Our Team

As the owner of Providence Counseling Center, Melynda strives to create an environment that is warm and relaxing for her clients. Her goal is to offer support and help individuals develop strategies to help them adapt to the specific challenges in their lives.  Melynda has worked for Columbia Public Schools (CPS) in both the elementary and secondary setting. She started her CPS career as an Elementary School Counselor and was the Outreach Counselor at Gentry Middle School for three years. In addition to working in the school environment, Melynda has worked in the clinical setting since 2013. She received a BA in Psychology from MU and her Masters in Counseling from Stephens College.  She has completed basic EMDR training and is a current member of the American Counseling Association.  Melynda specializes in working with individuals dealing with anxiety, depression, trauma, and grief.

At this time, Melynda is seeing clients ages 16 and up.

Rebecca Wallace began her career as a school counselor in 2016 in the Columbia Public School system working at Smithton Middle School and Gentry Middle School. Rebecca graduated from the University of Missouri with a B. A. in Spanish and then went on to complete her Master of Education in Counseling at Stephens College.
She has experience working with clients in the areas of anxiety, depression and grief. 
She also has worked with adolescents in support groups.

Rebecca strives to create a welcoming environment for all people through her experiences at Providence Counseling Center. Her goal is to create a dynamic relationship that allows growth and support to her clients while they achieve their goals.
Rebecca is a current member of the American Counseling Association.

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Rebecca is co-owner at Providence Counseling Center, and sees clients ages 14 and up.

Ali Price works with adults on a variety of mental health issues, traumatic experiences, and medical concerns. She believes connection and a feeling of safety to be key in the therapeutic relationship. Her goal is to arrive at an understanding of each person's situation, offer perspective and interventions necessary for change and management of life’s continuing demands.
Ali received a BS in Biology at Duke University and her Ph.D. at the University of Miami.  She has worked at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Miami Veterans Administration in Miami, FL, participated in clinical research at the University of Miami in Coral Gables. She has taught undergraduate and graduate courses at the University of Miami and at Stephens College.  Ali has completed training in clinical hypnosis and EMDR and is a current member of the American Psychological Association.  She has worked with individuals in private practice since 1996.

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Ali is currently a full-time therapist at Providence Counseling Center and sees clients ages 18 and up.

Dr. Backer-Fulghum works with adults of all ages providing both individual therapy and psychological assessment. She has training in perinatal mental health and has specialized interests in working with individuals who struggle with infertility, miscarriages, stillbirth, and infant loss, as well as pregnancy-related mood and anxiety disorders. Dr. Backer-Fulghum also has extensive experience treating anxiety, depression, adjustment and relationship issues, trauma, ADHD and grief/loss. Additionally, she provides adult ADHD, Learning Disorder, and diagnostic testing. Her therapeutic style is integrative and has a strong basis in person-centered, cognitive-behavioral, and process-oriented approaches. Dr. Backer-Fulghum received her Doctorate in Social Psychology from Baylor University in Waco, TX and went on to specialize in Clinical Psychology at Suffolk University in Boston, MA. She completed her doctoral internship through Wichita Collaborative Psychology Internship Program (WCPIP). Prior to joining Providence Counseling Center, Dr. Backer-Fulghum worked for 4 years at Wichita State University providing mental health services to students and an additional 2 years in private practice. She is currently a full-time therapist and sees clients 18 and up.

Sandy comes to PCC with over 20 years of clinical experience working with clients of multiple ages, from elementary school through adults in the later years of life. She believes therapy is a place where clients can process life experiences and implement useful strategies to encourage growth and healing.  Sandy takes a holistic approach to the therapeutic process, using traditional talk therapy and cognitive-behavioral techniques in combination with experiential modalities. Her goal is to assist clients to resolve life problems, deepen their understanding of themselves, increase resilience and create a state of joy and well-being through the balance of one’s whole self – body, mind and spirit. By creating a safe environment and building a strong therapeutic relationship, Sandy can be helpful with anxiety, depression, trauma, life transitions, family and peer relationships and social skills development.  She also has extensive experience working with persons in the LGBTQ community and with those from a variety of cultural/ethnic backgrounds.

Sandy moved to Columbia in 2011 and has worked in schools as an outreach counselor and with the Boone County Schools Mental Health Coalition.  Prior to living in MO, she lived in Baltimore, MD, working with children and adolescents on the Autism Spectrum and those with significant behavioral challenges.  She has also lived in the Middle East, developing programs for children with special needs.  Her education includes graduate degrees in teaching and social work, including certification in special education (in MD), and she has specific training in EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique, often know as “Tapping”), DBT and trauma-informed practices. She is currently a part-time therapist at Providence Counseling Center and sees clients ages 9 and up.

A native of the New York metropolitan area, Marisa moved to Columbia in 2018 after graduating from the University of Hartford in Connecticut with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Ceramics. She received her Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Stephens College in May 2025, and intends to pursue continuing education to become an expressive arts therapist. Marisa is a strong believer in the power of the therapeutic relationship and strives to cultivate an open and accepting atmosphere for her clients. She works to understand her clients’ individual perspectives that have been shaped by their experiences within broader systems, including the family and society. Marisa practices primarily from a person-centered theoretical foundation, believing that the client is the expert in their own life, and integrates techniques from cognitive-behavioral therapy, Gestalt therapy, psychodynamic therapy, and expressive arts as appropriate. She aims to empower her clients to feel confident in making positive changes in their lives, as well as helping them explore and practice coping skills that feel comfortable for use in their day-to-day lives. Marisa has experience working with clients who have experienced trauma, challenges in interpersonal relationships, and grief. She is a current member of the American Counseling Association and works with clients ages 14 and up, under the supervision of Melynda Larkin, LPC.

Jenna is a passionate professional counselor in training working under the supervision of Rebecca Wallace, LPC. She graduated in 2024 from the University of Missouri with a B.A. in Psychology and is currently completing her Master of Arts in Counseling with an emphasis in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Adams State University. Jenna’s studies over the past few years have included neuroscience, addiction studies, and treatment through a mutual therapeutic alliance. She works to actively apply these and future studies through supervised clinical practice at Providence Counseling Center. While still exploring counseling theories and techniques, Jenna hopes to practice using Behavioral, Gestalt, and Relational-Cultural Therapy and integration of the mind, body, and soul. She is a current member of the American Counseling Association and works to provide a mutual relationship to support client self-discovery, care, and growth. Jenna is committed to ethical practice and the continuance of learning, striving to further develop her skills to best assist and provide care for others. 

Jenna is currently seeing clients ages 14 and up. 

Isaiah comes to PCC with 20+ years of clinical experience with a focus on using traditional talk therapy and cognitive behavioral strategies. His clinical experience matched with years as an athlete and coach, drives his focus on locus of control, process/preparation , and minimizing obstacles such as self-doubt and fear.

Isaiah began his training at Samford University in Alabama where he played Division 1 baseball. In 2000 Isaiah moved to Columbia, MO where he earned his Master's degree in Counseling Psychology from MU. He began his career in mental health in the community agency setting where he developed expertise in co-occuring disorders in the inpatient and outpatient setting (substance abuse/use & mental illness). For the past 14 years he has been working within Columbia Public Schools as an Outreach Counselor working with students struggling with depression/anxiety, motivation, performance adjustment and many other obstacles individuals face during this time in life. 

Isaiah believes that individuals often possess the ability to achieve success and greater contentment, but can be slowed by self-defeating thought processes, falling into counter productive patterns, and underlying fear/doubt. Therapy can be beneficial in navigating through these dynamics.

Isaiah is currently seeing clients ages 14 and up. 

Maria brings over 30 years of experience in the counseling field to PCC. She is passionate about helping individuals overcome challenges by tapping into their inner strength and making positive, lasting changes. Her warm, supportive approach focuses on building strong client-counselor relationships and empowering clients with tools for success in life. Maria uses cognitive-behavioral therapy along with other models tailored to each client's unique journey.

She earned her Master’s in Counseling from the University of Missouri in 1992 and holds an LPC (Licensed Professional Counselor). Her career began in a residential facility for abused girls, followed by a 28-year career in Columbia Public Schools, including 24 years at the high school level. As a school and outreach counselor, she supported students and families in crisis and helped them plan for life beyond graduation.

Maria also worked part-time in private practice, focusing on youth and families. For the past 12 years, she has specialized in grief counseling, offering both individual and group support. Additionally, she’s been a fitness instructor for over 38 years, emphasizing the connection between physical and emotional well-being. One of her guiding mottos is: “Empowering one to be the best version of themselves.”

Maria is currently seeing clients ages 17 and up.