ABOUT NEW BEGINNINGS

New Beginnings Counseling Center is a non-profit 501c3; we provide personal counseling and community outreach programs for those who need help and support. Our dedicated, experienced interns and outreach staff meet with people on a confidential basis. We work with people of all ages who are going through life's transitions, relationship struggles and personal challenges  helping them find direction and hope for themselves and their families. Our low-cost, sliding-scale counseling clinic offers individual, couples, family, and group counseling services. Appointments are available by calling the Center directly at (805) 963-7777.New Beginnings Counesling Center - Santa Barbara, CA

New Beginnings Management Team

New Beginnings Counseling Center

Kristine J. Schwarz, MA, MFT
Executive Director
kschwarz@sbnbcc.org

Kristine Schwarz, MA, MFT is a seasoned executive and psychotherapist who brings extensive experience building organizations and managing multi-faceted projects in both the non-profit and for-profit sectors, and considerable experience as an educator and clinician. Kristine is also a former entertainment industry executive with 13 years of experience developing film and television projects internationally. She received her MA from Antioch University Santa Barbara and has worked locally as a therapist at Domestic Violence Solutions, the COPE program at Cottage Hospital, Full Spectrum Recovery, Goleta Valley Union School District, and Working Alternatives. She maintains her psychotherapy private practice, Santa Barbara Psychotherapy.
 
Prior to joining New Beginnings, Kristine was Associate Director of Institutional Advancement at Antioch University Santa Barbara.  She also served as Core Faculty and Clinical Director of Antioch's Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology Program where she founded the MFT Consortium of the Central Coast Region, and served as the Central Coast Chair of the MFT Leadership Collaborative and Chair of Antioch's Alumni Association Steering Committee.
 
Kristine began her career as a media buyer in Washington, D.C., working with clients such as the Wolf Trap Center for the Performing Arts, before moving to Los Angeles in 1987, when she joined the Walt Disney Studios. She received her undergraduate degree in Marketing and Advertising from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University.

New Beginnings Counseling Center

Barbara S. Sheffield, MA, MFT, CEAP
Clinic Supervisor
bsheffield@sbnbcc.org
(805) 963-7777 ext 125

Barbara S. Sheffield, MA, MFT, CEAP, received her B.A. from Duke University and her M.A. in Education, Counseling Psychology from University of California, Santa Barbara, and is licensed as a Marriage and Family Therapist in California and Washington. She is a Certified Employee Assistance Professional, a CAMFT Certified Supervisor, and has three years post-graduate training from the Santa Barbara Gestalt Training Center. Her theoretical orientation integrates Gestalt, solution focused and psychodynamic theories.

Barbara has been a member of the Antioch University Santa Barbara faculty since 1991. She has also taught at Antioch Seattle. Currently, Barbara teaches Professional Ethics and the Law, Domestic Violence, Clinical Skills I, and Process of Group Psychotherapy. She is a past instructor at Santa Barbara City College’s Drug/Alcohol Certification Program. She is past Clinical Coordinator of Family Service Agency of Santa Barbara, and Clinical Director of Domestic Violence Solutions of Santa Barbara. Barbara had a private practice for 16 years, which included a great deal of group experience. She has worked with perpetrators and victims of domestic abuse, clients in drug/alcohol residential treatment programs, Employee Assistance programs, and has 18 years of experience supervising trainees, interns and clinicians. She is a long time member of the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT) and served on the board of the local chapter

New Beginnings Counseling Center

Jill A. Frandsen, MA
Director of Development and Community Relations
jfrandsen@sbnbcc.org

Jill Frandsen, MA, has a degree in Clinical Psychology from Antioch University and has completed more than 500 hours towards her Marriage and Family Therapy license at Goleta Valley Union School District, Pacific Pride Foundation and Child Abuse Listening and Mediation. Prior to joining New Beginnings, Jill worked as the Institutional Advancement Student Coordinator at Antioch University Santa Barbara, where she continues to be a part of the Antioch community as a member of the Alumni Association Steering Committee. She has worked in administration locally at Van Atta Associates, Center for Urban Agriculture at Fairview Gardens and The Santa Barbara Certified Farmers Market Association. Jill continues to build FloraDeva, her flower essence and energy healing practice and online herbal supplements business.
 
Jill is a member of the Association of Energy Psychology (ACEP), The Santa Barbara Women’s Political Committee (SBWPC), the Association for Women in Communication (AWC), the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapy (CAMFT) and the Santa Barbara chapter of CAMFT (SB CAMFT). She received her undergraduate degree in Sociology and a Certificate in Global Peace and Security from the University of California at Santa Barbara.

New Beginnings Counseling Center

Rosio Aparicio
Office Manager
raparicio@sbnbcc.org

Rosie was born and raised in Santa Barbara. She is an Antioch Student (majoring in psychology). She also works on web design. Rosie has been involved in Fiesta's Espanolas celebrations for many years - dancing Folklorico since age five - then onto performing as a mariachi singer since 2005. Rosie is mother to three. New Beginnings is a very busy organization; Rosie helps to keep everything under control. She oversees the administrative staff at New Beginnings, including volunteers. She brings a wealth of experience and with her bilingual skills she helps all who seek help from New Beginnings.

New Beginnings Counseling Center

Jessica Chadwick
Office Assistant
jchadwick@sbnbcc.org
(805) 963-7777 ext 113

Jessica is a junior at the University of California Santa Barbara majoring in sociology. Jessica is on the Women's Cross Country team and was awarded First Team All League her senior year at El Toro High School in Lake Forest, California. Jessica was a Torch Athlete for three years and was individually ranked sixth at the Woodbridge 2009 Invite. Jessica has competed in gymnastics and soccer and her hobby is making crafts.

RV Safe Parking Program

Nancy Kapp
nkapp@sbnbcc.org

Roslyn Scheuerman
rscheuerman@sbnbcc.org

Internships

The dedicated group of intern counselors who are completing their training before becoming licensed as clinical psychologists or marriage/family therapists are truly the heart and soul of New Beginnings. These doctoral and graduate level professionals provide individual, group, couples and family counseling to the diverse group of people who make use of our services. The interns are trained and guided by experienced clinical supervisors. Supervisors meet weekly with the intern staff members. They provide technical assistance, advanced training, and feedback to the counselors for whom they are responsible. Additionally, each intern attends training sessions twice a month, where specialized issues are presented. The Center is also supported by a large group of community volunteers who help to staff the office and assist in the clinic's many activities.

New Beginnings Counseling Center provides a well-respected, rigorous training program for both MFT and PhD interns. Our clinical training program prepares our interns for practice as licensed professionals. Well respected graduate schools in the southern California area have placed their students with us including Antioch University Santa Barbara, Pacifica Graduate Institute and The Chicago School of Professional Psychology.

New Beginnings Counseling Center appreciates the valuable contributions of our interns to the success of our programs. We do not charge monthly training fees; we do have a one-time administrative fee of $150.

How to Apply:

You may either call our office or download and print the introduction and application:

Introduction Letter (PDF)
Internship Application (PDF)