Meet the Team
The Made Well Center for Wholeness has a team of passionate and driven individuals ready to help you achieve optimal wellness. Our team maintains a high level of integrity, confidentiality, wisdom & discernment, as well as desire to see sustainable change for our clients. Read below to learn more about each therapist and their specialties.
Buffy Andrews
MSW, LCSW, RYT200
Biography:
Buffy Andrews has lived in the Wilmington, NC for the past 8 years. She has worked for Child Advocacy & Parenting Place, worked at Coastal Horizons Center as an Intensive In-Home team Lead therapist, outpatient therapy in Pender County Schools, and is now working in private practice (at the Made Well Center, hellooo).
Buffy loves working with adults, and couples who have experienced trauma, anxiety, or difficulty in relationship.
“I believe we are made well, and I believe we’ve been given the right tools and skills, we just sometimes need a little community, need a little education & encouragement, and need a little practical help to get back to this original state of paradise.”
Buffy’s Schedule:
Monday/Tuesdays: 9am-3pm
Wednesday/Thursdays: 1pm-6pm
Biography:
Laura was born and raised in southeastern North Carolina, and has lived in various areas of NC. Laura graduated from East Carolina University with a Bachelors in Psychology and studied Childhood Development. She then received her Masters in Social Work from UNCW.
Laura has worked as an Autism Support Professional for the Autism Society of NC. She has worked for Coastal Horizons Center as a Family Resource Partner, School-based Mental Health Therapist in Columbus County Schools, and as an outpatient Child and Family Therapist.
Laura believes in taking a collaborative, relational approach to the therapeutic process. She focuses on creating a connected and judgment free environment. She enjoys working with people at various stages of life and especially loves working with children. She is passionate about promoting practices to strengthen attachment, treating familial issues, fostering self worth, supporting people throughout transitions, and helping others to explore their values + purpose. Laura also works well with couples + families to support them in helping foster healing relationally.
Laura operates under the view that we are all the experts of our own lives, but we can learn and grow from each other’s perspectives.
Laura is energized through creativity. She finds joy by creating art and through learning (trial & error) in her garden. She hopes to create an atmosphere that promotes compassion and healing. Be sure to reach out today if you are interested in working with someone like Laura.
Laura’s Schedule:
Monday/Tuesday: 10am-6pm
Wednesday: 9am-3pm
Laura Shaw
MSW, LCSW
Ruffin Bailey
Counselor
Biography:
Ruffin grew up in Raleigh, NC, but has lived across the US in many different state. While living in Kansas City, he received his masters in counseling from Midwestern Baptist Seminary and built his own practice out there: Restore Counseling Center.
He later moved to Atlanta, GA to pursue chaplaincy. and worked as a hospital chaplain for two years and hospice chaplain for 3.
Ruffin has a PASSION for RESToration. When you are feeling tired, exhausted, over productive, Ruffin believes the key to healing is to slow down enough to figure out what is paralyzing you. He believes you can have an abundant future!
What is the key to life is more so about discovering who you are and building from that foundation? Discovering who you are is a journey and it takes time. Ruffin’s desire is to walk with you through the restoration process.
The healing process begins with a judgment free environment. Then it involves listening to your story and the things that you have been through and are struggling with. Only then is it time to speak into your story/situation and work together to establish active steps to help you move forward into wholeness.
Ruffin loves especially working with individuals struggling with family conflicts, marital issues, depression/anxiety, and trauma.
Ruffin’s Schedule:
Mon/Tues: 3-7pm
Fridays: 9am-5pm
Sundays: 1-5pm
Biography:
Carrie was raised on the plains of Kansas. After being sick for so many years, she overcame her chronic health issues by addressing nutrition, lifestyle choices and more! She then went back to school to study holistic health, nutrition & wellness.
Carrie is a Board Certified Holistic Health Coach & Wellness Practitioner. She has been in private practice for 6+ years, teaching people how to nourish their bodies using real food and upgrade their health through diet and lifestyle changes. Her special focus in her practice is gut health. Carrie is passionate about root cause healing and helping individuals find true freedom and relief from unpleasant digestive symptoms, food overwhelm and more!
Carrie believes there is always hope for healing and truly enjoys the privilege of walking alongside people on their health journey!
Carrie’s Schedule:
Wed/Thurs/Friday: 10am-6pm
Carrie Sink
CHHC, AADP
Melissa Candler
LCSWA
Biography:
Originally a North Carolina native, Melissa has recently been enjoying east coast life since returning from living out West for several years. Melissa attended Lee University where she earned her Bachelors in Psychology with a concentration in Child and Family Studies, then received her Masters of Clinical Social Work from Florida State University.
Melissa has worked with children with Autism and related disorders as an ABA therapist, worked as the clinical assistant of a residential treatment facility for adolescent girls, has been a case manager for families of children with behavioral and emotional needs, and has also worked in crisis response.
Melissa has a heart for people and simply wants to meet others where they are so that together, they can walk towards healing and wholeness. She is warm and discerning, and she values empowering others to grow, learn, and live authentically.
Melissa enjoys working with people of all ages and stages including children, adults and couples. She especially desires to help those who are looking to heal from trauma, adjust in times of transition, gain coping skills, or create a more functional life for themselves. Melissa is focused on utilizing the best therapeutic approach according to the specific needs of each individual she sees.
Melissa’s Schedule:
Mon/Wed: 10am-7pm
Tues/Thurs: 10am-6pm
Brittany Patterson
LCSW
Biography:
Brittany moved to Wilmington, NC from Boston, MA eight years ago. She received her Masters of Social Work from Simmons University and has been working as a clinician in various settings for thirteen years. Brittany is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (Therapist) who specializes in treating trauma, familial issues, parenting skills work, mood disorders, and anxiety/depression.
Some of Brittany’s specialties include doing work with somatic/sensorimotor trauma processing, and loves incorporating mindfulness practices into therapy. Brittany is committed to making sure no one is invisible and sees mental health treatment as a way of strengthening the broken places until people feel WHOLE again.
She also has many talents including dance through her studies of Ballet and Modern dance in Purchase, NY. Sometimes she likes to include body work into the therapy practice as well. She loves working with adults, particularly parents, as well as adolescents and families to help heal relationships.
Brittany’s Schedule:
Mon/Wed: 10am-7pm
Tues/Thurs: 9am-6pm
Friday: 9am-4pm
Jenny Vaughn
LCMHCA
Biography:
Jenny Lynn is born and raised in the Wilmington area. Jenny earned an undergraduate degree in Biology with a Sociology minor at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, followed by her graduate degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling.
She has interned at The Coastal Horizons Center in an outpatient setting, worked at Pride of Wilmington as an Intensive In-home Qualified Professional, and is now working in private practice at the Made well Center.
Jenny Lynn believes in collaborating and helping individuals connect with their true selves through education, encouragement, and dedication. Jenny is passionate in practicing goal-oriented strengths to help individuals come to terms with their wellbeing. She offers compassion in a judgement free environment, working through a wide range of
experiences.
Jenny Lynn enjoys working with individuals of all ages. She works well with artistic individuals
and is currently working toward incorporating music therapy within her practice. Jenny has
been expressing her musical talents in the Wilmington area for about 15 years. She enjoys
playing live shows in the area where she expresses herself through singing and playing guitar, and loves to incorporate these skills into the therapeutic enviroment to enhance mindfulness and increase coping across contexts.
Jenny’s Schedule:
Monday-Thursday: 10-6pm
Fridays: 9am-4pm
Learn More About The Made Well Center’s Services
The Made Well Center offers many other services that seek to aid in your ability to heal. Gut health + nutrition coaching with Carrie Sink is a great way to learn practical nutrition + lifestyle changes to help heal things like: IBS, chronic gut pain, bloating, constipation, gas, fatigue, skin issues, anxious distress, and even symptoms of depression. Carrie can also help you in completing a G.I. Stool sample test to identify any toxins, bacteria, or struggles you might be dealing with.
Outpatient counseling and therapy is a great place to receive safe support and guidance from a licensed clinician to help you identify and make steps towards identifying root causes to pain and suffering, changing thoughts & behavior patterns that leave you feeling stuck, and learning how to communicate with yourself, and those around you. Learn more.
We have multiple instructors that teach everything from Zumba, to trauma-informed yoga, to faith-based stretching + more. Be sure. tosign up for in person or virtual opportunities to engage your body in healing. Learn more.
We offer retreats and workshops throughout the year on various topics. Some will be fun creative outlets, some will simply be a nice relaxing time away from daily stressors, and some will be continuing education courses for other Mental Health Professionals in the community. Learn more.