Bel Air Staff
Julia Cover, LCPC
Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor
Julia is a bilingual (English/Spanish) therapist who has been working in the field of mental health since 2016. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Villanova University and Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology from Loyola University. Julia worked as a research assistant for the Department of Neurology at Johns Hopkins for 4 years while earning her Post Master’s Certificate in Mental Health Counseling. Before joining Guided Hope, Julia worked for 6 years as a school based therapist in a Title 1 school. She has extensive experience working with children/adolescents (ages 4-18) and their families who face challenges with life changes, ADHD, mood regulation, neurodiversity, adjustment disorders, behavioral difficulties, anxiety, and depression. Julia has focused on helping clients foster self-confidence, healthy coping skills, social-emotional skills, and problem-solving abilities. She believes these skills help empower people to more positively adapt to their environment and gain an improved understanding of self.
Julia enjoys looking for creative solutions to problems and brings that aspect of creativity to therapy. She focuses her practice on a Cognitive Behavioral, Person-Centered, Strength-Based approach. Julia strives to focus therapy on each individual’s abilities, strengths, and needs and collaborates with clients on their goals and approaches to treatment. She strongly believes that every person has a unique set of strengths and circumstances that have made them who they are today and that will help them become the person they would like to be. Julia also focuses on how our behaviors and feelings are driven by how we choose to perceive the world around us. Julia is open to working with clients of all ages and is available for in-person appointments in Bel Air and telehealth appointments. She accepts private pay clients, as well as Medicaid, Medicare, United Healthcare, Cigna (Evernorth), Johns Hopkins EHP, and CareFirst Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance plans. Julia looks forward to working with you in your journey towards improved mental health.
Leanda Welker, LCSW-C
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Leanda has worked with children and families for over 25 years. After finishing her Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Akron (Ohio) in Social Work, she worked in child welfare providing Family Preservation Services and then Child Protective Services. In 2004, Leanda earned her Master’s Degree from the University of Maryland School of Social Work with a specialization in Children and Families and has been a LCSW-C since 2015. Leanda is a trained Forensic Interviewer and was a part of the human trafficking task force for Harford County and Baltimore City. She is also a Board approved supervisor to LMSWs.
Leanda strives to work with individuals and families with light-hearted compassion and empathy, free of judgement. While she is well-versed in working with those struggling with trauma, mood, and anxiety disorders, Leanda is passionate about working with student athletes and their mental health, the LGBTQIA+ population and their families, individuals with addiction to pornography, parents of sex abuse victims, and survivors of human trafficking. She is also trained in Instinctual Trauma Response Therapy (ITR), an evidence-based trauma treatment (helpfortrauma.com). Leanda works with children (ages 10+) and adults and is available for evening and Saturday appointments in-person at both Bel Air and Towson, as well as telehealth appointments. Leanda currently accepts private pay clients, as well as Cigna (Evernorth), Johns Hopkins EHP, Medicaid, Medicare, United Healthcare, and CareFirst Blue Cross Blue Shield insurances.
Jackie Wheeler, LGPAT
Licensed Graduate Art Therapist
Jackie Wheeler is a Licensed Art Therapist (arttherapy.org) who earned her Master’s in Art Therapy from Notre Dame of Maryland University in 2025. She began her professional career in education, creating STEAM-based afterschool and in-school enrichment programs before becoming a middle and high school art teacher. During her years in the classroom, Jackie taught both digital arts (filmmaking, graphic design, and photography) and traditional fine arts. Her experiences working with young people and witnessing the emotional needs within her community inspired her to pursue a career in art therapy, where she could combine her love of art with her passion for supporting others. Jackie has experience working with clients across the lifespan (ages 5+), and she is particularly dedicated to supporting children, adolescents, families, and individuals in substance use recovery.
Jackie’s therapeutic approach is Person-Centered, Strength-Based, and Solution-Focused, emphasizing authenticity, empowerment, and collaborative healing. She works with concerns such as anxiety, depression, trauma, identity exploration, and life transitions. Jackie is a strong advocate for her clients and encourages the use of creative expression as a pathway toward insight and emotional well-being. Jackie values experimentation with different art materials and believes that everyone can benefit from the healing power of the creative process! Outside the therapy room, Jackie enjoys photography, hiking, yoga, golf, and guitar, and she draws inspiration from these creative and grounding practices in her work with clients. Jackie works with adults and children (ages 5+) and is available for in-person sessions at the Bel Air office and via telehealth. She is in process of becoming in network with CareFirst Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna (Evernorth), and United Healthcare insurances and will be able to see Johns Hopkins EHP clients through the Cigna network. Jackie is available to see clients starting January 6, 2026.
Sophia Papageorgopoulos, LGPC
Licensed Graduate Professional Counselor
Sophia holds a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology from Towson University and a Master's Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Liberty University. Sophia has experience with children and teens, including two years as a high school substitute teacher, which deepened her passion for supporting adolescents as they develop confidence and self-understanding. Before pursuing counseling, she taught kindergarten, where she discovered her calling to walk with others in deeper, more restorative ways. She has also worked with adults navigating anxiety, depression, trauma, addiction, and narcissistic abuse.
Sophia uses a Person-Centered approach to therapy, often integrating Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and mindfulness. She views therapy as a collaborative journey—walking alongside clients as they clarify what truly matters and take meaningful steps toward growth. Sophia is passionate about helping teens navigate the challenges of growing up while also supporting survivors of narcissistic abuse and highly sensitive individuals in becoming their most authentic selves. Sophia brings deep empathy and practical insight, helping others rebuild trust in themselves, set healthy boundaries, and experience lasting healing—all beginning with self-awareness. Clients often describe Sophia as calming, understanding, and genuine. Guided by the belief that “we are broken in relationships and healed in relationships,” she creates a nurturing environment where clients feel safe to explore, grow, and simply be themselves. As a Christian, Sophia strives to let love guide all she does, especially in her work as a counselor. Sophia works with adults and adolescents (age 13+) and is available for in-person sessions in Bel Air and via telehealth. She is in process of becoming in network with CareFirst Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna (Evernorth), and United Healthcare insurances and will be able to see Johns Hopkins EHP clients through the Cigna network. Sophia is available to see clients starting in January 2026.
Melissa Rudacille, CAC-AD
MSW Clinical Intern
Melissa Rudacille is a graduate level social work intern and also a Certified Associate Counselor-Alcohol and Drug. She graduated in 2011 from York College of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Services and is currently enrolled at Millersville University in her final year of their Masters of Social Work program. Melissa has spent the past several years helping people navigate challenges such as substance use and co-occurring disorders as an individual counselor. She believes therapy should feel safe, welcoming and collaborative and provide a place where clients feel truly heard and supported as they work towards change.
Melissa’s approach is Strength-Based and Person-Centered; focusing on the unique skills and resilience each person already carries. She also values the power of exploring personal stories, believing they can help us make sense of the past and open new pathways for growth. Melissa is especially excited to expand her skill set by working with children and adolescents and building trauma focused skills, including Brainspotting, to better support clients who have experienced difficult or overwhelming events. She is looking forward to weaving creative arts into sessions as another way for clients to express themselves. Outside of her professional life, Melissa loves spending time with her young son, staying active and finding small moments of peace in everyday life. Hiking, kayaking, house plants and reading are hobbies she especially enjoys. Melissa is available for pro-bono and sliding scale fee sessions both in-person (Bel Air & Towson) and via telehealth.
Katie Maniscarco, LCSW-C, PMH-C
Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Owner
Katie has been working in the mental health field for over 20 years. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from Towson University with her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology in 2003, and graduated from the University of Maryland School of Social Work in 2005 with her Master’s in Social Work, with a specialization in Clinical Mental Health. Katie has worked in a variety of settings including inpatient care for teens, Special Education for elementary, middle, and high school students as a Certified School Social Worker for 7 years, and with child and adult survivors of physical and sexual abuse at the Harford County Child Advocacy Center (harfordcac.org/) for several years. Katie is certified in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), a leading evidence-based practice in the treatment of trauma for children (tfcbt.org). She is also certified in Perinatal Mental Health by Postpartum Support International (postpartum.net). Katie is a Board-approved supervisor for LGPCs and LMSWs.
In her private practice, Katie is passionate about working with new parents who may be struggling in their adjustment to changing roles, feeling disconnected and isolated, suffering with postpartum mood and anxiety disorders, and/or are lacking in understanding and support from their partners or families. She is a mom and step-mom who understands the complexities of parenthood and blended families. Katie uses a Person-Centered, Strength-Based approach to address these issues so clients may begin to look ahead to positive life changes and find joy in the adjustment. Katie is also enjoying the process of learning and implementing Inference-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (I-CBT) for the treatment of OCD (icbt.online). She is available for both in-person (Bel Air & Towson) and telehealth appointments. Katie accepts private pay clients, as well as Medicaid, Medicare, United Healthcare, Cigna (Evernorth), Johns Hopkins EHP, and CareFirst Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance plans.
“Anything is possible when you have the right people there to support you.”