Anxiety
While anxiety is a normal part of life, it can become so intense and disruptive that it requires mental health treatment. Anxiety disorders are common in both children and adults and can be properly diagnosed by one of our clinicians. CCD also regularly conducts therapy groups centered on addressing anxiety and related disorders.
Signs of Anxiety:
- Anxiety/panic attacks
- Fear of separation
- For children, refusal to go to school
- Anxiety following traumatic events
- Nighttime fears, including an unwillingness to sleep alone
- Fear and/or avoidance of specific situations
- Social anxiety including avoiding groups, participating in class
- Performance anxiety
- Repetitive, compulsive, and ritualized behaviors
- Excessive worrying
Dellie Belton-Nichols (Pre-Licensed Professional)
Dellie has worked with at-risk youth for fifteen years. She enjoys working with children, adolescents and adults. Her clinical focus is working with those experiencing anxiety, depression, and trauma. Dellie has a passion for helping clients to succeed in reaching their treatment goals. Her preferred modalities for treatment are Person-Centered Therapy and Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT). Dellie completed her Master’s of Social Work degree from Delaware State University in May 2022. She will be taking the licensure exam to become a Licensed Master Social Worker.
Sunyana Benjamin, LCSW
Sunyana has a Master’s obtained from the University of New England and a Bachelor’s degree from Temple University. She specializes in working with children and families and has previously worked in an intensive outpatient therapy setting. Sunyana is experienced working with children and adolescents with various diagnoses including, but not limited to, Anxiety, Depression, Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD), Attention Deficit Disorder (ADHD), and trauma.
Sunyana is well versed in various Art Therapy techniques used to best engage children at their level of readiness. She utilizes evidence based practices including, Motivational Interviewing, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Diadatic Behavioral Therapy, Mindfulness Approach, and Play Therapy. Sunyana is also a military spouse, which allows her to be insightful and supporting of the military lifestyle, which can lead to difficulties transitioning in new settings.
Kimberly Boulden, MSW (Pre-licensed Professional)
Melissa Clendaniel, LPCMH
Melissa Clendaniel is a native Delawarean born and raised in Kent County. After earning a Bachelor’s degree in Behavioral Science from Wilmington University in 2014, she pursued her Masters of Clinical Mental Health Counseling also from Wilmington University, graduating in 2017. After passing the National Counselors Exam, she became a Nationally Certified Counselor through NBCC in May 2017.
Melissa is a Licensed Professional Counselor of Mental Health. She provides client-centered therapy to children, teens, adults, and families. Melissa has experience with a variety of issues including trauma, addiction, anxiety, depression, mood disorders, psychosis, grief, and suicidal ideation.
Throughout Melissa’s career as a therapist she has gained experience and training in a variety of specialized areas including Mindfulness, Motivational Interviewing, Cognitive Behavior Therapy, and Cognitive Behavior Therapy For Psychosis (CBTp).
Melissa most recently worked as a Mobile Outpatient Therapist on the Delaware CORE Grant. In this position she provided therapy services to teens and young adults who were experiencing their first episodes of psychosis. She has also worked as an Outpatient Therapist at an inpatient substance use residential facility. Melissa is passionate about providing the most effective and genuine counseling experience for clients and their families. She especially believes unconditional positive regard for all clients and meeting the individual where they are at is at the core of any therapy relationship.
Rachel Grande, MS (Pre-Licensed Professional)
Rachel is a native Delawarean. In 2018, she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Salisbury University in Psychology. Immediately after graduation, she continued her education and received her Master of Science’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Wilmington University. Rachel is devoted to furthering her education and becoming well-trained in a variety of therapeutic interventions.
Rachel has experience working as a behavior interventionist, providing services to youth with behavioral and mental disorders. Additionally, she has worked in the school setting, where she provided assistance to children along the Autism Spectrum as well as other various developmental disorders. Her previous work with children benefits her tremendously as a therapist.
In her therapeutic work, she utilizes an evidence-based approach while providing individualized treatment to each of her clients. She specializes in working with children with a variety of needs including ADHD, Anxiety, and Autism. Rachel is currently working towards earning licensure in mental health counseling.
Casey Graney, MSW (Pre-Licensed Professional)
BrodieLynn Hughes, LCSW
Although she grew up in Delaware, Brodie earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, in 2004. From there she began working in residential treatment facilities with adolescents of various backgrounds. She and her husband served as foster parents to teenage boys in Utah while building their own family. They moved back to Delaware with their six children in 2012. She later earned her Master’s of Social Work from Delaware State University and became a Licenced Clinical Social Worker in 2021.
She utilizes a number of different modalities in her therapy sessions. Adolescents are her specialty, but she enjoys working with individuals of all ages.
Olivia Iaquinto, MSW (Pre-licensed Professional)
Jeannette Jefferson, MA (Pre-Licensed Professional)
Marisa Maguire, MS (Pre-Licensed Professional)
Marisa is a raduate from Wilmington University where she earned her Bachelors in Psychology and her Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Marisa is devoted to continuing to refine her skill and specialty training in a wide-range of therapeutic interventions including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, and Mindfulness. She is currently working to become certified in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
Marisa is a Pre-Licensed Mental Health Counselor who provides client-centered therapy to children, teens, and young adults. Marisa has experience treating a range of issues including, trauma, anxiety, depression, and more.
Marisa is passionate about providing the most effective and compassionate counseling. She believes in empowering individuals to live their most authentic life by utilizing strength-based approaches to increase resilience of those with whom she works.
Laniece McIntyre, MSW (Pre-Licensed Professional)
Laniece received her Bachelor of Science degree in Behavioral Science from Wilmington University. She later graduated with a Master of Social Work degree from Delaware State University. Laniece is a licensed social worker in Delaware with well over 7 years of experience working with children, youth, and their families as well as providing community resources. She is currently working to obtain her license as a clinical social worker.
Laniece’s career experience has involved working with clients dealing with trauma, homelessness, addictions, anxiety and relational disorders. Her primary focus is working with children and adolescents who experience anxiety, defiant behaviors, as well as major depression. Laniece uses a variety of treatment methods such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Mindfulness, Strength Based Approach, and more to support children and youths.
Jennifer Meehan, LCSW
Jennifer received a Bachelor of Science in Family and Community Services from the University of Delaware, and a Master of Social Work degree from Delaware State University. As a graduate student, she was honored with the Professor Ernestine C. Brown Legacy of Leadership Award from the Alpha Delta Mu Honor Society of Social Work, and she was also the recipient of the NASW-Delaware Chapter’s MSW Scholarship Award.
Jennifer has over ten years of experience in the mental health field, the majority of which she was employed as a counselor for at-risk children and adolescents. She has also provided services for adults diagnosed with biological and psychological health conditions in both long and short-term inpatient care.
Jennifer uses play therapy, art therapy, bibliotherapy, and cognitive behavioral therapy often in practice with children and adolescents. She applies a person-centered approach to emphasize and build on her clients’ inherent strengths.

Jennifer Meehan
LCSW
Director of Special Services
Shannon Tarolli, LPCMH
