Creative Solutions
Counseling Connection

Together We Solve Problems

Professional counseling, courses, and guidance tailored to your unique journey.

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Our Mission

Who We Serve

We are committed to empowering those who dedicate their lives to the emotional well-being of others, whether you're a counselor in training, a seasoned practitioner, an educator, a supervisor, or on a personal healing journey.

What We Provide

We offer creative, tangible, and solution-focused resources designed to enhance the counseling experience. Through thoughtfully crafted tools, guides, and workbooks, we bring clarity and inspiration to sessions and personal growth.

Our Approach

Meaningful counseling happens when theory meets practical application. Our resources are grounded in evidence-based practices, yet flexible and creative enough to meet people where they are with effective, ready-to-use materials.

Together, we hope to foster a more accessible, inspired, and connected counseling community, one tool, one session, one life at a time.

Our Services

Creative Solutions Counseling Connection offers a comprehensive suite of services designed to support counselors, educators, and individuals alike. Explore our core offerings below, or visit our Digital Shop for ready-to-use clinical resources.

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Presentations

Engaging and informative speaking engagements focused on mental health, resilience, and professional development.
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Podcasts

High-quality audio discussions and interviews exploring therapeutic concepts and everyday wellness strategies.
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Consultation & Counseling

Expert guidance, clinical supervision for developing professionals, and compassionate counseling for individuals, couples, adolescents, and families.
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Courses & CEU's

Comprehensive learning modules and continuing education units designed for both personal growth and professional certification.

Upcoming Courses & CEUs

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Course Tour Video Coming Soon

Inside the Classroom: A Sneak Peek

We are currently developing a robust catalog of NBCC-approved learning modules designed to elevate your clinical practice. Watch our brief video tour to see how our interactive classroom operates and get a preview of upcoming topics, including trauma-informed care and creative interventions.

Status: Under Development Our first modules are actively being built to meet the highest educational standards.
Join the Waitlist

Words from Our Community

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"I loved these two presenting! They were so much fun! So many good tools to use for the future with my students!"

Sarah M.

School Counselor
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"This presentation was amazing! It was engaging and had resources provided to use for our clients/students. Terina was energetic, funny, and extremely knowledgeable on the topic of how to engage our clients/students with how to manage relationships in healthy ways."

David L.

Youth Advocate
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"Professor Gardner was thorough and organized in planning this course. She responded quickly to emails and was always available. Her approach is firm, but fair, and she presents with a warm and caring spirit."

Jessica T.

Graduate Student

Our Leadership

Meet the experts guiding Creative Solutions Counseling Connection. Click on a portrait to learn more about their specialties and clinical approach.

Dr. Lisa Burton

Co-Founder & Clinical Director

Terina Gardner

Co-Founder & Educational Director

Our Foundation in Friendship

At Creative-SCC, authenticity isn’t a marketing term, it's the core of who we are. Our co-founders, Lisa and Terina, aren’t just business partners; they are close, long-standing friends. Their genuine connection is the foundation upon which this business was built.

When you choose to work with us, you are partnering with real people who genuinely support one another. We believe this dynamic fosters an environment of trust, empathy, and collaborative support that is vital for meaningful change, both for the professionals we supervise and the clients we counsel.

Lisa and Terina at their Hooding Ceremony Lisa and Terina smiling in sunglasses on a sunny beach day Lisa and Terina smiling together at a restaurant Terina pointing enthusiastically at group counseling books with Lisa looking happy Lisa and Terina at a professional convention next to a flamingo mascot Lisa and Terina taking a selfie together

Specialties & Approach

Dr. Lisa Burton, PhD, LPC (WV, LA, FL), ALPS (WV), NCC, Certified Professional School Counselor

I am a Licensed Professional Counselor, Approved Licensed Professional Supervisor, and counselor educator with over three decades of experience. Holding a Ph.D. in Professional Education from Capella University, I have spent nearly twenty years as a professor at Marshall University, mentoring the next generation of counselors. Alongside my academic leadership, I maintain an active clinical practice dedicated to working with individuals, couples, and adolescents.

Grounded in Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Reality Therapy, I am known for integrating creativity into the healing process. I help clients identify their innate strengths, develop practical solutions, and navigate meaningful change. As co-founder of Creative Solutions Counseling Connection, I combine my extensive background in supervision and clinical training to design innovative resources for both practitioners and the clients they serve.

Areas of Emphasis:

  • Solution-Focused & Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
  • Creative Arts Interventions (Vision Boards, Walk & Talk Therapy, photography in counseling)
  • Clinical Supervision & Counselor Development
View Curriculum Vitae

Beyond the Clinic

My path to counseling was anything but direct. Raised on a farm in the small community of Sod, West Virginia, my early career spanned everything from fashion merchandising, sales rep for clothing and cosmetic lines, real estate agent, cosmetologist and personal training. It wasn't until I took a graduate counseling course, and navigated my own journey through past trauma, that I discovered my true calling. That pivot sparked a lifelong passion for human growth, leading me to earn a Ph.D. and dedicate over 20 years to shaping the counseling profession.

Now based in Florida with my husband, I embrace coastal living. When I am not working, you can find me collecting shells on the beach, caring for my neighborhood's feral cats, or spending time with my grown daughter, step-grandchildren, and family pets. As I transition toward retirement from Marshall University in August of 2026, I am thrilled to begin this new chapter with Creative Solutions Counseling Connection alongside my former student, mentee, and close friend, Terina.

Specialties & Approach

Terina Gardner, MA, LPC (WV), ALPS (WV), NCC, Approved Clinical Supervisor (ACS), Certified Professional School Counselor (WV), Doctoral Candidate at the University of the Cumberlands.

I am a Licensed Professional Counselor, Approved Licensed Professional Supervisor, and National Certified Counselor based in Putnam County, West Virginia. My clinical work centers on individuals, children, adolescents, and couples navigating trauma, grief, life transitions, and substance exposure across the lifespan, with particular dedication to military personnel and their families, veterans, first responders, and survivors of domestic violence.

I draw primarily on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Solution-Focused Therapy within a trauma-informed, culturally responsive framework, helping clients build emotional regulation, resilience, and meaningful change rooted in their own strengths.

  • Trauma-Informed Care & Solution-Focused Therapy
  • Military Personnel, Veterans & First Responders
  • Counselor Education & Supervision
View Curriculum Vitae

Beyond the Clinic

I didn't grow up imagining a life in counseling, teaching, or higher education. I grew up in a low-income household where the future felt narrow. What I had was grit, a willingness to work, and a belief that there is always a solution if you're willing to look for it.

The military gave me my first real opening. Enlisting in the West Virginia Air National Guard in 2006 became a calling, leading to a twenty-year career, multiple deployments, and a deep understanding that the mission gets completed when you focus on solutions and the people standing next to you.

Before the counseling office, there was the throwing circle. Walking on to the West Virginia University women's track and field team taught me that nobody is going to hand you a place at the table, you build your own seat. I carry that same mindset into the counseling room, helping others see what they are capable of before they can see it themselves.

Teaching has always been my first passion, and counseling my second. Together with my co-founder and dear friend, Dr. Lisa Burton, we built Creative Solutions Counseling Connection to put creative, practical, solution-focused tools into the hands of everyone who needs them.

Let's Connect

Whether you have a question about our services or want to stay updated on our latest resources, we'd love to hear from you.

(Please note: This form is not monitored for emergencies. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, please dial 988.)

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