Image of a group of people putting their hands together as a team for Suns Up Counseling

About Us

Meet The Team

Our Mission

Suns Up Counseling advocates for accessible mental health counseling and wellness for all that is centered in clinical excellence, faith based values, and hope.

Our Values

  • Authenticity

    We believe in the power of genuine connections and real, unfiltered experiences. Everything we do is a commitment to transparency, honesty, and a celebration of individuality.

  • Collaboration

    At the heart of our practice lies a profound commitment to equal participation between the client and counselor, recognizing its transformative power in guiding individuals towards effective growth and self-discovery.

  • Innovation

    We relentlessly pursue the highest levels of quality, creativity, clinical training, and service, ensuring that every interaction with our practice reflects a commitment to clinical excellence.

“A slight change in your daily habits can guide your life to a different destination”

—James Clear, Atomic Habits

Meet the Team

Image of clinical direction Mieke Kramer at Suns Up Counseling

Mieke Kramer, LPC, CPCS, CEDS-C

Clinical Director

  • Mieke specializes in working with adult women who have experienced abuse, addictions & traumas. She is EMDRIA certified in EMDR & offers both a warm and insightful therapy to her clients. She is a certified eating disorder specialist who works with women recovering from disordered eating patterns. Mieke works primarily with adult women 18 years and older.

    If she is not outdoors hiking with her husband and three daughters, she enjoys reading a good mystery novel on the back porch with her three pups: Harley, Archie, & Nali.

  • Pooler, Downtown Savannah, Richmond Hill

Skylar Haak, LAPC

Licensed Associate Professional Counselor

  • Skylar works with children, teenagers, and adults. Skylar is particularly passionate about coming alongside teenagers as they navigate the difficulties of this world. She has experience working with a variety of issues including anxiety, depression, & ADHD, high risk behaviors. Before she was a counselor, Skylar worked in the adoption field and has a unique understanding of adoption triad issues. Skylar believes their is hope for every person, no matter their circumstances. When she is not at home cuddling her dog, Skylar enjoys exploring Savannah coffee shops with her husband and daughter.

    Skylar is also trained in EMDR and specializes working with clients who need this additional service for their counseling care.

    Skylar is supervised by Mieke Kramer, LPC, CPCS.

  • Pooler

    West Chatham

Rebecca Hodge, LPC

Licensed Professional Counselor

  • Rebecca values meeting people where they are in life joining them to become the best version of self. Having previous experience working inpatient and outpatient as well as community based settings Rebecca brings a wide range of experience. Rebecca has received training in an array of disorders and focuses primarily in thought disorders, mood disorders, substance abuse, trauma, and transitions of life. Rebecca is ready to walk alongside you to initiate change. Offering traditional talk therapy as well as EMDR Rebecca is ready to engage and create the best treatment plan for you. Rebecca works with clients ages 15yo and older. In her free time, Rebecca can be found on the water kayaking with friends and enjoying the adventures of her playful cat Tigger.

  • Pooler

    West Chatham

Kimberly Safranek

Intern Counselor

  • Kimberly is a Liberty University graduate student and provides counseling services for children, teens, and adults. She has an extensive history of working with children in both the school system and after school programs like gymnastics.

    Kimberly is supervised by Mieke Kramer, LPC, CPCS.

  • Pooler

    West Chatham

Morgan Owens, LAPC

Licensed Associate Professional Counselor

  • Morgan is a National Board Certified Counselor with a degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Morgan works with teenagers and adults. She has experience working with anxiety, depression, PTSD, trauma, and life transitions. Before she was a counselor, Morgan was a first responder and military spouse. Due to this, Morgan has a special place in her heart when it comes to working with first responders and the military population. Morgan believes in empowering her clients to be able to reach their goals while increasing resiliency to overcome future challenges as well. In her free time, Morgan enjoys going to the beach or hiking with her husband, dog, and son.

    Morgan is trained in EMDR and specializes in working with clients who need this additional service for their counseling care.

  • Richmond Hill

Hillary Parker, MA

Pre- licensed Counselor

  • Hillary is a certified trauma professional and a Symbis Facilitator specializing in pre-martial assessment. She holds a master’s in professional counseling from Liberty University. Hillary works with individuals and couples, encouraging a holistic approach to healing. She is a compassionate counselor who empowers clients to overcome challenges, discover their inner strengths, and build resilience.

    Hillary provides support to clients who struggle with anxiety, depression, grief, PTSD, and complex traumas. Before and during her counseling journey, she has been a dedicated caregiver for close family members. This firsthand experience has become a powerful source of inspiration for stress management.

    Her life is a tapestry of experiences, enriched by her three children, ranging in age 3 to 16. As an outdoor enthusiast, she believes in the importance of self-care and finding peace in nature. She is an avid reader and writer who appreciates the value in expressive arts. Hillary is eager to connect and support others on their path to a brighter future!

  • Richmond Hill

Mikki Thomas, MEd

pre-licensed counselor

  • Mikki is dedicated to helping couples learn to navigate life challenges with compassion and hope. Mikki seeks to journey alongside couples to help them find the redeeming parts of their story, build dreams together, and bring about healing to hurting places. She is a graduate of Liberty University (M.Ed. in School Counseling). She has a passion to see families grow and thrive. She has worked for several years with adolescents and their families in the school system to bring about positive solution focused changes. Mikki has completed Gottman Method Couples Therapy Level 1/Level 2. She uses Gottman Couples therapy for married couples seeking counseling. Mikki loves time with her husband and three children. She enjoys local coffee shops, good books and relaxing with her puppy Jax.

  • Pooler

    West Chatham

Sara Beth Stout, MA

Pre-licensed counselor

  • Sara Beth specializes in marriage and family therapy and wants to bring hope to those who have lost theirs. She has a heart for those dealing with chronic illnesses as she personally deals with a chronic illness. She offers services to teens and adults. Sara Beth has worked in a variety of settings including the school system, Department of Family and Children Services, a home for children in the foster care system, and in private practice. Sara Beth graduated from Asbury Theological Seminary with a Masters in Counseling. She enjoys spending time with her three children and her husband, listening to audiobooks and podcast, and occasionally taking a dance class. She is working on her hours for supervision to become a Licensed Professional Counselor in Georgia.

  • Pooler

    West Chatham

Whitney Merritt, LAPC

Licensed associate professional counselor

  • Whitney enjoys working with clients of all ages and is passionate about walking alongside girls and women as they heal from trauma, lack of self-esteem, and overcoming worries and fears. She believes changing the narrative we tell ourselves enables us to live the life we hope for. She has lived in 12 countries around the world and believes her time abroad provides cultural awareness and sensitivity when working with diverse clients. She is a 200-hour certified yoga instructor and believes in the mind, body, and spiritual connection to healing. Whitney enjoys a good cup of coffee, walks on the beach with her family, reading memoirs and hanging with her dog, Sailor.

  • Downtown Savannah

Coming Soon

Richmond Hill Counselor

  • Bio Coming Soon

  • Richmond Hill and West Chatham

Grace Powers

Office Manager

  • Grace is our front office manager for Suns Up. When helping patients with scheduling, finances, or coordinating care, she values compassionate communication, efficiency, and organization. In her freetime, she loves to write, read, and spend time outdoors with loved ones.

Suns Up Counseling Board Members

2024

  • Jeff Kramer

    Chrissy Slater

    Kellie Rutherford Genton

    Dr. Darrent Thomas: ex officio member

    Carlett Fulcher

Ready to Begin Your Healing Journey?

Our counselors offer specialized services including EMDR—Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing for trauma resolution.