Meet Our Counselors
Dean’a Curry, Director of Counseling Service
Dean’a is a licensed psychotherapist, and she has been working with adolescents and families in Santa Barbara for the past 12 years. She’s provided services as a psychological counselor in primary school and secondary schools in Santa Barbara and Goleta; she also developed social and emotional programming at these schools. Additionally, Dean’a has worked as a clinician in community mental health clinics where she provided individual, group, and family psychotherapy.
Before she joined Cate, Dean’a worked for the County of Santa Barbara as a Mental Health Specialist, where she helped to implement wraparound mental health support systems for at-risk youth in high schools throughout the county. She also offered crisis support, individual and family care, and resiliency training.
Dean’a is thrilled to be working with Cate students at this pivotal time in their development when they are developing their own identity and autonomy. Her approach to counseling is eclectic, blending evidence-based approaches with humanistic insight-oriented support. Dean’a lives in Santa Barbara with her family and she enjoys hikes with her two adopted dogs.
Nadine Maxwell-Henry, School Counselor
Nadine Maxwell, renamed as “Ms. Max” by her students over the years, is originally from Jamaica.
Despite having spent most of her adult life in various regions of the United States and internationally, Ms. Max has a B.A. in Spanish and Social Sciences from the University of the West Indies and an M.Ed. in Counseling Psychology from Howard University. She has multiple years of experience as a School Counselor and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion practitioner in independent schools. Nadine has a passion for guiding adolescents in using grit and emotional regulation to develop resilience from adversity, strengthening their ability to strive towards functioning at an optimal level in their social, emotional and academic lives. Educating and continuing to be a lifelong learner about cultural competencies, is also of great importance for her personally and professionally.
Nadine loves the outdoors- biking, swimming and dancing, especially to Caribbean music. She is the proud mother of two soccer-loving sons.
Gretchen Adams, Counseling Intern
Gretchen brings curiosity, warmth, and a collaborative spirit to her work with students at Cate. She is particularly interested in supporting young people as they navigate stress, self-confidence, and life transitions, and approaches counseling with the belief that students thrive when they feel heard, valued, and empowered to use their own strengths.
Gretchen’s path to counseling began after a career in music and administration, experiences that helped her appreciate creativity, balance, and the importance of meaningful connection. She integrates elements of mind-body awareness with practical coping tools, while also making space for humor and authenticity in her sessions.
Outside of Cate, Gretchen loves spending time with her family, exploring local trails and beaches, and experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen.