About Us
Meet Our Psychologists
Deborah Barnett, PhD
Founder of Living, Loving, Thriving, LLC
From an early age, I knew my path would lead me into either the performing arts or the healing arts. I grew up in a home where holistic health was simply part of daily life. My mother learned Reiki in 1979, and I followed in her footsteps, later on. After attending Waldorf schools through elementary and high school, I earned my BA in Psychology from Naropa University. I later completed both my Master’s and Doctoral degrees at the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology (now Sofia University), where my dissertation explored “The Effects on the Well‑Being of Parents Who Learn and Practice Reiki.”
My work with clients is shaped not only by my professional training but also by the compassion and insight gained through my own life experiences. In 2015, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. With a blend of traditional and complementary medicine, I navigated that physically and emotionally demanding two‑year journey with relative ease. The resilience, clarity, and wisdom I gained during that time deeply inform the way I support clients who are moving through their own periods of challenge and transformation.
In every session, I attune to what you need in the moment while holding a clear vision of the outcomes you hope to create. This approach fosters a dynamic, collaborative experience where you feel heard, respected, and genuinely supported. My specialties include Positive Psychology, Energy Psychology, and Mindfulness, and I incorporate modalities such as tapping and Brainspotting to facilitate trauma healing. My passion is to help you create a thriving life filled with loving, fulfilling relationships. I help individuals who are preparing to enter a relationship do so more mindfully, and I support couples to experience deeper emotional connection and intimacy.
I offer both online and in‑person psychotherapy sessions in Asheville, North Carolina. Outside the office, I find joy in yoga, walking, dancing, cooking, and photography, practices that continue to nourish my own sense of balance and well‑being.
Savana Williams, PsyD
My original plan was to work in the medical field, until my sophomore year of college, when life took an unexpected turn. During that time, I found myself in an abusive romantic relationship while simultaneously taking foundational psychology courses. A psychology professor noticed my struggle, took me under their wing, and supported me as I began the process of finding myself again. That experience changed the trajectory of my life and ultimately led me to pursue a career in mental health.
I went on to earn a Master’s in Clinical Mental Health from Western Carolina University and a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology with a Health Concentration from Nova Southeastern University. Throughout my training, I discovered the profound importance of integrating mind, body, and spirit in the healing process. I developed a passion for working with anxiety and depression and found myself drawn to modalities such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, which help clients pursue meaning while reducing the symptoms that stand in the way.
My work is shaped by my clinical training, my personal experiences, the mentors who have guided me, and the collaborative relationships I build with clients. Together, we create a space that fosters safety, support, and the conditions needed for genuine healing and growth.
Beginning therapy is a vulnerable step, and it’s completely natural for it to feel intimidating. The therapeutic relationship, feeling seen, safe, and understood, is one of the strongest predictors of meaningful change. When you’re ready, I would be honored to walk alongside you on your journey.
Shakeenna B. Faircrest
Office Manager
Shakeenna joins Living, Loving, Thriving as our Office Manager. She has a wealth of experience as a Teacher and Healer, working with people in many facets of their life’s journey. Her life’s journey has been a varied one with a BS and Masters in Recreation which led her to becoming an Exercise Physiologist with HealthSouth Rehabilitation. In her last year with HealthSouth she attended Massage School obtaining her Massage License in 1994 and opening her own practice in WNC the same year.
Towards the end of her 10 years as a Massage Therapist, she chose a path of Priestess, Magdalene, and Hermeticist and became an Ordained Shamanic Minister. This spiritual path connected her with like-minded people and supported her in reconnecting herself to the healer and explorer that she is. Through trainings and certifications, she attempted to start a couple of businesses with no success. Her Mother began declining in health and could not live alone, so Shakeenna became primary caretaker. However, she needed income and something that she could do while taking care of her Mother. She decided to join Living, Loving, Thriving. Working behind the scenes, supporting this important work and other human beings in doing their life’s work fit perfectly for this time in her journey. In her personal time, Shakeenna sings with an acapella choir, Ubuntu, wanders the vast nature of WNC via hiking, practices yoga, has recently added spin classes to her exercise regime, enjoys cooking, and explores all things moonology.