Stacy Gaines

Stacy Gaines is a Counseling Intern at Williamsville Wellness and a graduate student in the Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling program at Virginia Commonwealth University. She is currently completing her clinical practicum at Williamsville Wellness, where she is gaining experience working with individuals navigating substance use and behavioral addictions, co-occurring mental health concerns, and challenges related to relationships, family dynamics, grief, and major life transitions.

Prior to pursuing a career in counseling, Stacy spent more than 25 years in education, including serving in school and district leadership roles. She also holds a Ph.D. in Social Foundations of Education. Her background in education and leadership has shaped her appreciation for the ways family, culture, relationships, environment, and life experiences influence how individuals understand themselves and navigate change.

As part of the Williamsville Wellness clinical team, Stacy uses an integrative, person-centered approach to counseling. Her developing clinical practice incorporates Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills, Motivational Interviewing, and other strengths-based approaches. She is particularly interested in addiction and recovery, relapse prevention, grief and loss, and family and relationship dynamics. She has a growing interest in the unique dynamics of blended families, including families formed through remarriage, foster care, and adoption, and in understanding how changes in family roles, relationships, and identity can affect both individuals and the family system.

Stacy believes that meaningful change is supported by a therapeutic relationship in which patients feel heard, respected, and safe enough to be honest about both their struggles and their hopes for the future. Her goal is to meet patients where they are while helping them recognize their strengths, challenge patterns that may no longer serve them, and develop practical tools for recovery and continued personal growth.