Our Center
Transformative Life Center, LLC. is a Outpatient Mental Health Center created to provide multidisciplinary treatment to patients in the Charlotte community and its surrounding areas. TLC provides a variety of CONSULTING, ASSESSMENT, AND CLINICAL services.
Our Staff
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Rose M. LeDay, Ph.D.
Dr. LeDay is the owner of Transformative Life Center, LLC. She is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist who has over 13 years of experience in the mental health field. Dr. LeDay attended the California School of Professional Psychology and was trained in the field of Clinical Psychology, with a specific emphasis in Multicultural & Community Psychology. For the past 7 years she has been recruited to develop treatment programs and manage various behavioral health facilities nationally. She is a trainer and supervisor for other clinicians of varying licensure levels and serves as a consultant to various mental health agencies. As an aside, Dr. LeDay has presented and lectured extensively on issues of womens health, sexuality, cultural diversity and eating disorders. Most recently she appeared in Fitness Magazine discussing body image issues in culturally diverse populations and on ABC News, addressing eating disorders in college students.
Dr. LeDay has worked with children, adolescents and adults in a variety of mental health settings and has treated a wide range of mental disorders and emotional problems. In working with clients she utilizes a Relational approach to develop trust, respect and empathy, meeting each client where they are to begin the process of progress. Dr. LeDay has developed an expertise in the field of Eating Disorders over the last 10 years and also successfully addresses Mood Disorders (Depression, BiPolar), Anxiety Disorders (PTSD, Panic, Social, Separation), Identity Issues, Anger Management, Grief/Loss, Work-Life Balance, Stress Management and Relationship Conflict with Solution-Focused, Humanistic or Cognitive-Behavioral strategies. Dr. LeDay has extensive training and experience in psychological testing which she utilizes to achieve accurate diagnosis and effective treatment planning for consumers of all ages.
Alexandra Dean is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) licensed in North Carolina and a National Certified Counselor (NCC) certified by the National Board of Certified Counselors. Alex is a Magna Cum Laude graduate of CAU, where she earned a Bachelors of Science in Psychology; she holds a Dual Masters of Science in Marriage/Family Therapy & Mental Health Counseling from Barry University; and is a Capella University Doctor of Philosophy in Industrial/Organizational Psychology candidate. For the last six years she has been committed to providing mental health services, Alex gained notable experience while serving in a variety of critical clinical positions in the states of Florida and North Carolina. Her professional experience embodies: delivering mental health counseling services to adults, adolescents, children, families and the elderly; developing patient treatment plans and ensuring proper discharges; providing on-going mental health counseling to adult ex-offenders, determining their job readiness and ability to properly re-enter society; conducting clinical comprehensive and mental health assessments; ensuring clinical/administrative staff supervision, and supervising all clinical services in local, state and nationally accredited agencies. Alex has also provided consulting services to Fortune 500 hundred companies (ranging from recruitment to re-structuring and motivating personnel).
Alex is a committed, focused, and goal-oriented professional who also offers her reliable expertise to the Hispanic community in the areas of: family issues, couples therapy, parenting skills, oppositional defiance, ADHD, self-esteem, mood disorders, vocational concerns, identity issues, anger and stress management. She addresses those concerns by utilizing the following theoretical orientations: Solution-Focused, Narrative, Cognitive-Behavioral, and REBT amongst other post-modern approaches depending on the specific client's need. Alex is an active clinician who ensures quality services to all clients who hope to positively redefine themselves and their lives during times of transition.
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Kimberly Kraut, MSW, LCSW, ACSW comes to Transformative Life Center, LLC from an outpatient Mental Health/Alcohol and Other Drug clinic in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Since 2001, she has provided both individual & group therapy services. Kimberly’s previous background also includes work with in – home services working with Treatment Foster Care, juvenile delinquency, and families involved with DSS while residing in Wisconsin. Kimberly completed her undergraduate studies at Carthage College earning her BSW (Bachelor’s in Social Work) with a minor in psychology. She received her Master of Social Work from Loyola University School of Social Work.
With over 10 years of experience in working with adolescents, individuals, couples, and families, Kimberly remains focused on cultivating a stronger mind–body–soul connection within the client to facilitate desired change as each client shares their journey thru life. Reflecting on the healing power of relationships, Kimberly enjoys working with clients to develop healthier connections with their true authentic selves, with friends and family members, and within the community in which they reside and in so doing, realize their true potential. Kimberly’s passion encompasses assisting clients achieve sustained recovery with their eating disorders, body image issues, and leading a healthier lifestyle. Other specialty areas include: trauma, BPD, alcohol and other drug addiction, self–injury, grief/loss, victims of domestic violence, obsessive compulsive disorders, family conflict/parenting issues, self–esteem/identity issues, intimacy difficulties/sexual dysfunction, and gambling addiction.
Christine Smeltz-Zapata, LPA
Her specialty areas include: anxiety, depression, bi-polar disorder, borderline personality disorder, ADHD, obsessive-compulsive disorders, parenting skills, and family conflict. Christine primarily uses a cognitive-behavioral approach, and will utilize person-centered, relational, and existential approaches to meet the needs of clients.
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Laurie Jachym, MSW, LCSW
Laurie is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and has been working in the field since 2006. She studied at UNC Wilmington for her undergraduate degree in Psychology and obtained a master’s degree in Social Work from UNC Charlotte. Laurie has provided services to individuals, families, couples, and groups in an outpatient setting since she began her work as a clinician. She has worked with all age groups, with a focus on adults. She also has prior experience working with individuals and families for in-home therapeutic services.
Her areas of specialty include depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, BPD, domestic violence, addiction, interpersonal issues, trauma, low self-esteem, and problems with impulse control. Her clinical training includes Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, motivational interviewing, solution focused therapy, and play therapy. Using an individualized, person-centered approach,her goal is to help clients learn how to find balance in their lives in order to achieve overall wellness. She is committed to being a guide to her clients during their journey of self-discovery.
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Melissa Tate, EdE, LCPC, LPC
Dr. Tate is a Master's and Doctorate level graduate of Argosy University--Washington DC, having accumulated a wealth of practical experiences in both public and private sectors of behavioral health over the past 10 years. Before transitioning to private practice, the foundation of her career was spent working with acute mentally ill adolescent and adult populations providing clinical interviewing, suicide risk/assessment, crisis intervention, and intensive individual, group, and family therapy with some of the most clinically complicated cases in the State of Maryland. This includes chronic mentally ill consumers that were dually-diagnosed with substance abuse and dependency disorders.
Dr. Tate's expertise is also relevant to less acute populations seeking a therapeutic confidante to work through life's personal dilemmas. She is a General Psychology specialist that prides herself on being able to establish a therapeutic, productive relationship across the developmental spectrum with clientele of all ages. Her experience includes work with Children (5-12), Adolescents (13-17), Young adults (18-25), Adults (21+), also Couples and Families. Problem areas include, but are not limited to: Self-esteem, Anger management, Mood disorders, Peer-relational issues, Phase of life problems, Identity formation, Substance abuse, Grief/loss, Communication problems, Stagnant relationships, Separation/divorce, Anxiety, Phobias, Self-injurious behavior, and much more.Continuing education has cultivated her professional development in the areas of trauma and abuse, having completed training in Cognitive Processing Therapy-web via MUSC in 2012. Dr. Tate has been able to apply these strategies to clients with diagnoses in the presentation of persistent anxiety, trauma responses, and stress disorders, with specific attention toward veterans. She has also completed, and is continuing to develop research, in exploring of multicultural dynamics in the counseling relationship.
Furthermore, Dr. Tate has received specific coursework in clinical supervision and counselor education. She has been able to merge her Counseling Psychology education with tangible, work-place experience gained in the field. She is credentialed as a Licensed Professional Counselor-Supervisor (LPCS) in the State of North Carolina, having previously with experience as a clinical manager in residential treatment and special education. In practice, she has supervised graduate students, provisionally licensed clinicians, interns/externs, and direct care paraprofessionals.
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Bianca Hemphill, LPA
Bianca Hemphill is a Licensed Psychological Associate (LPA) in North Carolina. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Houston with a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology. Bianca later obtained her Master of Arts in Clinical and Community Psychology from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
Bianca has experience working with a variety of populations. She has provided community support services to adults with mental health and substance abuse diagnoses to help increase their self-sufficiency. Bianca also has worked with children and adolescents in clinical outpatient settings, including individual, family, and group therapy, as well as intensive in-home services. She has worked in research settings studying the effects of domestic violence on children, as well as evaluating the effectiveness of systems of care for children with severe emotional and behavioral disturbances. Bianca also has experience with psychological testing, including intellectual and personality assessment, as well as tests of academic achievement. Bianca uses psychological assessment for diagnostic clarification, making level of care determinations, and providing other therapeutic recommendations.
Bianca's specialty areas include: mood disturbances (e.g., depression, anger, anxiety), behavioral concerns (e.g., conduct problems, oppositional behaviors, ADHD), and social skills training. Bianca has a passion for helping others and is committed to helping people achieve their full potential and enhance their quality of life.
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Cheryl L. Bennett, Ph.D
Dr. Bennett is a Licensed Psychologist in North Carolina. She received a doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Virginia Commonwealth University after first working as a clinical psychologist in North Carolina, Michigan, South Carolina, and Virginia.
Dr. Bennett has over 20 years experience helping patients with their mental health issues in various settings, including inpatient psychiatric hospitals, outpatient agencies, assisted living homes and nursing homes. She has counseled troubled teens, college students, women's groups, the elderly and both young and middle-aged adults.
Dr. Bennett's areas of interest include mood disorders (depression, bipolar mood disorder), anxiety disorder, trauma, women's issues, the aging and elderly, and cultural and contextual issues that affect mental health and well-being. She provides psychological assessment to individuals of all ages. She provides therapy to individuals ranging from young adult to senior adult.
Dr. Bennett's primary approach is the use of Cognitive-Behavioral therapy to assist individuals in modifying unhealthy or maladaptive thought and behavior patterns and to create healthier ones in order for them to gain symptom relief and actualize their greatest potential. She also uses interpersonal, strength-based and solution-focused therapy as well as skill-building therapy as needed, depending on the needs of the client. Dr. Bennett's passion is to increase patients' self-awareness to empower them: an aware patient is more often able to thrive in his or her family, community, and workplace.
Dr. Bennett also provides psychological testing, including intelligence testing and personality testing for diagnostic clarification. The assessments may be used by individuals, families and employers to understand key psychological issues with the purpose of assisting the tested individuals in achieving greater mental health and personal growth.
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