Meet The Team

Josee is a dynamic and driven young woman who serves as the Business Manager at Lighthouse. Her unwavering dedication, enthusiasm, and commitment to excellence makes her an invaluable asset to the organization. Her passion for healthcare and her strong desire to make a positive impact in the lives of others truly sets her apart. 

Whether it’s managing client scheduling, student registration, or taking care of the needs of the staff, Josee’s contributions are essential to the success of Lighthouse and the well-being of its clients and students. 

Josee holds a bachelor’s degree in Healthcare Management with a concentration in global perspectives from Southern New Hampshire University, which she earned through the prestigious Kepler Program. Her educational background has equipped her with the knowledge and skills necessary to excel in her role at Lighthouse.

In addition to her business management responsibilities, Josee has also completed our 6-month Applied Skills in Counselling course, honing her skills in the area of lay counselling. Her exceptional ability to offer compassionate and empathetic support to clients, students, and fellow counselors on the Lighthouse team has earned her high praise and respect.

America is a dedicated and empathetic professional lay counsellor at Lighthouse. She provides compassionate and caring support to those navigating through difficult times. Her warm and empathetic approach creates a safe space for clients to express themselves, and she uses her counseling skills to help them gain insight, develop coping strategies, and find solutions to their challenges.

In addition to her counselling role at Lighthouse, America's passion for helping others led her to become a teaching assistant in the applied counseling skills course at Lighthouse, where she guided and supported students in the previous cohort. Her exceptional abilities and commitment to the field have now earned her the role of course facilitator and instructor for the same course, where she shares her knowledge and experience to train aspiring counselors.

America's unwavering dedication to her profession, her compassionate nature, and her commitment to ongoing learning and growth make her a valuable asset to Lighthouse and to the clients she serves.

America Provides services in English.

Anna Mapendo is a highly skilled and compassionate therapist with a master's degree in counselling psychology from Mount Kenya University. With specialized training in cognitive behavioral therapy, Anna is well-equipped to guide individuals, children/adolescents, couples, and families through their unique healing journeys.

Anna's approach to therapy is holistic, as she believes in addressing the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects of a person's well-being. She is a certified life purpose life coach, which allows her to utilize various therapeutic techniques and tailor her approach to suit the individual needs of her clients.

With a deep passion for helping others, Anna is committed to providing a safe and supportive space for her clients at Lighthouse to explore their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. She is skilled at helping individuals navigate through their darkest moments and empowering them to make positive changes in their lives. Anna believes in the power of self-discovery and works collaboratively with her clients to help them uncover their true selves and live authentically.

In addition to her professional qualifications, Anna is multilingual and is able to provide therapy in Kinyarwanda, English, and French, making her services accessible to a diverse range of clients. Her warm, empathetic, and non-judgmental approach creates a trusting therapeutic relationship that allows her clients to feel heard and supported.

Whether it's working with individuals, children/adolescents, couples, or families, Anna's commitment to guiding clients towards holistic healing and positive change makes her a highly effective and compassionate therapist. Her goal is to empower her clients to live fulfilling and meaningful lives, and she is honored to be part of their therapeutic journey.

Kay is a highly experienced and compassionate counsellor, dedicated to helping children, couples, and families thrive. With a Master’s degree in Infant Family Practice and a Bachelor’s degree in Human Services from the United States, Kay brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her work.

With over 15 years of experience, Kay is deeply passionate about supporting the well-being of children, couples, and families. She understands the unique challenges that families face in today's complex world and is committed to providing personalized, trauma-informed care to her clients. Kay believes in building strong therapeutic relationships with her clients and creating a safe and supportive environment for them to explore their thoughts, feelings, and experiences.

In addition to her work with children, couples, and families, Kay also provides individual counseling. She understands that every person is unique and tailors her approach to meet the specific needs and goals of each individual. She uses evidence-based practices and draws from a variety of therapeutic modalities to provide the most effective care possible.

Kay's experience extends beyond the United States, as she has lived in many countries around the world. She is excited to bring her expertise and services to the Rwandan community and is dedicated to making a positive impact in the lives of those she serves. Her cultural awareness and diverse background enable her to connect with individuals from different walks of life and provide culturally-sensitive care.

Kay's passion for her work, combined with her extensive experience and education, make her a highly trusted and sought-after practitioner. She is committed to helping her clients thrive and achieve their goals and looks forward to making a meaningful difference in the lives of the Rwandan community.

Kay Provides services in English.

Marie graduated from the Catholic University of Louvain (Belgium) in Clinical Psychology. In addition to

her master's degree, she is completing a postgraduate training in psychotherapeutic clinics with a

systemic orientation at the Centre Etude de la Famille et des Systèmes (Brussels).

She has had many professional experiences in the field of mental health, specifically in out-patient

psychiatry and addiction issues. Her specializations are family therapy as well as individual therapy with

children, youth and adults using systemic orientation.

In systemic therapy, we approach the person in a global way to understand him or her in his or her

environmental context, in all of his or her systems. We take into account all the systems that interact

with it in order to understand how these different systems and relationships influence it. To do this, we

explore the personal, family, social, professional and historical aspects of the person.

Marie provides counselling in French (her mother tongue) and in English. As a psychologist, Marie values

empathy, benevolence, trust, and active listening. Marie provides her clients with a non-judgmental

counselling space where they can feel respected for the person they are. She believes that offering her

clients the space to move at their own pace allows each person to access and work on their own

personal resources. Marie sees her role in the therapeutic space as a guide for her clients, assisting them

to navigate through their difficulties and help them create positive change in their lives and better

understanding of themselves.

Marie provides services in French.

Dickson is a passionate and dedicated Counsellor at Lighthouse. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Bachelor of Sciences in Brain and Cognitive Sciences from the prestigious University of Rochester in the United States.

After graduating, Dickson worked as a research assistant at the influential Youth Risk and Resilience Lab for a year. There, he conducted important research on the psychological processes that can lead to suicide and self-harm. His goal was to gain a deeper understanding of these behaviors in order to improve identification, prediction, intervention, and prevention efforts.

Dickson brings both his academic knowledge and real-world research experience to his counselling work at Lighthouse. He is committed to serving a diverse range of individuals and couples, regardless of age, nationality, gender, or sexual orientation. His ultimate passion is promoting human well-being and helping people live happier, healthier lives.

Dickson's psychology and neuroscience education gives him critical insights into the human mind and behavior. His research background allows him to approach mental health issues from a scientific perspective. However, he combines this with a warm, compassionate approach to working with clients. He aims to create a safe, judgement-free environment where people feel comfortable opening up.

In sessions, Dickson draws upon proven therapeutic techniques like cognitive-behavioral therapy and mindfulness practices. However, he also customizes his approach to suit each client's unique needs and goals. His versatility and dedication to ongoing learning and growth make him an invaluable counsellor.

Dickson provides services in English and Kinyarwanda.