Team

Leonard Pikaard, CEO - LSW, LCADC

Leonard Pikaard is a Licensed Social Worker and Licensed Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselor with years of experience helping clients blaze their own path through recovery. Whether it’s recovery from substance abuse or mental health distress, Leonard takes a new-age approach to therapy and often incorporates holistic treatments into his sessions such as breathing techniques, relaxing meditations, yoga, aromatherapy, exercise, sports, and music therapy. Having trudged his own path to success, Leonard understands the importance of developing a tough mindset that will give patients the strength they need to persevere through uncomfortable feelings associated with change.

Allison Cardullo, COO - CLC, CC, CMB

Allison Cardullo is a Certified Life Coach, Crisis Counselor, Certified Medical Biller, and operations professional passionate about guiding others with emotional intelligence. She works to overcome obstacles, tackle tough challenges, and make compliance accessible to employees. Specializing in executive coaching, team consulting, group workshops, and speaking at events and online, Allison helps leadership teams, community heads, and families develop compassionate strategies to provide support resources to those in need and to communicate with emotional fluency.

Amy Banko - LAC

Amy Banko obtained her master’s degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from Rutgers University and utilizes Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Narrative Therapy, and Solution-Focused Therapy to help her clients explore their wellness goals. With a focus on building solid relationships with her clients to identify their resilience, foster empowerment, de-pathologize adaptive behaviors, and develop authentic connections with others, Amy takes an eclectic approach to counseling and is currently pursuing her doctorate in Counseling Education and Supervision at Kean University with a focus on the treatment of trauma.

Karen Wright - LN, CDN

Karen Wright is a licensed Nutritionist and certified Master in the Transformational Coaching Method with additional training as a functional nutritionist, detoxification specialist, and Ulan Nutritional Systems Nutrition Response TestingSM practitioner. Karen’s passion is helping people transform their health through delicious foods, movement, and the detoxification of their living environment. Karen is also a HealthRHYTHMS facilitator, which is an evidenced-based protocol using drums to create a community and enhance immune function while finding a personal inner rhythm.

Alicia Morris - MSN, APN

Alicia Morris is a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (across the life span) with a desire to help others that are faced with mental health concerns. With her background working with various conditions including anxiety, depression, mood disorders, and psychotic disorders. Alicia's experience includes inpatient stabilization and outpatient continued care.

Julia Nuzzo, MSN, APRN, PMHNP-BC, RYT 200

Julia Nuzzo is a Master’s educated, board-certified Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner and Advanced Practice Nurse with a holistic approach to all aspects of patient care. She has an extensive background in the critical care setting, helping to stabilize acutely ill patients with psychiatric and medical conditions. With respect to the outpatient setting, Julia wishes to help those obtain and maintain good mental health by treating and teaching individuals to not separate the mind from the body. She is also a registered yoga instructor and fitness enthusiast who loves to educate her patients on the benefits of such to enable the powerful mind-body connection.

Garrett Hemmerich

Garrett Hemmerich has worked as a writer, marketer, and media artist for over ten years. Serving as the office administrator and marketing director, Garrett applies his background in marketing and storytelling to help tell the story of Alpha Counseling and to engage with our community.