About AGPS
Who We Are
The Atlanta Group Psychotherapy Society (AGPS) is a multi-disciplinary, multi-cultural, multi-racial professional organization. AGPS offers unique opportunities for professional development, education and training, and community and connection in the field of group psychotherapy. Our members come from many different disciplines, including Psychology, Creative Arts Therapy, Psychiatry, Nursing, Social Work, Addictions Counseling, and Marriage and Family Therapy.
​
Members from AGPS come from the metro-Atlanta area and throughout Georgia, and we welcome members from other states.
​
AGPS is a regional affiliate society of the American Group Psychotherapy Association (AGPA). AGPA the oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to the provision of education and professional development, research, and outreach services, both nationally and internationally. As a multidisciplinary organization, it maintains the highest of professional standards and represents all levels of psychotherapy disciplines.
Diversity & Inclusion Statement
AGPS acknowledges that in our society, there are historical systems of power that grant privilege and access unequally. We collectively acknowledge that this is wrong and we believe that inequities and injustice require continuous effort to be changed. We recognize that undoing systemic oppression within ourselves, our organization, and our work is a critical undertaking and a lifelong process. We publicly commit to being strategic and intentional within our organization and ourselves to dismantle systems of oppression.
​
We strive to create a safe and inclusive atmosphere within our organization. In accordance to our values, we expect that all individuals who attend our events and trainings will share their input respectfully. Every effort will be made to hear and respect all voices while working to promote awareness of systemic oppression within ourselves, our practices, and society at large.
Meet the Board of Directors
Catherine Baxter, LPC, CPCS
President
Catherine Baxter is the Founder and Director of C Baxter Counseling, where she leads a team of associate therapists. Her practice specializes in self-care, relationships, and life changes; working mostly with the over-scheduled, perfectionistic, high achieving, anxiety-ridden, entrepreneur types. In her work, she emphasizes the importance of taking care of oneself, nurturing healthier interpersonal relationships, and navigating life’s transitions to find more enjoyment and engagement with the self and others.
Catherine has been practicing since 2013, has served on the AGPS Board since 2019, and became a Certified Professional Counselor Supervisor in 2021. Her experience has been gathered in a variety of settings, including public and private schools, a nonprofit youth organization, a family counseling agency, as well as private practice. Catherine regularly engages in the group process herself through her involvement with the American Academy of Psychotherapists, a multidisciplinary community of psychotherapists dedicated to developing the person of the therapist. She appreciates the container created by groups to encourage growth and foster personal development.
She has served on numerous committees to encourage fundraising for the Georgia Center for Child Advocacy, an organization that serves sexually and severely physically abused children through prevention, intervention, therapy, and collaboration. In her freetime, she enjoys chasing her two active young sons, reading, hiking, writing, traveling, watching mindless reality TV, camping, and shopping.
Lauren Walther, LCSW
Vice President
Lauren graduated with a masters in social work from Smith College in Northampton, MA in 2011. After graduation, she pursued further clinical training as a Postgraduate Social Work Fellow at the Menninger Clinic on the Professionals in Crisis Unit (PIC) in Houston, TX. Upon completion of the fellowship, she worked as a staff social worker on the Professionals in Crisis Unit (2011-2013) and as an addictions counselor and staff social worker at the Pathfinder Program, the Menninger Clinic's community integration program (2013-2017). Lauren is currently the Director of Family Program at Driftwood Recovery in Driftwood, TX and provides outpatient individual, couples and family therapy in Atlanta, GA specializing in substance misuse, mood disorders and family work. Lauren enjoys facilitating interpersonal process groups, psychoeducational groups and experiential groups.
Jill Lewis, MA, LCSW, CEDS-S, CGP
Membership and Education Chair
Jill Lewis, MA, LCSW, CEDS-S, CGP is a Fat Positive, body inclusive focused psychotherapist who believes that everyone can have a healthy
relationship with their body. She prioritizes an anti-diet approach and practices weight inclusivity in every individual and group therapy session, challenging the status quo that many women and men grow up believing.
Jill completed her group training in New York City through the Eastern Group Psychotherapy Society and continued her group work to earn her CGP (certification in group psychotherapy). Jill is passionate about groups and the interpersonal process. She joined the Atlanta Group Psychotherapy board as the social chair, utilizing two of her strengths, connection with others and group work. She became the SIG (special interest groups) Private Practice
Co-chair in the fall of 2019 and loves the collaboration of private practice work
and group work.
​
Jill started her private practice in 2009 and her group practice in 2015, where she oversees other clinicians passionate about mental health and physical wellbeing. She also regularly supervises other clinicians, including those earning their CEDS (certified eating disorder specialist) in either an individual or group environment.
Jill currently runs two groups, an eating disorder recovery interpersonal process group and a 40+ group.
Jessica Buchholz, Psy.D.
Secretary
Jessica Buchholz is a Licensed Psychologist who has been involved with AGPA and AGPS for almost a decade. Jessica has taken on a variety of roles in the AGPS Board of Directors throughout that time, including Membership Chair, Affiliate Society Representative for AGPS, Member at Large, and Education Chair. Currently, Jessica is Secretary for AGPS.
Professionally, Jessica works with young adults, anxiety and perfectionism, depression and overfunctioning, and adults working through childhood trauma. She loves leading adult interpersonal process groups, participating in her own consultation groups, and learning more about group work.
Erin Nieto, LPC
Social Planning Chair
Erin E. Nieto is a psychotherapist in private practice in Roswell, Georgia. Prior to moving to private practice, Erin worked in the Juvenile Court system and Intensive Outpatient and Partial Hospitalization facilities. Her primary work is with individuals, but she also enjoys working with couples families, and groups. Erin addresses issues including: substance abuse/use disorders, anxiety, depression, trauma, attachment issues, grief and loss, self-esteem, and life transitions.
Maggie Malone, LCSW
Social Marketing Chair
Maggie Malone (she/her) is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who graduated with her MSW from Smith College School for Social Work in 2017. After working in residential, partial hospitalization, and intensive outpatient settings, she moved into private practice. She now owns her own practice Rosebud Psychotherapy and specializes in working with women and queer folks on issues such as "high-functioning" anxiety, mood disorders, substance misuse, perfectionism, relationship issues, and shame through both individual and group therapy. She utilizes Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) in addition to her interpersonal psychodynamic foundational training.
​
Maggie has facilitated interpersonal process groups, shame groups, and psychoeducational skills groups. She currently is running an interpersonal women's group for anxious and overwhelmed women and a DBT Skills group in Marietta, as well as a Therapeutic Book Club.
Jordan Alvarez, MA
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Chair
Jordan Alvarez has his Master’s in Counseling Psychology from Auburn University and has worked in a variety of mental health spaces as a therapist and as a community outreach specialist. Jordan is an expert in LGBTQ mental health having published research and given presentations regarding body image and eating disorders. Currently he does eating disorder outreach and also works with LGBTQ+ clients and parents of LGBTQ+ youth through his private coaching practice.
Scott Conkright, Ph.D, CGP
Member at Large
Dr. Scott Conkright is a clinical psychologist in private practice in Midtown, Atlanta. He has been practicing for over twenty five years, has served on board of the Atlanta Group Psychotherapy Society several times, on the board of the Affiliates Society of the American Group Psychotherapy Association, is past Secretary of Division 49 (Society of Group Psychology and Group Psychotherapy) of the American Psychological Association and is currently an Open Session Co-Chair of the Conference Committee of the American Group Psychotherapy Association. His if founder of Meaningful Happiness - The Relationship Workshops, a series of learning events that apply affect theory to improving one’s relationship with oneself and with others.
Arden James
Student Board Member
Arden is a pre-licensed therapist currently completing his Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Mercer University. After spending over 20 years in IT and cybersecurity consulting and leadership, he uses a relational approach to help clients find creative and lasting ways to work with their challenges. His primary work is with those struggling with eating disorders, trauma, anxiety, depression, and the complexities of living in a larger body. He is influenced by the powerful connection between mind and body and has learned through his own experiences the person is not the problem - the problem is the problem. Arden is passionate about helping others increase their connection with themselves and others and has seen the transformational impact of group interpersonal work. He loves learning about group work, has helped lead interpersonal process groups, and participates in his own group therapy work to continue evolving and growing.