LaDawn Knicely, LPC received her Master of Arts in Counseling from Eastern Mennonite University in April 2013. In the spring of 2015, she completed a dual degree with a Master of Divinity. LaDawn is compassionate about the well-being of others and advocates for social change in the community, where she serves as secretary for Valley Justice Coalition. Previously she volunteered her counseling services once a week at The Mercy House in Harrisonburg which is a shelter for abused women and their kids who may be experiencing trauma and/or crisis situations. As part of her internship work at EMU, she was a counselor in training at Family Life Resource Center in Harrisonburg. LaDawn organized and implemented an On Earth Peace, Agape-Satyagraha Program, that she oversaw at the Boys & Girls Club Teen Center. The program engaged the teens in group discussions and role play while learning a 5 tier program on conflict resolution skills. LaDawn has served as Chaplain and Counselor at the Gemeinschaft Home which is a home for male convicted felons preparing them for re-entry back into society. She has also served as a Chaplain at Rockingham Memorial Hospital. LaDawn’s first love and passion is her family. She enjoys farming, raising sheep, gardening, traveling, reading and constantly learning by immersing herself in diverse cultural experiences.
Harvey Yoder is a semi-retired pastor and a licensed professional counselor with many years of experience in individual, pastoral and family counseling. He is a graduate of Eastern Mennonite University and Seminary and has a master’s degree in counseling from James Madison University. He served as pastor of the Zion Mennonite Church near Broadway from 1965-1988, while also teaching Bible and social studies courses part time at Eastern Mennonite High School. Since 1988 he has served as a counselor at Family Life Resource Center, and provided leadership in Family of Hope, a house church congregation. He is married to Alma Jean (Wert) and they are the parents of three children and six grandchildren.
Erica received her Masters degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Eastern Mennonite University in 2025. She also works part time at the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Community Services Board in their Crisis Stabilization program. She has experience working with individuals ranging from childhood age to elders; she also has experience working with couples. Additionally, she has co-facilitated DVAP groups at Staunton’s Probation office in which she offered mental health curriculum and support to individuals who hold domestic violence and drug use charges. She has also spent time at Gemeinschaft home, offering individual counseling and group support to those who struggle with addiction in their lives. Erica is passionate about community and client advocacy and is intentional about cultural humility when working with clients of various backgrounds and experiences, especially those that are not her own. In past endeavors, she has been a mentor for highschool-aged girls through Young Life, a non-profit, parachurch organization. She is trained in ASIST (Suicide First Aid) and crisis intervention through her education and MANDT. In addition, she is CPR/First Aid certified. Additional areas of competency include issues of depression, anxiety, insomnia, bipolar disorder and mania/psychotic episodes, anger management, attachment wounds and parent/child relationships, sexual trauma, spiritual trauma, LGBTQ+ and women’s issues, grief, PTSD, and career development. As a holistic therapist, Erica centers her work around humanistic modalities and approaches therapy through a polyvagal, attachment-focused lens of theory and understanding. Favored modalities include emotion-focused therapy (EFT), compassion-focused therapy (CFT), strengths-based interventions and systemically focused theories, existential therapy, and narrative therapy. Erica’s approach to therapy is collaborative and multidimensional, seeking to take the client in as an in-depth, multi-faceted being, made of many parts in various cultural, biological and socioeconomic contexts. When with clients, she is intentional in establishing a safe presence that welcomes authenticity and vulnerability while walking alongside the client to find the tools and techniques that she believes already exist within them. She looks forward to joining you on your journey towards healing!"
Kara is a native of Rockingham County. Kara graduated from Turner Ashby High School. Upon graduation, she attended Bridgewater College where she earned a BS degree in Family and Consumer Sciences. Kara’s background had been in the medical field, but sensed God closing that door asking her to walk into a new venture where her creativity and gifts could be more fully utilized. Kara’s passion for life is raising her daughter, McKenzie. Kara feels the most fulfillment and happiness in spending as much time as possible with her daughter, and family. She enjoys raising chickens, goats, pigs, gardening, hunting, and camping.
