Meet the Experts
Melissa Hunter
Founder, Expert Facilitator
PSS, LPC, NCC
Hello! Thank you for visiting Peervida.com. Please feel welcome. As a peer, I have been where you are! Having suffered for decades with mental illness and the shame and stigma of it, I know how challenging it can be to feel understood and to feel better. Through my own journey, I discovered that my interests and talents lie in helping others discover how to create lives with meaning and enjoyment. I became a Peer Specialist in 2014 and fell in love with this work. I find happiness and peace knowing that my experience can be used to help you become your best self. In addition to being a Peer, I am a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in the state of CO, FL, AZ, NM, and NJ. I also provide ERP therapy to individuals around the world. I specialize in the treatment of OCD using Exposure Response Prevention (ERP) therapy. Please visit my website for further information (www.countercurrentcbt.com). Outside of work, I enjoy running, traveling, and spending time with my family and our two dogs, Lucy and Mojo. I am a big fan of foreign films, salsa and bachata dancing, and I love to eat sushi.
San Canessa
Expert Facilitator
Certified PSS
(She/They) San’s personal journey with mental health and addiction led them to become a Peer Support Specialist in 2020. Their passion for the subconscious and the shadow found within the light has allowed them to find ground and community through their work and experience. They created a podcast called Survival Kit For The Mental to promote self-care and mental health awareness. San is a visual artist and spends most of their time either creating art, swimming, or practicing Muy Thai. Listen to their podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/survival-kit-for-the-mental-bipolar-sundays/id1497150702
Laura Skalvy
Expert Facilitator
Certified PSS
My OCD relapse in the spring of 2020 left me feeling isolated, hopeless, and alone with intrusive thoughts I couldn’t make sense of. In addition to finally getting the right diagnosis and starting the right treatment after years of being misdiagnosed, peer support groups have been a real lifeline for me. Besides helping me normalize my symptoms and gaining useful insight and tips from others, I had finally found a community of people who just get it, and who made me feel seen and understood. For me, peer support was probably as therapeutic as going to therapy, while at the same time being more accessible. I now want to give back some of the healing and support I have received, because I believe that simply being in a community with people who understand is such an underrated resource, but so essential to our mental and physical well-being. My aim is to walk alongside people in their OCD recovery journey and provide groups that are non-judgemental and safe. I can work with clients in English and German. I live in Vienna, Austria, where I run a local group and am currently getting a diploma in counseling. In my free time, I love to dance, travel, read, and be in nature whenever I can.
Winnifred Ndule
Expert Facilitator
PSS, MS, QMHP
Life throws us curve balls that may result in feelings of anxiety, depression, and grief, among others. My goal is to help you navigate life’s challenges by empowering you to focus on your recovery efforts and overcome these feelings. I am non-judgmental and culturally diverse, believing that everyone has a voice and must be treated with respect and dignity. I have experience working with individuals of all ages. I am an advocate for domestic violence survivors, sexual abuse survivors, emotional abuse survivors, children in foster care, and other populations. I have an MSc in Addictions Counseling. In my free time, I enjoy swimming and reading.
Cathleen Ables
Expert Facilitator
MHCC, MS.
On my journey through life, I have found that when individuals experience trauma or severe life stresses, it is not uncommon for their lives to unravel. My passion is bringing healing to those that have been through traumatic/stressful experiences. I help people develop healthy perceptions of themselves and strengthen their inner self so that they might find that peaceful, complete, and whole person that they have deep inside of them. My educational background includes a MA in Psychology, and I am a Mental Health Professional. I have vast experience with facilitating support groups that have included teenagers, couples, adults, and families facing various traumas. Peer support groups can enhance our understanding that we are not alone when going through traumatic situations while strengthening our hope that there is light within the darkness. We can feel joy once again and be our true selves…and we can reach it together by sharing our stories and experiences within a safe group setting. I am a single mom with a teenage son, and we live in the beautiful mountains of NWA!