Samaritan Counseling Staff

STAFF

Samaritan Counseling Center is proud to have a staff of highly-qualified, professional therapists and counselors.
We are able to offer you a multitude of therapeutic styles and areas of expertise to meet your needs.

Doug McKown, Psy.D., Executive Director

Dr. McKown has over 30 years of professional experience and is a licensed psychologist. He holds master's and doctoral degrees in Clinical Psychology from Fuller Graduate School of Psychology as well as a master's degree in Theology. His experience includes private practice, Director of Counseling at the Headington Institute, staff Psychologist at the Claremont Colleges and Loma Linda University Medical Center. He has clinical expertise with adults in the following areas: Depression, Anxiety, Bipolar Disorder, stress management, relationship/couples therapy, clergy issues, spiritual integration, assessment, learning disabilities, and conflict resolution/communication skills.

Carlyn Werderman, Psy.D., Licensed Clinical Psychologist

Dr. Werderman completed her master's and doctoral degrees at the California School of Professional Psychology at Alliant International University in Los Angeles. She completed her pre-doctoral internship at Samaritan Counseling Center in Vail, Colorado. She offers her clients an individualized, empowering, values-based, and solution-focused therapeutic approach, which derive from several therapeutic approaches, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Motivational Interviewing. Her previous clinical experience includes working with children, families, and adults in school, outpatient, and residential treatment settings. She specializes in working with clients who experience mood disorders, anxiety, trauma, anger, chronic pain, substance use, relationship, sexual health, and LGBT-related issues. She also specializes in working with high-conflict families, parental alienation and family reunification cases.

Jennifer Almaguer, M.S., LPCC

Jennifer is a native of Oklahoma. She graduated with her Master of Science from Oklahoma State University with an emphasis in Community Counseling. Jennifer received her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Southwestern Oklahoma State University. Her professional experience includes completing graduate internship hours and working as a therapist at a Psychiatric Hospital that specializes in Neurological Rehabilitation. During that time, she utilized Dialectical Behavior Therapy, CBT, and various art therapies including movement, psychodrama, and music making. She has experience working with anger management, anxiety, Borderline Personality, self-esteem, grief & loss, sexual abuse, trauma & PTSD.

Karen Shigenaka, M.S.W., LCSW

Karen completed her Master of Social Work at the University of New England, with an emphasis in children and families. She has a background in working with families in the foster care system, partnering with the foster child, foster parents, and birth parents. Karen also completed her internship hours as a Counseling Trainee at a domestic violence agency, working with survivors and counseling alongside clients as they healed from their trauma. She has worked from a trauma informed care approach in both types of agencies. Karen has experience in treating survivors of domestic violence, anxiety and depression, parenting, and blended families. She joined Samaritan Counseling Center as a B.E.A.M.S. Behavioral Specialist and Outpatient therapist in 2018.

Maria Amaya, M.S.W., D.S.W., ACSW

Maria completed her Doctor of Social Work at Capella University and Master of Social Work at the University of Southern California. She completed her practicum at a domestic violence shelter providing supervised therapy, anger management for perpetrators of domestic violence, and developed DV education material to inform the community systems. She has over 20 years of experience working in the prison system and has provided anger management and parenting groups. Maria also worked with families and children of the incarcerated, providing counseling and community services. Maria managed the Wraparound program working with high-risk families with cases within the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) and probation. She provided therapy implementing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Motivational Interviewing. Maria believes in trauma-informed care and providing clients a safe, non-judgmental environment. She continues to work with the incarcerated and advocate for their children in prison ministry. She believes the transformation process is the key to stopping the cyclical development of negative behaviors resulting in further incarceration and other destructive behaviors.

Michael Rams, M.S., AMFT

Mike received his master's in Clinical Counseling at California State University of San Bernardino. He has a background in working with children, adolescents, and teens in lower income communities. During his practicum he gained professional experience working with individuals, couples, middle school, and high school students dealing with mental health issues. He likes to take a Cognitive-Behavioral and Person-Centered approach to therapy. He believes people come across challenging and difficult circumstances in their life which can lead them to engage in some unhealthy behavior to cope with the stressor, ultimately changing the way they adapt to problems in life. He also believes that clients have the ability to lead a more peaceful and congruent existence by breaking unhealthy patterns and learning new more adaptive skills as well as self-compassion. He like to create a safe, non-judgmental space that encourages individuals to express themselves freely. He is passionate about helping clients that are dealing with depression, anxiety, and relationship issues.

Lauren Guzman-Johnson, M.A., LMFT

Lauren completed her master's in Marriage and Family Therapy at Chapman University. She has a background in families, couples, individuals, adolescents, and children. For two years, she lead a youth anger management program for adolescents at the City of Chino. She has worked in school settings at the Elementary, Jr. High, and High School levels. Lauren has experience in treating depression, anxiety, victims of domestic violence, parenting, anger management, blended families, phase of life, and relationship issues.

Helen A. Seagull, Psy.D., Psychological Assistant

Dr. Seagull earned her MA in Psychology at Chapman University and doctoral degree in Psychology at California Southern University. She has background counseling foster and group home children and adolescents. Her professional experience includes conducting court-ordered counseling with adult men and women for domestic violence, child abuse/and neglect, and anger management. She has also provided therapy at the Salvation Army to help men overcome their alcohol and drug abuse. She utilizes Cognitive-Behavioral, Solution-Focused and Client Centered Therapy. She employs a whole-person therapeutic approach, integrating the mind/body connection. She is passionate about helping persons with depression, anxiety, mood disorders, somatic ailments, stress and trauma by offering mindfulness and meditation. In addition, Dr. Seagull uses Play Therapy (e.g. sand tray and art) with young children who cannot verbally express their inner feelings, and with some teens and adults who have suffered severe trauma and have difficulty expressing themselves. Dr. Seagull is also an approved Prison Detention Minister for the County of San Bernardino.

Tino Rodriguez, M.A., LMFT

Tino is a graduate of the Latin American Bible Institute. He received his B.A. in Leadership and Ministry from Vanguard University and completed his master’s degree in Clinical Psychology in Marriage and Family Therapy from Azusa Pacific University. He is also certified as a Substance Abuse Counselor and a Certified Gottman Couples Therapist. Tino works with individuals, couples, families, children, and adolescents. Tino is fluent in both English and Spanish. Se habla Español

Flor Alvarez, M.A., AMFT

Flor received her BA in Psychology at the University of California, Riverside and her master’s degree in clinical psychology from Pepperdine University. She has a background in Applied Behavioral Analysis for individuals of ages 2 – 20 years with developmental disabilities. She has worked with individuals with diagnoses including autism, ADHD, and anxiety, helping them gain communication, behavioral, social, and self-help skills that are functional in everyday life, through using mindfulness techniques and behavioral techniques such as functional communication training, differential reinforcement, implementation of visuals, prompting, etc. At Samaritan, she works with a variety of populations, using a variety of techniques to support individuals, and apply previously learned skills to a larger scope of populations. Flor is bilingual, fluent in English and Spanish.

Lori Perez, M.S.W., ACSW

Lori earned her Master of Social Work from the University of new England and received her BA in psychology from Seattle Pacific University, where she was recognized with the Psychology Faculty Award for making a difference in psychology. Lori has worked with and advocated for the needs of women, children, men, at-risk youth, teens, families, seniors, and immigrants experiencing mental and physical health challenges, food and housing insecurity, domestic violence, parenting issues, and navigating the foster care and court systems. Lori has co-facilitated parenting training classes for women who were victims of domestic violence at the YWCA Pathways for Women Counseling Center. As an MSW Intern, she worked with various client populations providing intakes, assessments, advocacy, and collaborating in developing the counseling department tools and modalities utilized with outreach and shelter clients at God’s Pantry in Pomona, CA. She has experience with motivational interviewing, CBT, DV/IPV, Relational Cultural Therapy, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, person-centered, strength-based, mindfulness techniques, social learning and modeling, trauma-informed, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.
Lori has seen the devastation, struggle, and suffering that can come about when people are unable, unwilling, or do not have the skills or help that can empower them to cultivate positive connections and change that enhances their lives and those around them. She believes that providing this help in a space where trust, respect, empathy, safety, and clients can be themselves without fear of judgment is essential to a growth-inspiring therapeutic relationship. Asking for and receiving help and having the courage and faith to put in the necessary effort can go a long way to being the best version of oneself. Lori’s goal is to work with adults dealing with anxiety, depression, parenting, relationships, trauma/PTSD, children, and adolescents with issues related to these, social and emotional development and behavioral challenges.