Counseling at
St. John the Evangelist
The counselors available at St. John’s are all professionally trained and licensed professional mental health clinicians, or advanced-level students who are pursuing their counseling degrees from various counseling programs around the country. Each counselor or counselor intern remains faithful to the Magisterium of the Catholic Church and is an independent contractor in private practice who is not employed by the parish or by the Archdiocese of Baltimore.
Each therapist who maintains a private practice at St. John is trained in the resolution of a broad range of psychological, emotional, social, and relational problems. They promote the psychological and spiritual well-being of individuals and their families through quality, affordable and confidential services, which are integrated with the fullness of the Catholic faith.
Therapy services at St. John are available for individual adults and children, couples and families. Counselors have a wide range of experience and professional areas of expertise, including the supervision and training of student intern counselors. Brief professional biographies and direct contact information for each counselor and counselor intern are available below.
If you have general questions about the counseling services or are unsure of counselor availability or aren’t sure who might be the right fit for your specific need, you may email Counseling@stjohnsp.org, or call Paul Schratz, Ph.D., the team leader, directly at 443-808-3060.
Payment
Our fees are set well below market rates and vary depending on the services needed.
We offer a generous sliding scale to ensure that cost will not prevent anyone from receiving the services that they need.
Rates for services will be discussed with you prior to scheduling any appointments.
Financial donations for someone else who cannot afford the fees are also gratefully accepted. Please contact Paul Schratz at the number above to discuss your desire to make a donation towards services for someone else.
Payment for all sessions and services is due after each session. Payments may be by credit card, checks made out to your specific clinician, or cash.
The counselors typically do not accept insurance, but they can provide documentation that you can submit to your insurance company for reimbursement if you have out-of-network benefits.
Other Nearby Catholic Counselors
For privacy reasons, some parishioners may prefer to be seen at another parish. We can provide contact information for Catholic counselors at nearby parishes, or virtual counseling with other Catholic counselors, if desired.
Meet the Team
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Jennifer Brinker
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Jennifer Brinker, LCSW-C earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Villanova University and her Master of Social Work from the University of Maryland School of Social Work, where she specialized in services to families and children. Following her graduation, Jennifer worked as a Psychotherapist for Villa Maria’s Therapeutic After School Program and their school-based out-patient clinic. She is currently an approved clinical supervisor with both the Maryland Social Work Board and Maryland Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists.
In addition to providing clinical services, Jennifer also enjoys presenting conference workshops and retreat talks for youth, young adult and adult retreatants. She has also previously provided training for Project Rachel in the Archdiocese of Washington and for Christ in the City in Philadelphia.
She is especially grateful to be able to offer clinical services as a therapist at St. John the Evangelist in Severna Park. Working as a Catholic therapist happily enables Jennifer to serve the whole person by integrating her professional training and experience with the beauty and richness of the Catholic faith in this clinical setting.
In addition to providing counseling services, Jennifer also supports the Source of All Hope missionary formation program in Baltimore through regular meetings with, and on-going formation for the missionaries while working alongside the Basilica staff who run the program.
Jennifer has been involved in various parish ministries throughout the years, including teaching middle school faith formation, leading Walking With Purpose groups, serving on the youth ministry core team and the parish’s pastoral planning committee. She successfully completed the Holy Family School of Faith’s program for Catholic Spiritual Mentorship (under Archbishop Joseph Naumann of Kansas City, KS) and provides spiritual mentorship for a small number of local women and women involved with the Fellowship of Catholic University Student (FOCUS).
Primary areas of focus: behavioral and emotional issues in children, parenting, family therapy, couples therapy, & post-abortion healing.
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Melissa Freymann
Licensed Graduate Professional Counselor
Melissa Freymann received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Chicago and a Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Divine Mercy University, where she learned to integrate the Catholic faith with the psychological sciences. Melissa uses the Catholic Christian Meta-Model of the Person and Theology of the Body as a framework for understanding and valuing the whole person.
She is passionate about healing interpersonal relationships and helping people flourish. She works with adolescents through elderly, couples, and families. Melissa has experience providing group and individual therapy, and consults for marriage retreats that integrate Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) at Our Lady of Bethesda Retreat Center.
Her additional certifications include: EFT externship with ICEEFT; Green Cross Traumatology Level 3; and Mental Health First Aid instructor for Military, Higher Ed., Youth and Adult.
She is a member of the Catholic Psychotherapy Association, American Counseling Association, and the International Centre for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy.
Melissa has been active in several ministries involving youth, leadership, women, coaching running, and the Baltimore Archdiocesan Mental Wellness Working Group. She speaks at retreats, conferences, parent groups, and youth events. She offers consultation services and therapeutic support at special events. She has been featured on the podcast Speakin’ with the Deacons.
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Regina Hernandez
Licensed Graduate Professional Counselor
Regina Hernandez earned a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Belmont Abbey College in North Carolina, and a Master of Science degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Divine Mercy University. She has worked for a year as a behavioral therapist with children with autism. She has also worked for an addiction treatment and mental health care company, where she eventually took on the position of Case Manager. She is certified through the Green Cross as a Compassion Fatigue Educator, Compassion Fatigue Therapist, and a Field Traumatologist who responds to disasters.
Regina especially enjoys working with children and teens. She taught dance with the Anne Arundel County Department of Recreation and Parks for three years, working mostly with pre-K and kindergarten students. She has volunteered in high school youth ministry at St. Mary’s Parish in Annapolis.
Regina also has experience working with adults, including adults struggling with addictions. She sees adults for individual and couples counseling, as well as children and families. She is fluent in Spanish.
She is a lifelong Catholic and is currently a member of the Anne Arundel Catholic Young Adults.
Regina is very excited to work with the St. John’s Pastoral Counseling team. She is supervised by Paul Schratz, PhD, and Jennifer Brinker, LCSW.
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Katie Pestka
Counseling Intern
Katie Pestka earned a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. After college, she served as a Catholic campus missionary with the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS) for several years. She served university students on campuses in both the United States and England. She then worked as a high school Theology Teacher and Campus Minister.Katie is completing her counseling internship, which is the last requirement for her master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health at the University of Mary. She is working both at St. John and at Advanced Behavioral Health in Baltimore where she works with children, teenagers, and adults. She is certified in Catholic Anthropology and loves to integrate the Catholic faith into mental health care.
Katie especially enjoys working with young adults, and she has experience in mentoring and leading small groups. She sees children, adolescents, and adults for individual counseling as well as couples therapy and family therapy.
Katie moved to the area from the Midwest and is having fun exploring her new home. She volunteers at her parish teaching children’s faith formation classes.
Katie is excited to work with St. John’s Pastoral Counseling team. She is supervised by Paul Schratz, PhD, and Jennifer Brinker, LCSW.
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Paul Schratz, PhD, ABPP
Board Certified Psychologist
Paul Schratz, PhD, has been a parishioner at St. John the Evangelist for more than 20 years. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Vanderbilt University, a master’s degree from Loyola in Maryland (including a year in the Pastoral Counseling program), and a doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Georgia State University. He gained much depth and breadth of experience as a psychologist with the Navy, the Veterans Administration, and Alpha Omega Clinic, a Catholic psychotherapy practice.
Dr. Schratz has been active in many ministries in the Catholic Church, especially with Catholic men’s ministry at the local and Archdiocesan levels. He is a consultant for the Mental Health Companions ministry at St. John, serves with the Unbound prayer and deliverance ministry, and provides men’s ministry training for the Knights of Columbus.
His wife is a Catholic elementary school principal. They successfully raised their two children, and they are happy that both are living nearby.
Dr. Schratz provides individual and couples psychotherapy for adults. He treats the full range of psychological, emotional and interpersonal challenges, including:
• Depression, grief and loss
• Anxiety, phobias, trauma, stress and anger management
• Relationship issues, parenting, sexuality, and men’s issues
• Occupational and vocational problems
• Stage of life transitions (e.g., marriage, empty nest, death of spouse, divorce, job loss, retirement)
• Behavioral health issues (e.g., insomnia, nightmares, tobacco/nicotine cessation, substance abuse, pain management, chronic illness, etc.)
• Faith development and spiritual issues
• Military, veterans, employees with security clearances, and readjustment issues.