Meet My Team
At Mercedes Cusick Therapy Services, we know that healing is a journey best traveled with the right support. Our compassionate, experienced team brings diverse skills and a shared dedication to helping you recover, heal and bloom
Rachel Gonzalez, ASW – Associate Social Worker
Rachel Gonzalez is an Associate Social Worker with dual Master’s degrees in Social Welfare and Public Health from UCLA. She specializes in trauma-informed care and has experience supporting diverse communities, including immigrants, refugees, and transitional-aged youth. Rachel uses mindfulness-based practices and evidence-based techniques to help clients process trauma, navigate life’s challenges, and build resilience.
Specialties
Trauma & PTSD | Mood Disorders | Racial Identity
Heidi Pokras, AMFT – Associate Marriage and Family Therapist
Heidi Pokras is an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist who specializes in trauma-informed care and supporting adults in reconnecting with their authentic selves. Her approach integrates EMDR, parts work, somatic practices, and polyvagal theory. She has experience working with complex trauma, early attachment injuries, and the deep exhaustion that accompanies burnout. Heidi creates a collaborative, compassionate space where clients can process trauma, explore identity, and cultivate clarity, safety, and self-trust.
Specialties
Complex Relational Trauma | Major Life Transitions | Women’s Issues | Estrangement
Jackie Stansell, AMFT – Associate Marriage and Family Therapist
Jackie Stansell is an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist with training in psychodynamic therapy and CBT, dedicated to helping clients navigate trauma, identity exploration, and life transitions. She brings warmth, cultural humility, and a relational approach to therapy, creating a safe and affirming space for healing. Jackie has experience supporting children, teens, adults, and families, with a particular focus on BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities. She works collaboratively with clients to process trauma, reduce anxiety, and strengthen relationships.
Specialties
Trauma & PTSD | Identity Exploration | Relationship Issues & Life Transitions
Nancy Corcoran – EMDR Intensives Movement Specialist
Nancy Corcoran has taught yoga and trauma-informed movement for over 30 years. She founded Yoga for Every Body to create an inclusive, accessible space for clients of all backgrounds. Nancy specializes in using body-based practices to help clients managing anxiety, depression, trauma, and chronic pain reconnect with their bodies, release trauma, and find balance.
Nancy is also an integral part of Mercedes’ EMDR Full-Day and Multi-Day Intensives, where her movement expertise supports clients in grounding, regulating their nervous systems, releasing stored trauma, and integrating the therapeutic work more effectively.
