Amy holds a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from Santa Clara University and a Master’s of Theology degree from Fuller Theological Seminary. She works from a Psychodynamic theoretical orientation and is trained in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) and Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR). She specializes in treating victims of abuse, survivors of suicide and other life traumas.

Amy helped build the Tri-Valley Counseling Center from a vision to reality and continues to facilitate the Administrative leadership, oversight and clinical oversight of the Associates. She has been a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist for 15 years. In addition to working at the TVCC she has her own Private Practice on the Peninsula and is Care Pastor at Cornerstone Fellowship.  

Amy Sargent

Clinical Director

LMFT #47022

Debbie Curtis

Clinical Supervisor

LMFT #96166

Debbie is a certified clinical trauma professional and a certified brainspotting therapist. She holds a Master’s degree in Counseling with a Marriage and Family Therapy option and is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. She has her own Private Practice in addition to working for TVCC. She has also run a trauma recovery center for domestic violence and human trafficking. Her work is viewed through the lens of the whole person in order to promote healing from the inside out. Each person is unique, so her approach to each client is specialized to meet their individual needs.

Debbie works with teens and adults experiencing anxiety, depression or is asking ‘who am I really?’. She works with parents to help support their child’s well-being. She works with couples to help facilitate communication and identify or help prevent core issues that can lead to conflict, and teaches conflict resolution skills. 

Sarah Byron is a compassionate and experienced mental health therapist dedicated to helping individuals who are seeking personal growth and healing. She holds a Master of Arts degree in Counseling from Western Seminary and a Master of Theology degree from the Graduate Theological Union. Sarah offers a client-centered approach, drawing from a psychodynamic orientation with a focus on attachment and Internal Family Systems work. A Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, she is also trained in the trauma-specific therapies EMDR, Brainspotting, and ImTT.

Sarah works primarily with adults experiencing anxiety, depression, and other mental health challenges. She is passionate about empowering her clients to build resilience, increase self-understanding, develop self-compassion, and enhance their overall well-being. In addition to owning her own private practice, Sarah serves as a clinical supervisor at Tri-Valley Counseling Center.

Sarah Byron

Supervisor

LMFT #136818

Cynthia Gallant

APCC # 14880
Supervised by Debbie Curtis

Andy has a background in education as an academic instructor, an MBA and most recently a Master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy. Andy works in the Oakland school system as an onsite therapist at various elementary and middle schools. His primary work focuses on young clients with trauma, anxiety, depression and with neurodivergent clients. He also provides mental health support for teachers and school personnel as well.

Andy, a Registered Associate Marriage and Family Therapist, has also begun to develop his own private practice where he will focus more on teens, young adults, couples and families. He is a devoted husband and father to 2 young kids and has another baby girl on the way.

Andy Paek

AMFT #142928
Supervised by Debbie Curtis

Christopher Samayoa

AMFT # 146217
Supervised by Debbie Curtis

Christopher is a Registered Associate Marriage and Family Therapist. He has extensive training in Motivational Interviewing and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Among his areas of expertise include depression, anxiety, trauma, substance use, and adjustment to life transitions. Christopher earned his Associate of Arts degree in Administration of Justice from College of the Siskiyous, his Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from The University of Arizona, and his Master of Arts degree in Counseling Psychology with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of San Francisco.

In addition to psychotherapy, Christopher has years of experience in providing case management services to Veterans and homeless families, as well as those involved in both the child welfare system and adult behavioral health court. Christopher is married to a Clinical Psychologist who works for the VA and is the father of two young children.

Melody is a Registered Associate Marriage and Family Therapist and Registered Associate Professional Clinical Counselor who earned her M.A. in Counseling from Western Seminary and her B.A. in Psychology from UCLA. She also completed two years of ministry school in Redding, California. Through her own journey of healing from anxiety, perfectionism, and shame, she has developed a passion to journey with others as they heal from past wounds, overcome fears of rejection and failure, reclaim their voice, and develop new patterns of being.

Melody primarily works with older teens and young adults navigating anxiety, trauma, or addiction, as well as married couples longing for reconnection. She is a Certified Prepare-Enrich Facilitator for couples seeking premarital counseling. A trauma-informed therapist, Melody counsels from a person-centered, family systems, and attachment lens, integrating other modalities like CBT and DBT, based on clients’ specific needs. She integrates faith to the extent clients desire. As a 1.5-generation Taiwanese American and pastor missionary kid, Melody carries a special heart for the Asian American community, mother-daughter relationships, and understands the challenges of performance- and shame-based cultures and navigating multiple worlds. Melody is bilingual in English and Mandarin and loves singing karaoke with her husband.

Melody Chen

AMFT # 149643
APCC # 17455
Supervised by Sarah Byron

Simran Knueppel

MFT Trainee
Supervised by Amy Sargent

Simran has an MBA and has held various marketing leadership roles across industries including financial services, tech and consumer packaged goods. She is currently working to complete her Master of Clinical Psychology degree at Pepperdine University while working as a Therapist Trainee at Tri-Valley Counseling in her final year of school.

Simran supports individuals, couples and families with an empathic, client-centered approach that is tailored for each client’s individual needs. Her business and leadership experience also allow her to support individuals who are navigating challenges in the work environment and career transitions. Simran’s faith has always been important to her, and she offers a Christian perspective for clients who are interested.

Chris has a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management and spent the first 10 years of his career in tech. The last 15 years Chris has worked as a Pastor at Cornerstone Fellowship, during the last 10 of those years regularly providing Pastoral Counseling to a wide variety of individuals and couples.

In addition to his Pastoral role, Chris is in the final year of getting his Master of Psychology degree and is working as a MFT Trainee here at Tri-Valley Counseling. Chris’ business, pastoral and counseling experience give him a wide base of expertise to walk alongside individuals or couples looking for therapeutic support. Chris has been married for over 20 years and has two teenage sons.

Chris Stockhaus

MFT Trainee
Supervised by Debbie Curtis