Meet the Team
New Leaf Mental Health Team
Nikole Gutierrez, M.Ed., NCC, LCDCLicensed Professional Counselor Supervisor and
New Leaf Mental Health Owner
Nikole is a Brownsville, TX native who began her pathway to becoming a therapist by earning her Bachelors of Arts in Psychology with a minor in Criminal Justice in December 2010. Nikole earned her Masters of Education in Counseling and Guidance in Fall 2014. Nikole is a Licensed Professional Counselor, Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor (LCDC), and a National Certified Counselor. Nikole completed (EMDR) Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing training in 2022. She identifies her approach to therapy as an eclectic one. Nikole believes that as each individual is unique, her approach to therapy should be as well.
The counseling approaches Nikole utilizes include but are not limited to: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Solution Focused Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and other evidence-based approaches.
Additionally, Nikole is a LPC-Supervisor in the state of Texas and conducts supervision using a model that employs the roles of teacher, counselor, and consultant within a developmental framework.
Michelle Burkott, M.Ed.
Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor and New Leaf Mental Health Owner
Michelle Burkott is a Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor (LPC-S). She is licensed to practice mental health counseling in Texas and provide supervision to LPC Associates. Michelle grew up in Northern California in a large family. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Art and Communications from Brigham Young University Hawaii. Michelle earned a Masters in Education degree in Counseling and Guidance from the University of Texas at Brownsville in 2008.
Michelle has worked in higher education for over twenty years as an Academic Advisor, Counselor, and Psychology Lecturer. She currently teaches Psychology at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.​
Michelle has been working in the private practice setting since 2012. By using cognitive behavioral therapy and other modalities she supports individuals in their efforts to grow and change. Additionally, Michelle trained in (EMDR) Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing by completing a 40 hour course in 2022. As a trained EMDR therapist, Michelle treats complex trauma in individuals.
Currently her focus is primarily working with adolescents and adults.
Lisa Zuniga, M.S.
Licesed Profssional Counselor-Associate
Supervised by Nikole Gutierrez, LPC-S
Lisa holds a Masters degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from Texas Tech University Health Science Center. She earned her Bachelor’s in Rehabilitation Services from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. Before pursuing counseling, Lisa was a nanny for a family creating a nurturing and safe environment to promote emotional, social, and intellectual growth for children ages 8 months to 8 years old. As a high school student, she pursued studies in nursing where she had the opportunity to be a volunteer for a pediatric clinic.
She chose to study rehabilitation counseling because of witnessing how a family members disability (schizophrenia) had impacted her family. It’s from this experience that Lisa learned coping with a disability can be difficult for an individual and their family without the adequate resources and treatment. For this very reason, she worked hard to provide assistance in helping clients improve their overall physical, cognitive and emotional health. She also helped co-create a prototype website to educate police about people with disabilities. The purpose of the website was to raise police officer’s awareness on how they can appropriately respond to a person with a cognitive disability. Lisa strives to provide services in an empathetic, patient, supportive, non-judgmental, and compassionate manner using a combination of Person-Centered Therapy and CBT.
Madison Burkott, M.S.
Licensed Professional Counselor
Madison Burkott is a Licensed Professional Counselor. She earned a Master of Science degree in Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling from the University of Texas at Rio Grande Valley in 2023. Madison is trained in vocational rehabilitation and working with the disabled population. She is fluent in American Sign Language. She has experience working with people of all ages through individual counseling and group counseling. Madison is also a school counselor working with adolescents providing assistance in emotional and social support in the school setting. She works to advocate for the student and assist in their personal goals and improving their well-being. Madison has experience practicing several counseling modalities including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, and Mindfulness.
Vanessa Valdez, M.Ed.
​Licensed Professional Counselor-Associate
Supervised by Michelle Burkott, LPC-S
Vanessa earned a Masters of Education in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from The University of Texas - Rio Grande Valley in 2022. She has experience working with individuals, couples, and groups. She primarily works with people who have experienced anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, ADHD, stress, anger, and trauma. She typically use an integrative approach when it comes to therapy, with the top modalities include cognitive behavioral therapy, person-centered therapy, solution-focused brief therapy, mindfulness therapy, and exposure therapy. Vanessa believes that every individual has the ability and power to make changes and better their wellbeing. Sometimes we just need a helping hand, and that is exactly what she is here for. Her main goal as a counselor is for clients to leave each session feeling empowered and supported.
Leticia Mendez, M.Ed.
Licensed Professional Counselor
Leticia is a Licensed Professional Counselor. She is a native of Brownsville, where she
earned a Bachelors of Liberal Arts degree in 2000 at the University of Texas at Brownsville.
Leticia later earned her Masters in Education with a degree in school counseling and
mental health from Lamar University in 2018.
Leticia has been working for the Brownsville Independent School District for over 16
years. She is a certified school teacher who taught elementary for 12 years before becoming a certified school counselor for the district. Currently, as a school counselor,
Leticia focuses on the social emotional needs of students, career and personal goals,
student responsive services, and provides quality programs to students to help their
chances of success. In 2023, Leticia obtained her Texas state license as
an LPC and works evenings at New Leaf Mental Health. Leticia has experience
working with children, adolescents, and adults. Modalities used include CBT, DBT, and
Solution Focused Therapy.
Email: ldiazmendez.lpc@gmail.com
Phone: (956) 254-7005
Marco Moreno, M.Ed.
Licensed Professional Counselor-Associate
supervised by Michelle Burkott, LPC-S
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Marco earned an M.Ed. in Counseling with a Specialization in Clinical Mental Health from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley in 2024. He also holds a M.A. in Communication and teaches Communication courses at Texas Southmost College. Marco earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications with a minor in Psychology from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. He earned an Associate of Applied Science in Computer Information Systems from Texas Southmost College. Marco is a US Army Veteran.
Marco has many years of experience in management, supervision, consultation and training in Higher Education. Marco has research experience on how social media influencers can impact health and wellness in Hispanic Millennials. He holds a special interest in how Hispanics create meaning through the use of storytelling and folk tales and how that impacts Hispanic Mental Health.
As a counselor, Marco has experience leading group therapy, working with couples and families. He has training and practice in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Behaviorism. Marco is bilingual and holds therapy sessions in-person and via telehealth.
Brian McCormack, M.Ed.
Licensed Professional Counselor-Associate
supervised by Michelle Burkott, LPC-S
Ava Khajeh, M.Ed.
Licensed Professional Counselor-Associate
supervised by Michelle Burkott, LPC-S
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Ava holds a Masters degree in Counseling from The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. She earned her Bachelor’s in Marketing from the University of Houston. Before working at New Leaf, Ava was an elementary school counselor and high school teacher prior to that.
Ava chose to study counseling because of witnessing how a family member's addiction had impacted her family and herself. It’s from her experience in family therapy at the rehab that Ava learned the importance of therapy and how to cope with life’s challenges with the help of counselors.
Ava works with adolescents, individuals, couples, and families to navigate life's challenges. She integrates evidence-based practices, including Person-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and mindfulness techniques to help you gain insight, develop coping strategies, build emotional resilience, and support you toward healing and growth.
Ava’s focus is to create a safe, non-judgmental space where you can explore your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, and she’s committed to helping you achieve meaningful, lasting change. Whether you are struggling with anxiety, anger, self-esteem, depression, relationship difficulties, trauma, or seeking personal growth, Ava is here to support and empower you on your journey.
Jancarlo Garcia, MS
Licensed Professional Counselor-Associate
supervised by Nikole Gutierrez, LPC-S
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​Jancarlo earned a master's degree in Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. He received an undergraduate bachelor's degree in Addiction Studies from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. He has experience working in addiction counseling at the Cameron County Recovery Center. He has led therapeutic group counseling in various topics such as addiction counseling, grief, and social skills training. Jancarlo is trained in youth mental health first aid and provides mental health first aid to children and adolescents in crisis. Jancarlo has experience and training in CBT, ACT, DBT, Mindfulness, EFT, and REBT. He is an LPC Associate who uses an eclectic approach to therapy in order to provide each client with a unique experience. He is dedicated and excited to continuously expand his knowledge in order to provide the best form of counseling to clients.
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Licensed
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Licensed
Our Practice
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We are a team of Licensed Professional Counselors and Graduate students who are highly committed to our client’s care.
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We provide high quality counseling services at affordable rates. We are committed to providing mental health services to anyone regardless of client's sex, race, national origin, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, or disabilities.
Why Are We Different
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We incorporate individualized and evidence-based counseling practices that help support the needs of our clients.
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We provide a caring and collaborative counseling experience that focuses on the delivery of outstanding care.
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We are a teaching clinic that offers reduced counseling fees for members of our community.
Why You May Benefit from Our Services
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Life in our fast-paced culture can be stressful, even under the best of circumstances. When painful experiences occur in our life that adds to our stress it is common for people to feel alone and overwhelmed.
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Seeking help from a skilled Licensed Professional offers you the opportunity to overcome and grow from these difficulties with confidence, freeing you to live a fuller, richer existence. We truly believe change is possible.
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Are you ready to ‘Turn Over a New Leaf’ today?