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Hope is a native of Ozark who attended Carroll High School and Troy University for both her Bachelor's degree in Collaborative Education and Master's degree in Counseling and Psychology. Hope is married to her high school sweetheart, Reverend Tim Bates, also a native of Ozark, where they serve the community together at Southside Baptist Church with their five children. Hope has worked with families and children for the past 23 years in ministry, education, and mental health. She has been working as an EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing) trauma therapist with women and children for the past two years. This new certification combined with years of experience of trauma therapy with children and adolescents will be a welcomed asset to Ozark. Hope also has extensive experience in evaluations and assessments for all ages. Hope's heart is to serve the community that has supported her family for many generations before her. She believes that mental health is important to the physical health of all families, and having these services in a local setting is going to be important to the health of our community.

Dr. Berry was a life-long resident of Lubbock, Texas before moving to Alabama to accept a teaching position with Troy University. Dr. Berry graduated from Texas Tech university with all three degrees; a bachelor’s degree in Family Studies, a Master’s degree in Educational Psychology, and a Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision. He is an associate professor at and has taught in the Counseling Program at Troy University’s main campus since 2014. He has over 30 years of experience as a clinical mental health counselor, substance abuse counselor, and school counselor in both Texas and Alabama. Dr. Berry frequently provides consultation to schools and community agencies in the area of crisis management and trauma-informed care. He is an active member of his church and frequently volunteers in his community. Dr. Berry is a published author in national counseling journals and has authored or coauthored four book chapters. He also regularly presents at state and national counseling conferences on topics such as crisis management, trauma, and bullying. Dr. Berry’s greatest passion in counseling is helping his clients discover their true purpose in life and creating the life that they are supposed to live.

 Shelley Bartlett has 25 years of teaching experience both inside the classroom and with private tutoring. She graduated from Troy University with a Bachelor's degree in early childhood education. She is certified to teach reading using the Orton Gillingham method and currently works with dyslexic students using this method.  Shelley also has had training in the equipping minds program which is used to help students increase cognitive abilities by developing working memory, improving processing speed,  and enhancing comprehension. Supporting students who are dyslexic or having other learning disabilities in this way can decrease the learning, emotional and social challenges they face bringing them confidence and success both inside and out of the classroom. Shelley is passionate about helping students and finds great joy in seeing the children she teaches succeed.  

Leah Everett is a Licensed Professional Counselor who graduated from Troy University with a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology with a minor in Criminal Justice and a Master's Degree in Counseling and Psychology. She has 9 years working experience in the mental health field, which she started in Substance Abuse Counseling. She is a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional and has 2 plus years’ experience in the area of trauma and PTSD. Leah enjoys using brain science relation to mental health in effort to create a better understanding of the challenges individuals face when it comes to feelings and behavior. 

Leah has lived in Alabama all her life and is raising her 2 children in her hometown. She has a strong connection to family and an understanding of the importance of a solid support system.

Her attention in practice is focused on depression, anxiety, trauma, family dynamics, relationship issues and self-esteem.  She has worked to develop a repertoire of therapeutic skills through use of Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). 

Patty has over 25 years of experience as an SLP in pediatrics. She received a Bachelor of Science in Education and Speech-Language Pathology degree from Auburn University in 1990 and a Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology from The University of Montevallo in 1994. She has worked in various settings around the wiregrass area including Pre-K- High School, Early Intervention, and private practices. She has extensive experience with childhood speech and language disorders, Children with Autism, Feeding Therapy, Hippo Therapy, Aquatic Therapy, and Teletherapy. She began with began working with OZ in May of 2021.    She has been married to her husband, Jim, for close to 30 years. She has two grown daughters, Pamela Claire and Bailey. She is an active member of Ozark First United Methodist Church. They live on a small farm outside of Ozark with four horses, two dogs, and two cats. They love horse riding and farm life!