About Us

Mission Statement

The team of professionals at Lakeshore Educational & Counseling Services L.L.C. are committed to supporting the needs of our communities by providing educational opportunities through our informative and interactive workshops and compassionate care through our counseling services.

Educational Services

Professional workshops for continuing education units (CEUs)
Community presentations
Programs specifically designed for the church community
Staff trainings, in-services and consultations for businesses, hospitals, schools, senior communities, organizations and churches

Lakeshore Educational & Counseling Services offers qualified and gifted presenters to help you plan a program consistent with your goals and objectives. For a complete list of educational topics, visit the Educational Services page.

Counseling Services

Counseling for children, adolescents, adults, couples and families
Focus areas include: spiritual growth and development, pre-marital counseling, marriage and family life, grief and loss, life transitions, depression, anxiety, stress related problems, anger management, career transition, substance abuse, divorce and blended families, living with terminal illness, relational conflicts, interpersonal communication, abuse to include incest, sexual, emotional and physical trauma

Presenters and Counselors

Thomas H. Craft CPA, CDFA - Tom is the founder and president of Artista Financial Group and has been involved with tax, financial, estate and investment planning for over 25 years. Tom is skilled at helping individuals and families better understand their finances to build stable and rewarding financial lives. He has used his knowledge to help others navigate through periods of transition including eldercare, divorce, death and retirement. Tom assists professionals in their helping roles with his remarkable ability to take complex concepts and explain them in a simplified and understandable manner. Tom is a frequent writer on tax and estate planning issues. He has developed courses on insurance strategies, tax efficient investing, IRA distribution strategies and other estate planning topics. Tom strives to be a leader in his community and serves on the board of the Northern Ohio Planned Giving Council, president of the Broadview Heights Chamber of Commerce, and previously chaired the Leave a Legacy Northern Ohio Program. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Ohio Society of CPA's and Estate Planning Council of Cleveland. Tom works with Lakeshore Educational & Counseling Services delivering trainings to community, professional and corporate audiences.

Marilyn Culler MA, LPC - Marilyn is a counselor and teacher having earned a BS in Elementary Education and a MA in Clinical Pastoral Counseling. She is licensed by the State of Ohio as both a Licensed Professional Counselor and a K - 8th grade teacher. Both careers have provided her with experience in working with people of all ages, while professional counseling has given Marilyn the opportunity to work with children, adolescents, adults, and couples looking to apply a change in their lives. Many of these changes have been in the areas of anger management, anxiety, depression, education, marital or relationship difficulties, and spirituality. Marilyn is a member of the American Counseling Association and schedules counseling appointments at the Vermilion office of Lakeshore Educational & Counseling Services.

Susan Fee M.Ed., PCC - Susan is a licensed professional clinical counselor with a BA in Communications and a Master's Degree in Counseling. She specializes in helping her clients develop their personal and professional communication skills. Susan is a successful freelance writer with over 100 published articles and four communication tips booklets: Positive First Impressions and Dealing With Difficult People and Building Resiliency and Secrets of Successful Presentations. She is also the author of a college survival book, My Roommate is Driving Me Crazy! Susan is the founder of Circle of F.R.I.E.N.D.S. to help girls ages 8-14 develop positive social skills, self esteem and resiliency. She appears regularly on WKYC's Good Company as their Relationship Expert and is a substitute co-host for Q-104's morning show. Her column "Mommy Matters" appears bi-monthly in the Akron Family Magazine. Susan works with Lakeshore Educational & Counseling Services scheduling counseling appointments for children, adolescents, adults, couples and families in Seven Hills, Ohio and delivering trainings to community, professional and corporate audiences.

Judi Fischer MA, PCC-S - Judi is the President of Lakeshore Educational & Counseling Services. She is a counselor, educator, consultant and adjunct college instructor. She has a BS in Education and a MA in Clinical Pastoral Counseling. She is licensed by the State of Ohio as a Professional Clinical Counselor with supervisory designation. Judi's experience in education includes classroom teaching and educational presentations on a wide range of topics for professionals, community organizations, businesses, schools and churches. In her private practice she works with children, adolescents, adults, couples and families experiencing loss, life transitions, depression, anxiety, relational conflicts, self-esteem difficulties, stress related problems and spiritual concerns. Judi teaches Professional Communication locally, for Business and Management Programs. She is a member of the American Counseling Association, the Ohio Counseling Association, the American Association for Christian Counselors, active in her local church and the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Judi schedules counseling appointments in Vermilion, Ohio and delivers trainings to community, professional and corporate audiences.

Cheryl Gerber, LISW-S - is recognized as a Licensed Independent Social Worker with supervisory designation by the State of Ohio. She received both her BSSW and MSW from The Ohio State University. Cheryl has over 10 years experience working with diverse populations and diagnoses in the community mental health field. Specialty areas of experience include anger management, assertiveness training, trauma victims, co-dependency, male and female survivors of sexual abuse, borderline personality disorder, and crisis intervention. She utilizes cognitive/behavioral and solution-focused approaches to help her clients achieve their goals. Cheryl is a member of the National Association of Social Workers. She enjoys helping clients learn how to best care for themselves and improve functioning. She works with Lakeshore Educational and Counseling Services scheduling appointments in Vermilion, Ohio.

Billie Gilliam PC, LICDC - Billie earned her Master’s Degree in Clinical Mental Health from John Carroll University in University Heights, Ohio. Billie is dually licensed as a Licensed Professional Counselor and Licensed Independent Chemical Dependency counselor. Her philosophy of treatment includes an integrated systems approach that is strength focused. She treats individuals, couples and families with a variety of issues that include: depression, anxiety, relationship issues, women’s issues, substance abuse and dependence. Billie has received additional trainings and certifications in addictions, psychopharmacology, physiology and others. Additionally, she teaches psychology and chemical dependency courses at a local community college. Billie works with Lakeshore Educational & Counseling Services delivering trainings to community and professional audiences.

Ann Lee Ph.D - Ann brings to audiences more than 20 years of experience in business and education in Northeast and Central Ohio. She has participated in grand rounds at the area’s largest hospitals, and is the past president of the Board of Trustees for the Long-Term Care Ombudsman, a federally mandated organization entrusted with providing advocacy on behalf of persons who reside in nursing homes. Her doctoral study focused on an ethics of responsibility, life decisions made informed by hope. Her master’s degree study looked at questions involving biomedical ethics. Dr. Lee has held faculty posts at John Carroll University, Capital University, Wilmington College and Ursuline College, where she taught biomedical ethics, business ethics, culture studies, and business writing, among other courses. Ann works with Lakeshore Educational & Counseling Services delivering trainings to community and professional audiences.

Clarissa Matthews MA, PCC, LSW - Clarissa has a BA in Psychology and MA in Community Counseling. She received dual licensure by the State of Ohio as both a Professional Clinical Counselor and a Licensed Social Worker. Clarissa currently works in the field of community mental health, providing diagnosis and treatment of mental health disorders and behavioral issues to children and adolescents. She has specialized training in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavior Therapy (TF-CBT), with over 17 years experience in the areas of child abuse, trauma, and grief. She also has served as a presenter at local and state wide professional conferences. During her role as president of the Erie-Huron Counties School Crisis Team, Clarissa provided crisis intervention, community education, and supervision to other area professionals on trauma debriefing and crisis stabilization. In addition, she created a summer camp program for bereaved children as well as conducted individual, group, and classroom grief educational services in numerous school districts throughout northern Ohio. Clarissa is a member of the Lorain County Disaster Behavioral Health Response Team, Ohio Counseling Association, American Counseling Association, and has served as the Bylaws Committee Chair on the OCA Executive Board. Clarissa works with Lakeshore Educational & Counseling Services delivering trainings to community and professional audiences.

Thomas O'Reilly MS, PCC-S - Thomas is a mental health and AoD therapist. He is a national public speaker and has presented at both national and regional conferences. He is the President of A Better Way and provides Drug-Free Safety Training to companies who seek to have, or currently have, a Drug-Free Safety Program for their employees. He holds a BS in Business Administration from The Ohio State University and a MS in Marriage and Family Therapy from The University of Akron. Thomas is licensed by the State of Ohio as a Professional Clinical Counselor with Supervisory designation. His 12 years of experience in mediation includes divorce, truancy, domestic violence, civil and transformative mediation. His 16 years of counseling practice includes work with children, adolescents, adults, alcohol and drug dependency, couples and families, geriatrics, those experiencing loss, a wide array of emotional and personal issues, and spiritual concerns. Thomas has also worked with severely mentally disturbed patients in crisis. He specializes in helping couples restore closeness and develop healthy communication, conflict resolution and increase a capacity for relational closeness. Thomas works with Lakeshore Educational & Counseling Services scheduling counseling appointments for children, adolescents, adults, couples and families in Vermilion and Seven Hills, Ohio and delivers trainings to community, professional and corporate audiences.

Andrea Peck, MA - Andrea received her B.A. in psychology and her M.A. in communications. She completed a post graduate training program at the Gestalt Institute of Cleveland, is a certified Myers Briggs facilitator, and is completing her coaching certification through the College of Executive Coaching. Andrea facilitates groups and coaches individuals on communication for personal and professional satisfaction and success; she has worked with educators as well as professionals in business and the mental and medical health fields. She is the author of Discovering Ourselves through Acts of Creation; the Healing Tools of Journaling and Professional Image Enhancement: 48 Tips for Achieving Job Satisfaction and Success. Andrea is an Assistant Professor of Communications at Cuyahoga Community College. Andrea works with Lakeshore Educational & Counseling Services delivering trainings to community and professional audiences.

Ronald A. Possy, LICDC - Ron is licensed by the State of Ohio as an Independent Chemical Dependency Counselor. He has over 31 years of extensive experience working in multiple alcohol/drug treatment modalities, specializing in treatment for the adult population. He volunteers on the Lake Erie Addictions Board of Directors, serving as Treasurer. He is proud to have served in the U.S. Navy. Ron works with Lakeshore Educational & Counseling Services scheduling assessments and individual counseling appointments in Vermilion, Ohio.

Gayle Reeves, LPA - Gayle is the president of Gayle A. Reeves Co., L.P.A. and has been practicing law for over 25 years. The main focus of Gayle's law practice is estate planning, with an emphasis on long-term care planning, special needs planning and Elder Law. Gayle is dedicated to solving clients' problems and providing legal services that meet their needs. She listens to her clients' desires and goals and provides the necessary advice and planning to allow them to achieve their objectives. Gayle is experienced performing a comprehensive estate and long-term care planning evaluations to determine the best planning strategies to meet the estate planning and long-term care objectives of her clients. Gayle assists her clients with planning for disability through the use of Powers of Attorney, Living Trusts, Special Needs Trust, and Living Wills. The clients are guided through the decision making process for long-term care placements in nursing facilities and assisted living communities. Gayle is able to work with other professionals to create a plan that meets the needs of the client. She is skilled at facilitating discussions between professionals, clients and family members. She has presented programs on such topics as long-term care planning, changes in Medicaid since the Deficit Reduction Act, the basic estate planning documents (what they do and why you need them), living wills and durable powers of attorney for healthcare, and planning for your disabled child. Gayle is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, the Ohio State Bar Association, in which she sits on the Elder Law Committee, and the Lorain County Bar Association, of which she is Past President. She also sits on the Board of Directors for the Community Foundation of Lorain County, and presently serves as Board Chair. Gayle works with Lakeshore Educational & Counseling Services delivering trainings to community and professional audiences.

Carol A. Roe JD, MSN, RN - Carol is both a registered nurse and an attorney. She is employed by the Centers for Dialysis Care as Director of Regulatory Compliance and Risk Management. Carol's career has encompassed the roles of staff nurse, nursing administrator and educator. Additionally, as a lobbyist for the Ohio Nurses Association, she advocated the profession's views to the Ohio General Assembly. As public affairs consultant for the Ohio Board of Nursing, she advised the Ohio General Assembly about the impact of legislation on nursing regulation. She has published in the areas of nursing law and professional issues. Carol works with Lakeshore Educational & Counseling Services delivering trainings to community, professional and corporate audiences.

Jim W. Rosecrans MS, LMHC, LICDC - Jim has over 20 years of clinical experience. He received his Masters Degree in Mental Health Counseling from St. Thomas University Miami, Florida and he is currently a Licensed Independent Chemical Dependency Counselor. Jim has worked in the fields of mental health and addictions with adolescents and adults in various settings including residential and outpatient treatment centers, private practices and the court system. Jim works with Lakeshore Educational & Counseling Services scheduling substance abuse assessments in Vermilion, Ohio.

Lisa Skeens Ph.D., MSW, LISW - Dr. Skeens has 14 years experience as a psychotherapist, consultant, academic and professional trainer/public speaker. She has presented at many professional and state wide conferences on mental health issues in children, adults, and families, as well as training for corporations on stress management. Dr. Skeens has been a psychotherapist both in private practice and community mental health settings specializing in depression, anxiety, relationships, and non-medical methods of treating childhood mental health problems. She teaches her client's skills in the development of intuition and self-trust. She also specializes in multicultural therapy and is bilingual in Spanish. Dr. Skeens has research interests in psychiatric stigmatization of children in regard to stimulant medication, burn-out/compassion fatigue for mental health workers, learning and teaching styles in academia, anxiety disorders in women, and mental health issues of migrant farm workers and immigrants. She has also participated in community development projects in Ecuador and Costa Rica. A few of her distinguished honors include: recipient of President Bush's 1,000 Points of Light Award for Community Service, Amigos de las Americas Volunteer of the Year Award, featured as a therapist valuable to Lorain County Ohio, University of Toledo Peer Counselor of the Year and a guest lecturer for Governor Taft's Developmental Disability Council. Dr. Skeens works with Lakeshore Educational & Counseling Services delivering trainings to professional audiences in Columbus and the surrounding areas.

Amy D. Stringer MSW, LISW-S - Amy has her B.S. in Family Relations and Human Development and her M.S.W. from Ohio State University and is currently finishing her PhD in clinical psychology through Walden University. Amy has 14 years of experience in the mental health field including work as a therapist in a community mental health and private practice settings. She specializes in anxiety, depressive and other mood disorders as well as relationship and family conflict issues. In addition, Amy has experience with adjustment disorders, anger management, domestic violence, personality disorders, attention deficit disorder, PTSD, occupational stress and chemical dependency issues. Amy began her clinical work in 1994 while working with children and families. Her expertise in the area of working with children was further developed by her work in a diversion program for teens. At the request of the juvenile court, she developed a program specific to teen first time domestic violence offenders. She then broadened her clinical skills by working with adults and couples. Her generalist/ strength based approach allows her to be responsive to a variety of clients while concentrating on their specific needs. Amy is a member of N.A.S.W. and the A.P.A. She is currently in private practice. Amy works with Lakeshore Educational & Counseling Services delivering trainings to community and professional audiences.

Debra Tkac MA, PCC-S - Debra has a MA in Community Counseling from Kent State University and is licensed by the State of Ohio as a Professional Clinical Counselor with Supervisory Designation. She has provided community mental health services for over 15 years, working with adolescents, adults and families. Debra specializes in anxiety, depression, stress management, communication skills, and problems in daily living. She frequently works with cognitive behavioral techniques, as well as a holistic approach which includes self, environment, supports and spirituality. Debra has also worked with victims of physical and sexual abuse. Debra works with Lakeshore Educational & Counseling Services scheduling counseling appointments for adolescents, adults and families in Seven Hills, Ohio.

Kerry Tobin, MA - Kerry received her MA in Philosophy from Cleveland State University. She has studied and worked abroad in Ireland, England, Austria and Italy. A passion to educate and inspire led Kerry to pursue Certification from the American Philosophical Practitioners Association (APPA) in Italy. Kerry has been featured in The Cleveland Plain Dealer and The Lakewood Observer. She has contributed to the Plain Dealer as a source for various articles on personal development and career coaching. She has worked as a Contract Trainer for Cuyahoga County, delivering training presentations to hundreds of diverse workers. Currently, Kerry works as an Adjunct Instructor at Cuyahoga Community College in their Humanities/Philosophy Department. She is also a very active volunteer for the Cleveland Council on World Affairs and acts as home host to visitors from around the world. Kerry works with Lakeshore Educational & Counseling Services delivering trainings to community, professional and corporate audiences.

Michele Weber M.Ed., LPCC - Michele has a B.A. in Psychology and a M.Ed. in Community Agency Counseling. She is licensed by the State of Ohio as a Professional Clinical Counselor with supervisory designation. She has special training in Family Counseling, Mediation and Conflict Resolution, HIV/AIDS Counseling, Women's Issues in Mental Health and Child and Adolescent Counseling. Michele has received training in play therapy, facilitated adolescent groups and represented the county in courtroom abuse and neglect cases. Her volunteer activities include; Meals on Wheels, school organizations and Habitat for Humanity. Michele works with Lakeshore Educational & Counseling Services scheduling counseling appointments for children, adolescents and adults in Vermilion, Ohio.