LICENSES AND ACCREDITATIONS:

• Licensed Clinical Social Worker (CT)
• Licensed Clinical Social Worker (VA)
• Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CT)
• Certified School Social Worker (CT)
• Certified in Seminar in Field InstructionCertificate in Sport Social Work

Justin is an experienced coach, mentor, clinician, and clinical supervisor. He primarily works with young adults in a variety of clinical settings, ranging from residential care to in-home treatments. He considers it a privilege to have the opportunity to form meaningful and supportive relationships with those he serves. In addition to his work at Valiance, Justin is also an adjunct faculty member of Fairfield University and the University of Connecticut. He studied at the University of North Carolina–Wilmington for his bachelor’s in Social Work and at the University of Connecticut for his master’s in Social Work.
Justin primarily works with adolescents, emerging adults, and young professionals, ages 14 and above.

He specializes in:

• Anxiety/depression
• Career and executive coaching
• College planning and coaching
• Executive functioning coaching
• Failure to launch
• Family support
• Men’s issues
• Oppositional or defiant behaviors
• Post-graduate planning and coaching
• Sports performance coaching
• Substance use disorders

LICENSES AND ACCREDITATIONS:

• National Certified Counselor
• Certificate in the Integration of Spirituality and Religion in Counseling

T.J. is passionate about supporting college-aged individuals to create and achieve meaningful, fulfilling goals. It’s no surprise that he works well with this age group as he grew up playing sports (soccer, lacrosse, and paintball) and is currently playing music professionally—activities that young adults can easily relate to.

He is able to blend his sports and musical experiences into his clinical work. Thanks to that, clients not only find his counseling conversational and empowering but also relaxed and humorous. This approach is proven effective because his clients find themselves closer to their goals after each session.

T.J. believes that relationship building is at the core of the work he does and is humbled at every opportunity he has to create meaningful connections with those he works with. 

In addition to being Valiance’s senior-most clinician, T.J. is also working at Fairfield University as a teaching assistant. Before that, he had worked at Sacred Heart University’s counseling center as an academic coach and a mental health counselor.

He studied at Quinnipiac University for his bachelor’s in Behavioral Neuroscience and at Fairfield University for his master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. He’s currently enrolled at Yale for his master’s in Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner.

T.J. primarily works with adolescents, emerging adults, and young professionals, ages 15 and above.

He specializes in:

• Anxiety/depression
• Career coaching
• College student counseling
• Executive functioning coaching
• Failure to launch
• Family support
• Men’s and women’s issues
• Performance coaching

LICENSES AND ACCREDITATIONS:

• Certified School Social Worker (CT)

Cori practices two beliefs:

One, being honest and trustworthy is what builds relationships.

Two, dedication and consistency are non-negotiable.

She realized these back when she was a captain of the Women’s Basketball team at Clark University, and she carried these values today into her work as a clinician. Cori values connection and diversity and uses creativity to help those she serves. She is able to empower her clients to trust their process (the journey they have so far in and out of their sessions) and embrace their vulnerability, especially during tough times. 

Cori primarily works with children, adolescents, and emerging adults, ages 10 and above.

She specializes in:

• Anxiety/depression
• Career coaching
• College student counseling
• Executive functioning coaching
• Failure to launch
• Family support
• LGBTQIA+
• Performance coaching
• Relationship challenges
• Trauma

She studied at Clark University for her bachelor’s in Psychology and Education and at Southern Connecticut State University for her master’s in Social Work.

Alexa is professional and dedicated, always aiming for the best when working with clients. She is driven to deliver compassionate, collaborative, and emphatic care to those ready to improve their lives. One thing about Alexa is that she has a unique approach—one that combines her strong clinical skills with her respect for teamwork to help clients achieve their goals. This approach was inspired by the experience she had as the captain of the Women’s Golf team when she was studying for her master’s in Social Work at Fairfield University.

Alexa primarily works with adolescents, emerging adults, and young professionals, ages 15 and above.

She specializes in:

• Anxiety/depression
• Career coaching
• College student counseling
• Executive functioning coaching
• Failure to launch
• Family support
• Men’s and women’s issues
• Performance coaching
• Relationship challenges

LICENSES AND ACCREDITATIONS:

• Member, National Association for College Admissions Counseling 
• Member, American Counseling Association

Evan embodies the ethos of Valiance: being able to coach people through life’s toughest moments. As a coach and a counselor, he knows how to motivate individuals to achieve success, be it in academics, sports, or life in general—or all three.

He has extensive experience as an undergraduate admissions counselor at Sacred Heart University. There, he reviewed thousands of student essays, letters of recommendation, resumes, and supplemental submissions for admission.

This experience, combined with his ability to connect well with students and families, gives him the ultimate tool to help clients navigate the rigorous college search and application process.

Evan now works part-time at Valiance as a group fitness instructor and advisor and full-time as a high school guidance counselor.

Evan primarily works with high school and college-aged students, ages 13 and above.

He specializes in:

• Career coaching
• College application coaching and support
• College coaching
• College planning
• College student counseling
• Failure to launch
• Family support and guidance
• High school student counseling
• Post-graduate planning and coaching