Director, Therapists, and Support Staff | Student Counseling and Resource Center

Director

Dawn Cleary

Dawn Cleary, M.Ed, LPC, NCC, RYT, EMDR Therapist

Director, Student Counseling and Resource Center

Dawn began her journey into becoming a counselor after receiving life changing counseling services of her own. She graduated University of Missouri-St. Louis with a Master of Education in Clinical Mental Health Counseling Education. Before coming to Lindenwood University, she worked as Residential Therapist specializing in treating children, families, and groups at Great Circle, and worked at St. Louis Community College – Florissant Valley, as a mental health counselor and career counselor serving a diverse student population. She is fascinated in the brain/body connection to mental health/trauma, holistic health, and general well-being, and is a Certified Registered Yoga Teacher, with a focus on trauma sensitive instruction. She enjoys working with children, adolescents, and the college population. A student’s time in college can be such a time of change and transition, fraught not only with joy and new-found freedoms, but unique challenges such as homesickness, social and academic challenges. Her goal is to provide a safe and supportive environment to help students explore challenges, work through the situations that have brought them to counseling and identify coping skills and supports. She feels honored to have the opportunity to assist you as you walk through this journey of transitions and prepare for your future.

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Becky Taylor

Becky Taylor PhD, MSW, LCSW

Director, Student-Athlete Mental Health

Dr. Taylor received a Doctor of Philosophy in Social Work from Saint Louis University, a Master’s degree in Social Work with a clinical specialization from Saint Louis University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Truman State University.

Dr. Taylor has over 15 years of behavioral health experience working in all varieties of mental health clinical treatment settings. Specifically, prior to coming to Lindenwood, Dr. Taylor worked in a non-profit inpatient substance abuse treatment facility, a residential eating disorder treatment center, in private practice, a private acute inpatient hospital setting, in an outpatient treatment setting, as a field investigator at the American Association of Suicidology, and in a secondary education setting.

Dr. Taylor currently works with student-athletes at Lindenwood. The student-athlete experience, while phenomenal, can bring additional stressors such as balancing academics, sport, and possible sport-related injuries. Dr. Taylor enjoys creating a welcoming space and collaborating with student-athletes in session to create treatment goals. Dr. Taylor is passionate about helping individuals find overall wellness. Dr. Taylor utilizes a variety of evidence-based practices and interventions such as cognitive-behavioral therapy and dialectical-behavioral therapy including mindfulness. Dr. Taylor is trained in the Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality (CAMS) and in carrying out psychological autopsies. Dr. Taylor looks forward to working with you throughout your athletic career while at Lindenwood.

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Staff Therapists

Sara Roush

Staff Counselor

Sara is a licensed clinical social worker in the state of Missouri. She became a counselor later in life after initially studying political science in her undergraduate degree and planning to attend law school following graduation. Sara received her Master’s of Social Work from the University of Louisville, while working a local legal aid as an intake secretary for client’s seeking services. Sara has worked as a Social Work case manager at the International Institute of Saint Louis, assisting refugees and other immigrants with ensuring they were able to navigate complex systems of the United States. After two years serving as a case manager, she moved into the therapy role providing Saint Louis city and county immigrants with free short-term counseling among other services. Sara is currently starting her second school year as a counselor at Lindenwood University. She is deeply interested in the connection between the mind and body, and ways to manage somatic symptoms related to mental health. She is trained in EMDR, a trauma processing therapy, and has a fascination with Acceptance and Commitment therapy as a tool to assist with anxiety. Sara loves to blend these modalities together to assist students in their unique journeys. Sara loves to work with students seeing the counselor for the first time because it can be a transformative experience that allows the student to explore who they are as a young adult. She is deeply fond of the humanist perspective as a tool to ground her work with students because they are all unique and interesting individuals. She cannot wait to work with you as a student.

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Susan Reid

Susan Reid, LCSW

Staff Counselor

Susan Reid is excited to serve the Lindenwood community and assist students as they travel on this journey in their education. Growing up in the mountains of East Tennessee, Susan began her experience with social work through various community service opportunities assisting families in rural Appalachia. After getting a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Tennessee, she moved to St. Louis to pursue a Master of Social Work degree at Washington University. Susan has experience working in a variety of areas of clinical social work, such as community mental health, substance use treatment, Employee Assistance programs, and direct psychotherapy with individuals and families. Susan is looking forward to working with students in a collaborative relationship as they pursue their goals and live their best lives.

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LaWayna Berry

LaWayna Berry

Case Manager, Student Counseling

LaWayna Berry is a provisionally licensed professional counselor, who is compassionate and dedicated mental health professional with a Master of Arts in Counseling and a Master of Science in Human Resource Management from Lindenwood University. She also holds Bachelor of Science degrees in Criminology & Criminal Justice and Sociology from the University of Missouri–St. Louis. With extensive experience in individual, group, and family therapy, she is committed to providing holistic support to individuals navigating grief, transitions, and personal growth.

Currently, LaWayna serves as a Case Manager at Lindenwood University, where she provides counseling, crisis intervention, and academic support to students, helping them build resilience and achieve personal success. Her previous roles include working as a Mental Health Professional, Clinician, Recruiting Manager, and HR Manager, where she has provided client advocacy, career development, and support services to diverse populations.

In addition to her professional roles, LaWayna has worked as a career and grief counselor, assisting individuals with career transitions, personal empowerment, and grief support. She is also an active volunteer with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), where she serves as a Support Group Facilitator and advocates for mental health awareness.

Her journey has been deeply shaped by personal experiences, including navigating divorce, remarriage in a blended family, and the loss of a son. These experiences fuel her passion for helping others heal, grow, and reclaim their strength.

Through her work in education, mental health, and community outreach, LaWayna is committed to creating safe spaces for healing, resilience, and transformation.

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