CO-FOUNDER, THERAPIST, CLINICAL SUPERVISOR

Caitlyn@expansioncollectivetherapy.com

CO-FOUNDER, THERAPIST, CLINICAL SUPERVISOR

Cherish@expansioncollectivetherapy.com

Cherish (she/her) is a licensed clinical social worker and works with adolescents and adults. She is prepared to address several needs, including college adjustment and career planning, life transitions, family separation, religious trauma, race/culture issues, immigration stress, and more. She is inclusive of all races, religions/cultures, and gender and sexual orientations.

Cherish has particular interest in working with people leaving high-control religion, experienced religious trauma or “church hurt”, and/or struggling with exploring other options for faith/belief. She has a background in studying world religions, and she is familiar and comfortable working with multiple belief systems. She is training in sex therapy and serves those in the ethical non-monogamy and kink communities in both individual and couples/family therapy, as well as helping those with experience in purity culture. Cherish is herself an intercountry and transracial adoptee, and she has experience professionally with and in advocacy for adolescents and adults who have either been in foster care or who were adopted.

As a trauma-informed and polyvagal-informed therapist, Cherish is a Certified Brainspotting Practitioner, as well as a Brainspotting Consultant. Cherish’s passion is helping people explore their identity, examine relationships, and develop the best life for the person they want to become going forward. Cherish’s approach is relational and dynamic, justice-oriented, intersectional, and strengths-based. She collaborates with her clients as they walk on their journey of self-discovery and creating the change they wish to see in their lives.

ASSOCIATE CLINICIAN

Willow@expansioncollectivetherapy.com

Willow is an associate licensed clinician working with individuals and couples navigating life transitions, identity exploration, and relationship dynamics. They specialize in supporting neurodivergent individuals, specifically those with Autism, ADHD, and OCD, as well as clients seeking affirming care around addiction, trauma recovery, and LGBTQ+ experiences. Willow is particularly passionate about working with non-normative relationship structures, including polyamory, open relationships, and kink, creating a compassionate space free of stigma or judgment.

Prior to entering the clinical space, Willow developed a foundational background in pharmaceutical science, bringing a grounded, analytical, and holistic perspective to mental health care. Outside the office, Willow is actively involved in transformational festivals, an experience that deeply informs their appreciation for community, self-expression, and personal evolution.

Willow’s approach to individual therapy is person-centered, strengths-based, and existential, drawing heavily from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to help clients align with their values and process life's complexities. When working with couples, Willow integrates Gottman Method principles and attachment theory to foster deeper emotional security, effective communication, and genuine connection. Whether guiding an individual through identity formation or helping partners navigate non-traditional relationship landscapes, Willow walks alongside clients with curiosity, warmth, and radical acceptance.

THERAPY INTERN

Estella@expansioncollectivetherapy.com

Estella Borden is currently pursuing her M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana. She previously attended Indiana University, where she earned a B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Human Sexuality. During her undergraduate studies, she developed a strong interest in feminist literature, LGBTQ+ representation in popular culture, and sex therapy.

Estella’s clinical interests center on human psychosexual development, identity formation, and relationship intimacy. She brings knowledge and sensitivity to topics such as kink, fetish, and alternative relationship structures- areas that are often overlooked or stigmatized within traditional counseling frameworks.

Estella is committed to bridging the gap between effective mental health care and marginalized or underrepresented populations. Her approach to counseling is integrative and collaborative, drawing from person-centered therapy while incorporating elements of polyvagal theory and brainspotting. Estella prioritizes radical presence, emotional regulation, and the cultivation of a safe, trusting therapeutic relationship that honors each client’s unique lived experience.

THERAPY INTERN

Gia@expansioncollectivetherapy.com

Gia (she/her) is a Clinical Mental Health Counseling graduate student at Walden University and a clinical intern working under the supervision of licensed clinicians. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from The University of Texas at El Paso. She is the author of Letters to Myself: A DBT-Inspired Journal and Congratulations! You'e Human. 

Gia is especially drawn to supporting clients and couples who experience intense emotions, shifting self-image, or cycles in relationships that leave them feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or misunderstood. Rather than focusing only on symptoms, she is interested in helping clients make sense of the why behind their patterns; while also building tools that make day-to-day life feel more manageable. 

Her approach is culturally responsive, grounded, curious, and collaborative. Gia doesn’t believe people are “too much” or “too complicated," but rather that their experiences make sense in context. She aims to create a space where clients can be honest without feeling judged, explore both insight and skill-building, and move toward change at a pace that feels sustainable. Gia feels honored to work alongside clients as they begin to understand themselves more clearly, improve how they relate to others, and create lives that feel more steady, connected, and authentic.

THERAPY INTERN

Christy (she/her) is a Master of Social Work (MSW) student at Capella University and currently a clinical intern at The Expansion Collective Therapy, where she works with clients under the supervision of licensed clinicians. Christy is passionate about supporting adolescents, adults, and families through life’s most difficult transitions, and she is committed to creating a space that feels safe, affirming, and nonjudgmental.

Christy has a strong interest in working with individuals navigating trauma, identity exploration, family stress, parenthood challenges, religious trauma relationship concerns, and major life changes. Christy is also passionate about providing LGBTQ+ affirming care and is eager to gain continued experience working with individuals and couples in the ethical non-monogamy/polyamory and kink communities, as well as clients seeking support around sexuality, intimacy, and relationship dynamics.

As a developing clinician, Christy approaches her work with empathy, curiosity, and a strengths-based mindset. She believes healing happens when people feel genuinely seen and supported, and she feels honored to walk alongside clients as they work toward growth, self-understanding, and lasting change.

SOCIAL WORK INTERN

Kristina Lesley (she/her) is a Master of Social Work (MSW) student at Indiana University Indianapolis and interning at The Expansion Collective for the summer of 2026. Upon graduating in Spring 2027, she plans to pursue licensure as a Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), dedicated to supporting adolescents and adults navigating the complexities of trauma.

Her clinical focus is deeply shaped by her foundational career in child abuse forensic interviewing, where she developed a specialized understanding of child sexual abuse and the impacts of early adversity. In addition to her work in trauma recovery and post-traumatic growth, she brings an informed, nonjudgmental approach to working with individuals navigating maladaptive sexual behaviors. Moving from investigation to clinical intervention, she is passionate about helping clients process complex childhood trauma and safely understand and address behavioral patterns.

Her core approach is trauma-focused and person-centered, rooted in the firm belief that clients are the ultimate experts of their own lives. Through curiosity, self-discovery, and a strengths-based perspective, she creates a collaborative, safe space where clients can recognize their own resilience, connect past experiences to current behaviors, and empower themselves to define the future they want to create.