Meet the VCNF Team
Integrity • Accountability • Respect • Hard Work • Family
At Voice for Children & Nurturing Families, our team of therapists cares deeply for our patients, showing up for them emotionally, psychologically, and physically. Our team is always prepared, providing top-quality care with compassion and respect. We create a nurturing and caring environment, staying connected with our patients outside of sessions. Our dedication is evident as we offer 24/7 access and treat patients like family. We support and respect each other, fostering a positive and loving atmosphere.
April D-E Thornton, MS, M.Ed, LCMHCS, RPT
Clinical Supervisor, Psychotherapist
Specialties: Parent-Child Interaction Therapy, Neurobiofeedback, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavior Therapy,
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing
Rochester C. Damon Jr., MS, NCC, LCMHC, TF-CBT
Clinical Supervisor, Psychotherapist
I am licensed in North Carolina with 7 years of professional work experience. I am a nationally certified Trauma Focused Behavioral Therapist. I am also a National Certified Counselor. I have experience helping clients with stress and anxiety, trauma and abuse, parenting issues, & anger management. I also provide Dialectical Behavior Therapy and couples counseling. I work with my clients to create an open and safe environment where thoughts and feelings can be shared without fear of judgment. It takes courage to seek out a more fulfilling and happier life and to take the first steps towards a change. I am here to support & empower them in that journey.
The first reason that I decided to work in a private practice was the family atmosphere. The second reason is that it allowed me to grow at a pace where I felt comfortable. The practice provided me with training to meet the patients' and their families' needs. I am passionate about serving because I think it is a calling for me to assist individuals from different backgrounds and ethnicities, to help those find a healthy pathway to life again.
I show that I value my clients by being consistently present with them and open to their experiences during the session as well as when a crisis arises— to support and nurture them through it.
Most of the individuals that I work with call me the “voice in their head” when they find themselves trying to find the middle pathway to a problem. I am often told, “I can hear you say…” which shows that they have been working on the skill sets that have been taught in order to assist them in managing their mental health.
When I'm not counseling, I enjoy being a spiritual leader in my community, spending time with my family, reading, exercising, and increasing my spirituality. I also like to provide different workshops concerning wellness in the community.
Specialties: Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy
Brook Strickland, MS, LCMHCA
Psychotherapist
Brook Strickland has been a licensed clinical mental health counselor since December 2023. Brook is originally from Durham, NC, and has lived in North Carolina her entire life. Brook holds a Bachelor of Science in Genetics from NC State and a Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from NC A&T. Brook started at VCNF in September 2022 as an intern and has been able to transition to a full-time therapist. Brook notes that one of her favorite things about working here is the support and collaboration that happen between therapists to help make sure we give our patients the best service that we possibly can.
Brook bases her treatment on Cognitive Behavior Theory, which helps show the connections between one’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Brook is passionate about working with kids and teens with issues such as anxiety, depression, ADHD, ODD, and trauma. As a trauma-informed therapist, Brook believes it is important to find multiple ways to express yourself if words are not enough. Brook takes an art-like approach to her interventions because she believes that people can find creative ways to express themselves. Brook’s favorite thing to tell patients is that “art has no rules,” so they can express what is on their mind as freely as they can imagine.
Outside of therapy, Brook enjoys watching college basketball, cooking, reading, listening to music, and salsa dancing! Other fun facts about Brook include: she is currently relearning French, she is writing a cookbook with her family, and she is of African American, German, and Korean descent!
Leslie Juarez, MSW, LCSWA
Bilingual Therapist, Psychotherapist
My name is Leslie Juarez. I have been employed at VCNF since 2019 as an administrative assistant and translator for our Spanish-speaking families. In 2021, I was able to begin my journey as an associate licensed Clinical Social Worker. I’m currently working towards full licensure. Previously, I worked at Community Intervention and Educational Services. I facilitated anger management and domestic violence offender groups. I am a first-generation Mexican American daughter. I understand the struggles that many Mexican Americans have to deal with on a day-to-day basis because of being in a new country and having to balance two cultures. I graduated from the University of North Carolina in Greensboro in 2018 with my bachelor’s in social work and sociology. I then graduated in 2021 from Capella University with my master's in social work. I enjoy working with all populations, but I genuinely love working with my Spanish-speaking families.
Aside from that, I am a daughter, sister, wife, and mother. I have 2 beautiful daughters, Analia and Abigail, who inspire me to work hard every day and continue to make a difference. My family is my main priority, and if I am not in the office, I am spending time with them. I spend my free time with friends, going out, and trying new things. I love to travel to Mexico every year to connect with my roots, culture, and traditions. I am a big coffee lover who enjoys trying new coffee shops (always taking recommendations!). I enjoy all genres of music and dancing. I truly enjoy working at Voice for Children and Nurturing Families because of the friendly and welcoming environment where we are all able to work together as a team and provide support for our families.