At Stonegate Counseling Associates, our team of experienced therapists is committed to providing thoughtful, compassionate care that supports emotional, relational, and spiritual well-being. As a trusted Christian counseling practice serving the Athens and Watkinsville area for over a decade, we integrate the best of evidence-based approaches with a faith-informed perspective to meet your unique needs.
Whether you're facing anxiety, depression, marriage or relationship challenges, or simply feeling stuck, we’re here to walk with you toward meaningful growth and lasting healing.
To get started, visit the profile of the therapist you’d like to work with and reach out directly. We’re here to help you take the next step with confidence and care.
Our team includes:
Thorn Winkler, LMFT, LPC, CPCS: Thorn works with adult men and women, couples, families, and adolescent males. While he works with individuals and couples experiencing a variety of issues, he is at his best working with clients seeking help for sexual addiction and unwanted sexual behaviors, marital conflict and communication problems, sexual abuse recovery, relationship difficulties, depression, anxiety, stress management, codependency, and family conflict. He also enjoys helping clients seeking counseling for personal and spiritual growth and offers premarital and pre-engagement counseling.
Joe Bucha, LPC: Joe desires to help individuals and couples with the skills, gifts, and abilities God has given him. Joe provides help with issues including sexual concerns, marriage difficulties, anxiety, depression, relational problems, pre-marriage, career and life direction, and spiritual growth.
Stephanie Atkinson, LPC, CALC: Stephanie helps children, teens and adults with executive functioning skills such as time management, organization, study skills and motivation. Individuals with ADHD, mild autism or executive functioning disorder may also benefit from learning social, emotional, and behavioral management skills. Stephanie provides a wide range of counseling and educational opportunities for individuals, couples and families. She enjoys helping people understand their thinking, learning, and communication styles and using those to strengthen organization, study and life skills.
Taylor Mason, LMFT, LPC: Taylor works with adults, couples, family, and adolescents. She works with her clients on a variety of concerns, most of her clients seek support for anxiety, perfectionism, family conflict, codependency, parent/child relationship problems, couples conflict and communication concerns, miscarriage support, pre/postnatal concerns, life transitions, and PTSD. Taylor also enjoys premarital and pre-engagement counseling.
Alison Cooley, LMFT, LPC: Alison works with anxiety, trauma/PTSD, relationship challenges, self-esteem issues, disordered eating, and identity struggles. She works with individuals and couples, offering support for those navigating difficult relationships, trauma, and personal growth.
Chaz Ripley, LAPC: Chaz believes all individuals have a unique and innate ability to move toward emotional and mental health. Through collaboration, acceptance, and encouragement, Chaz hopes to facilitate a process that leads to sustained growth, healthy development, and personal healing. Chaz works with various kinds of people, including children, adolescents, young adults, adults, and couples. With a background as an elementary and middle school educator, he has a unique passion for helping children and adolescents thrive.
Donna Helton, LCSW: Donna works with female adolescents 16+ and adult women. She helps clients looking to find freedom from anxiety, perfectionism, and over-functioning. Donna is trained in Brainspotting, a cutting-edge modality that helps clients heal from trauma and break free from feelings of being "stuck." She also works with clients to improve emotional awareness, establish healthy boundaries, and reduce over-functioning by setting more realistic expectations. Donna is conversational in Spanish and can incorporate Spanish into sessions as needed.
Whether you're facing anxiety, depression, marriage or relationship challenges, or simply feeling stuck, we’re here to walk with you toward meaningful growth and lasting healing.
To get started, visit the profile of the therapist you’d like to work with and reach out directly. We’re here to help you take the next step with confidence and care.
Our team includes:
Thorn Winkler, LMFT, LPC, CPCS: Thorn works with adult men and women, couples, families, and adolescent males. While he works with individuals and couples experiencing a variety of issues, he is at his best working with clients seeking help for sexual addiction and unwanted sexual behaviors, marital conflict and communication problems, sexual abuse recovery, relationship difficulties, depression, anxiety, stress management, codependency, and family conflict. He also enjoys helping clients seeking counseling for personal and spiritual growth and offers premarital and pre-engagement counseling.
Joe Bucha, LPC: Joe desires to help individuals and couples with the skills, gifts, and abilities God has given him. Joe provides help with issues including sexual concerns, marriage difficulties, anxiety, depression, relational problems, pre-marriage, career and life direction, and spiritual growth.
Stephanie Atkinson, LPC, CALC: Stephanie helps children, teens and adults with executive functioning skills such as time management, organization, study skills and motivation. Individuals with ADHD, mild autism or executive functioning disorder may also benefit from learning social, emotional, and behavioral management skills. Stephanie provides a wide range of counseling and educational opportunities for individuals, couples and families. She enjoys helping people understand their thinking, learning, and communication styles and using those to strengthen organization, study and life skills.
Taylor Mason, LMFT, LPC: Taylor works with adults, couples, family, and adolescents. She works with her clients on a variety of concerns, most of her clients seek support for anxiety, perfectionism, family conflict, codependency, parent/child relationship problems, couples conflict and communication concerns, miscarriage support, pre/postnatal concerns, life transitions, and PTSD. Taylor also enjoys premarital and pre-engagement counseling.
Alison Cooley, LMFT, LPC: Alison works with anxiety, trauma/PTSD, relationship challenges, self-esteem issues, disordered eating, and identity struggles. She works with individuals and couples, offering support for those navigating difficult relationships, trauma, and personal growth.
Chaz Ripley, LAPC: Chaz believes all individuals have a unique and innate ability to move toward emotional and mental health. Through collaboration, acceptance, and encouragement, Chaz hopes to facilitate a process that leads to sustained growth, healthy development, and personal healing. Chaz works with various kinds of people, including children, adolescents, young adults, adults, and couples. With a background as an elementary and middle school educator, he has a unique passion for helping children and adolescents thrive.
Donna Helton, LCSW: Donna works with female adolescents 16+ and adult women. She helps clients looking to find freedom from anxiety, perfectionism, and over-functioning. Donna is trained in Brainspotting, a cutting-edge modality that helps clients heal from trauma and break free from feelings of being "stuck." She also works with clients to improve emotional awareness, establish healthy boundaries, and reduce over-functioning by setting more realistic expectations. Donna is conversational in Spanish and can incorporate Spanish into sessions as needed.