Meet the Team

Being a part of a community like Cornbread & Roses has been a comin' home of sorts! As an Appalachian gender-nonconforming trans person who grew up queer just over the mountains in East Tennessee, the 2SLGBTQIA+ folks in this region are so dear to my heart. Being able to see young trans & queer folks be in a community with each other and have a safe, welcoming space they can show up to authentically has healed parts of myself I didn't know I needed. Cornbread & Roses is a space to gather, be your most YOU self, a place to get resources, share a meal and a place to be in reverent queer community with each other. I feel honored to be one of the many folks keeping CBR moving forward for our community.

I have been a therapist for almost a decade. I grew up in these mountains, and found myself in them too. I strongly identify in the autism, queer, and chronic illness communities. I believe that the world wasn’t created for folks like me, so I found others and created a space that felt safe and healing. I am not everyone’s “cup of tea”, and I am finally okay with that.

I believe in accessible community mental health. As a therapist, I tend to work with folks like me who are neurodivergent in multiple ways and are figuring out how to be a human, partner, friend, and community member. I also work with loved ones who seek to understand us.

In my spare time you can catch me collecting tiny objects, going to Sylva Belles Drag Shows, reading queer sci fi novels, and taking naps with my Saint Bernard named Walt.

May we all have a space to be vulnerable, seen, heard, and affirmed.

It’s my strongly held belief that every person is inherently worthy of feeling seen, listened to, and understood – especially LGBTQ+ youth, and especially right now. I’m a 2023 graduate of the Master of Social Work program at Western Carolina University, where I carved a path for myself specializing in offering therapeutic mental health support to LGBTQ+-identified and neurodivergent children and adolescents. As a neurodivergent, queer-identified person born and raised in the rural south, I have a personal understanding of many of the challenges and barriers faced by queer, transgender, and gender expansive individuals in WNC. I am also aware of the resiliency that exists within this population.

I approach sessions through a trauma-informed, strengths-based, person-centered lens. It’s my goal to offer an affirming space where clients feel safe showing up with vulnerability and authenticity to:

• explore aspects of identity, specifically gender identity and sexuality.

• navigate life transitions

• better understand and work with neurodivergence, specifically autism and ADHD. 

• address challenges with mental and behavioral health

• build coping skills for dealing with experiences of systemic oppression

Each of my clients is the expert of their own experiences, with a complex set of needs that are unique to them. Those unique needs will always be prioritized over any one therapeutic approach. I believe deeply in the healing power of creativity & play, so I also offer options like puzzles, art supplies, coloring books, fidget toys, and games during sessions for anyone who may struggle with or prefer an alternative to just talking.

In addition to my role as a therapist, I’m passionate about building bridges and connection through a shared understanding of our commonalities. I offer multidisciplinary community education courses and trainings geared toward bolstering support and allyship across identities. Within the next year, I will also begin offering clinical education courses on topics such as working with LGBTQ+, neurodiverse, and other minority clients for licensed social workers to earn CE credits. 

In my spare time, you can probably find me world building for the fantasy novel I hope to write, spending time outdoors with my pup, or convincing my wife to watch all my favorite animes.

As a somatically focused human and now therapist, with over a decade of experience as a licensed bodyworker, I’ve long been drawn to the deep connection between mind, body, and self. My own healing journey has taught me to hold space with curiosity and care, and to stay rooted in both the person in front of me and the wisdom of embodied presence. Stepping into my work as a clinical therapist, I support clients through an integrative lens grounded in attachment theory, somatic practices, and the belief that healing begins with safety and relationship.

I’m particularly passionate about working with folks navigating neurodivergence, identity exploration, life, and the long echoes of trauma—especially those who, like me, find strength and insight at the intersections of queerness, neurodivergence, and embodiment. My approach is collaborative, client-led, and attuned to the small moments of regulation, connection, and self-trust that are so often at the heart of healing. I strive to co-create spaces where clients can move at the pace their nervous systems allow, while honoring the ways we each come to know and reclaim ourselves.

When I’m not in session, I’m likely out on a trail, reading, by the water, skating, or deep in conversation with someone I love. After ten years of roller derby, skating remains one of my most joyful ways to come back to myself—reminding me that movement, play, and presence are all forms of care.

Paulina Mendez (she/her/ella) is a Queer Mexican immigrant who grew up in the South East, including the Deep South, and now calls the mountains of North Carolina home. Fluent in English and Spanish, Paulina navigates and revels in the delicate balance between life's breathtaking beauty and its challenges. While recognizing that the world can sometimes feel like a dumpster fire, she believes in embracing the sweetness that life offers.

As the owner and therapist at Alegría Counseling—where "alegría" means joy in Spanish—Paulina sees joy as an act of resistance, and she is excited to join and be in community with Cornbread and Roses. She holds a bachelor's degree in political science and a master's degree in social work, bringing over a decade of experience in equity and inclusion within non-profit and local government sectors. As a Licensed Clinical Social Work Associate (LCSWA) and Licensed Clinical Addictions Specialist Associate (LCASA), Paulina deeply understands how mental health intersects with equity, inclusion, and our identities.

She believes in deconstructing societal norms to create spaces for holistic healing and empowerment, envisioning a future where healthcare is equitable and inclusive for all. She knows her liberation is bound with yours, and she invites you to join her in the journey toward freedom.

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Paulina Mendez (ella/she/her) es una inmigrante mexicana Queer que creció en el Sureste de los Estados Unidos, incluyendo el profundo Sur, y ahora considera las montañas de Carolina del Norte su hogar. Paulina es fluida en inglés y español, y navega y se deleita en el delicado equilibrio entre la impresionante belleza de la vida y sus desafíos. Aunque reconoce que el mundo a veces puede parecer un desastre, cree en abrazar la dulzura que la vida ofrece.

Como propietaria y terapeuta de Alegría Counseling—donde "alegría" significa joy en español—Paulina ve la alegría como un acto de resistencia y está emocionada de unirse y estar en comunidad con Cornbread and Roses. Tiene una licenciatura en ciencias políticas y una maestría en trabajo social, aportando más de una década de experiencia en equidad e inclusión dentro del sector sin fines de lucro y en el gobierno local. Como Asociada Licenciada en Trabajo Social Clínico (LCSWA) y Asociada Licenciada en Especialista en Adicciones Clínicas (LCASA), Paulina comprende profundamente cómo la salud mental se entrelaza con la equidad, la inclusión y nuestras identidades.

Cree en deconstruir las normas sociales para crear espacios para la sanación y el empoderamiento holístico, imaginando un futuro donde la atención médica sea equitativa e inclusiva para todos. Sabe que su liberación está ligada a la tuya, y te invita a unirte a ella en el camino hacia la libertad.

Hi, I’m TJ Amos.  I am a person with much lived experience, and enjoy being able to support others who are going through a variety of experiences. I love working with children and families to support working through challenges as they arise. I also enjoy working with adults experiencing various transitions in life.

My modality of therapy is Existential and Modern Psychoanalysis.  We will look at issues with which you currently struggle and look at possible connections to the past which created patterns of responses.  I utilize talk and play therapy, and use the sand tray with both children and adults.

Successful in-depth therapy depends on the growth and development of a collaborative relationship with your therapist, which supports you becoming aware of the formative aspects of your life not only intellectually but emotionally. We make significant progress in therapy when given the opportunity to talk openly in an atmosphere of inquisitiveness, freedom, caring, and acceptance. When we speak honestly, addressing our life histories and looking with courage at our life dilemmas - we improve our chances of living a satisfying and fulfilling life.

All work is done at your pace, and the level to which you are comfortable.  I will encourage you to move out of your comfort zone in order to grow, but always with respect and thoughtfulness.

In addition to my practice, I participate in various ways to support people in various marginalized groups, including serving on the Board of Directors of an organization which provides walks to educate the community about issues related to poverty.  I also continue to pursue learning about peoples with whom I am not as familiar, hoping to continue building equity in our community.

Food has been my enduring passion for as long as I can even remember. Whether I'm nurturing a garden, experimenting with new recipes, or transforming ingredients into something magical, the joy of sharing meals with loved ones is what truly fulfills me. There's something so special about savoring a delicious dish on a serene river bank, surrounded by your closest friends – it's in moments like these that remind me why I'm so passionate about food, and making sure everyone gets to enjoy those simple pleasures surrounding it.

Despite all our "progress" hunger still exists in our country so previlantly and it breaks my heart. I'm dedicated to making a difference and ensuring everyone has access to nutritious food and the joy that comes with having it in abundance. Working with CBR's amazing team to serve our mountain community's most vulnerable members is an honor and privilege. Together I know we'll make a meaningful impact and help our communities thrive!