Welcome to Underwood! We are so glad to have you! 

     My name is Mrs. Pesce ( pronounced "Pesh"), and I've been at Underwood since 2020. I love little kids--I think they say the cutest and funniest things, and I love their perspectives on life. :)

     I love being at Underwood--it has such extensive academic, creative, and social-emotional learning for children. I hope to bring whatever strengths I have to this position in order to help support you and your family.

My Approach

      School is the hub of social-emotional and academic support and development for our children. I see my role as helping students get through the struggles in their lives, teaching them skills, and helping them be caring, successful adults who can live in the real world. Kids who are happy spread happiness everywhere.

     I take a strengths-based approach in mind when working with students, focusing on growing the integrity, strengths and gifts of all students. I incorporate cognitive-behavioral work, family systems thinking, some Brief Therapy approaches, relationship-building, Conscious Discipline, some 1-2-3 Magic! and play therapy techniques when working with students.

Counseling Background

     I have been a counselor for 34 years: Community mental health counseling for 13 years and school counseling for 21 years. I have a Master's degree in community counseling.

    My first job was in 1989 as a Social Worker and Team Leader in a group home for adolescents with behavior and family challenges. While there, I did individual, group, family, and multi-family group counseling. We also did workshops and training for other agencies.

     I did post-graduate coursework at UNC-CH (diagnosis and treatment) and at UNC-G (family therapy courses). During that time, I worked towards AAMFT (American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy) certification. I completed the first step, (the required 200 hours of taped, two-way mirror, and consultation/feedback) family counseling training with AAMFT supervisor Dr. John T. Edwards, Ph.D. 

     After five years, I took a position as an outpatient therapist with Forsyth-Stokes Mental Health in Winston-Salem. While there, I provided outpatient and in-home therapy to adults, children and families. I also provided case management services to children and teens in Stokes County. Since 1995,

     When the public mental health system was dismantled, I took a position as the Assistant Dean for Continuing Studies at Salem College, helping academically advise and counsel adult students getting their Bachelor's degree or working to attain their teaching certificate. Part of my role was being a liaison with professors and other campus staff. Another part of my role there was to set up, promote and publish community learning programs, as well as doing recruiting and marketing for Salem College.

     After having my two girls, I began work as a school counselor. I went back to graduate school at N.C. A&T at night, took courses over five years in school counseling, and received my school counselor's license from the Department of Public Instruction. I've been an elementary school counselor since 2001.

I have been licensed in N.C. as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), now titled N.C. Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC).

I look forward to getting to know you and your family. Please email me at fpesce@wcpss if you have any questions or if I can help in any way. :)