Co-Founder, Director of Operations, Coach, Clinical Counseling Practicum & Internship (clinical supervision by Dr. Richard Dell'Isola, PhD, LMFT)

Peter believes every person possesses inherent dignity and the capacity for growth. His work is grounded in the conviction that meaningful healing begins when people are genuinely heard, thoughtfully understood, and compassionately accompanied through life’s challenges and transitions.

Throughout his career, Peter has served as an educator, school leader, coach, and mentor in academic, nonprofit, and faith-based settings across the United States. His passion has always been helping individuals and families grow in wisdom, resilience, and authentic flourishing. At Lanterna, he integrates these experiences to provide counseling and coaching that attends to the whole person.

Peter’s approach is evidence-informed, relational, and rooted in a Christian understanding of the human person. Drawing from psychology, philosophy, and family systems, he seeks to help clients cultivate healthier relationships, deeper self-understanding, and lives marked by greater meaning and purpose.

Peter is completing a Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Divine Mercy University. He previously earned a Master of Theological Studies from Boston University and a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from the University of Illinois Springfield, both with academic honors. His additional training includes neuropsychology, Catholic theology and catechesis, trauma-informed care, and alternative and lifestyle medicine.

Outside the counseling office, Peter enjoys coaching youth sports, spending time with his family, reading, and making art and woodcraft.

Clinical Practicum & Internship Counseling (clinical supervision by Christine Alvarez, MA, LCMHS)

Noah is a mental health counseling intern at Lanterna who is passionate about helping individuals navigate trauma, anxiety, OCD, ADHD, and the emotional challenges associated with chronic medical illness. His approach combines scientific curiosity with compassionate, evidence-informed care.

Before entering the counseling profession, Noah earned a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from Duke University, with minors in Psychology and Neuroscience, and worked as a data scientist with the Collective for Psychiatric Neuroengineering. His background in research continues to inform his thoughtful approach to understanding the brain, behavior, and mental health.

Noah is currently completing a master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Divine Mercy University. He is a Certified Clinical Traumatologist through the Green Cross Academy of Traumatology and has completed training in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR).

In 2025, Noah traveled to rural Kenya with Green Cross International, where he trained community leaders in trauma-informed helping skills and provided support to orphans and local residents. Following his reception into the Catholic Church in 2024, he became increasingly drawn to counseling as a vocation of service. For clients who desire it, Noah thoughtfully integrates the Catholic understanding of the human person into the counseling process while welcoming individuals of all backgrounds.

Sr. Director of Coach Development

Mike Ptomey is a coach, educator, and speaker dedicated to helping individuals cultivate lives of greater purpose, wisdom, and authentic flourishing. Drawing on timeless principles, practical insight, and evidence-based wellness strategies, he helps clients grow in character, resilience, and intentional living.

For more than twenty years, Mike has taught History, Literature, and Theology in Catholic education while also serving as an adjunct professor in higher education. He currently serves as Chair of the Theology Department at DeMatha Catholic High School, his alma mater, and contributes to catechist formation throughout the Archdiocese of Washington as a member of the Religious Education Advisory Board and a certified catechetical instructor and trainer.

At Lanterna, Mike specializes in coaching men who desire lives of greater purpose, stronger relationships, and enduring personal growth. His approach emphasizes virtue, honest self-reflection, healthy habits, and the wisdom needed to flourish in everyday life. For clients who desire it, he thoughtfully integrates the Catholic intellectual and spiritual tradition into the coaching process.

Mike holds a Certificate in Lifestyle and Wellness Coaching from Harvard Medical School. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Arizona, a Master of Arts in Theology and a Master of Arts in Communication from Regent University, and a Master of Arts in Philosophy from Holy Apostles College and Seminary.

Mike lives in Bowie, Maryland, with his wife, Jessica, and their five children.

Director of Coach Formation

Jessica Ptomey is an author, speaker, educator, and communications scholar dedicated to helping individuals and families cultivate a vibrant, lived Catholic faith. Through her writing, speaking, and educational work, she encourages others to discover the beauty of the Church’s sacramental life and to embrace faith within the ordinary rhythms of daily life.

Jessica has served as both a university professor of communication and a parish Director of Religious Education, combining a love for teaching with a passion for catechesis and evangelization. She is especially committed to helping parents and parish communities foster deeper faith, stronger families, and confident Christian witness.

She is the author of Home in the Church: Living an Embodied Catholic Faith, which tells the story of her journey into the Catholic Church after being received in 2013. Drawing from both personal experience and the Catholic intellectual tradition, Jessica speaks and writes on faith formation, evangelization, and the Church’s sacramental vision of the human person.

At Lanterna, Jessica provides educational programs, speaking engagements, and consultation for Catholic families, parishes, and ministries. She has a particular passion for strengthening the “domestic church” by equipping parents to cultivate a joyful and enduring faith within their homes.

Jessica earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Bryan College, a Master of Arts in Journalism, and a Ph.D. in Communication Studies from Regent University. She and her husband, Mike, homeschool their five children using a Classical Catholic and Charlotte Mason-inspired approach.