Faculty

Andy Abbott, PhD, LCPC

Andy holds his PhD in Psychology. He has been working in the mental health profession for the past 12 years. He is also an adjunct professor for both Southern Maine Community College and Capella University. Andy currently has his own private practice in Portland. His passion and research interest center in existential psychology.

Jennifer Bella, LCSW

Jennifer has over 20 years of counseling experience in both New Hampshire and Maine and currently maintains a private practice in North Conway. She has extensive experience working with gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered clients including a variety of group work.

Dana Bontatibus, LCPC, LMFT

Dana has provided clinical services in Connecticut and crisis services in Maine. He currently serves as the supervisor of Sweetser's Adult Crisis Stabilization Unit and Supported Housing program.

Grace Brace, LCSW

Grace has over 20 years of experience in the social work field. The last 15 years have been in the adoption field and prior to that she worked with families in a clinical setting and within their homes. Grace utilizes evidence-based practice in her counseling work with children, individuals, couples and families. She has training in Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Motivational Interviewing and Play Therapy. Grace is in the process of obtaining her certifications as a Registered Play Therapist and as a Trauma Therapist.

Andrea Brewster, LCPC, LCMHC

Andrea is currently a Clinical Supervisor with Sweetser. She has specialized in treating Learning Disabled Adults and Children using DBT, CBT and expressive arts therapies in individual group settings.

Patricia Burke, MSW, LCSW

Patricia is a Board certified diplomat in clinical social work, a certified clinical alcohol, tobacco and other drugs social worker, a qualified member of MINT (Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers) and a certified clinical supervisor. She has been on the faculty of the Rutgers University Summer School of Alcohol and Drug Strudies since 1989 and is currently on the faculty of the Brown University Center of Alcohol Studies: Addiction Technology Transfer Center of New England and the Union Institute and University of Vermont Academic Center Adult Degree Program where she teaches in the concentrations of Psychology and Spirituality & Holistic Studies. She maintains a private clinical and consultation practice in Maine.

Deb Dana, LCSW

Deb is part of a group practice in Saco, Maine - The Island Institute for Trauma Recovery, specializing in working with complex traumatic stress. She is certified TAT (Tapas Acupressure Technique) trainer, a certified Internal Family Systems therapist, has trained in Sensorimotor psychotherapy and EMDR, and completed a certificate program in traumatic stress studies at the Trauma Center in Boston. In addition to her clinical work she teaches a trauma theory and practice class in the School of Social Work at the University of Southern Maine.

Sue Carol Duffy, PsyD, RPT-S

Dr. Duffy developed the Moving Stories play therapy method, Wonder Room and a growing number of therapeutic stories for the sandtray. She has many years of experience utilizing play therapy, sandtray therapy and bibliotherapy. Dr. Duffy works in rural coastal Maine where she serves as a psychologist at the Pleasant Point Health Center on the Passamaquoddy Reservation. Dr. Duffy served on the Maine Play Therapy Association board and taught for Chesapeake Beach Professional Seminars. She has experience working in outpatient settings, with schools and Head Start.

Gretchen Fall, CAS, LPCP, RPT-S

Gretchen has worked in the mental health field for over 10 years in schools, mental health agencies, crisis units and day treatment. She currently has a small private practice with play therapy, clinical counseling and supervision.

Ron Feintech, PhD

Ron holds his PhD in Clinical Psychology. He began his career as a professional pscyhologist, sex educator and psychotherapist following his post-doctoral fellowship at Harvard Medical School. He and his wife operate The Couple's Center in Portland.

Kelli Fox, LCSW, LADC, CCS

Kelli holds an MSW from the University of New England School of Social Work and a BA in Psychology from Rutgers University. Kelli has been practicing as a substance abuse and family counselor since 1987 and as a clinical social worker since 1991. She has provided clinical and administrative supervision to students, master and bachelor level clinicians and supervisors for 20 years. Kelli is the Director of Sweetser's Training Institute and Co-Occuring Disorders Program. Kelli has taught as an adjunct faculty member at the University of New England's School of Social Work and in the Marriage and Family Therapy Certificate Program, as well as at Southern Maine Community College. Kelli is the former executive director of Transitions Counseling, Inc.

Kristin Hurley, LCPC, NCC

Kristin has trained at the Minuchin Center for the Family and has served as a clinical supervisor for Sweetser’s MST program. Kristin completed her post-master's in clinical community counseling at John Hopkins University, and co-authored Development and Validation of the Self-Awareness and Management Strategies (SAMS) Scales for Therapists.

Marc Kaplan, DO

Dr. Kaplan is the Medical Director for Sweetser. He is a clinical instructor in family medicine at the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine. He has extensive experience providing medical educational programs on a regional and national basis for numerous medical education organizations.

Nancy Kelly, LADC

Nancy has over 25 years experience in the fields of mental health and addiction. She is currently a counselor in Sweetser's Outpatient Clinic with the ACT team.

Denise Lamothe, PhD

Dr. Denise is an international professional speaker, emotional eating expert, Clinical Psychologist and Doctor of Holistic Health. She is the author of the popular books, The Taming of the Chew: A Holistic Guide to Stopping Compulsive Eating, and The Appetite Connection: Six Steps to Your Delicious Life and The Body You Long For. Dr. Denise has a private practice in Exeter, NH, offering individual and group therapy with a special focus on helping people to stop emotional eating and create lives of balance, zest and joy.

Cheryl LeBlond, LCSW

Cheryl is an Ethical Fitness® Seminar (EFS) certified trainer for the Institute for Global Ethics. She has been delivering EFS since 2002 to non-profit behavioral health agencies. Cheryl has a certificate of Graduate Studies in Substance Abuse Counseling from the University of New England, a MSW from the University of Maine and a BA in Psychology from Curry College in Milton, MA. Cheryl's professional work began in 1993 providing mental health emergency services for inner-city children in Boston. She has since provided direct care for both children and adults, program development, clinical and administrative oversight for Acute Services (crisis, jail case management, youth suicide prevention, access to services) and has held administrator positions for mental health agencies. She was a consultant for Maine's DHHS Office of Adult Mental Health Services and most recently was a clinical supervisor for Sweetser's Community-based Based Services in Knox and Waldo Counties.

Jeff Levy, LCSW, GAL

Jeff received his MSW from the University of New England and BS from the University of Maine. Jeff has been operating his private practice for more than 10 years and has been serving the Maine courts as a Guardian ad Litem for more than 5 years. Additionally, Jeff has been an adoption social worker, and serving as the Director of the Maine branch for China Adoption With Love. Jeff previously worked as the director of the Camp Waban program for 5 years, and was a crisis worker at Crisis Response Services for 5 years.

Christine Linnehan, BC-DMT, LCPC

Christine has a private practice, Riverview Counseling, in Scarborough and is a clinical consultant at the Center for Grieving Children in Portland. She has worked in both inpatient and outpatient clinical settings for over 15 years specializing in trauma, grief and bereavement.

Mary Lyons, LCPC, CADC

Mary began her career in the counseling field at Evodia House, precursor to Crossroads, treating women with substance abuse issues. She is a certified trainer for the Driver Education and Evaluation Program (DEEP).

Pat McKenzie, LCSW

Pat is a vice president of programs for Youth Alternatives Ingraham. She has previously served as the senior director of crisis services for Sweetser and as operations manager of Northeast Crisis Services. Pat has an advanced certificate in family therapy with a concentration in post-structural models of practice.

Kara Morton, BSED, LCDC

Kata was originally an elementary school teacher who followed a growing passion to help loved ones struggling with addiction. Kara has worked as an addiction recovery counselor for the past five years and considers herself blessed to aide in helping society understand addiction and recovery.

Donna Murray, MEd

Donna is a local leader in the field of adventure-based and experiential learning. She coordinates and facilitates programs for youth and adult groups throughout the state. She has also served as a certified trainer for Project Adventure.

DeeDee Nold, LICSW, RPT-S

DeeDee is a licensed independent clinical social worker and a registered play therapist supervisor. She has a private practice in New Hampshire and Florida. Ms. Nold has a MA degree in special education from the University of Tulsa and a MSW from Barry University. She specializes in young children 18 months and older and works with special populations including Asperger's, Sensory Integration Disorder, Non Verbal Learning Disabilities, Acute Anxiety and children of high conflict divorce. Ms. Nold is assisted in therapy by her therapy dog, Benny.

Miranda Phelps, PsyD

Miranda is a clinical psychologist with fifteen years of experience as a therapist for individual adults, children and families. Work settings have included mental health centers, schools, hospitals and neighborhood clinics. She holds a doctorate from the Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology and has done extensive specialized training in the areas of trauma, attachment, eating disorders, women's issues and family therapy. Miranda has a private practice in Waterville where she sees clients and offers supervision for clinicians.

Nicholas Ruf, MA, LADC

Nicholas worked for Maine's impaired driver countermeasures programs (DEEP) for 23 years. He has taught graduate and undergraduate courses and workshops in aspects of substance abuse and co-occurring disorders to professional, medical, educational, civic and other interested groups.

Amy Simonds, LCPC

Amy is Sweetser’s director of child & adult community services. She has a wide range of experience working with children and adolescents and as a clinical supervisor.

Bonnie Thomas, LCSW

Bonnie is a School-based clinician with Sweetser. She has worked with children ages 3-18 in a variety of clinical and social service agencies. Bonnie is the author and illustrator of Creative Coping Skills for Children: Emotional Support Through Arts and Crafts Activities.

Robert White, JD

Robert is an attorney who has provided strategies to clinicians who are called to testify in court. Robert also serves as the compliance officer for Sweetser.

What Our Customers Are Saying

"Sweetser was a lot of fun and very beneficial to our team. Their program was meaningful, and brought our group together on a whole new level. Leaving Sweetser, I felt as though I knew my teammates better, and felt confident about the trust and bonds that I had formed through out the day."- K...

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