COUNSELING STAFF

Mary Lynn Rote is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Certified Addictions Counselor. She has worked in the counseling field for over 38 years. In 2007, she opened ABC’s of Building Better Lives – a private counseling practice specializing in providing comprehensive, quality, holistic, and effective counseling services to individuals, couples and families. 

She has extensive counseling experience working with couples/marital-related issues, individuals who have depression, anxiety, addictions, stress management issues, traumatic events/Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder as well as diversity related issues. 

Other areas of expertise include: trauma; EMDR; healthy communication skill development; LGBTQ; spirituality; family stressors; issues related to growing up within unhealthy family dynamics (ACOA); self-esteem; self-worth and confidence building. She utilizes a holistic, quality of life counseling approach and one of Mary Lynn’s gifts is that she listens with her heart and offers honest feedback with compassion and understanding. She is a certified Hatha Yoga instructor and offers classes in Erie.

Rob is a Licensed Professional Counselor and brings over 10 years of experience working with clients with mental health and behavioral concerns. His specialties are with diagnoses of ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Conduct and Oppositional Defiant Disorder along with significant exposure to Depression and Bipolar Disorder. He has worked with anxiety, personalities disorders and problems with psychosis. Prior to therapy work, he spent seven years as a pulpit supply pastor. 

Rob is also a Certified Personal Fitness Trainer. If one of your goals is to improve your physical health, we encourage you to make a health and fitness appointment with Rob. He will meet with you for 1-6 sessions to develop a realistic and comprehensive wellness plan, including a personalized physical fitness plan of action and a goal of moving towards eating a more health conscious diet to improve your overall health. 

 Samantha Marcinko is a Licensed Professional Counselor with a Master of Science Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Gannon University.  Samantha has experience working in a Community Mental Health outpatient setting where she offered individual and group therapy to individuals with serious mental illness. Samantha has training and experience in implementing evidence based techniques, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills training, and Mindfulness based approaches. Samantha has a passion for learning, she takes a psychoeducational approach to therapy with the belief that understanding and awareness are the foundation needed to demystify the stigma that sometimes surrounds mental health conditions. If you find you are struggling with life adjustments, managing stress, depression, anxiety, or maybe you feel lost and are looking to gain clarity, consider making an appointment with Samantha. She will work with you to identify and build upon your individual strengths, help you to develop better cognitive and emotion management skills, and replace unhealthy behaviors so you can live a full and meaningful life.  Samantha is also a Registered Hatha Yoga Instructor - and has offered classes at Presque Isle State Park.

 Sara Allegretto is a Licensed Professional Counselor and National Certified Counselor with five years experience working in the counseling field. She received her Master of Arts degree in Counseling from Edinboro University. Prior to that, she completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice, also from Edinboro University. Sara views counseling as a holistic and collaborative experience to help clients reach their fullest potential. 

Sara has extensive experience working in an outpatient setting with adults with serious mental illness, including Depression, Bipolar Disorders, and Borderline Personality Disorder. Additionally, Sara is versed in working with clients who struggle with anxiety, self esteem and self worth, communication problems, trauma, grief and loss, emotional regulation skills, and substance abuse. Sara's treatment style is holistic in nature and focuses on goal direction, empowerment, self awareness, and self actualization; merging different treatment modalities to fit each individual client's therapeutic needs. Sara has experience and training in Person-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Trauma Informed Care, and Solution Focused Brief Therapy. Sara enjoys working with adults, couples, and adolescents.

Sara enjoys time spent with family, friends, and pets, gardening, and tie dyeing. Sara believes in the power of humor, education, creativity, comfort from pets, and the balance between mind, body, and spirit in the therapeutic process.

Henry (Hank) is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Certified Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor. He has worked in the Mental Health field for 40 years as a Director and Supervisor of MH programs with the last 20 years as a licensed professional counselor and certified Addiction Counselor. He supervised LPC candidates both individually and in a group.

He has extensive counseling experience working with individuals, relationships and families. The issues addressed include Depression (all mood disorders), Anxiety, Stress and Anger Management,

Marriage/partner/family conflicts, Addictions, Drug and Alcohol issues that affect the individual and significant others. Techniques include Cognitive, Behavioral, Psychoeducational, Humanistic, which emphasizes the client’s potential or growth, self-actualization and personal responsibility and Holistic which integrates the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual aspects of the client’s well-being.

His clinical approaches include Positive Psychology that focus on encouraging positive and effective behaviors that help to bring out desired and healthy behaviors which can lead to increased tolerance of one’s own or others unwanted cognitions, behavior, other interfering issues. Another clinical approach is Energy Psychology that integrates contemporary psychological interventions such as mindfulness, or cognitive reframing as the goal is to work on one’s energy system to achieve greater emotional balance. Other clinical approaches will be used if indicated. Approaches and techniques are tailored to each individual’s unique profile. A Wellness Plan will be developed to assist in monitoring progress as well as strengthening of the client/therapist relationship. The desired outcome of therapy includes living with greater connections to others, emotional progress, clarity as well as working and living in flow.