The WISE Place
Tim Strickland, LPC, CPCS, MAC, SAP
Founder/Owner
My name is Tim Strickland. I grew up in Glennville, Georgia, and now reside in Pembroke, Georgia. I graduated from Georgia Southern University with a Masters Degree in Education Counseling in 1998 and have worked in the field of counseling for over fifteen years. I have extensive experience working with both adolescents and adults with mental health and substance abuse issues. I am a Georgia Licensed Professional Counselor. I am a Georgia approved Clinical Evaluator and Treatment Provider for the DUI Intervention Program and have certifications in Relapse Prevention, Clinical Supervision, Forensic Mental Health Evaluator, and Anger Management. In this program, I assist individuals in meeting requirements to get their driver licenses reinstated after multiple DUI's on their record. I am also certified by the Federal Department of Transportation to provide substance abuse services to employees that are in DOT Safety Sensitive Positions who may have tested positive for alcohol and/or drugs. As a Substance Abuse Professional, I serve as the initial point of contact to establish parameters of change necessary for an individual to safely return to duty via initial assessment and follow up sessions that are required by employers and the Federal government. In 2013, I was fortunate to be honored as Georgia's Licensed Professional Counselor Associations's Counselor of the Year for the development and oversight of a Long Term Residential Treatment facility and extensive work done with an Outpatient population to bring about positive changes in men and women who suffer from addiction in the Bulloch County area as a Treatment Provider for Bulloch Recovery Resources. I have brought my energy, insight, and professionalism to the forefront and established Creative Counseling Solutions, LLC (CCS).
Wendy Bird, MEd, EdS,
CAC I
Wendy graduated from Georgia Southern University (1982) with a BS in Education. She immediately began working on a master's degree in special education, graduating in 1983. Following graduation, she began teaching children with special needs. She later returned to Georgia Southern University, receiving an Education Specialist degree in 1992. Wendy retired from teaching in 2012, but soon returned as a part-time educator. She is currently a Certified Addictions Counselor Level I for the state of Georgia. She has over 3 years experience working with substance abuse in both individual and group settings. She is also a certified instructor for the DBHDD Risk Reduction Program, also known as DUI School. Wendy is compassionate, candid, and dedicated to helping others achieve emotional, psychological, and personal wellbeing. She entered recovery from drug and alcohol addiction in 2013 and has since dedicated her life to service and recovery. She is currently active in AA and sponsors other women in the program, taking them through the 12-Steps. She has learned that "we only keep what we have by giving it away."
Lorri Strickland, CAC I
Co-Founder
Lorri Strickland received her CAC I certification in 2017 from GACA. She is a member of GACA and NAADAC, two associations that cover the field of addictions. She has worked for Creative Counseling Solutions, LLC, since 2009, when it was originally formed as a company. She started as the bookkeeperand has worked her way into doing everything that the company offers, with the exception of Clinical Evaluations for the State of Georgia's DUI Intervention Program. She has worked for The WISE Place, CCS's long-term recovery residence for women since the doors opened in April of 2015 as the Resident Director and as one of the cousnelors. She received a GED in 1994, just after having her first child. She attended Ogeechee Technical College from January 1997, just after having her third child, to December 1999, to become a Micro-Computer Specialist, which makes her a valuable asset to CCS as she handles all of the technical aspects of the business, including building and maintaining websites, creating networks, ensuring the security of client private data files, and maintaining all computers and printers. Recently, Lorri maintains the Bryan County Diversion Program in the Pembroke Office, where she completes evaluations and provides individual and group counseling and implements psycho-education seminars for anger management and responsible driving.
Michael Wood-Miles, CIT
Michael is an Eagle Scout from Savannah,Ga presently living in Metter, Ga where enjoys playing golf, fishing and spending quality time with his family. He has served in several leadership positions within The Episcopal Church. He was a Vestry member of his parish, Trinity Episcopal Church, Statesboro; he is a past President of Integrity-Georgia; he served as Chaplain of Episcopal Campus Ministry at Georgia Southern University; he was appointed to be the Provincial Coordinator to Young Adult and Campus Ministry for Province IV of The Episcopal Church; he is a former Board member of The Foreign and Domestic Ministry Society of The Episcopal Church. Michael has also served as a missiona on many mission trips to the Dominican Republic. Michael studied Psychology at LaGrange College and Armstrong State University. He completed his Education for Ministry at The University of The South, Sewanee, School of Theology. As a Certified Counselor in Training/GACA/NAADAC he is a Counselor who has worked with many seeking recovery. Michael has previously worked at Willingway Hospital. He is experienced in the Residential Hospital, Detox Unit, and extended treatment environments. He is also an artist who paints mostly with watercolor and oil paints. His work has been shown at several galleries in Savannah and The Jepson Center for the Arts. Michael is passionate about helping those suffer with Substance Use Disorder as well as their families. Paradoxically, he believes, “by helping them they always help me even more”. Further, he states,”Working with all who are involved with The Wise Place and Creative Counseling Solutions is always a challenging and fulfilling experience that I both love and enjoy”.
Sandra Malone CAC, NCPRSS, CAMS
Originally from Detroit, Michigan Sandra has over 30 years of experience in the Addictions Field in Georgia.
Sandra began her work and training in 1988 at Anchor Hospital - Talbott Recovery Systems in Atlanta on the Young Adult Unit where she earned a CHUC-Certified Health Unit Coordinator. She went on to earn her CAC- Certified Addiction Counselor in 1980. After becoming a CAC, she held the position of Outpatient Coordinator where she was responsible for Primary Addiction Counseling, Case Management and Aftercare Groups.
Work Experience includes; Outpatient Director for Concorde Recovery Center, Primary and Group Addiction Counseling for Peterkin and Associates, Case Manager-Counselor for GPA Treatment (a MAT program.) Along with Individual Alcohol and Drug assessments for A-Affordable Counseling and Choice Counseling Services and Group Facilitator for A-Affordable and Person to Person Counseling Services, ASAM Level One Participants.
Sandra is an Ordained Minister with the Universal Life Church Monastery and is active in her Community in Volunteer Roles. She currently lives in Metter, GA home of The WISE Place where she is the Resident Manager for Creative Counseling Solut i ons LLC' Long Term Women's Recovery Residence. In this capacity she acts as Case Manager for 12-16 Residents.
Sandra utilizes the proven 12 Step Model along with a CBT approach in working with people with The Disease of Addiction.
Tammy Porter, MEd, PSC, NCC, LAPC
Tammy has worked with Creative Counseling Services since June 2015 as needed. She is currently a certified Georgia professional school counselor (PSC), a nationally certified counselor (NCC), and an associate professional counselor (LAPC). Tammy has a background in traumatology and crisis management counseling and is trained in individual counseling, couples, family, group and community counseling. She uses methods of counseling which include the use of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Solution-Focused Therapy and Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy. Tammy is driven to provide therapy to the whole person while focusing on the body, soul and spirit. Tammy has a heart for the family and family structure. She has devoted her life to serving in a therapeutic manner to her clients. She enjoys reading God’s word, cooking, baking and gardening.