Meet Our Leadership Team

Stephen Velasquez is the Founder, Clinical Director, and Managing Director of ZipHealthy. A Licensed Clinical Social Worker and decorated Air Force veteran — recipient of the Air Force Achievement Medal and Air Force Commendation Medal for clinical service — Stephen began his clinical career after earning his Master of Social Work (Clinical Concentration) from the University of Southern California — a USA top-6 ranked MSW program at the time of his graduation — on a full Air Force Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP) scholarship — a highly selective military award covering 100% of tuition, fees, and a monthly stipend, reserved for candidates committed to serving as active-duty officers in their profession. During graduate school, Stephen completed clinical rotations at Methodist Hospital, Methodist Home Health & Hospice, and Ehrling Bergquist Hospital at Offutt Air Force Base — where he rotated through substance abuse treatment and prevention, family advocacy, outpatient mental health, and disaster mental health — gaining hands-on experience across inpatient, home health, hospice, and military behavioral health settings.

A U.S. Air Force veteran, Stephen provided direct clinical care and led behavioral health programs across Department of Defense and Veterans Affairs settings worldwide — including U.S. Army, Air Force, and Naval Special Operations Forces — serving every population the DoD touches: active-duty service members, veterans, military families, retirees, and DoD civilians. After transitioning from active duty, Stephen founded a private practice where he provided therapy and counseling to women and men of all ages — individuals, couples, and families, including children, adolescents, adults, and older adults. The majority of his clients present with anxiety, depression, trauma, or ADHD, and he also works with relationship difficulties, life transitions, grief, and chronic stress. He also consulted with Fortune 10 organizations, including Microsoft, on executive leadership and clinical program development. Stephen founded ZipHealthy to bring that same compassion, clinical rigor, and commitment to every person who walks through the door.

Qualifications & Credentials

• 15+ Years of Clinical Practice
• Licensed Certified Social Worker (LCSW), Arkansas — License #9830-C
• Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) — Arizona, Virginia & Florida
• MSW, Clinical Concentration — University of Southern California, USA Top-6 Ranked Program at Time of Graduation (Full HPSP Scholarship)
• MBA — Cornell University
• BS in Psychology with Honors, Minor in Gerontology — University of Nebraska
• Member, Clinical Social Work Association (CSWA) — verified public profile

Specialized Training — select areas of focus among many

Evidence-Informed Psychotherapies

• Cognitive Therapy (CT)
• Behavioral Therapy (BT)
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I)
• Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
• Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
• Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
• Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT)
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
• Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PET)
• Written Exposure Therapy (WET)
• Motivational Interviewing (MI)
• Play Therapy
• Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT)
• Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)
• Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)
• Interpersonal Therapy (IPT)
• Attachment-Based Therapy
• Schema Therapy
• Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)
• Relapse Prevention (RP)

Trauma & Crisis Intervention

• Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM)
• Psychological First Aid (PFA)
• Moral Injury Treatment
• Suicide Risk Assessment & Safety Planning (C-SSRS)
• Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST)
• QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer)
• Safety Planning Intervention (Stanley-Brown)
• Combat Operational Stress Control (COSC)

Substance Use & Addiction

• SBIRT (Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment)
• Relapse Prevention Therapy (RPT)
• Contingency Management (CM)
• Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET)
• AUDIT / DAST Assessment

Couples & Family

• Gottman Method Couples Therapy
• Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)
• Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT)
• Anger Management & Batterer Intervention Programs

Assessment & Evaluation

• Bio-Psycho-Social Assessment
• Fitness for Duty Evaluations
• Psychological Health Risk Assessments
• Aeromedical Consultation / Flight Surgeon Support
• Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Screening & Behavioral Health Assessment

Additional Specializations

• Grief & Bereavement Counseling
• Biofeedback / Neurofeedback

Military Readiness & Resilience

• Comprehensive Airman Fitness
• Master Resilience Trainer (MRT)
• Post-Deployment Health Assessment (PDHA / PDHRA)

MSW Clinical Foundations — University of Southern California

• Clinical Practice with Individuals
• Human Behavior & the Social Environment
• Psychopathology & Diagnostic Assessment
• Substance Abuse & Addictive Disorders
• Military Social Work
• Clinical Treatment Methods
• Social Work Research & Evidence-Informed Practice
• Evaluation of Research: Mental Health
• Policy & Practice in Social Service Organizations
• Leadership in the Social Work Profession
• Integrative Learning for Clinical Practice
• Field Practicum (4 semesters)

Clinical & Leadership Experience

• Hospital, Inpatient, Outpatient, Intensive Outpatient (IOP) & Partial Hospitalization (PHP) Settings
• Army, Air Force & Navy Special Operations Forces — Worldwide — Clinical Care, Performance Enhancement & Resilience Optimization
• Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention & Treatment (ADAPT) — Substance Use Assessment, Intervention, Education & Rehabilitation
• Family Advocacy Program — Domestic Violence, Child Maltreatment, Couples Counseling, Parenting & Prevention
• Outpatient Mental Health — Individual, Couples & Family Therapy
• Emergency Room / Crisis Mental Health — Triage, Safety Planning & Crisis Stabilization
• Behavioral Health Integration in Primary Care — Brief Therapy, Same-Day Consultation, Warm Handoffs & Integrated Screening
• Disaster & Combat Operational Stress Mental Health — Deployment Support, Reintegration & Critical Incident Debriefing
• Methodist Hospital (Graduate Clinical Rotation)
• Methodist Home Health & Hospice (Graduate Clinical Rotation)
• Ehrling Bergquist Hospital, Offutt Air Force Base (Graduate Clinical Rotation) — Substance Abuse Treatment & Prevention, Family Advocacy, Outpatient Mental Health, Disaster Mental Health
• Hospice & Palliative Care Mental Health
• Programs Achieved Top Joint Commission (JCAHO) Accreditation Marks

Mentorship & Training

Throughout his career, Stephen has served as a clinical supervisor and trainer for doctoral-level clinical psychologists completing their residencies, psychiatry residents, clinical social workers pursuing licensure, and medical providers integrating behavioral health into primary care. He also mentors clinical psychologists preparing for the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP) and social workers sitting for the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) clinical exam. He views mentorship as one of the most rewarding parts of his work — helping the next generation of clinicians build the confidence and competence to deliver exceptional patient care.

Outside the office, Stephen lives in Northwest Arkansas with his family. He stays active through Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Karate, and ice hockey, and is passionate about volunteering in the NWA community. He believes the same values that guide his clinical work — showing up, doing the hard thing, and taking care of the people around you — apply just as much at home.

“Per aspera ad astra.” — Through hardships to the stars.

As Vice President of Technology, Daniel Boone oversees ZipHealthy's business consulting vertical and the systems that keep your information secure and your experience seamless — from HIPAA-compliant telehealth to encrypted client records. With over 25 years of experience in technology and cybersecurity, an MBA, and a CISSP certification, Daniel has partnered with Fortune 100 companies on enterprise security, digital infrastructure, and technology strategy. At ZipHealthy, he ensures that the technology behind your care is as reliable as the clinicians delivering it.

Outside his role at ZipHealthy, Daniel is deeply engaged in the AI and technical product management space — always exploring how emerging technology can improve the way people access care. He’s also a committed mentor to early-career technology and cybersecurity professionals, and believes the best teams are built on trust, accountability, and a genuine desire to serve others.

“Facta, non verba.” — Deeds, not words.

Erica Velasquez serves as Vice President of Human Resources at ZipHealthy. With a Bachelor of Science from the University of Nebraska and over 15 years of experience, she specializes in strategic HR leadership and organizational excellence. Erica has successfully led initiatives that enhanced executive performance, cultivated inclusive cultures, and drove innovation. Her commitment to excellence ensures our clients receive dedicated support in talent management and organizational development.