Meet Our Student Therapists

Elise Chaffin

Elise Chaffin is a student therapist at UNL Couple and Family Clinic and is supervised by doctoral-level licensed clinicians. As an MFT therapist Elise values a systemic approach that encourages connection with community and is tailored to individual and family needs. Elise has worked as a case manager within the Lincoln community for a few years and has a good understanding of the issues facing families in Lincoln and the surrounding rural communities. Due to this experience Elise has a passion for working with marginalized communities and providing them access to care.

*Taylor Courtney

Taylor Courtney is a student therapist at the UNL Couple and Family Clinic. She is supervised by doctoral-level licensed clinicians. Taylor works from a systemic and trauma-informed lens and is particularly drawn to Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). She has received training in EMDR Therapy, Attachment-Based Family Therapy (ABFT), Gottman Level 1 for couples, and mindfulness practices. Taylor welcomes all clients and populations, and is especially interested in working with couples, as well as adolescents and young adults.

Leila Donnerberg

Leila Donnerberg is a student therapist at the UNL Couple and Family Clinic. She is supervised by doctoral-level licensed clinicians. Leila supports individuals, couples, and families as they navigate life’s challenges and changes. She understands that starting therapy can feel intimidating and believes clients are the experts of their own lives. She previously worked in supervised visitation, which sparked her interest in family dynamics and healing. She uses a collaborative, trauma-informed approach where clients feel heard and understood. Her work is influenced by Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), and she has been trained in Gottman Level 1 and Attachment-Based Family Therapy.

*Elizabeth Miller

Elizabeth Miller is a student therapist at the UNL Couple and Family Clinic. They are supervised by doctoral-level licensed clinicians. Elizabeth works from a systemic and strengths-based perspective, helping clients explore how relationships, family experiences, culture, and larger systems influence the challenges they face and the strengths they bring. Growing up in a family that often faced barriers to accessing resources shaped Elizabeth’s interest in working with individuals, couples, and families navigating anxiety, trauma, relationship concerns, and life transitions. Elizabeth has completed training in Attachment-Based Family Therapy (ABFT), Gottman Method Level 1, and EMDR Basic Training. 

Patricia Parish

Patricia Parish is a student therapist at the UNL Couple and Family Clinic. She is supervised by doctoral-level licensed clinicians. Patricia believes that everyone has the capacity for change,. each person possesses strengths and capacities that may, at times, benefit from additional support and guidance. She works towards meeting her clients where they’re at, and working together with clients to get them closer to their preferred futures.  Patricia works with individuals, couples, families, and justice-involved youth. She practices from a solution focused and narrative therapy lens and is trained in Gottman Level 1 and Attachment Based Family Therapy. Patricia's approach to therapy is relaxed, and she often incorporates humor to help create a comfortable, welcoming space.

Dillon Richert

Dillon Richert is a student therapist at the UNL Couple and Family Clinic, where he is supervised by a team of doctoral-level clinicians. Dillon works with systemic thinking in mind, believing that we are a product of our environment and all that came before us. Dillon has a particular interest in Narrative Therapy, believing that we are the authors and experts of our own lives. Dillon is particularly interested in working with high school and college students and their families, as he recognizes the varied problems that may arise during this time due to stress, anxiety, depression, and grief. 

*Chantel Savage

Chantel is a student therapist at the UNL Family Clinic and is supervised by doctoral-level licensed clinicians. She works from a systemic, attachment-based, and trauma-informed perspective, with influence from Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT). Clients can expect a collaborative process that explores patterns, emotions, strengths, and relationships. She is particularly interested in working with grief and loss, trauma, and life transitions, while welcoming individuals, couples, and families across a wide range of presenting concerns. Chantel is trained in EMDR Level 1 training, Gottman Level 1 training, and Attachment-Based Family Therapy. She also completed a 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training, which informs her awareness of mind-body connection in clinical work.

Emma-Frances Smith

Emma-Frances Smith is a student therapist at the UNL Couple and Family Clinic. She is supervised by doctoral-level licensed clinicians. Starting therapy can feel overwhelming, but you don’t have to navigate it alone. She strives to create a supportive, inclusive, affirming, and nonjudgmental space where people of all identities and backgrounds can feel heard and understood.  She takes a trauma-informed approach and is trained in Gottman Level 1 and Attachment-Based Family Therapy (ABFT), which guides her work with individuals, couples, and families. She believes that you are the expert in your own life and hopes to explore your values and experiences together. Emma-Frances got her undergraduate degree from Oklahoma State University.

Sam Voelker

Sam Voelker is a student therapist at the UNL Couple and Family Clinic. He is supervised by doctoral-level licensed clinicians. Sam approaches therapy through an attachment lens and is drawn to how the relationships in his clients’ lives impact their emotional well-being. Sam is particularly interested in working with individuals who have experienced trauma, as well as those struggling with anxiety and depression. Sam has training in Gottman Level 1, as well as Attachment-Based Family Therapy.

Alonzo Whaley

Alonzo “Zo” Whaley is a student therapist at the UNL Couple and Family Clinic. They are supervised by doctoral-level licensed clinicians. He works from a systemic perspective and incorporates Internal Family Systems and Solution-Focused approaches into therapy. Clients can expect sessions that explore both individual concerns and the relational and contextual factors surrounding them, while emphasizing practical steps toward change. Zo is interested in working with individuals and families navigating daily stressors, anxiety, depression, and identity or cultural concerns. Growing up in a small East Texas community shaped his interest in how family, culture, and environment influence well-being.

Sophie Wingland