Meet our therapists
Susan Baker, P.Hd, LPC-MHSP
Professional Consultation & Licensure Supervision available
Susan is the founder of and therapist here at Cognitive Connections. Her additional roles include licensure supervisor and graduate professor at Lincoln Memorial University.
She earned her bachelor’s degree from Tusculum University, Master’s in counseling and guidance from Lincoln Memorial, and Ph.D. in counselor education and supervision from The University of the Cumberlands. She got her start in community mental health: both as an individual therapist and leading an intensive outpatient program where she worked with childhood trauma, parenting issues, and family systems. Susan completed her doctoral dissertation on mental health professionals’ experiences in private practice as it pertains to stressors, burnout, and best practices. What was learned has become foundational to the culture at Cognitive Connections.
Fast forward to her work in private practice, she now divides her time between supervising pre-licensed clinicians and providing therapy for women recovering from abuse/psychological violence, trauma, life transitions, and interpersonal conflict.
She is certified in DBT and trained in EMDR and works through a humanistic framework, meeting the client where they are.
Session rate: $150
Licensure Supervision rate: $120
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Kelsey Shropshire, M.Ed, NCC
Kelsey earned her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Tusculum University and Master’s degree in Counseling and Guidance from Lincoln Memorial University. She started her internship at Cognitive Connections in 2020 and has remained here ever since.
As a a relational and attachment-focused therapist, Kelsey believes that the therapeutic relationship is the primary intervention. This unique relationship between therapist and client, grounded by safety and trust, provides opportunity for what’s been hurt in relationship to find its resolution - often referred to as reparative experiences. She has been trained in EMDR since 2021 and utilizes this modality where beneficial, supported by parts-work and other somatic interventions.
Kelsey most often works with adults who have attachment trauma, or complex PTSD. This can look like childhood abuse and neglect, abandonment, feelings of low self-worth, and interpersonal distress (recurring relationship issues).
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Availability: Tuesday & Thursday
Session Pricing: $100, Private pay only
Hannah Wright, M.Ed
Accepting New Clients
Hannah Karras holds a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Lincoln Memorial University and a Master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling. She views life as a constantly evolving journey, one that can present challenges such as intense emotions, stress, anxiety, and relationship difficulties. As a therapist, Hannah is committed to providing a safe, judgment-free space where clients can openly explore these challenges and develop a personalized toolbox of coping strategies to navigate whatever life brings.
With experience working with children, adolescents, and adults, Hannah has supported clients facing depression, anxiety, trauma, and personality disorders. Prior to becoming a therapist, she spent seven years as an educator—three years teaching fifth grade and four years in kindergarten—which has deeply informed her understanding of development and emotional resilience.
Hannah utilizes a variety of evidence-based approaches, including Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), play therapy, and equine-assisted therapy. She believes that therapy should be tailored to each individual's unique needs and that true growth happens when clients feel heard and actively involved in their own healing process.​ Specialties: Adolescents & adults - Trauma, Depression, Anxiety, Personality Disorders
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Availability: Monday-Thursday
Session Pricing: $100, Private pay only
Christina Appleberry, MS, LPC-MHSP
*Virtual only, evening & weekend options available
I have been working in the healing arts for over 8 years. I graduated from Lee University and Carson Newman University with Master’s degrees in Holistic Child Development and Clinical Mental Health Counseling. I believe in creating a compassionate space where others can share their story while receiving unconditional positive regard, and the support needed to create a life and narrative they are proud of. I have worked in residential treatment, community mental health, and crisis stabilization before branching out to private practice. I aspire to be an encourager of women on their path to feeling empowered and emotionally well in their everyday roles and experiences. Additionally, I enjoy making healing connections with those who are learning to live with grief and loss; holding space for them without deadlines, expectations, or prescribed notions of rightness. I counsel with a strength-based integrated approach that pulls from Choice Theory, Person-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Solution Focused Therapy, and others.
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Specialties: motherhood, infertility, infant loss/miscarriage, post-abortive counseling, grief and loss, life transitions, and parent/Child relational issues
Availability: Virtual only.
Session pricing: $100
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Counseling Interns
These are graduate level interns working under supervision to complete their practicum and internship requirements.
Sierra is a graduate student in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program at Lincoln Memorial University. Her experience includes working in community mental health programs, and adult and adolescent residential treatment. Her approach emphasizes the significance of the therapeutic relationship, meeting clients where they are at, and practicing non-judgmental listening. Throughout her internship, she aims to explore trauma-focused modalities such as Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), DBT, and Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) to specialize in supporting individuals experiencing Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD), trauma-related issues, anxiety, and depression. By integrating these evidence-based practices, she seeks to empower her clients on their path toward healing and resilience.
Katie is a graduate student in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program at Lincoln Memorial University. She is passionate about supporting children and adolescents as they navigate life's challenges. With a strong foundation of child development and four years of experience working with children who have faced a wide variety of behavioral, social, and mental health struggles, she is committed to creating a safe and compassionate space for clients to explore their emotions and experiences. Her therapeutic goals include helping clients discover their strengths, build healthy coping skills, and feel supported as they work toward growth, resilience, and positive relationships in their lives.