Support Staff

Hallie Pearson

Administrative Assistant

I recently graduated from Northwestern University with a degree in Human Development and Psychological Services. I was a student-athlete who played college soccer, and transferred to Northwestern after playing my first two years at the University of Arizona. I was born in California, but grew up in Indiana and now reside in beautiful Arizona. I have come to pride myself in putting myself first with self care. One of my favorite things to do is watch the sunset, and be present for those breathtaking moments. One of my mottos is to take life day by day and to enjoy the little things. This allows me to slow down and find peace in letting life unfold each day.

I became passionate about mental health after facing my own struggles with anxiety. I interned at Bodhi for my practicum experience, and realized becoming a licensed counselor is something I feel drawn to in my life. I now have been given the opportunity to work at Bodhi and I am in my first year of grad school at Hazelden Betty Ford Graduate School of Addiction Studies. As of now, I really want to help student-athletes with their mental health and reduce the stigma that athletes have to be tough, and that they shouldn't struggle with mental health when so much is given to them. There is more to life than just sports, and I want to support others in any ways that I can.

Anna Herrera

Social Media & Marketing Intern

I am currently a junior at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign studying at Marketing and Management with a minor in Media. I am from the suburbs of Chicago. When I am not in school or at Bodhi you can probably find me working on my small business or practicing Zumba. I love traveling and the outdoors, especially horseback riding or zip lining.

I believe mental health is important because if you don’t care about your mental health, you are not really taking care of yourself which can impact your daily life. I firmly believe in a growth mentality, self-care, and self-improvement. My favorite quotes to keep myself motivated are:

“Be your best advocate”
“You get what you put in”
“There is no growth in a comfort zone and no comfort in a growth zone ”
“Life’s a journey”

I am also very passionate about philanthropy and giving back to the community. This picture was taken my sophomore year when I was part of a semester-long program in Chicago where I got to work on a research project on food insecurity. My favorite part of the program was volunteering at the Greater Chicago Food Depository and other local food pantries.

I am fairly new to the Bodhi team, I just joined at the end of February of 2023. I enjoy working with the team because I get to learn about myself while learning new skills every day! I feel like my values align very well with that of Bodhi and its mission and they make me feel very supported.

Arjumand Yameen

Medical Biller

I received my B.S. degree in 2003 and later I started my career in Medical Billing and Coding in 2012.

I began working as a medical billing specialist in a private medical practice and then later worked with an insurance company and a hospital as a Medical coder and analyst.

I help healthcare professionals navigate the complex world of health insurance!

Arjumand can provide billing for individuals outside of Bodhi, contact her if you're interested:

billing@bodhicounseling.care

Afton Lawver

Web Application Developer Intern

I recently graduated with my B.A. in Computer Science from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale (Go Salukis!). My road to becoming a computer geek was not traditional at all. I studied and received my B.S. in Physiology in 2019 from SIUC. From there I went on to work in medical research, specifically microbiology. After some time, I found myself not being satisfied and challenged enough with the work. As an avid woodworker, I loved to take things apart and build things from scratch. So, I started teaching myself how to code and immediately fell in love with the craft.

While working full-time in research, I decided to pursue a computer science degree. Throughout this time, I was able to work on some very cool projects with team members and really find my stride within the complex world of software. I have since learned a lot about myself and my passions. I started working as a freelance web developer immediately after graduating in May of 2023.

Being at Bodhi means a lot to me personally because taking mental health seriously is something that is very important to me. Growing up not always knowing how to cope with life situations has allowed me to explore ways to bring peace into my life like practicing meditation, taking long walks, and talking with a close person.

Outside of my professional life, I enjoy weightlifting, running, woodworking, and hanging out with my family.

Please check out my website www.aftonlawver.com to see more of my work and feel free to reach out with comments or questions: lawverap25@gmail.com.

Star

Bodhi Mascot

Star is our resident 'therapy dog' Although she's usually in Melanies office, it's not unusual for her to wander into the waiting room and greet our clients. (With permission of course!). Star is a Bichon Frise making her hypoallergenic.

When Star isn't at work she likes cuddling with her sister Boomer and chasing the possums that live in our yard-Bert & Ernie.