Kendee began her service to youth and families over 30 years ago and spent 26 years with the YMCA. She joined the Reach For Youth team in 2015 and believes in the powerful mission - Providing youth second chances through prevention, intervention and counseling. She has previous experience in both annual and capital fundraising, operations, developing board and staff teams and programming. Kendee is a graduate of Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN; Bachelor of Science in Child Development and Family Studies.
Melissa joined the Reach For Youth family in 2018 as our Director of Operations and in July of 2022 changed to the role of Marketing and Fundraising. She has over 15 years’ experience in fundraising, recruitment, and annual planning with both organizations – Boy Scouts of America and the American Cancer Society. She believes that fundraising is event planning with a purpose.
Melissa graduated from Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN; with a Bachelor of Arts in Photography and Art History.
Favorite Quote:
"In every job that must be done, there is an element of fun."
-Mary Poppins
In joining Reach For Youth in 2022, Mark continues to add to his 15 year history of facilitating mental health and non-profit services in Central Indiana. He has specialized in non-profit operations as well as community program development. Mark has served on various boards and committees in Central Indiana including Marion County Community Corrections, Indiana Council Addictions Committee, Marion County Public Safety, and the Domestic Violence Coordinated Community Response.
Due to his active community work Mark is a frequent speaker in the areas of mental health and addictions and has been awarded the Community Service award by Drug Free Marion County. Mark is a graduate of Concordia University Chicago and Indiana Wesleyan University and holds state clinical licensures in marriage and family therapy, mental health and addictions.
Favorite Quote:
"Life's most persistent and urgent question is: What are you doing for others?"
-Martin Luther King, Jr.
Denise Senter serves as Director of Mental Health and Clinical Services in support of Reach For Youth’s programs and operations. Denise joined Reach For Youth In December, 2013.
Denise is a licensed clinician trained in Marriage and Family Therapy with nearly 30 years of extensive experience serving families and children in private practice.
Some areas of specialization include mood disorders; behavioral problems in home and/or school; trauma, including domestic violence, sexual abuse, and physical abuse; attachment difficulties in children and adults, and cultural awareness and cross-cultural competency. Denise has served as a trainer and consultant to several organizations throughout Indiana, as well as to professional athletes.
Denise is a published author dealing with mental health and currently serves on the Board of Directors with Infancy Onward (formerly, Indiana Association of Infant and Toddler Mental Health).
Favorite Quote:
"Always do your best. What you plant now, you will harvest later."
- Og Mandino
Ashlyn N. Douthitt is a licensed marriage and family therapist, clinical supervisor, and certified family life educator. She has 10 years of experience working with individuals, children, adolescents, and families. Ashlyn’s integrative approach to therapy creates a therapeutic environment that is tailored to each client’s unique worldview, experience, and needs. She is well-versed in addressing mental health concerns from a systemic perspective (e.g., individual, family, community etc.) and acknowledges the societal and systemic factors that contribute to mental, emotional, and relational difficulties.
Ashlyn believes that people do well if they can which underlies her efforts to support and guide clients in lifting constraints that are keeping them stuck in unhealthy ways of being. Ashlyn has extensive training and experience in Family Systems Theory, parent-child relationships, child development, family of origin work, parenting, foster care/child welfare and trauma.
Ashlyn earned a BA in Psychology and a BS in Family Studies from Miami University and a MS in Marriage and Family Therapy from Northwestern University. She is currently a doctoral candidate in Antioch University New England’s Couple and Family Therapy Program. Her research focuses on the impact of parental incarceration on the family system.
Favorite Quote:
"You may not be responsible for the wound but you are responsible for your healing"
- Unknown
Cindikaye Johnson graduated from IUPUI, with a Bachelor of Science in Public Health, and worked for both Marion County and Hendricks County Health Departments, with a focus on inspection and community education. As family time allowed, Cindikaye went back to school and obtained her Master's in Mental Health Counseling through Capella University.
Cindikaye is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor with experience helping those with both mental health and substance abuse issues. She has worked with children, adolescents, and adults in individual, family, and group settings since 2011, providing treatment in both in-patient and out-patient settings.
Cindikaye began her work with Reach for Youth in 2021, with a commitment to serve the community one family at a time.
Favorite Quote:
"A child whose behavior pushes you away is a child who needs connection before anything else"
- Kelly Bartlett, Encouraging Words for Kids
Emily has a Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy and is currently accruing hours for licensure. Emily began in this field as a social worker in 2017 and has been providing therapy since 2021.
Through prior experiences, Emily has helped adolescents and children (and their families) with emotional regulation, anxiety, depression, body image concerns, self-esteem, and communicating needs. Emily’s therapeutic style is nonjudgmental and compassionate; while still asking tough questions, that left unanswered, could hinder client’s growth.
Along with the entire team at Reach For Youth, Emily invites her clients into a mutual respectful relationship, where clinician and client collaborate for care and growth..
Favorite Quote:
"The good life is a process, not a state of being. It is a direction, not a destination"
- Carl Rogers
Shanae Kelley graduated from Butler University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology/Sociology, a combined major. She continued her education at IUPUI, completing her Master's degree in Social Work, and has worked in the field of social work since 2007.
Shanae has worked with children and families in various capacities since 2004. She also served the Indianapolis community by organizing community events.
At Reach For Youth, she continues her passion in working with youth and families, particularly the Alternative to Expulsion program. "I feel it is an honor to be able to work with families, even in their most difficult times."
Favorite Quote:
"Never quit trying."
Lindsey Southwick graduated from the University of Illinois with her Masters in Social Work and with a dual specialization in Mental Health and School Counseling. She attended Marian University for a Masters in Special Education and received her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology at Indiana State University.
Lindsey has worked in mental health serving residential, outpatient, home base, and international populations since 2002. She is a proficient clinician who has worked with behavioral issues and all mental health diagnoses. Lindsey Southwick has 14 years of experience with trauma victims from sexual abuse to war or gang ridden countries with adults and children. At Reach For Youth, Lindsey continues her interests in working with immigrant families on trauma and other mental health needs. Lindsey works with families with a systemic approach from policy, community, family, and the individual.
Lindsey is engaged in important and influential work such as developing policy for human rights and environmental needs among Indiana legislators. She is on the Sierra Club Indiana State board and the Heartland Sierra Club and acts as lobbyist for social issues, environmental issues on behalf of the Sierra Club. Lindsey is currently on the Excom committee and chair of the conservation committee.
Lindsey has experience working at refugee resettlements and other agencies providing mental health care and case management for Latino, African, CHIN, Burmese, and Bosnia countries.
Favorite Quote:
"The Earth is her Country. Humankind her people."
- Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Aqdas
Dan Arseneau graduated from Lincoln Christian University, with a Bachelor of Arts in Youth Ministry, and worked as a youth and young adult pastor in the non-denominational church for 9 years before returning to school in order to obtain his Master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy through Christian Theological Seminary.
Dan began his work with Reach For Youth in 2021 with a focus on delivering social and emotional learning (SEL) curriculum to various community partners in Marion and Johnson Counties, and continues to serve the community in this capacity as well as providing mental health therapy services.
Dan is currently working toward licensure, and has experience in working with both children and parents on behavior and communication issues with a nonjudgmental focus on restructuring the relationship that best serves the hopes and goals of the family.
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Favorite quote:
"Around here, however, we don't look backwards for very long. We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things, because we're curious … and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.”
-Walt Disney
Carolyn graduated from Ball State University with a bachelor’s in general studies with an emphasis in elementary education. She recently graduated with a master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Christian Theological Seminary. Leading a purposeful life is her passion. She strongly believes the first experience for children in therapy should be positive and inviting while providing a safe space to be yourself and feel accepted. She understands that children and teens often feel awkward or intimidated speaking to someone they don’t know; her approach is very laid back and personable meeting everyone on their level in their time. She helps guide the family toward healthier relationships with one another. Her training in systemic work (all the environments we relate within and societal influences) has prepared her to help youth and their families build stronger bonds to themselves, each other and the world around them.
Building on her background in education Carolyn is also a REACH educator (Relationships, Education/Employability, Access to resources, Collaborations with community, Hope) promoting our youth program within the Johnson County community. She loves to see pre-teens/teens move from low motivation to believing in themselves. Knowing who you are and your purpose/contribution to the world from your uniqueness is empowerment that can be harnessed at any point in life. She believes limiting thoughts does not have to become reality and there is great power in our choice to change them to serve us better.
In her free time Carolyn enjoys spending time with her family, hiking, home improvement projects, baking and catching up with friends over dinner.
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Favorite quote:
"A hundred years from now
it will not matter
what my bank account was,
the sort of house I lived in,
or the kind of car I drove…
but the world may be different because
I was important in the life of a child.”
-Forest E. Whitcraft
Chris graduated from Manchester University with a Bachelor of Science in Social Work and Criminal Justice.
After gaining experience working with youth and families at Youth Connections as the Program Assistant, he joined the Reach For Youth team in 2003.
As the Teen Court Director, he also facilitates workshops on topics including shoplifting, conflict resolution, peer pressure and teen dating violence. The Teen Court program allows him to combine his passion for working with youth and supporting them in turning mistakes into opportunities for growth and personal development, while helping youth avoid the negative consequences of being an adjudicated delinquent in an official juvenile court.
Stephen has always believed that every kid has the potential in becoming a success story —that is why he chose to become a family/ community liaison. With 12 years of experience in the public school education system, Stephen has helped hundreds of students and individuals become triumphant in their next career moves. He guides lives in boosting their confidence, developing their skills, and becoming productive adults in the community.
In 2022, Stephen joined the Reach for the Youth team as the Outreach Program Director, his vision is to create opportunities and programs in the community for individuals that do not have the means and connections to do so.
When he's not working in the community, he's coaching high school football and spending time with family and friends. He has always loved sports and believes that sports have some healing power in his life.
Favorite Quote:
"Work with Each Child, Support them Each Day and Watch the Success."
