Trauma Recovery Center

Mika Uematsu serves as the Program Director of the Trauma Recovery Center which is dedicated to providing clinical services to those individuals who have been impacted by traumatic life experiences. She received her Masters in Social Work from UMAB in 1997 and has been a practicing psychotherapist for the last 25 years. She is a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional who is fluent in American Sign Language. During her career, Ms. Uematsu has provided mental health services for those individuals who have been diagnosed with chronic mental illness and survivors of complex trauma. In 2001, Ms. Uematsu provided crisis intervention and ongoing clinical support to the students, parents and staff at Winterstown Elementary School after 11 kindergarteners and several school personnel were attacked by an intruder wielding a machete. Two years later, she would assist those same students, who were now enrolled at Red Lion Middle School, after they were again re-traumatized when a fellow classmate shot the Principal and then himself in the student-packed cafeteria. Mika Uematsu works with an incredibly talented team of trauma professionals who are dedicated to assisting individuals heal and recover by utilizing evidence-based practices along with a focus on self-resiliency, respect, empowerment, and hope.

Simone Collins, LCSW is a licensed social worker who is a member of both the Group Therapy and Trauma Department. She received her MSW from University of Maryland School of Social Work in 2015. She has had previous trainings in Mediation and Non-violent Crisis Intervention. Previously working as an in-home and school-based clinician, she has had experiences working with multiple populations to address symptoms of trauma, depression, anxiety, ADHD, anger management and bipolar disorder.
Simone joined MPB Group in October of 2020, hoping to expand her knowledge of therapy practice to better serve clients and to assist interns in their therapeutic development, as a future supervisor. She is trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, and Solution-focused therapy. Simone has an interest in furthering her knowledge in trauma-based practice, to better serve clients dealing with symptoms of grief and trauma. She has a belief that clients are full of possibilities and can benefit from being motivated to acknowledge their own potential, through therapeutic support and advocacy.

Helen Ding, LMSW, received her Masters of Social Work from University of Maryland Baltimore in 2020. Helen works with adults with trauma and is fluent in Mandarin Chinese. Her background as an immigrant and her personal experience with neurodiversity inform her cultural humility. Helen's theoretical model is Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT), which believes that it's more helpful to understand difficult emotions and beliefs rather than feeling ashamed and suppressing them. Her methods include exploring the reasons behind behaviors, sharing mindfulness skills to sit with difficult emotions, identifying goals and values, and encouraging commitment to behave in ways that support clients' values.

Yvette Kinchelow-Smith, LGPC, LPA, got her masters degree in Mental Health Counseling with a concentration in Adlerian Psychology. Her counseling approach is eclectic and client centered. She has been utilizing skills from treatment modalities such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Person-Centered Therapy, Motivational Interviewing and Stages of Change as therapeutic interventions that will help clients with the issues they struggle with. Yvette has experience working with adults, teenagers, children and families who have experienced trauma and abuse, depression, anxiety, self-esteem issues, grief/loss, other varied mental health diagnoses, and socioeconomic concerns. Yvette works from a systemic, collaborative, strength-based approach that is mindful of cultural, ethnic and economic concerns. She believes the hardest thing to do is to ask for help so she supports clients in their decision to inquire about therapy and looks forward to joining them on their journey.

I am a registered and licensed bilingual (eng/spa) art therapist. In my practice, I focus on continuously nourishing trust within the therapeutic relationship, whether it is with individuals, families, or communities. I particularly enjoy adapting directives and collaborating on identifying goals and strategies that center on people's strengths, hopes, and needs. Before going deeper into the creative process in art therapy, I encourage people to explore their artistic interests through a variety of techniques and materials.
Main Specialties: Addiction and Recovery, Care of People Experiencing Homelessness, Grief and Loss, Migration/Immigration and Refugees, Self-Esteem, Sexual Abuse, Significant Life Transitions, and Trauma.
Approaches: Trauma-Focused Therapy, Person-Centered Therapy, Culturally-Sensitive Therapy, Narrative Therapy, and Sand Therapy.

Jomar McFarlane, LGPC, prides himself on being a growing, compassionate, and knowledgeable individual who embraces the needs of the people he serves to want to feel whole again. Jomar has learned, through his interactions with various individuals from different walks of life, the destructive nature of trauma that is passed down from generation to generation. His hope is that by exploring these traumas an individual can learn to break the cycle and build, maintain, and pursue healthier relationships. Over the years, Jomar has learned that the goal of therapy is simply finding new ways to disrupt the transfer of our pain and trauma to the ones we love the most, and along the way pursuing the complex rebuilding of one's emotional, psychological, and spiritual wellness.

Melissa Nugent, LGPC, is a licensed graduate professional counselor, specializing in trauma recovery with experience in treating anxiety disorders, depression, PTSD, mood disorders and ADD/ADHD. Melissa has clinical experience working with children, adolescents, and adults from diverse backgrounds, working to create meaningful therapeutic bonds to promote a safe and effective healing environment. She believes that building a strong therapeutic bond is the foundation of a successful counselor-client relationship and takes pride in meeting the client where they are at. Melissa received her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a minor in Psychology from the University of Maryland, College Park. She then went on to receive her Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. Melissa practices from a holistic and integrative perspective, ensuring to fully meet the needs of each individual client by creating a non-judgmental, accepting, and individualized safe space. Melissa looks to provide a warm, open-minded, supportive, and client-centered counseling approach that will meet the needs of each client and provide them with an effective and trusting place to embark on their healing journey.

Joshua is a licensed social worker who specializes in working with adolescents and adults. He has been with MPB Group since 2013. He received his Bachelor's of Science Degree in Social Work from Morgan State University and his Master of Social Work Degree from Stony Brook University. Prior to joining MPB Group, he worked in the foster care system for 13 years as a case manager and clinical coordinator. Joshua also has provided group therapy services to at risk youth in the community and juvenile justice system for the past 20 years.

Rachel received her Masters of Social Work from Wurzweiler School of Social Work in 2022 with a certification in trauma-informed practice. Rachel believes that relational trauma can be healed within the context of the therapeutic relationship. Rachel has a background in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, which utilizes the belief that two opposites can be simultaneously true- such as the balance between acceptance and change- to help individuals suffering from personality disorders, PTSD, and suicidality. Rachel also takes a strength based approach with her client’s, helping them to find their own power in the midst of pain and confusion. Rachel is passionate about treating individuals from underserved communities and helping clients be the “cycle breakers” of intergenerational trauma. Rachel understands the long lasting impact of early adverse childhood experiences, and aims to help individuals find their own unique path toward healing.