer Sabatier M.A.

I have a deep regard and passion for working with clients experiencing intense grief, loss, and transitions. I have a masters degree in psychology and consciousness and transformation studies. I work from a systems perspective and rite of passage framework using various modalities including eidetic imagery/embodied imagination, somatic, breath work, and practices that engage the client’s resources and agency in their own healing. I work with clients of all ages, and most often adults and young adults (17-23). I am certified as a grief and loss counselor, Reiki II, and Eidetic Imagery practitioner. I also offer group retreats for clients and trainings and workshops for professionals.

I am a mother of five children, and a grandmother. I enjoy writing, painting, cooking, hiking, and spending time outdoors.

Britt Sudderth, MS LMFT

Britt Sudderth, MS LMFT

I believe therapy is a sacred experience—a connected space where growth can be both transformative and empowering. My holistic approach utilizes family systems, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), somatic practices, and mindfulness. I am passionate about integrating these methods to empower individuals to recognize and reframe unhelpful thought patterns, cultivate awareness of the mind-body connection, and develop skills for managing stress and emotions with greater clarity and resilience. I work with young adults, individuals, or couples seeking counseling for trauma, anxiety, depression, or life transitions.

I’m married and the mother of three boys. I find joy in all forms of art, spending time outdoors, practicing yoga, and getting lost in the world of documentaries.

 

If you would like to contribute to the Mother Tree Project, please contact Jen Sabatier at 512-992-8725.

If you are interested in supporting the Mother Tree Project, currently the best way to do that right now is to consider making a donation on a monthly or annual basis. Our investors and supporters will be able to display a digital sticker on their website showing the act of service and contribution benefiting clients needing sliding scale fee and who otherwise could not access services.