The Silvermist Recovery Center Team

Prior to joining the Silvermist and Pyramid Healthcare team, Cydney spent 10 years in a variety of behavioral health roles, including therapeutic staff support, milieu therapist, patient safety representative and supervisor of patient relations and experience. Cydney grew up in the Pittsburgh area where she completed her undergraduate degree from Clarion University and received a master’s degree in Healthcare Administration and Management from Point Park University.

In her free time, she enjoys shopping and spending time with family.

Kristianne became a Physician Assistant after graduating from Lock Haven University’s Physician Assistant Program with her master’s degree in health sciences in 2018. She completed her undergraduate studies in biology and psychology at Lycoming College. Following graduation, Kristanne practiced medicine in an outpatient psychiatry clinic in the State College area for three years where she gained experience working in the mental health field. In 2022, Kristianne and her husband relocated to the Pittsburgh area and she joined the Silvermist Recovery Center team.

In her free time, Kristianne enjoys reading, exercising, spending time with her cat (Ginny) and exploring Pittsburgh with her husband, friends and family.

Currently a licensed professional counselor, Desiree’s education began at the University of Pittsburgh where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. Possessing dual graduate degrees in psychology and professional counseling, Desiree is certified in the state of Pennsylvania as an advanced alcohol and drug counselor.

Desiree is passionate about serving individuals through a trauma-focused lens, establishing a foundation for long-term healing with the use of acceptance and commitment therapy.

Outside of Silvermist, Desiree enjoys traveling, running (yes, for fun!) and spending time with her family.

Heather has been working in the behavioral & mental health field for the last ten years. Heather earned a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from Slippery Rock University in 2010. After completing her undergrad she began working with adolescents in the mental health field. She went on to continue her education earning her Master of Science Degree in Criminal Justice from South University in 2013. Since obtaining her master’s degree, Heather has been counseling in both inpatient and outpatient settings assisting individuals experiencing various struggles in their lives. Heather brings her passion for helping others to work daily, providing individual, group and family therapies. She incorporates acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) into her daily work while assisting her clients as they begin their healing and recovery at Silvermist. While not at work, Heather enjoys spending time with her family and her friends, exercising and watching sports.

Sasha received her master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Slippery Rock University. She is interested in treating a wide array of issues, including substance-related and addictive disorders, obsessive-compulsive and related disorders, depression, anxiety, grief, loss and trauma.

Sasha enjoys working from a holistic model, integrating the mind-body connection while working towards a value-oriented life in recovery and healing. She is trained in acceptance & commitment therapy (ACT) and loves applying the constructs of ACT in groups and individual sessions. Sasha’s goal is to support each client in accessing their authentic self and their inner wisdom in order to live a more fulfilling, value-oriented life.

Sasha was born and raised in Ukraine. She is fluent in 4 languages, including Ukrainian, Russian, Slovak and English, and has a basic knowledge of Czech and Polish. She has developed multicultural sensitivity, which allows her to effectively address emotional and behavioral issues for clients from diverse backgrounds. In her free time, Sasha enjoys spending time with her son and her family in Ukraine (when possible), traveling, baking, cooking and enjoying the beauty of nature. Sasha’s motto “Chase your dreams… In high heels, of course.”

Garret has strong roots in the blue-collar work that Western Pennsylvania is known for. Garret has worked in the Pennsylvania natural gas industry, as an ironworker, and with the stage hand union (in Pittsburgh, PA) prior to finding his true calling as a counselor. Garret strives to bring this blue-collar work ethic to the professional world of counseling. He completed his Bachelor of Science in 2020 with a dual major in both psychology and philosophy. Garret is currently attending The University of Alabama as a graduate student focusing on rehabilitation counseling.

Garret’s counseling approach involves taking the wisdom from complex philosophical ideals and making them more tangible and practical for working folks. Garret specializes in experiential type therapies and enjoys helping others learn with a more hands-on approach. He holds the firm belief that everyone deserves to recover from their afflictions and live a meaningful life.

When he’s not working, he enjoys reading, throwing Frisbee with his dog Dude, working on personal fitness and playing bass guitar.

Billy was born and raised in western Pennsylvania, is a U.S. Army combat veteran, having served nearly seven years active duty as an Abrams tank systems maintainer. Billy has been working in the recovery services field for eight years. Billy is licensed with the state of Pennsylvania as a professional social worker. He enjoys traveling, nature and music festivals, and strives to navigate daily life by implementing spiritual principles and virtues and maintaining an awakened spirit.

Billy received his master’s degree in social work from Edinboro University and an undergraduate degree in social sciences with a minor in cognitive science from Slippery Rock University. His passion lies in assisting others in alleviating suffering regardless of the disorder, diagnosis or cause.

Billy enjoys trudging alongside clients as they embark on their personalized holistic journey to healing and recovery. It is imperative to incorporate mind, body and spirit wellness into one’s lifestyle in order to cultivate resilience and effective coping skills needed for positive daily functioning. Utilization of acceptance & commitment therapy (ACT), S.M.A.R.T. goals and evidence-based interventions will assist in aligning values with behavior – all the while learning to love oneself and others and becoming empowered through the process of self-actualization and self-discovery.

Natalie Miller began working for Pyramid Healthcare, Inc. in August 2006 as a Behavioral Technician, then Supervisor, Case Coordinator, and now as a Case Manager. She enjoys her role with clients and values working as a team, seeking consensus to reach the best aftercare plan for each client. Using acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) principles as the anchoring lesson in all of her groups, she challenges the willing to match one’s action to one’s values to resolve the inner conflict. Natalie emphasizes how the use of maladaptive tendencies is an attempt to cope wherein the actions do not match one’s values or character.

She has been married to her husband Jason for nineteen years. They live in Saxonburg, PA with their many children and dog, Flash.

Ray has been at Silvermist since 2017 in a variety of roles, including behavioral health specialist, shift leader and lead tech. He is a 10-year Navy Veteran who greatly enjoys working with clients of all backgrounds, and is proud to serve our growing Veteran community! Ray brings to the table a varied skill set as both a Certified Recovery Specialist and Certified Peer Specialist. He is also trained in trauma-informed care. Ray facilitates mindful movement group, which incorporates movement from martial arts disciplines to strengthen the mind-body connection and empower the clients’ sense of emotional and physical safety.

In his off-time Ray enjoys spending time with family and their Boxer Roxy!

The services of Hillside Yoga are brought to Silvermist by Yoga Sam. Yoga Sam brings years of experience teaching in a variety of capacities. She trained at the Temple of Kriya Yoga based in Chicago. Since 2006, Yoga Sam has taught at studios, gyms and colleges, as well as privately at her own studio. Through her years of experience she has the ability to instruct students of various abilities and previous yoga exposure. Bringing pose work and practical yoga philosophy, Yoga Sam is thrilled to share her knowledge with new people.

“The best part of teaching at Silvermist is sharing yoga with people who would otherwise never have walked into a yoga class.”