Our founder Chantal Carter is a long time resident of the Northwest Arkansas area. She received a Bachelor of Arts in both Sociology and Psychology from the University of Central Arkansas in 2002. She then earned her Masters in Social Work with an Emphasis on Mental Health from the University of Arkansas in 2005. Her graduate studies also focused specifically on preparing to treat people struggling with substance use disorders. Upon starting her career, she continued to focus on substance use treatment through her role as an Assistant Clinical Director in a residential substance abuse facility for drug addicted mothers. Chantal became a Licensed Certified Social Worker (LCSW) in 2008, which is the terminal licensure for a social worker in Arkansas. Additionally she is a Licensed Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselor (LADAC) through the Arkansas State Board of Examiners of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors after demonstrating mastery in substance use treatment and completing 6,000 hours of related supervision.

Chantal is a member of the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals and in 2016 became the first Certified Eating Disorder Specialist (CEDS) in the state of Arkansas. She is passionate about helping others and empowering them to live life at their best. Professionally, she has had the great opportunity to serve as Secretary of the Northwest Arkansas Medical Social Workers and Associates in 2010, and served as President in 2011. She utilizes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) approaches in her work with patients. As Chantal is licensed in Arkansas, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennesse, and Pennsylvania she is able to offer counseling & therapy services to adults residing in those states through a secure telehealth platform via live video counseling. Personally, she enjoys a quiet life spent in nature with her friends, her husband, and their dogs Connor & Zoe. Feel free to use the "Contact Us" form at the bottom of this page any questions you may have about how NWA Therapy can help you!

NWA Therapy would like to welcome our newest team member Lori Cottingham! Lori is a long time resident of the Northwest Arkansas area. She received her Bachelor of Science in Health Professions and Education from the University of Arkansas in 2003. She went on to receive her Masters of Social Work with an Emphasis on Mental Health also from the University of Arkansas in 2005.

Lori is passionate about working with children and has worked the past six years as the Assistant Director of a children’s program in the area. Lori has a gentle therapeutic approach full of compassion, empathy, and support as she helps both women and children work through a variety of mental health concerns including anxiety, depression, self-esteem, and stress. With children she is well equipped to explore behavior concerns and academic stress due to her past role within the children’s program. She can support them in their journey with her training in play therapy as well as Cognitive Behavior Therapy. She is also passionate about supporting women in their journeys to build self-esteem, explore work related stress, parenting stress, and building confidence and compassion within themselves. She has some training in Dialectical Behavior Therapy which can be helpful in building coping skills to help self-regulate and self-soothe when having difficult or overwhelming emotions. Lori is now scheduling girls 5 and older and women for in office appointments. In her personal life, she likes to read, spend time with her children, and enjoys living life outside in nature.

Kara received both her Bachelor of Science and her Masters in Social Work at the University of Arkansas. During graduate school, she had the practicing experience of providing counseling services to young adult women in residence halls on the University of Arkansas campus. Kara graduated with her Masters in 2013 and began her career as a Social Worker. This includes work in an inpatient psychiatric hospital providing individual, family, and group therapy. Kara has a history in medical social work providing support to people with chronic or terminal illnesses, and truly understands the emotional complexities living with illness can create. She has also worked extensively helping patients in their grief and loss process through her work in hospice.

Kara is practices a holistic approach to mental health care. She is invested in recognizing people as individuals and exploring the multiple layers of their lives. She is passionate about helping people explore their personal goals and support them in finding meaning and enhancing their day to day functioning. Kara prioritizes inclusivity in her practice and is passionate about serving women, members of the LGBTQA+ community, and people of color. She is currently training to become a Certified Clinical Trauma Specialist, and is also completing focused on trauma specifically related to race. Her membership in the Northwest Arkansas Medical Social Workers and Associates keeps her connected to community resources as well as staying current on developing treatment approaches. In her free time, Kara enjoys reading, spending time outside, enjoyable movement, traveling, and experience different foods. Kara is serving patients 16 years and older via telehealth or in office for patients in Arkansas.

Erika received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Henderson State University in 2012. Upon completing her undergraduate degree, she relocated to NWA for graduate school at the University of Arkansas where she graduated with a Masters of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling in 2015. Her education included internships working collaboratively with seasoned therapists to establish and develop her therapeutic skills. Erika had an internship at the University of Arkansas Counseling and Psychological Services clinic where she worked with women of all ages through individual therapy and facilitating a women’s focused group therapy to help these ladies find their professional voice within the educational system and in their lives after college. She also had a practicum at the Northwest Arkansas Rape Crisis Center working with survivors of sexual assault as they coped with their trauma. In this environment she also facilitated group therapy helping the survivors process their experiences and feel validated in their recovery from trauma in a safe compassionate setting for healing. Because of her passion in supporting recovery from trauma, Erika earned acknowledgement as a Certified Clinical Trauma Specialist.

When she entered the work force, Erika found herself at a community mental health center locally. She had a wide variety of patients that she worked with including elementary through high school aged children in an alternative learning environment. These children and adolescents addressed concerns including trauma, anxiety, depression, behavioral problems, substance use, sexual identity struggles, and family related issues in their work with Erika. In this setting Erika provided both individual therapy to the patient as well as facilitated family therapy to help families better understand one another, improve communication patterns, and resolve conflict. Her treatment approach is Gestalt and person centered therapy which supports finding peace and making meaning in integrating fractured parts of oneself to form a more whole integral self. She is passionate about giving a voice to patients working through difficult issues and helping them find their own meaning in life’s struggles, and her practice is inclusive of the LGBTQA+ community. Erika has also been in training and supervision with our founder Chantal Carter in treating patients with disordered eating. She treats teens and adult patients via virtually or in office in Arkansas. Personally, Erika roots for the Fayetteville Bulldogs and the Razorbacks. She also enjoys spending time with her friends, spending time with her husband and their young son, scrapbooking, and writing.