The Walk With Me Team

Walk with Me is a specialized outpatient treatment track for LGBTQ+ identifying people of all ages who are seeking therapeutic, medical, and/or peer support to address their specific needs.

Services include:

• Individual, Family, and Group Outpatient Therapy
• Inclusive and Affirming Peer Support Services
• LGBTQ+ Affirming Psychiatry Care
• Primary Care Services
• LGBTQIA+ specific case management services

LGBTQ+-Responsive Services include:

• Comprehensive Sexual Health Screenings
• PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis) and PEP (Post-Exposure Prophylaxis) Prescriptions Available through On-Site Genoa Pharmacies
• HIV Treatment
• Hepatitis C Screening and Treatment
• Gender-Affirming Hormone Therapy for adults (18+)
• And more!

To schedule an appointment call our Navigation Center at 888.793.3500 or email WalkWithMe@wheelerclinic.org.

Medicaid, Medicare, and commercial health insurance welcome. A sliding fee scale is available based on family size and income. No patient will be denied health care services due to an individual’s inability to pay for services.

Staff Trained in Gender-Affirming and Trauma-Informed Approaches

Wheeler is undergoing an organization-wide effort to train every single staff member in Trans-Affirming and inclusive care.

Brittany Diorio, LCSW, (She/Her) is the Senior Integrated Health Care Clinician for Walk With Me, where she has been trained in gender and trans affirming and inclusive treatment approaches by Sarah Gilbert, LCSW of Transitions Therapy, LLC, developed and facilitated CT Clearinghouse Presentation: Do Ask: Providing Affirming Care for the LGBTQ+ Community, as well as Southington Pride Presentation: Combatting Bullying and How to Cope. Brittany also completed multiple DMHAS Trainings focused on working with LGBTQ+ clients including Intro to Clinical Practice with LGBTQ Clients; Exploring Gender Identity in Clinical Settings; Trauma-Informed Clinical Practice with LGBTQ+ Clients. She began her career at Wheeler as a foster care recruiter. As she was recruiting foster parents, she recognized an increasing number of children in foster care as LGBTQ+ youth as well as a need for LGBTQ+ foster parents. It was then she began recruiting for LGBTQ+ foster parents and debunking the myth that a parent(s) who is LGBTQ cannot be a foster parent(s).

Nicole Heady, (She/They) is the Peer Support Specialist for Walk With Me. She is a proud member of the LGBTQIA+ community and has been an advocate since youth. She started her career organizing events such as the ‘Q’ prom, and working on a pet therapy farm with children and animals. There, she realized the need for more support for the LGBTQIA+ youth in Connecticut. Currently, she is volunteering with the Trevor Project on their crisis/suicide hotline. She has completed many LGBTQIA+ affirmative trainings, including Affirmative Care for Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming People and has trained with both Sarah Gilbert, LCSW of Transitions Therapy, LLC, and Seth Wallace, LCSW, Assistant Director, Office of LGBTQ Resources, at Yale University. She was featured in The Record Journal, spreading the word of the Walk With Me program.

Julia Napoletano, LPC, (She/Her) is the Senior Integrated Healthcare Care Clinician for Walk With Me at Wheeler’s Hartford Family Health & Wellness Center. Julia has been trained in gender and trans affirming and inclusive treatment approaches by Sarah Gilbert, LCSW, of Transitions Therapy, LLC, developed and facilitated a presentation: Creating a Trans Affirming and Inclusive Treatment Environment for Wheeler clinical staff.  She also completed Introduction to Clinical Practice with the LGBTQ community, Supporting your LGBTQ Client presented by Seth Wallace, LCSW, Assistant Director, Office of LGBTQ Resources, at Yale University.  Julia also attended The Connecticut LGBTQ+ Youth Conference 2022 and The Connecticut Women’s Consortium Intersectionality + the Gender Continuum Conference.

Julia began her career at Wheeler as a Clinical Care Manager for the Therapeutic Foster Care program.  It was in this role that Julia worked closely with foster parents and children in foster care in  the LGBTQ+ community when she realized the need for additional support for the LGBTQ + youth in the system, as well as training for staff working with them.

David Pogg, (He/Him) is the Peer Support Specialist with the Walk With Me program at the Hartford Health and Wellness Center. He is an openly proud Gay male who has been an advocate for change and a voice for those who have yet to discover their own. Often preferring to work behind the scenes, David works closely with outside agencies coordinating referrals, as well as, helping to facilitate and organize LGBTQIA+ focused trainings. David helped coordinate the Walk With Me programs first PRIDE event that hosted various local community Ally organizations and was well attended by the community at large and will continue to help each grow in the future. He has been with Wheeler since 2013, serving previously as the Peer Counselor for the Bettor Choice Gambling Treatment Program. In that position he created a training that focused on the effects of Disordered Gambling on the LGBTQIA+ population that was attended by treatment providers around Connecticut and from as far away as Georgia. David is a person in long-term recovery from Disordered Gambling and has been working/volunteering in the addictions field for over 20 years. He is also a Residential Support Specialist for a transitional housing program, helping people navigate their own Recovery path.

Michael P. Twist, DO, (He/Him) Wheeler’s Psychiatric Medical Director and proud member of the LGBTQ+ community, provides administrative and clinical leadership, management and supervision for the organization’s psychiatric medical staff and all psychiatric medical service operations. He is also a Psychiatric provider at Wheeler, where he has been a panelist in our “Bridging the Gap: Providing Inclusive & Affirming Care for the LGBTQ+ Community” Virtual Event, serves on the LGBTQ+ Advisory Board which held a recent LGBTQ+ Town Hall for patients and providers, and shared his own life experiences as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community as a speaker for Wheeler’s Lunch and Learn program. In early 2021 he was a featured panelist in Columbia University Hospital’s “Options to Parenthood” for their LGBTQ+ Affinity Group. He was also featured in Access Mental Health’s focus on “Improving Health Care for the LGBTQ+ Community.”

Becky Eleck, MD, (She/Her) oversees the delivery of primary care services for adults, children, and families through Wheeler’s Family Health & Wellness Centers in Bristol, Hartford, New Britain, Plainville, and Waterbury. She also provides clinical oversight and management of clinical performance outcomes and direct clinical supervision to providers, and provides direct primary medical care to patients across the lifespan. She also specializes in medication assisted treatment for addiction, HIV and hepatitis C treatment, and gender-affirming care.  She has been prescribing gender-affirming hormones within her primary care practice for over 10 years.  She’s passionate about making sure every patient receives respectful quality care. Dr. Eleck has been trained creating gender and trans affirming treatment environments by Sarah Gilbert, LCSW of Transitions Therapy, LLC and has attended Transgender Health Echo (TransECHO) and attends regular grand rounds discussions.

Kimberly Pepice, LPC, (She/Her)  is director of behavioral health in Plainville. She provides clinical leadership, management, and supervision to providers in Plainville. Kimberly is passionate about providing affirming and inclusive care and an ally to the LGBTQ+ community. Kim has attended the Philadelphia Trans Wellness Conference, Creating a Trans Affirming and Inclusive Environment training, and is a part of Transgender Health Echo (TransECHO).

Arianna (Ari) Agati, LMSW, (They/Them)  is an Integrated Health Care Clinician for Walk With Me. They are a proud member of the LGBTQIA+ community who identifies as non-binary. Ari was a part of their college’s LGBTQIA+ club and was active in organizing events to help create a safe space for the students on campus. Such events included movie nights, discussing topics in the community, and having trivia nights for learning LGBTQIA+ history. When they graduated, they knew they wanted to eventually work with their population. They were drawn to Wheeler’s Walk With Me program to support members of their community first-hand. They also have a passion for art, which they believe can be a great tool for therapy in working with this population and helping them grow through creativity. Ari is dedicated to helping clients feel confident and proud to be themselves.

Nicole Grant, LPC-A, (She/Her)  is an Integrated Healthcare Clinician for Walk With Me and a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community. I feel very passionate being apart of this community and being in a position to implement change and visibility. I was the Vice President of my Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) in college and engaged in activities such as drag show, movie nights, psycho-educational presentations, and became more involved in my community. I am thrilled to be apart of the Walk With Me program at Wheeler and appreciate the many services offered to this population. I want to create a safe and authentic environment for adults and youths looking for validation, compassion, and peer support. I enjoy reading, watching anime, and going to concerts in my spare time. Nicole has trained in gender and trans affirming and inclusive treatment approaches by Sarah Gilbert, LCSW, of Transitions Therapy, LLC, completing Trans 201: Beyond the Basics of Gender Affirming Care.

Maria Banevicius, APRN (She/Her) is a family nurse practitioner for New Britain's Family Health & Wellness Center.  She provides primary care services to patients of all ages ranging from pediatrics to adults. She has a special interest in providing gynecologic services, treating Hepatitis C, and, providing medication addiction treatment. Maria has attended Transgender Health Echo (TransECHO) and attends regular grand rounds discussions.

Michelle Leece is a Nurse Practitioner for the Waterbury Wheeler Family Health and Wellness Center specializing in family medicine. She provides primary care for all populations including gender-affirming care, and has a special interest in addiction medicine and Hepatitis C treatment.  Michelle has attended Transgender Health Echo (TransECHO) and attends regular grand rounds discussions.

Caitlin Minihan, is a Family Nurse Practitioner at the 
Bristol Family Health & Wellness Center. She graduated in 2017 from University of Saint Joseph and has over 10 years of experience in critical care nursing including cardiothoracic and neurosurgery specialties. Caitlin is currently seeing patients across the lifespan, specializing in medication addiction treatment, diabetes management, cardiovascular and infectious disease. Caitlin has attended Transgender Health Echo (TransECHO) and attends regular grand rounds discussions.

Barbara “Basia” Szajda, MD, IBCLC, (She/Her) is a pediatrician at Wheeler’s Hartford Family Health & Wellness Center. In addition to providing medical care to children of all ages, Dr. Szajda provides lactation consultation visits for breastfeeding/chestfeeding parents and offers medical visits in Spanish, Polish and English. Dr. Basia has attended Transgender Health Echo (TransECHO) and attends regular grand rounds discussions and has been trained creating gender and trans affirming treatment environments by Sarah Gilbert, LCSW of Transitions Therapy, LLC.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Do I need to be in therapy with the Walk with Me program in order to receive gender affirming medical care?

  • No, you can utilize it as both therapeutic and medical care or just for medical care. At any point, you can change your path of services.

• Can I get case management or peer support without receiving therapeutic services?

  • No, not at this time.

• Are there any Walk With Me groups that my child can any attend?

  • Yes! One group in Plainville on Mondays for youth ages 14-17.

  • One group in Waterbury for adults, ages 18-35. Gender Exploration group starting at the Waterbury site on March 6, 2023! This group will be held on Mondays from 4:00-5:00 p.m. Click HERE for more details.

  • Waterbury adolescent group runs on Wednesdays from 4:00-5:00pm.

  • Two groups in Hartford on Tuesdays from 1:00-2:00pm. A young adult social skills group, Thursdays 3:00-4:00pm and  Teen Gender Exploration for those 14-17 year old.

• Are gender neutral restrooms available at your locations?

  • Yes!

• At what location can I access Walk With Me mental health services?

  • At this time, Hartford, Plainville, New Britain, and Waterbury.

• At what location can I access Walk With Me medical services?

  • At this time, Plainville, Hartford, New Britain, Bristol, and Waterbury.

• What insurance is accepted for the Walk With Me program?

  • We accept most commercial insurances as well as Medicaid and Medicare.

• Do I have to be “out” to access Walk With Me?

  • No, LBGTQ+ status is confidential. We are happy to work with you no matter where you are on your journey. We have strategies to maintain privacy for clients of all ages.

• Is Walk With Me a good fit for parents and caregivers of LBGTQ+ clients?

  • Yes, we work with the entire family and support everyone.