Meet Our Therapists
Greer Jones, LMFT
Hi and welcome! My name is Greer Jones and I am so excited you've decided to check us out. I'm the owner of Agape Individual and Family Therapy, which opened in 2018. I have a Master's in Science in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of Alabama, along with a Bachelor's in Science in Biology. While earning my Master's degree, I worked at the Capstone Family Therapy Clinic, Bradford Health Services and the Sprayberry Center. Before returning to graduate school, I served as an Associate Director in campus ministry at the University of Alabama.
I want to help you have the best therapeutic experience and that takes trust and time. I hope to create a friendly and inviting atmosphere where you feel comfortable enough to be yourself. I hope to be a small part of your journey as you discover how to become a happier and healthier you.
I am a fully licensed marriage and family therapist through the Alabama Board of Examiners in Marriage and Family Therapy. Addiction and recovery have always been some of my favorites areas to work in, but I have recently found a love for working with parents-- both new and seasoned. It's so special to walk alongside other moms as we learn to navigate motherhood together. I strive to create a personalized treatment plan for each client; since no two people are exactly the same, no two treatment plans should look exactly the same, either. I am EMDR trained and am happy to offer that as a treatment plan option. I am also an Approved Supervisor through AAMFT (American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy) and currently supervise all associate licensed therapists and interns of Agape Individual and Family Therapy, along with masters students at the University of Alabama and other associate licensed therapists in Alabama.
Contact:
E// greer@agapetherapytuscaloosa.com
P// 205.523.5590
Danielle Russo-Gonzalez, LMFT, CFLE
Hey there! My name is Danielle Russo-Gonzalez and I am glad you are here.
I received my masters in Marriage and Family Therapy in 2018 and have been working with children and families in private practice ever since. I began my journey in Tuscaloosa before making my way to Hoover to develop a Mental Health department in a multi-disciplinary pediatric therapy clinic. In my time there I collaborated with Occupational Therapists, Speech Therapists, and Physical Therapists to provide more holistic care to clients and now I hope to bring this unique experience to families in Tuscaloosa and beyond. I value the work of other disciplines and bring that into my work by being a very collaborative piece of your therapy journey.
In working with kids, I tend to lean into a child-centered approach. I believe that play is a child's language and toys are their words. Using this kind of approach allows me to meet kids where they are most comfortable and allow them to communicate what they
need and then work to meet those needs. I also pull from Solution Focused, Narrative, and CBT approaches when working with older kids and adults. I am trained in EMDR and have done specialized training in EMDR with children. I have a special interest in working with neurodiversity, adoption/foster care, and trauma. I have received advanced trauma training and TBRI®-Caregiver Training provided by Rachel Ashcraft, OTR/L, TBRI® Practitioner.
It is my hope that in working together, you feel as though we are partners in this journey. I work to create an environment that promotes collaboration and empowers my clients to create change for themselves and their families.
Contact:
E// danielle@agapetherapytuscaloosa.com
P// 205.719.2136
Maggie Monroe, LMFTA, CFLE-P
Hi there! My name is Maggie, and I am so glad you are here.
I am a graduate from the University of Alabama with my master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy and an undergraduate degree in Human Development and Family Studies. Upon graduating, I earned my Associate’s license as a Marriage and Family Therapist. While in graduate school, I gained almost 600 hours of experience as an intern at the Capstone Family Therapy Clinic and Child’sPlay Therapy Center. It is an honor and privilege to work alongside individuals, couples, and families through the highs and lows of life. While I have received training for a variety of needs, I have a focus on trauma, spirituality, emotion regulation, relationships, and connection.
For families specifically, I have a passion about, and experience seeing, families of all ages and stages. Whether this is a post-partum parent with a newborn, parents of toddlers learning to effectively navigate big feelings, kinship care, foster, or adoptive
families, or families learning how to connect with their adolescent, I believe there is no age limit to therapy’s benefits. I have a provisional license as a Certified Family Life Educator and have received training in Trust-Based Relational Interventions®️ (TBRI®️). I am a firm believer in the power of play therapy (explained more in our Services section) and love empowering parents out of shame and children into felt safety and self-worth.
As someone who received therapy as a child and as an adult, I know reaching out for a helping hand can feel intimidating. My first priority as a therapist is connecting with you and ensuring you feel understood in the therapy room. I am looking forward to walking with you through your joys and struggles as you experience life to the fullest.
Maggie is supervised by Greer Jones, LMFT-S.
Contact:
E // maggie@agapetherapytuscaloosa.com
P // 205.578.1961
Ria Gurganus, LMFTA
Hello and welcome! My name is Ria Gurganus and I’m happy you found Agape. Deciding to pursue therapy is a big step and finding a therapist can be tough. For so many, their first experience with therapy is off-putting and I want to make sure you feel comfortable and heard. I would be honored to help you process whatever you’re going through, past or present.
I work with all different people, including individuals, couples, kids and their families. I have training in many modes of therapy and work with my clients to meet their goals by individualizing their treatment. I have additional training in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing treatment for my clients who have experienced trauma.
I received my training through the masters of Marriage and Family Therapy program at The University of Alabama, in addition to a Bachelor’s and a Master of Arts in Psychology. During my master’s program, I worked at The Capstone Family Therapy Clinic and Hope Grows Center for Counseling for over 500 face to face hours with clients.
In my experience, most people start to feel the weight of their situation lift after the first session simply because they are taking the first step to healing. I’m hopeful that you will experience this lightness through therapy too!
Ria is supervised by Greer Jones, LMFT-S.
Contact:
E// ria@agapetherapytuscaloosa.com
P// 205.409.0680
Sarah McCain, MDiv, LMFTA
I’m Sarah and I am grateful for the opportunity to walk alongside children, adults, couples, and families as they move toward understanding, healing, and connection. Though everyone deserves a deep sense of love and belonging, sometimes the ways we have learned to protect ourselves can create barriers to experiencing these basic human needs. If you would like to heal your relationship with yourself and with those around you, I'm here to help.
My areas of focus include trauma (relational, religious, and systemic), spirituality, relationships, child-centered therapy, parenting, gender identity and sexuality, shame and self-worth. I aim to create a safe environment that allows clients of all ages to attune to their body, heart, and mind to recover what is needed to feel at home within themselves and with those they love.
I believe therapy is not as much about becoming as it is about healing how and why we believe we aren’t enough already. Accompanying children, adults, couples, and families on this journey is an incredible privilege and a joy.
Sarah is supervised by Greer Jones, LMFT-S.
Contact:
E//sarah@agapetherapytuscaloosa.com
P// 205.810.2504
