OXFORD, MS

Lee is the Founder and Clinical Director of Cornerstone and has been counseling since 2006. A native of the Mississippi Delta, he attended Delta State University and later Mississippi College where he received his M.S. in Counseling Psychology. He is a nationally board certified, Licensed Professional Counselor. When it comes to his career, Lee has had a very diverse background spending over ten years in sales and management in both the wireless and pharmaceutical industries. Lee later served on staff at Pinelake Church for a number of years.

Since being in private practice, Lee has worked with adolescents, families, marriages and individuals addressing a variety of topics. He specializes in marriage and family dynamics, anxiety and depression and working with those who serve in the ministry. In addition to his work in private practice, Lee is a sought after speaker at churches, retreats and events.

He believes that change in a person occurs in the context of relationships and vulnerability. Being fully known, fully accepted and being reminded of the life-changing truth of the Gospel is what continues to profoundly impact Lee’s life. He loves spending time with his wife, his three children, and his family and friends. He also enjoys spending time in the outdoors, drinking a great cup of coffee and listening to a wide range of music.

Pastor Reviews:

"I have tremendous confidence in Lee, not just as a counselor, but also as a friend and a man after God’s heart. At Pinelake, we define ministry as “what you leave behind you as you follow Christ.”Having served alongside Lee for over a decade, I have witnessed many lives touched by the wake of his walk with Jesus. In addition, Lee’s unique gifting, compassion and ability to speak hard truth in love gives me great confidence anytime I refer people to him."

Chip Henderson, Senior Pastor at Pinelake Church

"Lee Smith gets it. The needs of people are not just psychological but holistic. Here at Venture Church, he has created opportunities for healing through individual counseling, a referral plan for family counseling and has been on the ground floor of helping build out our Recovery Ministry. We are thankful and blessed to work alongside him."

Jeff Clark, Senior Pastor at Venture Church (Hattiesburg)

Allison is a Licensed Professional Counselor and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. She received her Bachelor’s degree from Mississippi College and her Master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy & Counseling from Reformed Theological Seminary. Allison has worked with a diverse population ranging from pre-teens to adults and has walked through many trials such as anxiety, depression, grief, life transitions, relationship difficulties, and planning for the future. She desires to meet clients right where they are with deep compassion and encouragement. Her therapy style is client-centered, focusing on the client’s autonomy and resources. Her background in marriage and family therapy also influences her ability to better understand the family dynamics that shape her clients, the way they interact with others, and the way they view themselves.

Allison is a board qualified Telemental Health Provider, a Gottman level 1 trained therapist, and is certified in EMDR.

When she isn’t seeing clients, you could probably find Allison spending time with her husband, Tyler, their daughter, Evelyn, and their golden doodle, Layla. She also enjoys reading, singing, serving her church, eating good food, and traveling.

Client Reviews:

“Allison is kindness and compassion personified. She invites you to a space of comfort, while confidently and bravely guiding you through deep fears and hurts to freedom and peace. She sees all clients as children of God and people of worth. Because of this she is a soft place to land and a safe person to share with. Without hesitation, I would recommend Allison to anyone.”

“I am so grateful for my work with Allison as she walked with me through some of my darkest days. She cares deeply, is patient, and extends compassion unconditionally. I will continue to use the skills I gained while working with her throughout the rest of my life!”

Beth is a biblical counselor on staff at Cornerstone Counseling. As a graduate of the University of Mississippi, Beth comes to Cornerstone after many years of practice as a Speech-Language Pathologist. During these years, she cared for children and counseled families at Blair Batson Children’s Hospital. She also was an adjunct instructor for undergraduate students at the University of Mississippi. Beth has spent much of her life as a mentor to adolescent girls through Young Life ministry and she is active in leading women’s bible study at her local church. She has two passions: a love for the gospel and meeting people where they are. These two loves led her to feel called to change careers and become a biblical counselor.

Beth received her Masters in Counseling from Westminister Seminary. She also has obtained a level 1 certificate from the Christian Counseling and Educational Foundaion (CCEF). Beth is a certified Enneagram coach and received her gospel centered Enneagram training through Beth McCord's YEC program. Beth feels called to be a resource to the church and campus ministries. Suffering and struggles are universal to humanity and we all need a safe place to be honest about our hardships. Beth wants to help pastors and church leaders who often feel overwhelmed by the needs of their members. Beth is trained and has interest in issues such as grief, depression, anxiety, family conflict, parenting struggles and life transitions. In her free time, Beth is spending time with her fun loving husband (Kirk), taking care of her two children (Cooper and Luci), listening to her favorite musicians, and hanging with her three dogs (Grace, River and Emmylou).

Client Reviews:

"Beth gets grace and teaches me how to apply grace to the most complex parts of my life, including my relationship with myself. Beth relies on scripture but doesn’t use biblical platitudes to hide from what is hard or true. Beth’s counseling has given me real tools to help me work through an intense family dynamic and I have experienced tangible progress. She pushes me to know myself well and to act from that place of self-knowledge."

"From my first very appointment, Beth embraced me with unconditional love that made me feel seen and understood. She opened my eyes to the self awareness I was so deeply lacking, challenged me with grace, and wrapped applicable tools with the Word of God. Not only is Beth a remarkable therapist, she is a true Proverbs 31 woman and a role model for me. I cannot say enough good words about the profound impact Beth has had on my life. I have and will continue to recommend Beth to everyone I know. Beth has given me life long tools to be the healthiest version of myself as I take on adulthood."

Emily joined the Cornerstone Counseling Oxford team in 2023 as an administrative assistant. She believes strongly in the good work being provided by our therapists and loves helping our clients get the care that they need.

Emily is originally from Jackson, MS, but has called Oxford home since arriving as a freshman at Ole Miss in 1996. She met her husband, Peyton, in college and together they have 4 wonderful children. Emily holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mathematics. Over the years she has worked both as a math teacher and a textbook author. In her spare time, she loves running or walking outdoors, reading, cooking, and enjoying family time at home.

Faith is a Licensed Professional Counselor. She earned her undergraduate degree in Psychology from Mississippi College, and after graduation, attended the University of Mississippi to get her Masters degree in Clinical Mental Health counseling. Faith has worked with many different populations including children, family, adolescents, couples, and adults. Faith enjoys getting to know each of her clients and being a small part of their journey. Faith’s greatest desire for her clients is for them to have a place of safety where they know they will be heard, encouraged, and supported as they walk their life journey. Faith has worked with anxiety, depression, relationship issues, grief, life transitions, and family issues. Faith likes to use an attachment-based approach when working with her clients to help them gain deeper understanding for themselves and how they view the world.

Faith has completed specialty training in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), which is a form of couples and family therapy, and Faith is currently undergoing training in EMDR. Faith is also a Board Certified Telemental Health provider and is a Nationally Certified Counselor.

When Faith isn’t with her clients, she enjoys spending time with her husband, Austin, and her dog, Lady. Faith loves being outdoors and going biking or for a run. Faith also enjoys reading, traveling, eating good food, and a good cup of coffee! Faith is involved in her church and also enjoys spending time serving them and meeting with her small group.

Dr. Jenny Rayner is a Licensed Professional Counselor and a Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor. She attended the University of Mississippi where she earned a B.A. in Psychology and the University of Memphis where she attained a M.S. in School Counseling. Jenny later was awarded a Ph.D. at the University of Mississippi in Counselor Education and Supervision with an emphasis in Play Therapy. Jenny has had the opportunity to work in both school and private practice settings, and has also taught classes in play therapy at the University of Mississippi. After some time at home spent caring for her family, she is grateful to re-enter the field of therapy at Cornerstone Counseling.

Jenny believes in the inherent value of each and every person and uses a client-centered and integrative process in counseling. She enjoys working with children, adolescents, and adult women. Jenny understands that life does not always go as expected and uses compassion and encouragement to meet individuals where they are on their life journey. Jenny has experience working with clients dealing with issues such as anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, parenting struggles, life transitions, future planning.

In her free time, Jenny enjoys making pottery, pouring candles, reading, and gardening. She is thankful for her tech-savvy husband Bradley and enjoys being a mom to her two children, Lila and James.

Jon is a Biblical Counselor serving at Cornerstone Counseling in Oxford. He sensed a call into the ministry of counseling through his work as a physician while caring for people in the context of crisis. Jon completed his medical training at the University of Mississippi Medical Center and at Mayo Clinic, subsequently working in the medical field for a number of years. With the loving support of his wife and family, he eventually left the practice of medicine and completed a Master of Arts in Counseling from Westminster Theological Seminary to equip him for this new role in caring for people.

He has a heart for those who are hurting, and he considers it a rich privilege to walk alongside those who are seeking guidance amidst their suffering. He feels particularly drawn to work with those who are struggling in marriage, ministry, vocation, and the difficult journeys through the darkness of discouragement, grief, and sadness. He is an encourager who seeks to find the glimmers of grace in the lives of those he is called to help. His understanding of growth, healing, and hope is shaped through the interpretive lens of the Gospel.

Jon is married to the lovely and talented Ceresa and they have three children. He enjoys woodworking, music, writing, pouring candles, the quest for the perfect cup of coffee, and generally all things related to guitars.

As far back as she can remember, Liz has always wanted to help others be the best version of themselves as possible.
Liz Coleman is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. She received a Bachelor of Social Work degree from the University of Mississippi and her Master of Social Work degree from the University of Alabama. Prior to joining the Cornerstone team, Liz has had the pleasure of working with youth and adolescents, young adults, and middle-aged adults over the last 5 years. Liz enjoys working with individuals who experience trauma (abuse, neglect, domestic violence), anxiety, depression, behavioral challenges, and life changes. Liz uses a client-centered approach to ensure each person’s needs are met according to his/her environment, values, and beliefs. Liz focuses on the whole person through physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and social health by assessing each area of her client’s life to ensure optimum health. Liz aspires to become certified to provide ABA therapy to work with children on the autism spectrum in the future.
When Liz is not providing therapy, she enjoys spending her time as a wife to her husband Alex and as a new mother to their son Jonathan. Liz likes hanging out with family and friends, eating good food, and relaxing by doing absolutely nothing at times. Liz also enjoys traveling, serving on the Praise and Worship team at Church, and utilizing exercise as self-care.

I love Mississippi and I love meeting the people who live here. I believe everyone has a story and I consider it an honor to be in a position to hear those stories. I come from a Christian perspective and graduated from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. The primary interventions I use are from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Emotionally Focused Therapy, Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR), and other proven family therapy models. I do not impose my personal beliefs and values onto my clients. This process is about you, not me.

People seek counseling for a variety of reasons. Behind these reasons is a desire to be heard, accepted, and valued. In me, you will find a person who genuinely cares and is prepared to walk with you through this process.

If you are experiencing increased stress, anxiety, depression, grief, or feelings of hopelessness, I encourage you to call and set up an appointment. You are not alone and healing is possible.