
Meet Our Counselors

Deanna Street
MA, LPC, NCC
Deanna opened Counseling Associates of the Four States, LLC in 2008 with the goal of providing high quality counseling services to the surrounding area. Ms. Street is skilled in marriage and family counseling, specializing in the treatment of women’s issues, such as anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and sexual trauma. Deanna is an advocate for healing early childhood trauma and treats Dissociative Identity Disorders as well as all personality disorders. Ms. Street has extensive training and experience in mental health assessment including, but not limited to; personality, intelligence, achievement, gifted, and ADD/ADHD testing.
Michael Brockett, Marriage Counseling Coordinator, Mentor and Coach
Michael Brockett is the Marriage Counseling Intake Coordinator at Counseling Associates of the Four States. He also practices as a pre-marriage and marriage restoration advisor, mentor, and coach. Now retired, Michael was previously a Practitioner Member of the Academy of Family Mediators and is currently certified as a Health and Wellness Coach by the Mayo Clinic College of Science and Medicine. Michael is also a certified facilitator of the SYMBIS Pre-Marriage Assessment Guide, the creator of the Michaels Lee Marriage Restoration Guide and the Marriage Gotcha Identifier Assessment (MGIA). He is Mediator Member (non-lawyer) of the American Bar Association.
Michael is a veteran of the United States Navy and a graduate of Missouri Southern State University, the Rockhurst University Executive Fellows Graduate School of Business, and the University of Oklahoma’s Economic Development Institute. He completed mediation training with the American Arbitration Association and at Harvard Law School in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Michael was certified as a Family Mediator by the State of Oklahoma and as a Mediator and Arbitrator in the State of Missouri. He was appointed to the American Arbitration Association’s Family Mediation Panel and has served as adjunct facility and/or instructor of adult education classes at Crowder College, Missouri Southern State University, the University of Missouri, and Oklahoma State University.

Rob Taylor
MS, LPC
Rob Taylor has been providing counseling in the Four State area for the past 30 years. He specializes in treating individuals experiencing anxiety, panic, depression and PTSD. He is a trained provider of EMDR which is a world-wide known counseling technique for helping individuals suffering trauma or the effects of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Amber Tipton
MS, LPC, CRADC
Amber is an experienced therapist working with individuals who have trauma, substance abuse needs, disabilities, and anger management concerns. Amber can help you overcome the challenges you’re facing. She enjoys working with individuals, couples, and families who are experiencing unique life circumstances and assisting them in restoring life balance. Amber strives to give clients excellent care in a safe and confidential environment.
Amber received her Master of Science in Counseling from Missouri State University. While working on her degree she was voted the President of COPE (Counseling Outreach and Peer Engagement), the counseling department organization to raise funds for the non-profit campus counseling clinic Center City Counseling Clinic.Amber completed her PLPC with a co-occurring substance abuse and mental health treatment facility in Springfield, MO. There she was promoted to supervisor of the Nixa Clinic that assists clients who qualify for a C-Star co-occurring adult Medicaid program. She enjoyed teaching groups there such as Helping Men Recover, a group that addresses the needs of men who’ve experienced trauma and who abuse substances to cope.
Amber worked closely with state and federal probation and parole referral resources as well as referrals from Children’s Division. Amber became the primary therapist working with the federal reentry court before her departure into private practice. She also served on the Domestic Violence Task Force in Greene County promoting awareness about domestic violence issues to reduce the number of Domestic Violence cases in Greene County.
In private practice, Amber has worked with individuals, couples, and families seeking healthier relationships and a better quality of life. Amber became a trained Emotion Focused Couples Therapist (EFCT) in order to better serve her couples and families struggling with attachment needs. Lastly, Amber assists individuals with diverse and multicultural needs such as those in the undocumented population, LGBTQIA, Native American, and others.
”I love working with people from all walks of life. Personal growth and true happiness are attainable when given a safe environment to learn and the right tools to use.”

Jacob Conklin
MS, LPC, NCC
Jacob Conklin is a Licensed Professional in Missouri. He is certified by the National Board of Certified Counselors.
Mr. Conklin was raised in Joplin and recently returned to the area from Colorado where he spent the past six years providing services on the Western Slope of Colorado. Mr. Conklin holds a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Psychology from the University of Arkansas and Master of Science (M.S.) also from the University of Arkansas, a CACREP program. Prior to returning to Joplin and joining with Counseling Associates of the Four States, Mr. Conklin had a private practice and was the executive director of a children’s advocacy center in Western Colorado. He has clinical experience in residential treatment centers, intensive outpatient treatment programs, day treatment as well as community settings. Read More

Rebecca Morrissey
MSW, LCSW
Rebecca was born and raised in Joplin, Missouri, having a strong connection to this community. She graduated from Missouri Southern State College in 1995 with her Bachelor of Art degree in Psychology, and from Southwest Missouri State University in 2003 with her Master of Social Work. She is currently a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in both Missouri and Oklahoma. Read More

Ginger Hayes
Ph.D., LPC, NBCC
Ginger has been a resident of southwest Missouri since 2007, where she and her husband of over 30 years purchased a ranch south of Joplin with horses, a few cows, and stock dogs. Ginger raised three sons who together have fifteen children of their own. Ginger returned to school as an adult and completed a Master's Degree in Community Counseling focused on Marriage and Family and Play Therapy from John Brown University. After completing the coursework, she joined Counseling Associates of the Four States and earned her licensed professional counselor status in 2020. Ginger completed a doctorate in Counselor Education and Supervision from Capella University in April of 2022 studying nonverbal communication in supervision using an equine-assisted program.

Emily Wickstrom
MSW, LMSW
Emily has resided in the Joplin area since childhood. She is committed to supporting and serving the people of this area while she raises her family in this community. Emily graduated from Missouri Southern State University with a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice Administration in 2008 and completed her Law Enforcement Certification in 2011. She has worked to serve the area’s highest need individuals and families since then. Emily began providing services with Counseling Associates of the Four States in January 2022, and completed her master’s level degree in Social Work in May 2022.
Emily has experience working with populations struggling with substance use, traumatic experiences, and a wide variety of mental health needs and is excited to begin utilizing this experience in working to meet the needs of her clients. She is EMDR trained and has experience implementing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Solution Focused Therapy, and she continues to expand her knowledge of therapeutic modalities to bring the best experience for each client. Emily enjoys working with individuals and couples, ages 15+, on issues including but not limited to self-esteem, communication, relationship improvement, trauma processing, depression, anxiety, and ADHD related issues.
Tracy Ellman, LCSW
LCSW
Tracy Ellman is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in the states of Missouri and Oklahoma. He has been providing therapy in different venues for approximately 30 years. He has experience mostly with teenagers on juvenile probation, families, impaired physicians, Alzheimer patients, young adults, terminally ill, and many more.
Tracy's education includes a Bachelor's degree in Social Work from Illinois State University, a Master's Degree in Sociology also from Illinois State University, and a Master's in Social Work from The University of Kansas.
Tracy has worked at a non-for-profit agency in Oklahoma for the past 24 years. He has been an adjunct professor at MSSU, and has also provided counseling and monitoring for impaired physicians who are referred due to boundary issues, depression, disruptive behaviors, and addiction issues.
Tracy has been co-published in two journals: 1. OMEGA-Journal of Death and Dying "Devaluating Death Education through Short-Term Suicide Intervention Programs" along with Raymond L. Schmitt, Ph.D 2. Journal of Sport Behavior "The Influence of Race/Ethnicity in Salary Arbitration" along with Wilbert M. Leonard.
Tracy uses mostly the following treatment modalities in his therapeutic approach with clients: Cognitive, Behavioral, Family Systems, and Trauma Focused Therapy.
"I feel we are experts in areas that we have experienced ourselves. I encourage clients to change their thinking, for if we can change our thinking, we can in turn, change the way we feel and behave. I love to advocate for my clients. I try to empower my clients, so that they can in turn, advocate for themselves and illustrate appropriate assertiveness in their own daily lives. I want to thank you for the opportunity to serve you! Let's get through any issues you are impeded in life by, together."- Tracy Ellman, MSW, LCSW

Julie Morningstar, LPC
LPC
Julie is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), originally from West Central Illinois. She has lived in Southwest Missouri since 2015. She graduated with her Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology in 2009 from Trine University in Angola, Indiana and a Master Of Science in Clinical Community Mental Health from Western Illinois University in Macomb, Illinois in 2016.
Julie has experience working with different populations, serving those struggling with difficulties such as: anxiety, depression, trauma, and substance abuse. Utilizing a person-centered therapeutic foundation, Julie works to meet the unique needs and circumstances of those she serves. Julie is trained in EMDR.