Ally’s experience as a therapist includes working with survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and childhood abuse, as well as those who struggle with suicidal ideation, self-harm, substance use, depression, dissociation, panic attacks, and other symptoms of PTSD. She has experience with a wide range of ages, including children, adolescents, and adults, with a particular passion for supporting adolescents as they navigate deep healing while managing everyday stressors. Creating a safe space for every identity is of the utmost importance to Ally, and she is committed to practicing from a multicultural, inclusive, and affirming lens

Ally Pananas, M.Ed., is a Pre-Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor with a deep passion for supporting those navigating trauma, abuse, attachment wounds, PTSD, anxiety, suicidal ideation, and dissociation. She recently graduated from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga with a Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Before pursuing her graduate degree, she supported children, adolescents, and families as a social worker doing in-home counseling. 

Meet Ally



Ally’s therapeutic approach centers on empathy, warmth, and unconditional positive regard. She meets each client where they are and individualizes treatment to their unique needs. Her work is rooted in person-centered and experiential therapy, meaning she believes healing happens through authentic, safe, and therapeutic connection, exploring emotions and understanding that they are there to communicate something, and honoring every client’s innate capacity for healing. In sessions, this often looks like using expressive modalities, artistic and creative interventions, parts work, and emotion-focused techniques that help clients gently explore experiences that may feel overwhelming or “too big” to face alone. Ally operates under the belief that we heal by moving through, not around it, and commits to creating and being a safe, supportive, and empowering place to do so. Every client is treated as the expert of their own experience, and her client-led approach allows for those experiences to be respected and honored as they deserve to be. Everyone deserves to be seen and heard, fully and unconditionally, and she considers it the greatest honor and privilege to sit with clients in their deepest pain, honor their experiences, and witness their stories.

Our History

Partners for Healthy Lives was founded in December 2015 by Angela Begres, LCSW. The organization strives to promote mental health and awareness through providing Mental Health First Aid training, counseling services, and other efforts aimed at reducing the stigma of mental illness.

Our Values

Compassionate Care: Commitment to providing care to individuals through relationships built on empathy, respect, and dignity.

Affirming Diversity: Commitment to providing culturally responsive services by recognizing, respecting, and celebrating differences and similarities through cultural humility.

Integrity: Commitment to an ethical practice as put forth by the National Association of Social Workers (NASW)

Our Mission

Our mission is to make mental health “visible” and to make mental health treatment common and assessable, through a holistic approach we use evidence-based, compassionate care aimed at reducing stigma and meeting the needs of our community.