Waystone Therapy

Way Stone /wā/stōn/ – a safe place to heal along your journey

A waystone both marks the trail and indicates a safe place to rest and be restored before continuing on your journey.

Both Way and Stone are names Jesus uses to refer to Himself:
“I am the WAY the truth and the life.” (John 14:6)

The early church referred to themselves as The Way, or people of the Way.
“As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood.” (1 Peter 2:4-5a)

Coming to counseling is a brave step, so way to go! We understand that it can be scary to ask for help and be vulnerable with someone, but research shows that the average person in therapy will have better outcomes than 79% of those who don’t seek treatment (Dr. Henry Westra, summary of over 3000 scientific studies). Studies comparing therapy to medication show that therapy is as effective or more effective during treatment than medications and the results last after treatment is completed.

The two key indicators of the effectiveness of therapy for you is the relationship or fit with your therapist and how much you practice what you learn in therapy in your every-day life. So schedule a time to come meet with us and begin your journey towards health and healing. Contact us for more information. You can reach Beth at 678-353-6778 or beth@waystonelmft.com, and Karis at 678-644-0407 or karis@waystonelmft.com.

Beth Leonard, LMFT, Director

Hi! I take seriously the privilege of journeying with clients through the process of healing. My desire is to create a safe place to heal and grow in an environment where you feel honored and respected, have space to process life issues and relationships, and to determine and work toward your goals.  I specialize in treating trauma and working with those who feel voiceless and struggle with codependency. I love helping individuals find greater meaning and purpose in life, and couples at all stages (dating, pre-engagement, engagement, marriage, divorce and remarriage) develop greater intimacy in all aspects of their relationships. My life motto is: “Don’t waste your pain.” In life, pain is inevitable. The many ways we try to push it away, anesthetize it, or avoid it can further wound us and cause damage to us and our relationships. But when we allow it, pain can be a powerful tool in the Father’s hand for change and growth. Specific sex therapy issues I address include trauma, sexual /physical abuse, desire disorders, mismatched desire in couples, female sexual pain and recovery from the impact of sexual addiction/betrayal.  I am a member of the American Association of Marriage & Family Therapists (AAMFT), the American Board of Christian Sex Therapists (ABCST), and The Southeast Brainspotting Institute. I’m in training to become an AAMFT approved supervisor. I am trained in Brainspotting, EMDR, Sand Tray, Trauma-Focused Art Therapy and certified in PREPARE/ENRICH for premarital couples. I work with adults ages 18+. To learn more about Brainspotting, click HERE to watch an informational video or click HERE to watch a demonstration.
I can be reached at 678-353-6778 or beth@waystonelmft.com.

Karis Rodila, LAPC, LAMFT

Hello all! I’m Karis! I am the associate therapist at Waystone Therapy. I desire to create a space where you can feel safe and where your story can be heard and honored. I understand the privilege of traveling with you on your healing journey and offer the skills to guide you well. I specialize in treating sexual issues and love helping couples at all stages (dating, pre-engagement, engagement, marriage, divorce, and remarriage) develop greater intimacy in all aspects of their relationships. I believe in assisting engaged couples in creating a strong foundation from which they can launch their marriage. I desire to assist couples in distress to heal and grow in intimacy together. I also enjoy working with families and individuals, helping them find greater meaning and purpose in their lives. I have a heart to assist those who feel voiceless and struggle with codependency. I am trauma-informed and I am trained in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), an evidence-based treatment for the healing of trauma. I graduated from Richmont Graduate University in May of 2020 with a master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy and a certification in Christian Sex Therapy. I am pursuing full licensure and plan to receive my LMFT and LPC in 2023. I am a member of the American Association of Marriage & Family Therapists (AAMFT). I work with adolescents and adults age 16+ and I see clients in person and virtually. You can contact me at 678-644-0407 or karis@waystonelmft.com.

Auri Leonard, Puppy, Therapy Dog-in-Training

Hi! I am Auri, a Cavapoo (Cavalier King Charles Spaniel-Poodle mix), so I’m hypo-allergenic and minimal shedding. I love everyone I meet – I’m just sure they are my new best friend! I’m currently in Obedience Training and will start Therapy Dog Training in a few months. I can’t wait to join Mom at work every day. I already love visiting the office and have met several clients already (SO exciting!). I am already very sensitive to people who are sad or hurting and I will be trained to offer emotional support and grounding to clients during sessions. I can’t wait to meet you!

Appointments 

Existing clients can log on to SimplePractice using the following link to schedule or change appointments: https://waystone.clientsecure.me. If you need help navigating SimplePractice, you can view this instructional video: https://vimeo.com/664045347.

New clients need to contact Beth or Karis for an initial free consultation before booking. You can reach Beth at 678-353-6778 or beth@waystonelmft.com, and Karis at 678-644-0407 or karis@waystonelmft.com. We look forward to hearing from you!

Beth and Karis take seriously the privilege of journeying with clients through the process of healing. See the types of services we offer below:

Some of the specific issues we focus on are codependency, anxiety, depression, trauma (link) and entrenched thoughts and behaviors, which leave clients feeling stuck in undesirable patterns. Beth particularly loves helping clients in mid-life find greater meaning and purpose. Karis loves helping clients in early adulthood establish healthy patterns to take forward into their adult lives.

Our vision is to help people move from surviving to thriving, believing that even though we all struggle, there is greater freedom to be experienced with healing.

Pre-marital
Karis and Beth have a passion for helping couples create a healthy foundation from which to launch their marriages. Their pre-marital package consists of 6 sessions covering topics such as communication, conflict resolution, common stressors that couples face (in-laws, finances, etc.), sexual connecting, boundaries, and spirituality. They also offer a free follow-up session, which is typically held 3-6 months after the wedding.

Beth is a trained in Prepare-Enrich, which offers personalized test results, providing insights that will put you on a path toward life-long relationship growth.

Future (date unknown): Beth and Karis are trained in Prepare-Enrich, which offers personalized test results, providing insights that will put you on a path toward life-long relationship growth.

Marriage/Couples
As Marriage and Family Therapists, Beth and Karis focus on the relational system in marriages and relationships in order to identify patterns and provide tools to help couples get to a healthier place. According to research, 69% of marital conflict is not resolvable because it’s related to gender, family of origin, and personality differences (Gottman). The goal becomes helping couples navigate their differences in healthy ways while honoring one another so that each feels heard and understood. We focus on helping each of you accept responsibility for your contributions to the relational dance and teach tools that will shift you towards healthier dynamics and maximize effective communication.

Sex Therapy
Healthy sexual connecting is a protective factor in marriage. We focus on casting a redeemed vision for sex that honors God’s intent for intimacy in the relationship, both relationally and sexually. We offer a shame-free environment to speak openly about issues that commonly cause tensions in relationships. We cover a variety of issues, including: differences in desire; the different ways men and women view and respond to sex; sexual pain; sexual dysfunction; enhancing optimal functioning; and recovering from the impact of trauma, sexual addiction and affairs. We are available to work with both couples and individuals experiencing any of the above issues.

Trauma
We have a heart for people with a history of trauma and understand how frightening and overwhelming it can be to begin working on those issues. We work hard to create a safe and healing environment, and to go at a pace that honors the individual. We are available to help with childhood and adult sexual abuse, PTSD, single-incident traumas, childhood neglect and abuse, and more.
We take a neurobiological approach to trauma treatment, which is essentially a fancy way of saying we work to connect your heart, mind and body. The goal is to break the power of distressing memories and entrenched thinking which keeps people stuck in undesirable patterns of behavior.

A primary treatment modality we use is EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing). EMDR is an evidence-based treatment shown to effectively alleviate the emotional impact of trauma and distressing memories. Learn more about EMDR here: (video link) (link to EMDRIA). Beth also offers Sand Tray therapy, which is another alternative to talk therapy.

Groups
Groups are gaining more and more in popularity for many reasons. First, they are an effective and a much more cost-friendly approach to therapy. Second, they act as a powerful change agent in the members’ lives because of the power of community and the felt sense of not being alone in the struggle. Seeing life change in fellow members can empower participants to courageously move forward in their own journeys. We currently offer a women’s “Overcoming Codependency” group in the Spring and Fall, designed for women who struggle to have a voice and who can feel resentful, overly responsible and overwhelmed in relationships. This structured group meets twice a month (Spring and Fall) for 8 meetings and covers topics such as gaining insight into unhealthy patterns, boundaries, self-care, and identifying and overcoming negative thought patterns.

Beth offers a group for female survivors of childhood trauma. The group meets twice a month. Limited spaces are available.

Contact us for more information. You can reach Beth at 678-353-6778 or beth@waystonelmft.com, and Karis at 678-644-0407 or karis@waystonelmft.com

Address: 515 E. Crossville Rd., Suite 430, Roswell, GA 30075

Beth Leonard
Email: beth@waystonelmft.com
Phone: (678) 353-6778

Karis Rodila
Email: karis@waystonelmft.com
Phone: (678) 644-0407