Our Team.
Founding members of Behind the Badge and Beyond (BBB).
Lisa Knowles, M.Ed., LMHC, ERPSCC
- Founding Member
Lisa is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Emergency Responder & Public Safety Certified Clinician with 20 years of clinical experience. She has dedicated her private practice to those who selflessly serve the community and does so with purpose and conviction because, as several of her clients have enthusiastically said, she “gets it.”
Her grasp of the stress that law enforcement faces, often including excessive departmental and public scrutiny, allows her to offer discreet support that positively impacts the trajectory of her clients lives, careers, and families. Lisa appreciates, affirms and values the sacrifices made by first responders and recognizes the challenging and demanding environment they face each day with the limited resources available to them.
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As well as being a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in Massachusetts, Lisa is a Certified-P Holistic Stress Management Instructor, a National Association of Addiction Professionals Tobacco Treatment Specialist, and is listed in the National Volunteer Fire Council Directory of Behavioral Health Professionals.
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Steve Bisson, LMHC
-Founding Member
Steve Bisson, LMHC, has been running Straight To The Point Therapy in Holliston, Massachusetts for over 14 years, with a practice dedicated to supporting first responders and trauma survivors. Around 50% of his clients are police officers, firefighters, EMTs, and corrections professionals.
Steve gets the unique challenges that come with the badge: the departmental stress, the family strain, the calls that stick with you long after shift ends, and the cultural barriers that make asking for help feel impossible. His therapeutic approach is direct, honest, and practical—he's not about clinical jargon or beating around the bush. CBT and EMDR trained, Steve creates a space where first responders can be real about the struggle without judgment. He's also the host of "Resilience Development in Action," a podcast featuring conversations about trauma and resilience. Steve became a therapist after losing his best friend at age 12, an experience that shaped his entire path.
He's not here to fix anyone—he's here to walk alongside first responders without pulling any punches, as they find their own way forward. When he's not working, you'll find him in his backyard, spending time with his two daughters, or yelling at the TV when the Montreal Canadiens are playing. Hey, no one is perfect!
Richard Winning, LICSW, MSW
-Founding Member
Richard Winning, has been operating Responders Refuge since 2023, he started this company after 6+ years of responding as a co-responder with the Holyoke, Westfield, Agawam, South Hadley and Granby police departments as a co-responder and as a supervisor for multiple other responders. During this time he experienced most of the things experienced by first responders and realized the deep need for specialized providers in treating this population.
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Since starting this business, Richard has continued his training to include, CBT, EMDR, and ACT training modalities as they show really great successes with this population, Richard is involved in two training organizations, sits on the Westfield state alumni counsel board his Alma mater, where he sits on two committees.
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Richard's irreverent style is filled with the dark humors that are typical of first responders, he uses plain language not clinical and finds true joy in helping those he serves regain the love they had for the job while also putting down the burdens it forced them to pick up in the first place.
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He enjoys hunting, fishing, video games, his pets and the Red Sox, Patriots though they have both resulted in much hair loss over the past few seasons.
Erin Sheridan, LMHC, LPC, LADC
- Founding Member
Erin Sheridan, LMHC, LPC, LADC is a licensed clinician in Massachusetts and Connecticut,
based in Sturbridge, MA. Her private practice is dedicated to supporting First Responders and
Veterans, offering a safe, understanding space grounded in authenticity and respect. Erin takes
a humanistic and person-centered approach to therapy, often integrating a touch of humor to
create connection and ease. With nearly two decades of experience, Erin has worked across
diverse settings including Drug Court, PHP, IOP, residential treatment, crisis intervention, MAT,
and outpatient care. She has extensive experience treating both mental health and substance
use concerns. Erin is trained in multiple evidence-based modalities including EMDR, IFS, DBT,
CBT, Motivational Interviewing (MI), and Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM).
Erin’s connection to the First Responder community runs deep. Raised in a First Responder and
Veteran family and married to someone on the job, she understands the unique challenges
faced by those who serve. Erin serves as the Clinical Director to her local Critical Incident
Stress Management Team as well. Initially earning her Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice with plans
to enter law enforcement, Erin’s path ultimately led her to a Master’s in Counseling Psychology,
where she found her true calling: helping others heal and thrive. Erin is also in the process of
training her Chocolate Labrador, Bella, to become a therapy dog. Bella loves going to work,
greeting clients, and offering comfort when it’s needed most.
In addition to counseling, Erin provides Clinical Supervision to licensed clinicians in MA and CT.
Her supervision style emphasizes both professional growth and personal reflection; focusing not
just on documentation and case support, but also on self-awareness and emotional processing.
Erin believes that therapists are human too (and are not always “fine”), and that acknowledging
our own reactions, biases, and emotions is essential to providing authentic and effective care.
She also guides clinicians through the practical aspects of private practice, including ethical
documentation, compliance, and the business side of clinical work. Please contact Erin through
her website at beautifully unbrokencounseling.
Outside of her professional life, Erin enjoys being a wife and mother, spending time with family,
friends, and her dogs. Her personal interests include reading, music, dance, art, exercise, dog
training, and graphic design.
