Mental Health Counselors

Kara Bumgarner, M.A., M.H.
Registered Mental Health Counseling Intern

Kara received her undergraduate degree in psychology from Indiana State University. Her past work experience includes a position as an investigative caseworker for the Department of Children and Families in Indiana. She was employed by a school system as an At-Risk Counselor and Special Programs Coordinator. She worked at the school for 6 years developing Student Assistance Programs and running groups for teens. She relocated to Sarasota with her husband in 1995 and was a stay at home mother until 2000. She then served as a youth leader at a local church until 2004.

She enrolled in the Masters in Mental Health Counseling program at Argosy University in 2005. It is a program accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). CACREP is the highest accreditation that a program in the field receives. She completed her degree in September, 2008. She holds a Masters of Arts in Mental Health Counseling (M.A., M.H.). She is currently a Registered Mental Health Counseling Intern and will become a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) in November, 2010. Kara has been able to combine her various interests and experiences into her practice. She enjoys working with individuals and couples. She has a special interest in helping those who have survived abuse, people who are dealing with chronic illnesses, and those facing life stage changes and challenges. She is a strong believer in the connection between mind and body and utilizes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy strategies to address how thoughts affect behavior. She considers therapy to be a collaborative effort and feels privileged to assist clients on their healing journey.

John Caporale, LMHC

Licensed Mental Health Counselor
Substance Abuse, Adolescents, Marriage and Family

John is a native New Yorker who has resided in Sarasota for the past 35 years. He received his Bachelor's and Master's Degrees from the University of South Florida in mental health counseling. He received his license as a Mental Health Counseling in 2007. In addition to his private practice, John works for First Step of Sarasota as the Assistant Clinical Director for Residential Services. In the past he has provided intervention education for the FAST (families and schools together) programming at Booker Elementary School, and drug awareness education for local youth church groups. He has received training and certification in trauma studies, marriage and family counseling and personality assessment screening for adults and adolescents.

Melanie S. DuToit, LMHC, CRC
Licensed Mental Health Counselor
Certified Rehabilitation Counselor

Melanie DuToit holds a FL License in Mental Health Counseling and is a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor. She began counseling 12 years ago, now working in association with the Charis Center for the past 8 years.

As a commited Christian, Melanie unifies the commands, principles, and promises of our Heavenly Father with sound social/psychological theory and intervention. Understanding the struggles of depression, anxiety, obsessive compulsiveness, perfectionism and anger, Mrs. DuToit provides compassion and empathy with her counseling. Art and Healing with expressive art theory, Compassionate Therapy, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Adlerian; approach (birth order and family constellation) with emphasis on social interest as the primary motivator, understanding Dreams/Visions, and couples/families Family System Therapy. Addictions work with Reality Therapy (take personal responsibility) and the 12-Step Recovery Model.

Robert L. Piper , LMHC
Licensed Mental Health Counselor
Adolescent and Adult Psychotherapist

Bob is Vice President of First Step of Sarasota, a comprehensive addiction treatment organization, where he directs their 28-day residential program. His expertise is widely respected throughout Sarasota, and in 1999, he brought his 35 years of experience treating addiction disorders in adolescents and adults to the Charis Center where he sees individuals, couples, and parents several nights a week. Bob was also co-founder of the Peer Counseling Program at Sarasota High School, which still exists after over 40 years. Additionally, Bob specializes in psycho-educational training for family members who have a loved one struggling with addiction.

Bob is a member of the Florida Alcohol and Drug Abuse Association and received a Counselor of the Year award in 1984. He is a member of the faculty and served as the 2006 President of the Board of Directors for the Florida School of Addiction Studies at the University of North Florida.

Dr. Stacy Louk
Pastoral Counselor
Licensed Mental Health Counselor
Nationally Certified Counselor

Dr. Louk has been counseling for over ten years and has been licensed since 2002. She specializes in working with youth (age 13 and up), college-age youth, family and couples concerns, divorce/separation, and care providers in religious and medical fields. She has expertise in working with personality disorders and ADD/ADHD. She will be co-leading groups for Parents, Family, and Friends of those who are using substances and also an outpatient Dialectical Behavior Therapy group for those with personality disorders.

Dr. Louk received a Ph.D. in Pastoral Counseling from Loyola College in Maryland in 2008 and is a professional member of the American Counseling Association and ASERVIC (Association for Spiritual, Ethical, and Religious Values in Counseling). She is also a professional member of the American Psychological Association. She is a member of an honorary society in counseling, Chi Sigma Iota, and a member of a Jesuit honor society, Alpha Sigma Nu. As a pastoral counselor, Dr. Louk is interested in spiritual and religous concerns and how they effect overall well-being. She works with clients where they are and within their personal faith/spiritual belief system.

Lauren Syrstad M.A., M.F.T.
Registered Marriage and Family Therapist Intern
Suboxone Program Therapist

Lauren Syrstad joined the Charis Center two years ago when she relocated from Southern California. While there she worked for over 3 years with “high risk” adolescents in residential treatment facilities. Lauren also provided therapeutic services at the community mental health center working with families and individuals of all ages, ethnicities and diagnoses. She also developed a group therapy curriculum for adolescent criminal offenders that worked in conjunction with the local police department.

Lauren obtained her bachelors degree in Psychology with a Child and Adolescent emphasis in 2004. She graduated with a Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology: Marriage and Family Therapy from Azusa Pacific University in June of 2007. Lauren is currently a Registered Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Intern and will become fully licensed in January 2010.

Lauren has a passion for working with addicts and their families and since being at the Charis Center has been instrumental in creating the Suboxone Treatment Program. The program includes medical interventions to address the physical side of addiction and therapy sessions to address the psychological side of addiction including relapse prevention. In addition to substance abuse treatment, Lauren enjoys working with adults, young couples, “at risk” youth, providing crisis intervention and counseling those struggling with depression and anxiety.

Lauren’s education and wide range of both personal and professional experiences have helped form a solid basis from which she is able to meet her clients where they are at and then in turn partner with them to reach their goals of healthier functioning.