Meet the Team

 

Layne Hitchcock, MA, LPC, ALPS

Layne is a Behavioral Health Clinician for the Health Sciences Center students at WVU. She has been counseling traditional and non-traditional, college aged students since 2010. 

Before becoming a counselor and pursuing mental health as a lifelong passion, Layne was a D1 athlete, playing volleyball for Marshall University. She is a strong believer that coaching volleyball closely resembles her clinical work. There is not a "one size fits" all approach to counseling. Ideal counseling is a collaborative approach. It involves approaching therapy with a cultural humble mindset, establishing a warm therapeutic relationship, and tailoring treatment to meet the needs and readiness of the individual. Layne values consideration and open discussion of intersecting cultural identities, all the while being mindful to re-evaluate the effectiveness of therapy and making adjustments as needed.

Layne would describe her style as integrative, warm, and based on empirically supported treatment. Her orientation draws from humanistic, cognitive behavioral, third wave CBT, and interpersonal theories. She has a wide range of experience with many different presenting concerns, such as, but not limited to, depression, anxiety, trauma, interpersonal-relational difficulty, self-injurious behavior, grief and loss, along with identity development.

In her free time, Layne enjoys spending time with her family, walking, visiting the beach, being at the lake, listening to music, and connecting to her spiritual side. Layne is passionate about self-care, resiliency, efforts to improve mental health, and self-compassion. She enjoys teaching, educating, and supervising others, something she hopes to continue as BeWell plans to expand.

Carmella Polak, MS in Counseling Psychology, PLPC

Carmella is a Behavioral Health Therapist for the Health Science Center students at WVU and has worked with WVU students since 2022. Carmella, a first-generation college graduate, graduated from Chatham University with her Master of Science in Counseling Psychology in 2021.

 Prior to her career in counseling, Carmella obtained her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance from Point Park University. Her 20 years of experience in the arts has inspired her to become a helping professional. She has always appreciated the arts and integrates it into her counseling practice. She utilizes a collaborated approach of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Person-Centered Therapy. Carmella has a passion for working with LGBTQIA2+ students in addition to supporting students with anxiety, depression, self-care, mindfulness, and identity development. Carmella believes college is a time to discover who you are and what you want to be in this world.

 Outside of work, Carmella enjoys taking her dogs for long walks and spending time with her family. She takes time to connect with friends and appreciates the small things life has to offer. She also enjoys reading and playing her Nintendo Switch. Carmella is excited to be joining the BeWell team!

Sarah Sadler, MS, Graduate Assistant

Sarah is a Graduate Assistant for the Health Sciences Center students at WVU. She is a doctoral student in the sport, exercise, and performance psychology program and is pursuing a concurrent master’s in clinical mental health counseling. She graduated from Michigan State University in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology, an additional major in psychology, and a minor in health promotion. Sarah also earned a master’s in kinesiology with a concentration in the psychosocial aspects of sport and physical activity from Michigan State University in 2022. She has worked with recreational and collegiate athletes and sport teams as a mental performance consultant for over three years.

Sarah’s counseling approach is guided by her core values of growth and optimism. In her work, she aims to help clients develop psychological flexibility to actualize their potential and improve multidimensional well-being. She primarily uses humanistic and acceptance-based theories, but draws from a range of theories and techniques to best fit the needs of the client. 

In her free time, Sarah enjoys gymnastics, coaching, working out, and spending time with her two corgis. She is happy to be a part of the BeWell team!