Community Counseling Partnerships
Providing accessible mental health care where people live and work in Rhode Island
Our Mission
At Community Counseling Partnerships, our mission is to identify, develop, and provide clinical services and clinical training to foster a supportive and inclusive environment where mental health care is accessible to all individuals in our community.
We are dedicated to providing culturally relevant therapy that respects and honors the diverse backgrounds of those we serve. By collaborating with community agencies, we aim to break down barriers to mental health access that prevent those in need from getting help and to advocate for social justice through an anti-racist lens.
Together, we strive to empower individuals, promote resilience, and foster a sense of belonging, ensuring everyone has the opportunity to thrive.
Our Program
CCP operates by partnering with local agencies in Rhode Island and creating intentional, meaningful and collaborative relationships in order to understand how we can meet the unique needs of the community they serve.
We focus on providing co-located services, where our skilled clinicians work either directly within these agencies or in accessible locations, including telehealth options, to ensure that support is convenient and effective.
Our Services
Our clinicians offer:
- Group therapy
- Individual therapy
- Family therapy
- Staff trainings and supervision
Our Approach
We are committed to enhancing the quality of clinical training by identifying specific gaps that impact the communities we serve. To address these gaps, we develop tailored training programs for our clinicians that enhance their effectiveness so they can provide the best possible care.
Additionally, we collaborate with our partner agencies to pinpoint similar training needs for their staff and offer training opportunities for community members upon request.
Research Based
A core aspect of our work at CCP is our dedication to continuous improvement. We employ Routine Outcome Monitoring—a research-backed method that allows us to assess our effectiveness.
This process helps us identify our successes and respond to any challenges, enabling us to refine and enhance our clinical services based on direct feedback.
About Us
Megan Sanderson and Michael Eltz first joined forces in 2004 at the Nickerson Community Center in Olneyville, where they provided intensive outpatient mental health services to adolescents in the local community. Over the past 20 years, both have remained deeply committed to serving marginalized communities and have continuously collaborated with community agencies to support those in need.
Today, they have come together to expand on this shared mission, combining their expertise to offer a broader range of services that support mental health and wellness. Through their new endeavor and creation of CCP, they aim to create more accessible, inclusive, and compassionate spaces where individuals can heal, grow, and thrive.
By partnering with local organizations to provide mental health services on site, and in the communities where people live and work, they are building a holistic, community-centered approach to mental health care. Through their work at Community Counseling Partnerships, they hope to expand on their previous work by bringing clinical services to the people who most need them in the locations where they feel the most comfortable.
Our Team
Meet the dedicated professionals behind Community Counseling Partnerships
Megan Sanderson, LICSW
President and Co-Owner
Megan Sanderson, BSW, MSW, LICSW is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and community mental health advocate with over 25 years of experience working with children, families, and underserved communities across California and Rhode Island. Throughout her career, she has been deeply committed to advancing social justice, anti-racist practice, and equitable access to mental health care.
Megan earned both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Social Work from San Francisco State University, where her training emphasized dismantling systemic barriers and promoting culturally responsive care. Early in her career, she worked with children and families in community-based settings including schools, community centers, and the YMCA, where she developed a strong foundation in early intervention, family support, and accessible therapeutic services.
Her advocacy work deepened through her role at a shelter for survivors of domestic violence, where she provided case management, advocacy, and trauma-focused play therapy for children exposed to abuse. She later worked within California’s Department of Child and Family Services, witnessing systemic inequities firsthand and authoring a Client Rights handbook later adopted by the department. After relocating to Rhode Island, Megan continued her advocacy-driven clinical work through home-based therapy at Psychological Center, providing therapy for adolescents and families at The Met School, and currently delivering therapy and advocacy services for refugee and immigrant women and families through Women’s Refugee Care.
Megan maintains a private practice in Providence, Rhode Island, and is the co-founder of Community Counseling Partnerships (CCP), an organization dedicated to reimagining mental health care by removing systemic barriers, increasing accessibility, and embedding care directly within communities. Through CCP, she advances sustainable, community-driven models of care rooted in dignity, equity, and empowerment.
Michael Eltz, Ph.D.
Chief Executive Officer and Co-Owner
Michael Eltz, Ph.D. is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist who has practiced throughout the state of Rhode Island for more than 20 years. Over the course of his career, he has played a key role in developing and strengthening clinical programs for Bradley Hospital, multiple school districts, and a wide range of community-based agencies. Dr. Eltz has worked with children, adolescents, adults, and families across diverse settings, bringing a thoughtful, collaborative approach to both clinical care and program development. In addition to his clinical work, he has taught psychology courses at the University of Rhode Island and supervised graduate student interns at the SSTAR Program in Fall River, Massachusetts, contributing to the training and mentorship of future clinicians.
Prior to his work in Rhode Island, Dr. Eltz completed his undergraduate studies at The Pennsylvania State University and earned his graduate degrees from the University of Denver. He completed his doctoral internship at Boston Children’s Hospital, followed by postdoctoral training through the University of Colorado’s medical school. Dr. Eltz later returned to Pennsylvania State University as a faculty member, where he taught both undergraduate and graduate-level courses. During his time on faculty, he also served as director of the child and adolescent program as well as the developmental disabilities program, further solidifying his expertise in both clinical practice and academic leadership.
Through his current work with Community Counseling Partnerships, Dr. Eltz and his colleagues seek to build upon this extensive experience by expanding access to high-quality clinical services for individuals and families who face barriers to care. Their shared goal is to bring services directly into community settings where people feel safe and supported, while continuously improving the quality of care through meaningful engagement, research-informed practices, and a commitment to reducing obstacles to access. This work reflects Dr. Eltz’s long-standing dedication to thoughtful, effective, and equitable mental health services.
Victoria Cabral, MSW, LCSW
Licensed Social Worker
Victoria Cabral is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who provides compassionate, evidence-based mental health care to children, adolescents, and adults throughout Rhode Island. She has two years of clinical experience and is certified in Integrated Behavioral Health, allowing her to effectively collaborate within medical and multidisciplinary settings to support whole-person wellness.
Before joining Community Counseling Partnership (CCP), Victoria worked at Comprehensive Community Action Plan (CCAP), where she provided therapy and support to adults managing a range of emotional and behavioral health concerns. She also served as a case manager with Head Start, helping young children access early intervention and family-centered services.
Victoria’s clinical approach is grounded in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and informed by trauma-focused, strengths-based, and developmentally attuned practices. She is dedicated to fostering resilience, emotional regulation, and positive coping skills in children and adolescents within a supportive and collaborative environment.
Victoria earned her Master of Social Work (MSW) degree from Rhode Island College and holds licensure as an LCSW in the state of Rhode Island.
Emily Rasmussen, LMHC-A
Clinical Mental Health Counselor
Emily Rasmussen is a Clinical Mental Health Counselor who works with children, adolescents, families, and adults. Emily provides a supportive and engaging space for children working through behavioral and emotional challenges, helping them build coping skills, communication, and confidence in managing big feelings.
With adolescents and young adults, Emily focuses on identity development, self-esteem, boundaries, and relationships, guiding clients through the complex transitions of growing up, finding independence, and healing from past experiences. She also works with adults navigating relational trauma, anxiety, depression, and the lingering effects of emotional or psychological
abuse.
Emily’s style is warm, collaborative, and trauma informed. Drawing from psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral, and narrative approaches, she helps clients connect patterns, gain insight,
and develop tools for lasting change. Her practice is culturally sensitive and identity-affirming, and she welcomes clients from all backgrounds, genders, and sexual identities.
At the heart of Emily’s work is a belief that healing begins with connection—and that every client deserves to feel safe, seen, and capable of growth.
Terrell Robinson
Youth Mentoring Consultant
Terrell Robinson is a dedicated youth mentor with extensive experience supporting young people from diverse backgrounds in overcoming challenges and setting positive life goals. His career began working with teenagers transitioning from juvenile detention and those in intensive outpatient treatment programs. Terrell has since contributed to several school and clinical settings, including Gateway/Lifespan, Valley Behavioral School, Whitmarsh House, and Ocean State Academy. Since 2020, he has served as the Senior Community Specialist at Mount Pleasant High School.
In addition to his mentoring work, Terrell has been deeply involved in coaching sports, serving as the head coach of the freshman basketball team and assistant varsity coach at Mount Pleasant High School since 2011. He also coaches boys and girls volleyball, a role he took on in 2022. Terrell’s commitment extends beyond mentoring and coaching, with active participation in community and volunteer service in both Brooklyn, NY, and Providence, RI.
Trish Tzoc
School Psychologist
Trish is a Providence native and the daughter of a Guatemalan immigrant who specializes in providing mental health care through a multicultural and socio-economic lens. She earned her Master of Education and Educational Specialist degree in School Psychology at Worcester State University. Trish is deeply committed to the importance of mental health services across the lifespan, emphasizing the need for consistent social-emotional support throughout every stage of human development.
Her professional journey has spanned a diverse range of educational and clinical environments. In 2021, she began her career at Bay Path Regional Vocational Technical High School in Charlton, Massachusetts, focusing on the unique needs of vocational students. In 2022, she expanded her expertise to the elementary level at Hastings Elementary School in Westborough, where she specialized in early childhood social-emotional development. Building on this foundation, Trish joined the Worcester Public School System. In her current role as a School Psychologist, she provides comprehensive behavioral and social-emotional interventions for students within both general and special education programs, ensuring equitable access to mental health resources for all learners.
Aiden Goncalves
IT Consultant
Aiden is a dedicated Information Technology Professional driven by the goal of solving complex technical problems to empower small businesses and community growth. With a foundational background in Information Technology and Infrastructure Management from the Tennessee College of Applied Technology, he specializes in bridging the gap between high-level technical systems and actionable business results. Aiden is particularly recognized for his ability to act as a "translator" for non-technical stakeholders, ensuring that digital tools are not just functional, but accessible and empowering for the people who use them.
Aiden has established a footprint as a freelance IT Consultant and Web Designer. He partners closely with local community businesses and providers, including Community Counseling Partnerships to modernize their digital presence through secure, user-friendly web design and strategic IT roadmaps. Having previously served as the IT Systems Coordinator, Aiden brings deep experience in managing critical infrastructure for mission-driven organizations. Today, he leverages skills in Microsoft 365, computer networking, and modern web platforms like Wocode and Square to ensure that local businesses have the technological foundation necessary to thrive in an increasingly digital landscape.
Our Partners
We are proud to collaborate with these organizations to foster a supportive environment that empowers individuals and strengthens communities.
Contact Us
Looking to partner with us:
Please email us contactus@ccp-ri.com to let us know a little about your agency and the type of partnership for which you are looking. We will then set up a meeting to further discuss possibilities. Thank you!
Looking to work with us:
Please email us at contactus@ccp-ri.com to tell us a little bit about your qualifications and career interests. We will review and respond with feedback on potential fit with our agency. Thank you!