📆 How to Book

Booking is simple and secure

👉🏼 Use our Simple Practice Contact Form to get connected here

Or contact the office directly to schedule or ask questions

• 📧 Email: admin@philostherapeutic.com
• 📞 Phone (209) 259-3851

Meet Our Therapists

Christin Montoya, LCSW

Clinical Supervisor and
President of Philos Therapeutic

Helping people find their footing through anxiety, depression, trauma, and relationship challenges has been the center of my clinical work for over 17 years.

My approach is collaborative and strength-based, meaning you lead your own healing and I’m here to support the process in a way that feels sustainable and true to who you are. Change takes courage, not perfection, and I’d be honored to be part of your journey.

Sara Hack, LMFT, LPCC

As a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor, I am passionate about working with individuals, couples, and teens navigating anxiety, depression, stress, trauma, life transitions, and relationship challenges. I also bring a unique specialty in sports performance, supporting athletes in the mental and emotional side of competition.

My approach is integrative and tailored to each person, drawing from CBT, humanistic, strengths-based, motivational interviewing, and person-centered therapies. I believe that healing happens when people feel genuinely heard and accepted, and I am committed to creating a space that feels safe enough to do real, meaningful work. I see clients in person in Merced and online throughout California.

Christina Eva Santiago, MA, APCC
Associate Professional Clinical Counselor Registered with the BBS
Supervised by Christin Montoya, LCSW

As an Associate Professional Clinical Counselor, military veteran, and former trauma-level surgical technologist, I bring a depth of lived experience to this work that shapes everything about how I show up for my clients. I am passionate about supporting veterans, first responders, healthcare workers, caregivers, and anyone navigating trauma, PTSD, chronic illness, burnout, grief, or major life transitions.

My approach draws from CBT, CPT, DBT, Gestalt, and Solution-Focused therapy, blended to fit each person’s unique needs and pace. I believe that healing is possible even after the hardest experiences, and I am committed to creating a space where clients feel safe enough to do the brave work of moving forward. I work with teens, adults, individuals, couples, and groups, and see clients in person in both Merced and Los Banos, as well as online throughout California. I practice under the clinical supervision of Christin Montoya, LCSW, as I work toward full licensure.

Kellymarie Shepherd Bauer, MSW, ACSW, RAC I
Associate Social Worker Registered with the BBS
Supervised by Christin Montoya, LCSW

As an Associate Clinical Social Worker and USC MSW graduate, I am passionate about work with individuals navigating life transitions, substance use or addiction, parenting or post-partum, and those experiencing agricultural or farming stress.

My approach is relational, trauma-informed, and strengths-based, rooted in the belief that healing happens in relationship and community, not just in session. I bring experience in individual counseling, group facilitation, and collaborative care planning, and I am committed to creating spaces where people feel safe enough to reflect, regulate, and imagine new possibilities for themselves. I practice under the clinical supervision of Christin Montoya, LCSW, as I work toward full licensure.

Meet Our Paraprofessional

Lorena Groves, Mental Health Support Specialist

As a bilingual (Spanish/English) Mental Health Support Specialist, I am dedicated to helping children, individuals, and families develop practical skills and tools to navigate stress, transitions, and difficult moments. I believe in meeting people where they are, and I tailor skill-building support to what actually works for each person and family.

With younger clients, I draw on play-based and creative approaches to make skill development accessible and engaging. I am committed to serving the Central Valley community, with a particular heart for Spanish-speaking families who have not always had access to care that reflects their language and culture.

I provide services at Philos Therapeutic as part of a collaborative care team.

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