ADMIN TEAM

AMANDA AKIN

BILLING & OPERATIONS COORDINATOR
Amanda brings several years of experience working in healthcare settings, with a background in client care, office coordination, and medical billing. Amanda is excited to be part of the team at MCG by helping keep administrative processes organized and running smoothly while ensuring clients receive clear and supportive communication. She takes pride in being detail-oriented and dependable. Please reach out for any billing questions.
TISHAWNA ARTIS

ADMINISTRATIVE COORDINATOR
Tishawna is a recent graduate of Norfolk State University where she earned her B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Cyberpsychology. She is currently pursing a M.S. in Cyberpsychology at NSU. Tishawna has 19 years of customer service experience and a passion for mental health.

MENTAL HEALTH THERAPISTS

KRYSTLE STRICKLIN, LCSW

CHIEF CLINICAL OFFICER/LICENSED CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKER (DOUGLASVILLE OFFICE)
Krystle uses evidence-based practices to treat children, adolescents, families, individuals, and couples. She provides psychotherapy to children, adolescents, adults, and families dealing with a host of life issues including depression, low self-esteem, anger management, ADHD, anxiety, parenting issues, psychotic and mood disorders, PTSD, trauma recovery, and grief counseling.

Krystle believes that the counseling process is a collaborative journey and aims to create a comfortable and supportive environment of trust where she and her clients can explore emotional needs and overcome barriers that limit full potential. She works together with her clients to discover their hidden resources and strengths, bring new insights, and improve their quality of life. She combines several therapeutic orientations to meet the needs of her clients, including Person-Centered, Cognitive-Behavioral, Solution-Focused, Motivational Interviewing, Grief, and Mindfulness Therapies.
STEPHANIE BARKSTER, LPC

CLINICAL SUPERVISOR/LICENSED PROFESSIONAL COUNSELOR (NEWPORT NEWS OFFICE)
Greetings, my name is Stephanie Barkster. Stephanie has a Masters in Counseling from Hampton University, and is licensed as a Professional Counselor and a Substance Abuse Treatment Practitioner. Stephanie has a passion for addiction counseling, and organizational growth. She loves to teach others and promote healthy self-care standards. Stephanie has previously worked in addiction treatment centers and has over 15 years experience with working with the substance use/mental health population.
ROSHAWN HICKLIN-FRANKIE, LPC

LICENSED PROFESSIONAL COUNSELOR (NEWPORT NEWS OFFICE)
Ro is a Licensed Professional Counselor dedicated to helping people uncover their most mindful, authentic, and empowered selves. Ro received her Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Regent University School of Counseling in 2018. She specializes in guiding individuals through life stressors, psychiatric symptoms, and the challenges that hold them back from living the life they deserve.
With a warm, approachable style, she integrates various evidence-based approaches like CBT, DBT, and mindfulness with creativity, such as play, art, and narrative therapies, to tailor a transformative and personalized experience for every client.
Growing up in a neighborhood steeped in chaos—violence, addiction, and homelessness—while witnessing the impact of her mother’s bipolar disorder, she felt a deep desire to understand why people think, feel, and act the way they do. Therapy became her calling because she saw it as a way to bridge her natural empathy with a desire to help others find healing and meaning. Ro’s faith drives her to use the gifts of discernment and altruism she has been blessed with, to support others on their paths. Helping people transform pain into power feels like her life’s work, and she is honored to do it every day.
DR. KEBA GREEN, LPC

LICENSED PROFESSIONAL COUNSELOR (DOUGLASVILLE OFFICE)
Dr. Green is a dedicated Psychotherapist with a deep passion for mental health, the brain, and holistic healing, with expertise in (anxiety, trauma, relationships, and crisis). Dr. Green helps individuals navigate life’s challenges by integrating evidence-based therapeutic approaches with holistic wellness strategies. Her goal is to empower clients to achieve emotional resilience, mental clarity, and overall well-being. Dr. Green is committed to transforming lives and promoting sustainable healing.
TYSHAWNA HANKERSON, LPC-R

RESIDENT IN COUNSELING (NEWPORT NEWS OFFICE)
Tyshawna is a Licensed Professional Counselor-Resident and School Counselor with experience working with children and adults. Tyshawna supports individuals navigating anxiety, adjustment challenges, family stressors, academic difficulties, and other concerns common during adolescence. She takes a collaborative, strengths-based, and developmentally informed approach, striving to create a safe and supportive space for growth and resilience.
ASHLEY STEWART, LCSW

LICENSED CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKER (NEWPORT NEWS OFFICE)
Ashley (she/her) is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with experience working with individuals of all ages, from middle childhood to late adulthood, facing challenges related to anxiety, depression, life transitions, gender identity and sexuality, and school/work stress. Ashley is passionate about helping clients grow into the best version of themselves, and enjoys helping clients figure out just what that looks like. Ashley strives for clients to leave their sessions feeling lighter, gaining insight and having practical tools they can use in their daily lives.
Ashley strives to provide a warm and supportive environment to all her clients, which she believes is the best way to help clients improve their lives by embracing mistakes and encouraging personal growth. She combines several different types of therapies, such as CBT, solution-focused therapies, and mindfulness-based strategies (just to name a few) to create a personalized approach to every client, each session. Ashley believes each person to be the expert of their lives and her belief is that her role is to assist clients with getting their power back. In her personal life, Ashley enjoys trying new foods, watching movies and reading.

SCHEDULE APPOINTMENT

SPEECH THERAPISTS

KARIIN HESTER, MA CCC-SLP

SPEECH THERAPIST (NEWPORT NEWS OFFICE)
With six years of experience as a certified and licensed Speech-Language Pathologist, Kariin is passionate about helping children and adolescents develop the communication skills they need to thrive academically, socially, and personally.
Kariin earned both her Master of Arts and Bachelor of Arts in Communicative Sciences and Disorders from Hampton University. Throughout her career, she has provided speech and language services across a variety of clinical settings, including public schools, skilled nursing facilities, and private practice.
Kariin is dedicated to empowering children and adolescents to become confident communicators by improving their speech, language, and social communication skills. Her goal is to help each individual build the confidence to effectively express their thoughts, needs, and ideas while fostering self-advocacy and meaningful participation in everyday life. Kariin strives to create a supportive, engaging, and collaborative environment where every child feels encouraged to reach their full communication potential.
JENNIFER JONES-HICKS, MA CCC-SLP

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER/SPEECH THERAPIST (NEWPORT NEWS OFFICE)
Jennifer Jones-Hicks is a Certified/Licensed Speech-Language Pathologist and serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Mindful Communication Group. With over 11 years of clinical experience, Jennifer has worked in a variety of healthcare and educational settings, including private practice, home health, skilled nursing and assisted living facilities, teletherapy, and public schools. Throughout her career, she has been committed to helping individuals improve their communication, cognitive, and swallowing abilities to enhance their quality of life.
Jennifer earned both her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Master of Science in Communicative Sciences & Disorders from Hampton University. She holds the Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC-SLP) from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and is licensed to practice speech-language pathology in Virginia, Georgia, Texas, and North Carolina. She also holds a Virginia Professional Early Intervention Certification through the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services.
At Mindful Communication Group, Jennifer's clinical focus is on the evaluation and treatment of adults with communication, cognitive-communication, and swallowing disorders. She has experience working with adults recovering from stroke, traumatic brain injury, Parkinson's disease, and other neurological conditions that affect speech, language, cognition, and swallowing. Jennifer is passionate about providing evidence-based, individualized care that empowers adults to communicate effectively, maintain independence, and improve their overall quality of life.
In addition to her work with adults, Jennifer's diverse clinical background includes experience treating speech sound disorders, language disorders, fluency, and developmental delays across the lifespan. Her early intervention experience serving infants and toddlers, combined with her work in home health and post-acute care, has provided her with a comprehensive understanding of communication disorders throughout every stage of life.