ABOUT US

Our Team

Ximena Helm - MAC, NCC, LPC, EMDR, CAMS-II

Founder & CEO

Mrs. Helm founded New Sun Mental Health Center, Inc., in 2008. She is bilingual, English-Spanish. She is a registered Clinical Evaluator (CE) and Treatment Provider (TP) by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD) of Georgia.

Education
  • 3rd year student, Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology with a General Psychology specialization from National University.
  • Master of Arts in Community Counseling with a concentration in Marriage and Family Therapy program from Argosy University in Atlanta, Georgia
  • B.A. in Psychology from Pontificia Bolivariana University in Bucaramanga, Colombia.
Certifications/Licensures
  • National Certified Counselor (NCC)
  • Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) – Georgia
  • Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
  • Certified Anger Management Specialist (CAMS-II)
  • Master Certified Addiction Counselor (MAC) with the Association for Addiction Professionals (NAADAC)

Mari Debon - LAMFT

Therapist

Mari earned her master’s degree in Marriage and Family Counseling from National University. She is a member of the Honor Society. She uses a variety of therapy models and interventions to assist individuals, couples, and families. She sees every person as a unique individual and adapts treatment according to their concerns and personality. Her main therapeutic lens is working with Internal Family Systems to help you obtain a better understanding of yourself and your relationships. Mari has experience working with children, teenagers, young adults, and adults. Her passion is helping people reach their potentials and build better relationships. She has worked with individuals/families with OCD, social anxiety, depression, anxiety, ADHD, addictions, and phobias. Her approach to couples therapy provides a safe space for healing and a deeper understanding of each other. She will support you through the deep and powerful journey of achieving profound transformation through inner healing. She helps you understand the “why” you are feeling or behaving the way you do and through a collaborative approach provides strategies and tools to move beyond what is holding you back so you can live a happier and more productive life.

Gema Gomez

Clinical Intern Therapist

I am completing my Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Liberty University. I graduated with my bachelor’s degree in psychology at the University of North Georgia. I’m helping people navigate and cope with difficulties in their lives. I work with people to help them reach their goals. I am bilingual (English and Spanish). In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my friends and family, cooking, reading, visiting new places, and watching movies/shows.

Jeannie Pierson

Clinical Intern Therapist

Jeannie Pierson is a student completing her master’s degree in clinical Mental Health Counseling at Liberty University. She is currently working on her practicum and internship at New Sun Mental Health Center. She also graduated from Liberty University with her bachelor’s degree in psychology. She looks forward to meeting her clients on their journey and using evidence-based approaches/techniques to help them improve their lives. She believes in collaborating with clients to provide quality services and help the reach their goals.

Ariana Vlajk

Clinical Intern Therapist

Ari is a Master Level Intern and the office manager of New Sun Mental Health Center. Her five years of experience in mental health have solidified her desire to pursue a career as a therapist alongside her administrative position at New Sun Mental Health Center. Ari is earning her Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Walden University. Ari’s main passion is people and finding ways to improve their internal and external world. She aims to work with her clients to create a treatment plan that reflects and incorporates their unique circumstances, experiences, and perspectives. She works with people of all ages who are dealing with depression, anxiety, grief, interpersonal issues, trauma/PTSD, and mood disorders. She also works with families to help them create healthy and harmonious connections and dynamics. When Ari is not at the office, you can often find her spending time with loved ones, exploring new restaurants in Atlanta, and finding new hiking trails for her Australian Shepard, Luna.

Zachary Cox

Intern

My name is Zachary Cox, and I attend Oglethorpe University, where I played baseball for two years. I am very passionate about meeting and helping new people, so I took an interest in psychology. It’s intriguing how everyone is unique but still may need assistance getting to where they want to be in life.

I’m currently working on my undergraduate and plan to be a psychiatrist after graduate school. I hope to learn better ways to help people with any struggle they might be going through, which is why I’m interning at New Sun Mental Health Center.

In my free time, I enjoy spending time with friends, shopping, and trying new places to eat around the Atlanta area.

Suwanee Office