We are in this together.
Meet Our Team
CLINIC DIRECTOR
Kristina M. Odumes, LCSW, BCD, CIMHP
Kristina is a collaborative, eclectic, trauma‑informed clinician who helps individuals and groups move toward emotional clarity, stability, and self‑leadership. Her therapeutic style is grounded in partnership — working with clients to understand their internal systems, strengthen their coping skills, and create meaningful, sustainable change. She blends warmth, directness, and evidence‑based practices to support people navigating anger, anxiety, sleep challenges, depression, intrusive symptoms, and the lingering effects of trauma.
With almost 15 years of federal service across the Department of Justice, Department of Treasury, and Department of Veterans Affairs, Kristina has extensive experience supporting diverse and high‑stress populations, including Veterans, first responders, individuals experiencing homelessness, and people living with addiction. This background informs her ability to hold space for complex stories, high‑intensity emotions, and the layered impact of chronic stress and trauma.
Kristina integrates multiple therapeutic approaches, including Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), and Internal Family Systems (IFS). She helps clients explore the meaning behind their experiences, build internal dialogue that supports healing, and reconnect with parts of themselves that have been overwhelmed or silenced. Her work is deeply relational — clients feel seen, respected, and actively involved in shaping their own healing process.
As an iRest Level 1 Yoga Nidra Provider and Certified Integrative Mental Health Professional (CIMHP), Kristina also incorporates mind‑body practices that support nervous system regulation, restorative rest, and emotional grounding. She is an approved New Jersey Clinical Social Work Supervisor, therapist, speaker, coach, and consultant, committed to nurturing both client wellbeing and clinician development.
Kristina’s approach is steady, collaborative, and empowering — offering clients a safe place to understand their patterns, reclaim their voice, and move toward a more grounded and connected life.
LICENSED ASSOCIATE MARRIAGE & FAMILY THERAPIST
(Caroline Cuneo is under clinical supervision of Kristina M. Odumes, LCSW, BCD, CIMHP)
Caroline Cuneo, LAMFT, CMIP
Caroline brings a trauma-informed approach to therapy, helping individuals, couples, and families navigate complex emotional terrain with clarity and compassion. Her work is grounded in collaborative language systems, collaborative couples therapy, solutions-focused brief therapy, mindfulness-based practices, and intercultural communication — empowering clients to build insight, strengthen connection, and move through conflict with greater ease.
With over 20 years of experience in interpersonal and intercultural communication, Caroline is especially attuned to the nuances of family dynamics and emotional safety. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications, a Master’s in Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), and a Master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy from National University. Her ADR thesis explored compassion fatigue and burnout in secondary trauma survivors — a lens she brings to her work with caregivers, advocates, and those healing from relational trauma.
Caroline has over five years of experience in family mediation, including co-parenting, separation, divorce, and end-of-life care. She integrates mindfulness-informed techniques and somatic awareness to support emotional regulation and healing. As a Certified Mindfulness-Informed Professional (CMIP), she uses meditation and grounding practices to help clients reconnect with themselves and their values.
Whether you’re navigating a life transition, healing from trauma, or seeking more fulfilling relationships, Caroline offers a warm, structured space to explore, grow, and move forward.
THERAPIST INTERN. STUDENT INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
(Shantise Byron is under clinical supervision of Kristina M. Odumes, LCSW, BCD, CIMHP)
Shantise Byron
Shantise is an attachment and strengths‑based therapist who helps children, teens, adults, and families feel understood, supported, and empowered in their healing. As a rising Master of Social Work clinician at Aurora University, she blends her background in psychology, public health, and education with a relational, culturally attuned approach to therapy. Her work centers on helping clients make sense of their experiences, build emotional resilience, and develop practical tools for everyday life.
With experience in school settings, Shantise understands how academic pressures, family dynamics, and social stressors can impact emotional well‑being. She works closely with children and families to navigate challenges such as anxiety, behavioral concerns, communication difficulties, and life transitions. Her style is warm, steady, and deeply collaborative — she believes therapy works best when clients feel like active partners in the process.
Using attachment-based, trauma‑ informed strategies, and other integrative therapeutic approaches, Shantise creates a safe, non‑judgmental space where clients can explore their emotions, identify patterns, and strengthen their sense of self. She tailors each session to the individual, helping clients build coping skills, improve communication, and move toward goals that feel meaningful and achievable.
Whether supporting a child learning to express big feelings, a teen navigating identity and stress, or an adult seeking clarity and grounding, Shantise brings compassion, curiosity, and a holistic lens to every session. Her goal is to help clients feel seen, supported, and capable of creating change in their lives.
THERAPIST INTERN. STUDENT INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
(Alyssa Margarette Gavilan is under clinical supervision of Kristina M. Odumes, LCSW, BCD, CIMHP)
Alyssa Margarette Gavilan
Alyssa is a relational therapist who helps individuals, couples, and families strengthen communication, deepen emotional understanding, and build healthier patterns within their relationships. As a Marriage and Family Therapy graduate student at National University, she brings a systems‑focused lens to her work — helping clients see how their experiences, identities, and environments shape the way they relate to themselves and others.
With a Bachelor of Science in Health Science from Stockton University and a strong foundation in cultural leadership (served as Cultural Chair for the Filipino American Students Association) and community engagement, Alyssa approaches therapy with cultural humility and genuine curiosity. Her early life experiences sparked a deep interest in how families function, how relationships heal, and how generational patterns influence emotional well‑being. These experiences continue to guide her passion for supporting clients through challenges related to gender, sexuality, intergenerational trauma, infidelity, and identity development.
Alyssa’s therapeutic style is warm, collaborative, and grounded in partnership. She uses systemic therapies and emotion‑focused approaches to help clients explore their stories, understand their relational patterns, and create new ways of connecting. She believes that healing begins with feeling safe, seen, and understood — and she works intentionally to create a judgment‑free space where clients can express themselves openly.
In session, Alyssa works alongside clients to identify goals, develop coping strategies, and strengthen communication skills. Whether supporting a couple rebuilding trust, an individual navigating identity questions, or a family working through conflict, she helps clients move toward clarity, connection, and emotional resilience.
Alyssa is committed to honoring each client’s lived experience and empowering them to create meaningful change within themselves and their relationships.
CLINIC CARE COORDINATOR
Michelle Jones
Michelle is the welcoming heart of Black Falls Therapy & Wellness and the first supportive voice clients meet when reaching out for care. As Clinic Care Coordinator, she helps individuals and families feel grounded from the very first interaction — offering clarity, warmth, and guidance as they take the important step of beginning therapy.
Michelle understands that reaching out for support can feel overwhelming, so she creates a calm, compassionate entry point into the practice. Whether you’re asking questions, exploring which therapist might be the best fit, scheduling your first appointment, or navigating next steps, Michelle ensures you feel heard, respected, and cared for. Her approach is patient, personable, and deeply client‑centered.
She is committed to making the process smooth and accessible, helping clients feel confident and supported long before they enter the therapy room. Michelle often says, “I absolutely love what I’m doing here,” and it shows in the way she connects with every person who reaches out.
Her goal is simple: to help you feel comfortable, informed, and welcomed as you begin your healing journey with BFTW.