Brenda Arley, M.A., RNCS
Licensed Clinical Nurse Specialist- Adult Mental Health
Certified Mindfulness Meditation Teacher
On August 31, 2023, Brenda will be closing her psychotherapy practice and entering retirement. She offers gratitude to all the clients she has had the privilege to serve since August 1987. Brenda will continue to offer opportunities for mindfulness and mindfulness meditation training. For more information about these opportunities, you may contact Brenda directly by email at brendajarley@gmail.com. Please note that the True North office will no longer be responsible for responding to such inquiries after August 31, 2023. Thank you for your consideration.
L Gail Haines, RN, CSW
L Gail Haines has practiced and taught Gestalt and family therapy concepts for over thirty years. She is presently offering supervision, training, and consultation to professional psychotherapists and others in the mental health field.
"I remain continually excited about facilitating a process that encourages people to 'see' differently, and supports them to bring forth as much of themselves as possible in their professional and personal lives."
Debra Pietrangelo is a licensed psychologist and the founder of True North at 499 Glen. Dr. Pietrangelo has been in the mental health field for over 35 years. She has worked in schools, pre-schools, colleges, and clinical settings. After working in local public schools, she went into private practice sixteen years ago. She works with clients of all ages and facilitates a transgender support group. Throughout her career, Dr. Pietrangelo has witnessed the value of integrating a variety of health treatments with talk therapy in order to help people live their best lives. Nine years ago she opened True North at 499 Glen to provide integrative health services to our community with the hope of helping people change, heal, and transform as they strive to live fully and happily.
Dr. Debra Pietrangelo, PsyD Licensed Psychologist
Practitioners
 | ||||||
| ||||||
| ||||||
Todd Kuntz has been a NY licensed Clinical Psychologist since 2001. His training and professional experience has included inpatient and outpatient substance dependence, outpatient mental health clinics, and private practice settings. He treats a wide variety of psychological, emotional and behavioral issues in children, adolescents and adults, including depression, anxiety, substance abuse/dependence, attention deficit-hyperactivity, oppositional behavior, pervasive developmental disorders, parenting/marital/family difficulties. Problems may arise from family relationships, academic issues, or biological factors which are factored into each client’s unique treatment plan. Growth and change in unhealthy thinking, emotional, and behavior patterns are accomplished as a process of increased insight into ones’ self, relationships, and other factors which are impacting each client’s life coupled with making active changes which replace destructive patterns with new constructive ones.
Dr. Todd Kuntz
Clinical Psychologist
Joseph M. Macura, MS, LMHC
Licensed Mental Health Counselor
Joseph Macura is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, offering individual, couples, and family therapy. After graduating with his Master’s Degree from the University at Albany, he completed his postgraduate residency at Adirondack Samaritan Counseling Center, and has continued to work as an outpatient clinician. Joseph treats a wide range of mental health issues, with special areas of interest including working with military service members and their families, couples, adolescents, and young adults. His therapeutic goals focus on providing an environment conducive for self-exploration and growth, while also helping clients to build and maintain positive and emotionally satisfying relationships with others.
Diana Palmer, LMFT
Psychotherapist
Diana Palmer is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. Diana studied psychology at Boston University and California State University Los Angeles, where she received her BA in Psychology and her MS in Counseling. She began her work in the mental health field in 1999 as a rape crisis counselor at the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center. Since that time, she has worked with a variety of populations in inpatient and outpatient settings. Diana particularly enjoys helping clients navigate life transitions such as marriage, having children, changing careers, divorce or separation, retirement, etc. She has a collaborative approach to working with clients - utilizing and building upon clients’ strengths to achieve therapeutic goals. Diana is a member of the Red Cross’s Disaster Mental Health Team. She is also a clinical fellow with the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists and currently serves on the NYAAMFT Board of Directors as the Albany/ Hudson Valley Chapter President.
Michelle is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in the State of New York. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Plattsburgh State University and went on to graduate Summa Cum Laude with her Master of Science degree in Mental Health Counseling from the University at Albany. Throughout her academic career, Michelle conducted research in the field of psychology, focusing specifically on mood, personality, multiculturalism, diversity issues and cognitive science. Michelle has been a practicing clinician since 2014 and has experience in inpatient and outpatient mental health facilities as well as community agencies serving children, families, and adolescents.
She is especially skilled at assisting clients with adjustment issues, life transitions, prenatal and post-partum issues, and mood disorders, and particularly enjoys working with late adolescents and young adults. Michelle’s therapeutic focus places emphasis on establishing a strong, connected relationship with her clients: something she believes is pivotal in providing the foundation to make changes and promote wellness. She uses a range of techniques to assist her clients in improving insight in order to achieve emotional balance and growth, while providing a safe and supportive environment to challenge difficult areas.
Michelle Mann-Saumier
Licensed Mental Health Counsleor
Samantha E. Davis, MS, LMHC
Licensed Mental Health Counselor
Samantha is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor who is passionate about helping others. Samantha received a Master’s degree from Plattsburgh State University and since that time, has worked in a variety of treatment settings. She has worked with children, teens, adults, couples, and families, providing individual psychotherapy as well as group therapy. Samantha has spent the last four years providing individual therapy to children, adolescents, and adults in an outpatient agency setting.
Samantha enjoys assisting individuals in processing their specific barriers or challenges, accessing their personal strengths, and achieving valued life goals. She utilizes a holistic treatment approach in therapy, tailoring the therapeutic experience to the specific needs of each individual, couple, or family whom she has the privilege to work with. Samantha is passionate about partnering with clients to foster healing, self-discovery, and lasting positive changes in their lives.
“The good life is a process, not a state of being. It is a direction not a destination.” –Carl Rogers
Samantha Foster LMHC
Licensed Mental Health Counselor
Samantha is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor with her Master’s degree in counseling from Alfred University. She has experience working in a variety of therapeutic settings including psychiatric units, halfway houses and clinics. She is currently working with children and youth and families. She has a strong passion for helping young people navigate areas of difficulty including depression, anxiety, school issues, and family transitions. For the past five years she has provided individual therapy to children and adolescents struggling with psychological,
behavioral and familial issues. Samantha is a kind and supportive individual who believes in creating a safe and understanding therapeutic setting where children and adolescents can feel free to be themselves as they learn how to cope with the issues that are of concern to them.
“Don’t give up. I believe in you all. A person’s a person no matter how small.” Dr. Seuss
Rachel is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who has been working in the
field since 1997. She has experience providing individual, group, and family
counseling to children, adolescents, and adults. She graduated from SUNY Albany
with her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and went on to receive her Master’s
Degree in Social Work from Fordham University.
Rachel was most recently employed at Glens Falls Hospital-Center for Recovery in
Hudson Falls, an outpatient clinic for people with Substance Use Disorders. She
started as an Adventure Based Counselor for the Challenge Program prior to
moving into the role of Program Director for the Washington County Clinic.
Rachel’s professional experience also includes working with victims of domestic
violence in a shelter environment, children affected by substance use in their
families, preschool children with disabilities, and adolescents at high risk of
residential placement. She also facilitated community and school-based
programming for Big Brothers Big Sisters.
Rachel is dedicated to building a solid therapeutic partnership with clients using a
holistic approach to improve overall well-being. A variety of techniques are used
to help empower clients to determine their own goals and work towards reaching
those goals.
Rachel Wolfield, LCSW-R
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Stephanie O'Hanlon-Kayalar, RN, BSN, MFT-LP
Stephanie is a Marriage and Family Therapist. She finished her didactic education at Northcentral University, Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy Program in 2021 and is currently working towards licensure. She graduated from Roberts Wesleyan College with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and worked both as an Intensive Care Nurse at Glens Falls Hospital as well as a clinical instructor for the nursing program at SUNY Adirondack. In addition to her MFT training, she is certified as a Level I and II Gottman Method Couples Therapy practitioner. Stephanie also utilizes Solution-focused Therapy which is a future focused therapy that helps clients discover their strengths and resources to solve problems. She works with individuals, couples and families to assist them in moving through life transitions such as marriage and relationships, divorce and separation, acute and chronic illness as well as anxiety and depression to find healing, happiness and new meaning in life.
