We are a community of like-minded counselors who put Christ at the center of everything we do.
Connecting, Sustaining, Supporting.
Mental Health: A Vital Work
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland once advised individuals worldwide to seek help when needed: “If things continue to be debilitating, seek the advice of reputable people with certified training, professional skills, and good values.”
Those who serve in these critical roles do so with great commitment. Licensed and trained professionals dedicate their time, effort, and compassion to healing and uplifting others. Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we believe in a divine power that surpasses any individual’s capacity to aid in this healing process. LDS CAPA was established to support and strengthen these professionals in their vital work.
Aligning with the Principles of Christ
Originally founded in 1975 as the Association of Mormon Counselors & Psychotherapists, our organization has consistently aligned itself with the principles and standards of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
At our inaugural conference, Bishop Vaughn J. Featherstone inspired members, stating, “You are doing probably what the Savior spent His whole life doing, in just a little different way. You are healing souls.”
Supporting the Supporters
Now known as the Latter-day Saint Counselors and Psychotherapists’ Association (LDS CAPA), we continue to connect and sustain mental health professionals worldwide. We offer continuing education, valuable resources, and opportunities for camaraderie and qualified guidance. Through regular peer discussions, quarterly training, and connections with faith-based professionals all over, we strive to provide the support and resilience needed to persevere in such a demanding profession.
350
Members
49
Years Serving You
12
Degrees Represented
Our Mission
Support and connect mental health professionals around the world who are members of or friendly to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and provide continuing education to all mental health professionals.
Leadership Team
Click the names below to read more about our dedicated leadership team
Executive Committee
Brent A. Taylor, Ph.D., began his professorship at San Diego State University (SDSU) in 2000 when he also became licensed as a Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT) in California. He served as the program director of the Marriage and Family Therapy program for 9 years and then as the department chair of Counseling and School Psychology for 7 years at SDSU. His educational background includes a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from BYU, a master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from Northwestern University, and he earned more master’s degrees along his path to completing his doctoral degree in Sociology with a clinical emphasis in MFT at the University of Southern California. He has served in various leadership roles and on boards of professional agencies and associations. His publications are in various academic journals and books, and he has presented numerous times around the country. He also maintains a clinical private practice. He is the father of three children and has one grandchild.
After returning from a mission, Jared Neslen serendipitously discovered the book, “How the Mind Works” while working in a bookstore, igniting a deep fascination with every facet of human behavior and psychology. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Utah State University and a master’s in Professional Counseling from the University of Utah in 2009.
Jared’s professional journey has been diverse, spanning roles in testing and assessments, professional counseling for both non-profits and private practice, and a decade of dedicated service with LDS Family Services. Currently, he contributes his expertise to Dodini Behavioral Health, a prominent group practice located in Arlington, Virginia.
Beyond his professional pursuits, Jared cherishes family time and embraces a lifelong passion for learning, delving into subjects like music and history. His love for the fantasy genre adds an imaginative dimension to his interests.
Nedra Toponce has been a marriage and family therapist for about twenty years. She is currently in private practice since 2009 mostly working with couples. She will also see some individuals and families. Nedra has written two guidebooks- one for couples titled “A Guidebook for Couples: Learning How to Counsel together as a Couple” and one for families- “A Guidebook for Families: Learning How to Counsel together as a Family.” She enjoys various cultures and likes to travel, and spend time with family and friends.
Sara Kaylor received a bachelor’s degree from BYU and returned to complete a master’s degree in public administration, hoping to work with nonprofit organizations. She came to AMCAP with significant experience in event management. Combining this with a distinct passion for the mental health professions, AMCAP has been an excellent fit.
Sara and her husband Tysen have two of the cutest girls you’ll ever meet. Nothing boosts Sara’s mood quite as fast as a run or hike through Utah’s gorgeous mountain trails. You can often find her making chocolate chip cookies, playing at the park with her girls, or trying to be an assistant on one of Tysen’s home-improvement or custom furniture projects.
Sara and her husband Tysen have two of the cutest girls you’ll ever meet. Nothing boosts Sara’s mood quite as fast as a run or hike through Utah’s gorgeous mountain trails. You can often find her making chocolate chip cookies, playing at the park with her girls, or trying to be an assistant on one of Tysen’s home-improvement or custom furniture projects.
Governing Board Members
Annalise Castor first learned of AMCAP when she was working as a newlywed in Washington D.C. and has been a strong supporter ever since. 20 years and five children later, Annalise has returned to school for a counseling degree. She has extensive experience as a Community Organizer, is the founder of a Non-Profit called Free2Express.org that teaches youth to disagree appropriately, and numerous other startup ventures. She is a zealous advocate of educational rights and helping people one on one.
April 2023 - Present
Brian Jensen has Worked in community mental health for 15 years. He is licensed in 2 states (CA and Utah). He is Specialized in the practice of pediatric and general clinical psychology, including psycho educational testing and neurofeedback. He is a 2 time recipient of National Health Service Corp (NHSC) student loan repayment award, a 2 time recipient of the California State Loan Repayment Program (SLRP) award, and a Certified Health Service Psychologist by the National Register of Health Service Psychologists. He is a Certified Complex Trauma Professional – Level 2 and a Certified QPR Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper Instructor.
Brian Jensen has Worked in community mental health for 15 years. He is licensed in 2 states (CA and Utah). He is Specialized in the practice of pediatric and general clinical psychology, including psycho educational testing and neurofeedback. He is a 2 time recipient of National Health Service Corp (NHSC) student loan repayment award, a 2 time recipient of the California State Loan Repayment Program (SLRP) award, and a Certified Health Service Psychologist by the National Register of Health Service Psychologists. He is a Certified Complex Trauma Professional – Level 2 and a Certified QPR Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper Instructor.
Brian is a married, father of 7 who Enjoys family time together. He is an Avid dog lover, especially Great Pyrenees. He enjoys snorkeling, the beach, and the philosophy of Aikido
Jacob is a doctoral student currently attending University of West Georgia. He has obtained an MA in Anthropology and a MS in Psychology, which combined experiences allowed him to do both cross-cultural research with the Centre for Applied Cross-Cultural Research for Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, as well as do research at the intersection of psychological anthropology and cultural psychology, where he critiqued psychometric and quantitative methodologies through the lens of sociocultural ethnographic designs at Brigham Young University, as one of the first graduates for the masters-level anthropology program. Besides the sociocultural, Jacob also has interests in human agency, morality, existentialism, relationality, affect, motivation, and other various topics otherwise understood as theoretical and philosophical in nature. Under his PhD, he has been conducting research around relationality and human agency and he is currently working towards research in qualitative, narrative, and method-design research around human agency and affect.
Ashly Leavitt holds an ACMHC license in Utah. She is trauma-informed, IFS-informed, and an APSAT-candidate. Ashly is completing the process of becoming a court-approved mediator and works primarily with women and couples experiencing betrayal trauma. Ashly has published articles on how betrayal trauma affects a woman's ability to trust, has presented on the topic at multiple conferences, and was a guest on the Leading Saints podcast to discuss betrayal trauma in faith settings.
Jeffrey S. Reber, Ph.D., LPC, is professor of psychology at the University of West Georgia, a fellow of the American Psychological Association, a licensed professional counselor, and the founder of Relational Counseling and Consulting Services. He is a leader in the fields of relational and theistic psychology and psychotherapy. Dr. Reber is the author of Are We Special? The Truth and the Lie about God’s Chosen People (Deseret Book) and The Paradox of Perfection: How Embracing our Imperfection Perfects Us (Crosslink), as well as more than 40 articles and book chapters that are informed by his uniquely theistic and relational perspective. He is a nationally and internationally recognized speaker who is sought after for his expertise on treating growing societal issues and concerns, like narcissism and perfectionism, from a relational perspective that interfaces faith and psychology. Dr. Reber and his wife have four children and live in Carrollton where he maintains an active therapy practice.
Davin Sharp is an undergraduate senior at BYU pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Psychology. He is interested in the theoretical psychology and is planning to be a teacher. After obtaining his undergraduate degree, he plans to attend graduate school in Counseling Psychology or pursue a PhD in Phenomenological Psychology. Davin loves to sing, read, watch movies, participate in the Improv Comedy Club on BYU campus, Laugh Out Loud, and dancing of all kinds, especially in the Teir II Folk Dance Ensemble of BYU. He is excited to contribute to the AMCAP community and help in any way that he can.
Brett Shumway, PhD, Licensed Psychologist
Brett Shumway has been a Licensed Psychologist since 2017 and has been licensed to practice mental health counseling since 2011. His clinical work is mainly with children and adolescents. He also specializes in psychological evaluations, especially focused on autism, OCD, and ADHD. He is the Director of Counseling and Psychological Services for Possibilities ABA & Counseling. His other professional passion is teaching part-time for the Seminary and Institute program of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, where he has taught Adaptive Needs seminary and a number of Institute classes. Currently, he is teaching a class titled Healing and Strength in Jesus Christ at the Cedar City LDS Institute.
Braxton Storm, Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Owner of a Private Practice in Henderson, Nevada
Braxton Storm is a psychotherapist with seven years of experience helping children, teens, and parents overcome barriers to build healthier relationships with themselves and others. In addition to individual therapy, Braxton has been featured on parenting-focused podcasts and developed an eight-week parent-centered course aimed at helping parents recognize how their behavior impacts their children, understand its origins, and heal family relationships.
Braxton Storm is a psychotherapist with seven years of experience helping children, teens, and parents overcome barriers to build healthier relationships with themselves and others. In addition to individual therapy, Braxton has been featured on parenting-focused podcasts and developed an eight-week parent-centered course aimed at helping parents recognize how their behavior impacts their children, understand its origins, and heal family relationships.
As a board member of LDSCAPA, Braxton is dedicated to fostering collaboration among psychotherapists and advancing the field of mental health.
April 2023 - Present
Raymond Wagstaff received his B.S. in Psychology from University of Utah in 1997 and an M.S. in Mental Health Counseling from the University of Phoenix in 2011. He developed a passion for working with at risk youth in Salt Lake County encouraging strengths and empowerment to improve in those who struggle with adversity. His clinical experience has spanned 12 years including working with Odyssey House and more recently in Private practice. He has been a member of AMCAP for the past several years.
Raymond Wagstaff received his B.S. in Psychology from University of Utah in 1997 and an M.S. in Mental Health Counseling from the University of Phoenix in 2011. He developed a passion for working with at risk youth in Salt Lake County encouraging strengths and empowerment to improve in those who struggle with adversity. His clinical experience has spanned 12 years including working with Odyssey House and more recently in Private practice. He has been a member of AMCAP for the past several years.
Leading With Experience
Combined our board members bring incredible experience including
25
Degrees from 10 Universities
8
Leader-Owned Businesses
144
Years of Industry Experience
Recent Articles
Frequently Asked Questions
How long are memberships?
Memberships typically renew on a yearly basis. You will be reminded via email in the month prior to renewal, then your account will automatically renew on the year mark. Another option is to purchase the Lifetime membership. This membership is a one-time payment, giving you LDS CAPA access for the rest of your life.
Membership costs
In the hope of providing value to all therapists at any point in their journey, whether a student just starting out to our retired members, we offer multiple membership options.
Our memberships costs and benefits can be found on our Memberships page.
What happened to the Associate Member and International Member options?
To simplify our memberships and provide the most value everywhere possible, we have consolidated some of the membership options. Associate members and Retired members are grouped together and International professional members can sign up under the regular Professional membership.
Can I cancel my membership?
You can cancel your membership at any time–we do not have any contracts or hidden fees. Memberships are not refundable. Once you pay for the upcoming year, your account will be active unless you choose to cancel it. If you have any questions or concerns with your account, please reach out to amcapsecretary@gmail.com.
Can I upgrade my membership from student to professional?
This question is most common when students graduate or licensing is finalized. At this point you can purchase the Professional level membership. If you purchased or renewed your LDS CAPA student membership less than 6 months before, contact amcapsecretary@gmail.com for a partial refund on your student membership.
