Who We Are

Founded by Alisha Dreiling and Liane Freels, WAC Counseling is a practice born from a shared passion for improving the mental health care system for women and families in Alabama. With firsthand experience of the challenges surrounding postpartum mental health, Alisha and Liane are dedicated to providing accessible, compassionate, and comprehensive care to underserved communities.

Our team specializes in perinatal and infant mental health, offering education, counseling, free classes, support groups, and advocacy. we aim to break the stigma surrounding maternal mental health and create pathways for women to reclam their lives with confidence and hope.

Back to Our Roots

After meeting at the University of Northern Alabama, Alisha and Liane discovered their mutual dedication to the mental health of women and children. Both experienced challenges with postpartum mental health and were disheartened by the lack of accessible care in Alabama. Their shared vision led to the creation of WAC Counseling, a practice focused on making maternal mental health care inclusive, empathetic, and available to all.

Today, WAC Counseling integrates mental health with lactation support, educational resources, and advocacy, striving to empowe women as they navigate the transitions of motherhood.

During my career in medicine, I developed a passion for supporting parents as they navigate their new life as a family. Although this is often a time of great joy, sometimes it can be stressful or overwhelming. After becoming a mother myself, I understood this on a personal level, experiencing postpartum depression and postpartum obsessive-compulsive disorder. There was very little support or understanding all those years ago, and I became a more vocal advocate for maternal mental health after that experience.

I returned to a master's program at the University of North Alabama in order to offer the much needed support to families in Alabama, many of which have little access to affordable mental health care. After opening WAC Counseling with a colleague with the same determination, I completed advanced training in perinatal mental health and became certified.

My background as a pediatrician provides me with a unique perspective and understanding of the physical and emotional aspects of pregnancy, childbirth, infants, and children. I am committed to supporting, educating, and empowering women who have challenging experiences during pregnancy, delivery, and transitioning to their new role as a parent. I am working to advocate for women in north Alabama, and their right to access quality mental health care.

Trainings & Memberships

MD - University of Arizona College of Medicine; 1998
MA Clinical Mental Health Counseling - University of North Alabama; 2023
National Certified Counselor - National Board of Certified Counselors; 2023 -
Associate Licensed Counselor; 2023 -
Certified Lactation Counselor - Healthy Children's Project; 2022
Perinatal Mental Health Certification - Postpartum Support International; 2023
American Counseling Association; 2020 - present
Alabama Counseling Association; 2020 - present
Alabama Mental Health Counselor Association; 2020 - present

Specialties

Prenatal & Postpartum Mood & Anxiety Disorders (depression, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, PTSD)
Prenatal & Postpartum mental health consultations
- Birth planning
- Postpartum planning
Pregnancy during adolescence/teen parents
Infant & Early Childhood Mental Health including diagnosis using the DC 0-5, and developmental & behavioral disorders in young (under age 6) children
Grief/Loss of a child (during pregnancy & beyond)
Infertility
Attachment difficulties
Family separation issues
Parenting Children with special needs
Childhood mood & anxiety disorders
Teen Parenting

During my early months of motherhood, I struggled with postpartum depression and anxiety along with ongoing breastfeeding difficulties that presented differently with each child. But alongside those struggles with my last child, I experienced firsthand the lasting impact mother to mother-based support had for myself and my entire family.

This inspired me to begin volunteering with La Leche League in 2014 which allowed me to work with mothers during their postpartum experience to hopefully have a positive impact for them . Since that time I have had the honor of supporting over 500 mothers in their breastfeeding journeys. My early years working with lactation clients continues to be at the heart of all I do for perinatal support and outreach. It also inspired my transition into mental health counseling. As a LLL volunteer, I continually witnessed mothers struggling with feeding difficulties and often co-occurring perinatal mood disorders such as depression. Discouraged because I was not able to offer more help and resources for maternal mental health services and referring to these services were sparse not only in the Shoals community but surrounding areas as well. This influenced my decision to return to the University of North Alabama to pursue a master’s in clinical mental health counseling. Upon completion of that program, I additionally pursued my IBCLC certification and passed my exam in September 2023, which is dedicated to La Leche League International: the organization that lit the passion in my heart to support, educate, and encourage mothers <3

Trainings & Memberships

MA Clinical Mental Health Counseling - University of North Alabama; 2020
National Certified Counselor - National Board of Certified Counselors; 2021 -
IBCLC International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners; 2024
LPC Alabama Board of Examiners in Counseling; 2023
Perinatal Mental Health Certification - Postpartum Support International; 2023
American Counseling Association; 2018 - present
Alabama Counseling Association; 2018 - present
Hibbett Middle School PTO; present
Colbert County Children Policy Council
Junior League of the Shoals. -Provisional Director; 2024
La Leche League of the Shoals - Leader; 2024

Specialties

Prenatal & Postpartum Mood & Anxiety Disorders
Prenatal & Postpartum mental health consultations
Birth planning
Postpartum planning
Infant & Early Childhood Mental Health including diagnosis using the DC 0-5, and developmental & behavioral disorders in young (under age 6) children
Grief/Loss of a child (during pregnancy & beyond)
Adverse childbirth experiences/trauma
Infertility
Attachment difficulties
Family separation issues
Teen Parenting
Couples Therapy
Lactation

About Us

The wisdom and compassion a woman can intuitively experience in childbirth can make her a source of healing and understanding for other women.

Who We Are

Back to Our Roots

Meet the Team

Liane Freels

Trainings & Memberships

Specialties

Alisha Dreiling

Trainings & Memberships

Specialties

Keystone Office Building

Come Visit at our office

About Us

The wisdom and compassion a woman can intuitively experience in childbirth can make her a source of healing and understanding for other women.

Who We Are

Back to Our Roots

Meet the Team

Liane Freels

Trainings & Memberships

Specialties

Alisha Dreiling

Trainings & Memberships

Specialties

Keystone Office Building

Come Visit at our office

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