Our Team
NGCC counselors include Licensed Professional Counselors, Associate Professional Counselors, and Master’s level practicum/internship students.
Trista Blankenship, MA, LPC
Trista Blankenship is the Operations Manager at NGCC as well as a counselor. She earned her Master’s degree in counseling from Truett McConnell University.
Mrs. Blankenship is especially passionate about helping people navigate marriage and other relationships and also enjoys working with a variety of individual clients. Learn more.
Lynette Conner, MA, LPC
Lynette Conner earned her Master’s degree in Marriage, Couples, & Family Counseling from Regent University. She has been a Licensed Professional Counselor since 2020. Lynette has experience with individual, couple, family, and group therapy. She began developing her passion for counseling while volunteering at a Pregnancy Resource Center. She is a facilitator for the Prepare/Enrich Premarital Program and for Children in Between.
Natalie Ford, PhD, LPC, CPCS, CAMS-IV
Dr. Natalie Ford is a Licensed Professional Counselor and a Certified Professional Counselor Supervisor. She holds a Master’s degree from Reformed Theological Seminary and a PhD from Liberty University. She has authored Tears to Joy: Finding Hope in the Presence of Bipolar Disorder and Suicide, and Grace-based Counseling. Dr. Ford specializes in suicide prevention, grief counseling, anxiety disorders, and depression. Learn more.
Jim Gant, PhD, LPC, CPCS
Jim Gant is Executive Director of NGCC. He holds PhD and ThM degrees from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and a Master’s degree in Community Counseling from Georgia State University. He has been a Licensed Professional Counselor since 2000, and he is a National Board Certified Counselor and a Certified Professional Counselor Supervisor in Georgia. Dr. Gant is an ordained minister and currently serves as Executive Pastor at Helen First Baptist Church.
Tom Hennigan, MA, LPC, Cert. EMDR
Tom Hennigan earned his Master’s degree in Professional Counseling from Truett McConnell University. Tom approaches counseling from a neurobiologically informed understanding of trauma, attachment, and dissociation. He is especially passionate about helping people navigate trauma, including church hurt, and working with teens and young adults. He is certified in equine assisted psychotherapy and equine assisted learning through O.K. Corral. He is also certified in EMDR through the EMDR Institute. Learn more.
Brianna Lewallen, MA, APC
Brianna graduated from Truett McConnell University with a Master’s degree in Professional Counseling. She also earned an undergraduate degree in nursing and is licensed as an RN. She currently is working under the clinical supervision and direction of Dr. Natalie Ford. Brianna's counseling experience has primarily focused on working with individuals with childhood trauma, children with divorced parents, grief, bullying, anxiety, and depression.
Amanda Taylor, MS
Amanda Taylor earned a Master’s degree in Professional Counseling from Truett McConnell University. She is currently working under the clinical supervision and direction of Natalie Ford, PhD. Amanda is passionate about helping clients navigate grief, trauma, loss, stress, anxiety, and depression.
Northeast Georgia Christian Counseling is led by a volunteer Board of Directors made up of local church and community leaders.
James Forrester
Client Manager, Ryals Brothers
Crystal Holcomb
Lead Nurse, Habersham County Schools
John Howard
Co-Owner, Howard Brothers Hardware
Cheryl Kennedy
Community Care Pastor, The Bridge Church
Mike King, PhD
VP Student Affairs, North Georgia Technical College (Retired)
Jamie Smith
Lead Pastor, Ebenezer Baptist Church
Laura Smith
Media Specialist, Wauka Mountain Multiple Intelligences Academy
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