Founder/Counselor
Ally is a Licensed Professional Counselor and board approved supervisor. With a Masters degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Ally is passionate about using evidence-based practices to support her clients.
Ally specializes in working with children, teens, young adults, parents and families. She is published in the Journal of Attention Disorders for her research on ADHD. During graduate school she served as a research assistant at St. Jude Children’s Hospital in Memphis, TN and at Our Lady of the Lake Tau Center in Baton Rouge, LA.
Upon completing graduate school, Ally worked at Our Lady of the Lake on the inpatient psychiatric units serving the addiction and detox units. After a year there, she returned to her love of working with children as the primary children and family counselor on the Adolescent Psychiatric inpatient unit. She facilitated individual, family, and group work with patients ages 13-17. While there, she also saw clients in private practice, facilitating play therapy with clients ages 3-9 and providing parenting classes. In 2018, having built a reputation for working with children and families, Ally was approached by a day school to provide mental health services to students ages 2-11 in the school setting. For four years she has provided individual, group, and family services in the school setting while also maintaining a private practice serving children, college students and adults in individual and relationship counseling.
With current events and the aftermath of the health pandemic and shutdowns, Ally has seen how the need for mental health services has skyrocketed. With such high demand and so few providers with the specialty and experience to work with children, Ally decided to open Refinery Counseling Center. The mission is simple: serve our clients with grace and excellence.
When not serving others, Ally enjoys spending time outdoors and with her children. She loves to travel, read, and explore new places.
: ally@refinerycounselingcenter.com
Invited Presentations:
- Bayard, A. (2023, January). Toxic Masculinity in the Transition From High School to College. Presented at Catholic High School in Baton Rouge, LA.
- Bayard, A. (2022, October). Mental Health in the Modern World: Optimizing Mental Health for Young Adults Living in a Digital Era. Presented at LSU Delta Zeta in Baton Rouge, LA.
- Bayard, A. (2022, October). Boundaries and Values. Presented at LSU Pi Beta Phi Sorority Mental Health Night in Baton Rouge, LA.
- Bayard, A. (2022, September). Mental Health in the Modern World: Optimizing Mental Health for Young Adults Living in a Digital Era. Presented at LSU Kappa Kappa Gamma in Baton Rouge, LA.
- Bayard, A. (2020, August). Responding to Children’s Needs in a COVID World. St. James Episcopal Day School Faculty In-Service in Baton Rouge, LA.
- Bayard, A. (2019, May). Pediatric IBD: Helping Your Child Survive and Thrive. Presented at Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation’s Louisiana Education Day in Baton Rouge, LA.
- Bayard, A. (2018, October). Boundaries and Decision Making. Presented at LSU Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity Mental Health Night in Baton Rouge, LA.
Contributions in Publication
- 2023- Inspiring Women featured profile (InRegister)
- 2023- Healthy Relationships Start at Home (Baton Rouge Family Fun)
- 2021- Ease Back To School Anxiety With These Tips From a School Counselor
- 2020- School Daze: Local Experts Give Advice for Finding Calm Among the 2020 School Chaos (InRegister)