Aubrey graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and Family Relations at East Carolina University in Greenville North Carolina. She then found herself wondering what she could do with a degree in Psychology and found employment working for an addiction treatment center. Aubrey quickly found that this was exactly the field that she wanted to be in; she found that helping others was very gratifying for her. She then decided to start her Master’s Degree in Professional Counseling a year later so that she could be a more active and integral part of the individual’s treatment. She enrolled in the Master’s Program at Grand Canyon University in Arizona. Not only does she feel a calling to work in this field and specialize with those who suffer from addiction but she has also experienced loved ones battling addiction as well as current loved ones who are in recovery. She feels truly blessed to be a part of the solution to this problem. She absolutely loves the Outer Banks; she is what you would consider a local as she has lived on the scenic island for over 20 years and can’t imagine living anywhere else. The island is full of fun adventures and provides a peaceful, serene place to recovery right along the Atlantic Shore.

Sandy is a graduate from Marywood University in Scranton, Pennsylvania with a degree in Business Administration and a concentration in Management. The experience that Sandy brings to Changing Tides is her years of working as a Contracts Manager, Pricing Manager, Human Resources Manager, and a company Financial Manager. Sandy feels that working at Changing Tides Treatment Center is a perfect job for her because not only does she get to work as their Financial Manager but she also believes in the company’s philosophy that “Change IS Possible!” In the field of treatment and recovery, Sandy has seen clients come through Changing Tides’ doors and change their lives with the help of the supportive staff. Changing Tides programs and dedication to each person individually has been part of the key to client’s success. Sandy has chosen to work in this field because she feels that treatment and recovery is near and dear to her heart due to her own family’s affliction with alcoholism and drug addiction. It is a family disease and there is hope. Hope and health for the individual and for the family can be achieved through therapy and counseling.

Adriana was born in Colombia, South America where her father is originally from providing her with a strong multicultural lens of counseling and social interaction. However, Adriana is an Outer Banks local, growing up in Southern Shores. She studied Sociology and Hispanic Studies at East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina. She promptly proceeded further education to obtain her Masters in Counseling and Art Therapy at Southwestern College in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Adriana has always desired to work with people in a healing way. Growing up on the Outer Banks, Adriana witnessed family members and friends face the battle of addiction, and became aware of the lack of resources that the OBX has for those fighting for their lives. Adriana believes that those who face addiction are survivors; surviving another day the only way they know how. For this reason, Adriana feels it is pertinent that those going through life this way, need help, deserve the best care, and can truly benefit from a peer-based environment where they can relate with others who are facing the same battle.Adriana spends her free time exploring outside with her two dogs; Karma and Kili, painting or creating art in general, spending time with friends and family, and relaxing while reading or watching tv with her two dogs and cat, Junie. Adriana believes that humans are all similar in the fact that we are born to connect with one another. For this reason, Adriana practices from a person-centered, humanistic, and relational model of therapy. Adriana is firm in that therapy cannot happen unless there is a foundation of trust and safety in the alliance between client and therapist. Adriana incorporates experiential therapy activities, talk therapy, and art therapy to help facilitate the journey to self-discovery and healing that she guides each client through.

Donna is a Mental Health Counselor and has over 23 years of experience in the industry. She combines her individual, private, group and clinical counseling expertise with her knowledge to offer clients a very unique perspective of problem solving, mental health and substance abuse counseling. Donna has a Bachelor of Arts in Physical Education from Old Dominion University and a Master’s degree in counseling from Parkwood University. Donna strives to bring an effective blend of experience, expertise, clarity, concern, and action to the counseling process in order to maximize outcomes and provide genuine healing and wholeness to individuals and families. Donna has over 23 years’ experience of counseling with a wide range of clients in a variety of treatment settings. These have included providing counseling in Psychiatric Hospitals, Probation, Addiction Treatment Facilities both inpatient and outpatient and Home Health. Areas of emphasis include Addiction, PTSD, Mood Disorders, and Autism.