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Benjamin HOWARD, LCPC, LPC, ADHD-CCSP, ASDCS
He/Him | Managing Clinical Director | Clinical Mental Health Counselor | Certified ADHD & Autism Specialist | AuDHD ProfessionalBenjamin HOWARD, LCPC, LPC, ADHD-CCSP, ASDCS
Our co-founder and Managing Clinical Director, Benjamin Howard (formerly Lyons), provides clinical mental health counseling and diagnostic assessment services. A practitioner since 2018, Benjamin’s career is rooted in over a decade of experience as an academic advisor, educator, and career coach. Since 2020, he has operated as a 100% telehealth provider, ensuring accessible care for clients across Illinois, Kansas, and Missouri.
Clinical Specialties:
Clinical Specialties:
Adult Neurodivergence: Certified clinical specalist in ADHD and Autism.
Diagnostic Assessment: Clinical evaluation and diagnostic testing services for adult clients (aged 21+).
NeuroAffirming Short-Term Coaching: Short-term, targeted interventions to learn about self, build new routines, improve self-care, and strengthen wellness.
Career & Education Coaching: Adult career exploration and navigation of post-secondary education.
School, Workplace, & Housing Accommodations: Support for pursuing workplace or school accomodations related to an experience of trauma or neurodivergence. Support for pursuing an Emotional Support Animal prescrition letter for your landlord or housing office.
Telehealth Excellence: Certified specialist in delivering high-quality, remote clinical care.
Chris Williams, LCPC, LPC
He/Him | Director for Counseling Services | Clinical Mental Health Counselor | Specialist in Youth & Adolecent Mental Health Chris Williams, LCPC, LPC
Chris Williams is our Director for Counseling Services and provides clinical mental health counseling services specializing in youth, family systems, and LGBTQIA+ support. Chris’s clinical career is built upon a foundation of 15 years of experience as an elementary educator in the Kansas City area. His transition from the classroom to the therapy room was driven by a passion for fostering character development, self-acceptance, and emotional intelligence in young people. Chris’s approach to therapy is rooted in validation and understanding, moving clients away from the "shoulds" of life toward a deeper understanding of their authentic selves.
Clinical Specialties:
Clinical Specialties:
Child, Adolescent & Young Adult Therapy: Specialized support for youth (ages 9-17) and young adults, drawing on over 15 years experience as a classroom teacher to understand the unique perspectives and challenges of growing up.
Parenting & Caregiver Support: Helping parents navigate the "why" behind their child's behaviors and finding new, effective ways to connect within the family system.
Adult Individual Counseling: Using tools including Dialectic-Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills, EMDR, and Narrative Therapy techniques to help clients experience greater control in their daily lives and feel more empowered as the authors of their own story.
LGBTQIA+ Advocacy: A supportive, affirming space for LGBTQIA+ adults and youth, focusing on identity, acceptance, and community-specific challenges.
Robin & Birdie
Rev. Robin Kershner, BGS
They/He | Director for Operations & Outreach | Practice Administrator & Educator | Mental Health First Aid CertifiedRev. Robin Kershner, BGS
Robin Kershner serves as our Director for Operations & Outreach. Robin brings with them a wealth of experience and skills to Purple Wellness Counseling as an administrator and educator. A graduate of Johnson County Community College and the University of Kansas, they are trained as a cultural anthropologist. Robin is presently a living historian with an emphasis on European fiber arts of the 15th and 16th centuries.
In addition to their academic background, Rev. Robin has donated their time as a volunteer pagan chaplain at the United States Disciplinary Barracks & Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary. While working as a chaplain, Rev. Robin often engaged with people navigating either the military or civilian justice system while also struggling with undiagnosed neurodivergence. Research suggests over 26.2% of adult prison populations in the US are folks with ADHD, a 10-fold increase in prevalence compared to the general population (Young et al, 2014).
Robin has since expanded into neuro-affirming, evidence-based crisis intervention and support services both to support the health and wellness of neurodivergent populations as well as to help vulnerable people avoid the justice system. In their current role for Purple Wellness, they support our practice administrator, James, in daily practice operations while also overseeing our educational outreach and advocacy efforts.
James Webb, BFA
They/Them | Practice Administrator & Board LiaisonJames Webb, BFA
James provides administrative and billing support and also serves as Liasion for the Trust's Board of Directors. Their professional interests include advocacy related to invisible experiences of disability and wealth-inequality. Trained as a theatre artist, a particular passion is Augusto Boal’s Theatre of the Oppressed.
Note: Provided headshot is stock photography for privacy purposes.
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