top of page

About AGPS

Our Mission

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

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.

Board of Directors

Meet the Board of Directors

img Jill-Lewis Jill.JPG

Jill Lewis, MA, LCSW, CEDS-S, CGP

President

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.

0242.jpg

Catherine Baxter, LPC, CPCS

Vice-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.

Headshot%20-%20updated_edited.jpg

Sophia Aguirre, Ph.D., CGP, AGPA-F

Treasurer

Dr. Sophia Aguirre, Ph.D., CGP, FAGPA is a is a Latinx/Chicana Licensed Psychologist and Certified Group Psychotherapist. She is the founder and director of the Aguirre Center for Inclusive Psychotherapy, private group practice in Atlanta specialized on providing culturally-responsive psychological services with a special focus on serving Latinx, BIPOC, & LGBTQ+ communities.  Her practice is sex-positive, trauma-informed, weight-inclusive, Feminist-oriented, and affirming of folks from LGBTQ+, Kink, and Polyamory/CNM communities. Sophia has specialized training in group therapy and over 15 years of experience running interpersonal process groups, both psychotherapy groups and training groups for mental health professionals.  

​

Sophia maintains a strong investment in her professional community through service, leadership and advocacy. She is deeply passionate about advocating for social and racial justice issues within the field of psychology and group therapy at the local, regional and national levels. She currently serves as the Secretary of the Board of American Group Psychotherapy Association,  and  Co-Chair (and founder) of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force for the American Group Psychotherapy Association. She was awarded Fellowship to the American Group Psychotherapy Association in 2020.   Sophia also serves as the Co-Chair of Sanando MHP (a collective for Latinx mental health professionals in Georgia).

​

Sophia currently runs 4 groups in her practice: 2 process groups for BIPOC therapists and 2 interpersonal process therapy groups for young adults.

fullsizeoutput_2a66_edited_edited_edited.jpg

Lauren Walther, LCSW

Secretary

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. 

old fave headshot currently used everywhere_edited_edited.jpg

Jessica Buchholz, Psy.D.

Education & Training Chair

Jessica Buchholz is a Licensed Psychologist who has been involved with AGPA and AGPS for about 6 years now. Jessica has taken on a variety of roles in the AGPS Board of Directors throughout that time, serving initially as Membership Chair and representing AGPS as the Affiliate Society Representative for AGPA meetings and functions for 3 years before shifting gears into the role of Member at Large. Currently, Jessica is AGPS' Education Chair and is excited about the upcoming workshops and monthly webinars we have planned.

 

Professionally, Jessica works with young adults, anxiety and perfectionism, depression and overfunctioning, and adults working through childhood trauma. She loves co-leading long-term adult interpersonal process groups, participating in her own consultation groups, and learning more about group work. 

Erin_edited_edited.jpg

Erin Nieto, LPC

Membership 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.

IMG_1088_edited_edited.jpg

Maggie Malone, LCSW

Social Event Coordinator Chair

Maggie Malone 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 anxiety, depression, substance misuse, perfectionism, and shame through both individual and group therapy.

Historically, Maggie has facilitated interpersonal process groups and Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills groups, as well as a group for women on overcoming people-pleasing behaviors. She currently is running a shame resilience group based in Brene Brown’s Shame Resilience Theory and Kristen Neff’s Mindful Self-Compassion practices. Maggie is excited to be serving as AGPS’s event coordinator and looks forward to seeing you at the next social event!

Nicholas A Johnson Photography UM-20205081_edited_edited.jpg

Danielle Nelson

Student Board Member

Danielle Nelson is a medical doctor and psychiatrist from Jamaica and a Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (MS CMHC) candidate at Mercer University, having followed her passion for group work to pursue the MS CMHC degree. She is expected to graduate in December 2022,  She is currently a counseling intern at Grady Behavioral Health and served as a Trauma Narrative Group Therapy facilitator in Kigali,  Rwanda in 2022. She was also a recipient of the coveted American Association of University Women International Fellowship award in 2021 and a student member of the MS CMHC Advisory Board. She possesses expertise in community psychiatry, mental health promotion and academic and editorial writing. Danielle is interested in process group work and trauma group work and hopes to grow in expertise in both.

IMG_3798_edited.jpg

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. 

bottom of page