About Us

Mission 

The mission of The Women’s Initiative is to provide effective counseling services, social support, and education to empower women to transform challenging life situations into opportunities for renewed well-being and personal growth.

Our mission is based upon our conviction that:

• All women should have access to vital mental health services, regardless of ability to pay.
• Challenging life events and the accumulative demands of daily living place women at risk for stress-related emotional problems and illnesses such as anxiety, depression, heart disease and diabetes.
• Researched self-care and self-awareness skills are powerful tools to reduce the impact of chronic stress and its toll on mental and physical health.

The Women’s Initiative will become widely recognized as a leader in providing innovative mental health services to all women, regardless of means.

Values

We believe every woman has a natural capacity for healing that once uncovered and directed results in better mental and physical health. We believe it is critical to address each woman’s unique emotional, physical and spiritual needs.

Goals

• clarified personal values, needs, and goals
• built on personal strengths and resources to meet needs and achieve goals
• mastered skills that promote restorative relaxation, calm and confidence
• initiated life changes that lead to reduced stress and greater well being

Our Clinical Team

AMY ALSON, MD, Pro-bono Psychiatrist
Amy Alson, MD, received her B.A. from Duke University, her MD from St. George's University School of Medicine, and completed residency training in Internal Medicine & Psychiatry at the University of Virginia. She puts her dual training to use with a particular focus on the treatment of individuals with eating disorders as well as other conditions at the interface between general medicine and psychiatry.

SARAH ASLPIN, LCSW, Pro-bono Therapist
Sarah received her master's degree in Social Work from Virginia Commonwealth University and brings more than 10 years of experience as a social work case manager.  She has experience providing crisis intervention and grief counseling for a wide range of patients and their families.  She enjoys working with women in both individual counseling and in group settings.

ONNIE BALDWIN, MSW, Pro-bono Therapist
Onnie received her Master's in Social Work from Catholic University in Washington, D. C. in l976.  She has been in private practice working with women for 30 years.  Over that time she has helped women dealing with problems in their relationships, careers and families.  Onnie started her career in 1974 working as a counselor in SAJA Runaway house in Washington, DC.  For five years she moved from being a counselor working with teens, to being a family therapist providing therapy to the families of runaway kids to becoming the Director of the Runaways House.  She started her private practice in the end of 1979. 

TERRY COFFEY, LPC, Pro-bono Therapist
Terry received her Education Specialist degree in Counseling from UVA and her Master's degree in Counseling from Boston University.  She is a Licensed Professional Counselor practicing since 1993.  Her experience and background is in therapy with adolescents and adults; couples and families.  Terry's experience also includes case management in social work, crisis work, substance abuse counseling, and Court-ordered home studies.  She is also a visual artist and calligrapher.

VIRGINIA COFFEY, MA, Pro-bono Therapist
Virginia received her master's degree in Clinical Community Counseling from Johns Hopkins University.  Her background and experience is in dealing with trauma prevention with First Responders, crisis counseling, grief counseling, and in-home family services.  She offers strengths-based theoretical modalities and is a certified practitioner of Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) Mandala assessment research instruments (MARI), and Guided Imagery with Music (GIM).

CAROLINE COLVIN, MA, Ed.S., Pro-bono Therapist
Caroline recently received her master's and education specialist degree from James Madison University.  She is a member of the American Counseling Association, the Virginia Counseling Association, and Chi Sigma Iota, an international honor society for students, professional counselors, and counselor educators.  She is trained in both brief and long-term psychodynamic therapy and focused on Motivational Interviewing during her internship.

RACHAEL DIAMOND, MSW, Pro-bono Therapist
Rachael brings 37 years of experience providing counseling, psychotherapy, and hypnotherapy. She has worked extensively with adult survivors of childhood trauma, sexual, physical, and emotional abuse as well as those experiencing domestic violence, addictions, co-dependency and more. Additionally, Rachael has worked with the LGBT communities around sexual orientation issues and relationships since 1977. Heart-Centered Hypnotherapy  addresses the body, mind, and spirit and involves the exploration of the deepest levels of who we are, going beyond the symptoms or behaviors that are presented on the surface. It assists the client  in knowing herself more fully so that the work of healing can proceed efficiently.

MARGARET EDWARDS, M.Ed., Ed.S., Pro-bono Therapist
Margaret graduated from the University of Virginia's clinical mental health counseling program in 2009.  In addition to volunteering at The Women's Initiative, she works as a trauma counselor at UVA Women's Center, where she provides individual and group counseling to students, staff and faculty who have experienced interpersonal violence.  She incorporates motivational interviewing, dialectical behavior therapy techniques and mindfulness into her counseling approach.

KIRSTEN FRANKE, LCSW, Clinical Services Director
Kirsten brings more than 20 years of counseling experience in both agency and private practice settings. She received her master's degree in Clinical/Mental Health Specialization from VCU. She has advanced expertise in relationship and family dynamics, substance abuse, disordered eating and insight dialogue mindfulness.

SARAH GAZILLO, Counseling Intern
Sarah received her undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia in psychology and gender studies. She is currently in the process of completing her master's of social work from Virginia Commonwealth University and is a member of the National Association of Social Workers.  Her previous experience includes work with women and families through the former Mediation Center at FOCUS as well as clinical social work at the Women's Place and Teen Health Center of the UVA Medical Center.  Sarah draws from a strengths-based perspective and cognitive-behavioral framework in her work with women.

BEBE HEINER, LPC, Founder & Pro-Bono Therapist
Bebe has more than 14 years of experience providing psychotherapy to individuals, couples, and families.  She donates 100% of her time.  She has seen a wide range of clients who are dealing with anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, substance abuse issues, and post traumatic stress disorder.  Her preferred modalities include long-term psychodynamic and cognitive behavioral therapy.

ELIZABETH IRVIN, LCSW, Program Director
Elizabeth began working with women and trauma 13 years ago at a resource agency for victims of domestic violence and sexual abuse. Since that time, she has gone on to receive her master's in Social Work and Juris Doctor at UNC Chapel Hill. She specializes in trauma, addiction recovery and empowerment for English and Spanish speaking women. She incorporates a variety of theoretical modalities, including EMDR, mindfulness-based practices, family systems and grief work all from a strengths-based perspective. She currently provides individual, couples and group therapy at The Women's Initiative.

BIC KOLCUM, LCSW, Pro-bono Therapist
Bic is a licensed clinical social worker with more than 11 years of experience in both private practice and agency settings.  During her career, she has worked with many women who suffer from depression, anxiety, co-dependency, borderline personality disorder, substance abuse and chronic PTSD.  She works from a strengths-based perspective, and enjoys helping women develop confidence and assertiveness as components of their personal growth.

CHRIS PLATANIA, LPC, Therapist
Chris has been working in the human services field in Charlottesville since 1998.  She received her master's degree in Depth Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute and has been counseling women and their families for the past 7 years.  Her training has primarily focused on providing psychodynamic therapy for individuals dealing with a wide range of problems.

INGRID RAMOS, Therapist & Community Outreach Coordinator
Ingrid has a master's degree in professional counseling from Liberty University and a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from the Universidad Tecnologica de Santiago.  Over the past four years, Ingrid has been working with the Charlottesville League of Therapists as their Latino Services Program Coordinator & Lead Therapist.  Prior to this experience, she worked as a counselor at the ABBA Pregnancy Center and as Crisis Intervention Companion in the Shelter for Abused Women.