FORSYTH PSYCHIATRIC ASSOCIATES - Key Persons
Dan Wilemon is a licensed clinical mental health counselor supervisor (LCMHC-S) and licensed clinical addictions specialist (LCAS) and Certified Clinical Supervisor (CCS). Dan has had more than 20 years of experience in working with adolescents 13 and older, adults, and families experiencing Mental Health and Substance Abuse issues. Dan's approach includes Family Systems, Motivational Interviewing, EMDR, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Solution Focused Therapy, Gottman couple therapy and focused on a person's development over the lifespan. He received his master's degree with a concentration in marriage and family studies from the University of North Carolina, Greensboro with later intensive training and licensing in the field of addictions.
Dan was interested in helping others and the field of counseling since the age of 13. His own struggles with depression as a teen made him empathize significantly with those struggling with this painful emotion. Dan's strategy is to make sure each individual feels heard, cared for, and understood. He is very holistic in his approach to therapy and strives to evaluate and address each individual in all aspects of their life, both biological/psychological/social/spiritual. He strives to be honest and straightforward in empowering clients to reach their goals, and help them identify roadblocks to change. Change is very difficult, and much support is given to encourage each client to face the issues and challenges that they are confronted with. Dan supports clients in using their spiritual beliefs as a major strength in treatment when that is important to them.
Dan enjoys spending time walking with his wife in the evenings, and is a lover of music, playing in the local community band and his church orchestra.
Dr. Yuan, a board-certified psychiatrist, and former internist and cardiologist completed her residency training at the renowned University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics psychiatry program and was trained by Dr. Nancy Andreasen, William Coryell, and Susan K. Schultz who were involved in writing DSM III, DSM IV and DSM V (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders by American Psychiatric Association). Dr. Yuan applies integrative mental health care to her clients to meet individual needs and emphasizes wellness and healing of the whole person. Dr. Yuan enjoys and believes in therapy. In addition to working with medications, she also draws from her extensive training in evidence-based psychotherapies to help people achieve a higher quality and more productive life. These include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), (trained and certified by Marsha Lynehan, the founder of DBT), Systems Training for Emotional Predictability and Problem Solving (STEPPS), motivational interview, mindfulness, and mentalization techniques. Dr. Yuan directly supervises other providers and therapists at Forsyth Psychiatric Associates.
Dr. Yuan has experience with a wide variety of mental illnesses for all ages. She has published original research on difficult-to-treat depression, side effects of psychiatric medications, and benzodiazepine overdose. She does not accept promotional fees from the pharmaceutical industry.
Part of what inspires her work is her deep compassion for people who suffer from mental struggles. She treats the clients the way she wants to be treated. She strives to provide clients with the best possible psychiatric care and respects each person's voice in their treatment. Every day Dr. Yuan feels rewarded with many patients telling her how improved they feel under her care.
Outside of work she likes to spend time with her family, cooking, hiking, swimming, and singing.
Karlene Haggerty (she/her) is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor and Licensed Clinical Addiction Specialist, who received her master's degree in Clinical Counseling from East Carolina University.
She has experience working with children ages 10 and up, teens and adults who have anxiety, depression, trauma, addiction, self-esteem issues, and ADHD, as well as other challenges that can leave individuals feeling emotionally drained. She is trained in cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness, motivational interviewing and EMDR.
Karlene is committed to offering unconditional support and a positive environment so patients feel comfortable discussing anything that may come up during sessions. Karlene has a passion for coming alongside patients to help them walk through the challenges they encounter throughout their lives. She believes therapy is a collaborative effort, with the patient as an active participant in their goals and treatment.
Outside of work, Karlene enjoys traveling to the beaches of North Carolina, trying new restaurants, listening to live music, and spending time with her family.
Job Titles:
- Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Kayla is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and earned her master's degree in social work from Brescia University. She has experience working with teens and adults with varying diagnoses, such as anxiety, depression, grief, substance abuse, PTSD, trauma, and many others. Kayla applies Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Solution Focused Therapy, Mindfulness Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, and Motivational Interviewing techniques in her sessions.
Kayla has a passion for helping clients achieve their goals. She takes a strength-based unconditional support approach and utilizes flexible techniques and skills depending on the client's needs. She believes that therapy is a collaborative process and strives to guide clients to increase self-awareness, gain new perspectives, recognize strengths, and reduce symptoms to live a more meaningful life.
Kayla is a Thurmond, NC, native. In Kayla's personal time, she enjoys fishing, hiking, camping, and spending time with her husband and children outdoors.
Lindsay Brumfield is a board-certified physician assistant. She completed her medical training at Emory and Henry College School of Health Sciences in Marion, Virginia where she obtained a Masters of Physician Assistant Studies degree. She received her Bachelor of Science at Radford University, majoring in Biology.
Lindsay desires to create trusting and therapeutic relationships with her patients. She provides an unconditionally positive, non-judgemental, and supportive environment to help the clients to recover. She values diversity and welcomes all individuals of any background. Lindsay is passionate and committed to providing high-quality care to all her beloved patients in every session. She is dedicated to aiding her patients in bettering their mental health and well-being by utilizing many modalities including medications, mindfulness, motivational interviewing, other psychotherapy techniques, and natural or alternative medicine options.
Lindsay treats various mental health conditions including depression, anxiety, ADHD, bipolar disorder, panic disorders, autism, substance use, psychosis, sleep issues, chronic pain, fatigue and etc. She works closely with Dr. Yuan to provide the best psychiatric care possible.
Outside the office, Lindsay enjoys time in nature, thrifting, reading, painting, being with loved ones, and spoiling her two cats and bearded dragon.
Madeline is a board-certified nurse practitioner serving patients aged 13 and older. She received her Bachelor's in nursing from UNC Chapel Hill and her Master's as a nurse practitioner from Vanderbilt University. She has experience with depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia disorder, dementia, Autism, ADHD, trauma, intellectual disabilities, etc.
Madeline has a passion for helping clients and strives to provide high-quality, individualized mental healthcare to assist clients in reaching their highest level of mental health. She wants to ensure that everyone feels comfortable, understood, and well cared for. She provides unconditional support, a non-judgmental and positive environment to help the clients build up resilience and improve their quality of life. She utilizes medication, psychotherapy, and lifestyle modification in her sessions. Madeline works closely with Dr. Yuan.
In her free time, Madeline spends time with her husband, cat, and four chickens. She loves bike rides, thrift shopping, and ice cream.
Job Titles:
- Clinical Mental Health Counseling Associate
- Therapist
Madison Lineberger is a licensed Clinical Mental Health Counseling Associate (LCMHCA) and received her Master of Health Science degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Catawba College. Madison has a passion for providing care to those living with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and wants to provide nurturing, compassionate, highly effective, and exposure-based counseling to children and adults experiencing the struggles that come with having OCD. Madison also has experience working with clients who experience anxiety, depression, stress, bipolar, trauma, and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Madison's therapeutic techniques include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), Mindfulness, Person-Centered Therapy (PCT), Exposure-Response Prevention (ERP), and Solution-Focused Therapy.
Madison strives to provide high-quality, individualized mental healthcare and believes in creating a healthy trusting partner relationship with clients by showing empathy, and acceptance, and meeting clients where they are at to help the client see that they are understood, they matter, and what they are experiencing is something that they are not tackling alone. As a counselor, Madison likes to help clients by identifying their values and goals, evaluating their strengths and recognizing how such strengths can be used in a therapeutic modality to help the client overcome their struggles and achieve their goals. Madison also strives to help build the client's self-esteem and also recognize cognitive distortions that are contributing to unhealthy functioning. She will provide some tools to help the client process such thoughts and restructure this way of thinking and achieve their optimal goals.
Madison enjoys spending time with family and friends, walking, traveling, and shopping in her free time.
Meghan Richards is a physician assistant and completed her medical training at Elon University Physician Assistant Program. She received her undergraduate degree in Health Education from the University of Florida.
Meghan values strong patient provider relationships and provides an unconditional positive supportive and non-judgmental environment. She strives to let each individual feel heard, cared and understood and helps each client to meet the individual's needs and goals. She believes in a combined approach involving psychotherapy, lifestyle modification, and medications to help the clients to achieve a full recovery. Meghan welcomes all patient populations.
Meghan is interested in treating depression, bipolar, anxiety, insomnia, PTSD, OCD, addiction, anorexia, binge eating, weight loss, ADHD, personality struggles, psychosis, relationship management, chronic pain, and fatigue. She is also certified to prescribe Buprenorphine, suboxone and vivitrol to treat opioid use disorder. She works closely with Dr. Yuan to provide the best psychiatric care possible.
Outside of work, Meghan enjoys hiking, spending time at local parks, playing tennis, watching movies, and catching up with friends and family.
Stephanie is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Associate (LCMFT-A) who works with individuals (teens and adults), families, and couples regarding a variety of mental health issues. Stephanie earned her Master's degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Pfeiffer University. Her experience includes depression, anxiety, trauma, grief, parenting, and relationship issues. Stephanie offers integrative and flexible techniques and skills to sessions depending on the client's needs, including Narrative Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Solution Focused Therapy, Experiential Therapy, Family Systems, Mindfulness Therapy, Motivational Interview and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, and couple therapy.
Stephanie's passion and curiosity for mental health started at a young age. Stephanie's approach to therapy is client-centered. She will provide a warm positive and non-judgmental environment to help you reach your goals. She believes the unique partnership of both the therapist and the individual is committed to achieving each individual's needs, which is "Teamwork makes the Dreamwork". Stephanie will equip the individuals and families with the skills and techniques to draw upon their own strengths to create positive change in their lives.
In Stephanie's personal time she enjoys reading, writing fantasy stories, cooking, singing, playing video games, and spending time with loved ones and her cats.
Stephanie Rice is a board-certified physician assistant who completed her medical training through High Point University's Physician Assistant program. She received her Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Central Florida, where she majored in Health Sciences and minored in Psychology.
Stephanie has a passion for providing optimal, patient-centered care and building a strong therapeutic relationship with her patients. She strives to make sure each individual feels heard, understood, cared for and valued and provide unconditional support during each step of their mental health journey. Stephanie utilizes evidence-based treatment including lifestyle modifications, psychotherapy, natural treatment and medications to help the clients achieve a personalized full recovery. She welcomes working with all patient populations from different cultures and backgrounds. Stephanie has an interest in treating a variety of mental illnesses. She works closely with Dr. Yuan to provide the best psychiatric care possible.
Outside of work, Stephanie enjoys hiking, exercising, creating art, cooking, and spending time with her friends and family.
Job Titles:
- Licensed Clinical Mental Health Associate
- Therapist
Tiffany Timmons is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Associate (LCMHCA) and Licensed Clinical Addiction Specialist Associate. She received her Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Liberty University. Tiffany has been a high school teacher for the past 6 years and has a passion for providing care for individuals with anxiety, depression, and autism and wants to provide an empathetic, accepting, and respectful atmosphere to children, adolescents, and adults experiencing those struggles from all walks of life. Tiffany also has experience working with individuals who have symptoms of Bipolar Disorder, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, substance use, and other traumas. Tiffany's primary theoretical orientation is based on a combination of Narrative Therapy, Cognitive-Behavior-Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), and Behavior Therapy. She is Safe-Zone certified, fostering a safe atmosphere for people of LGBTQIA+ backgrounds to explore their voice and authenticity. Tiffany is SYMBIS certified and can offer couples counseling before marriage, to ensure compatibility and understanding of one's partner.
Tiffany found her calling to the mental health field as a teenager following her own battles with anxiety, depression, and self-esteem issues. This is why she wants to build a trusting partnership with clients through empathy and acceptance. By meeting clients where they are, Tiffany ensures they feel understood, valued, and supported, demonstrating that they are not facing their challenges alone. As a counselor, she is dedicated to enhancing clients' self-esteem and identifying cognitive distortions that contribute to unhealthy functioning. Tiffany provides tools to help clients process these thoughts, restructure their thinking, and attain their optimal goals, all the while finding peace in their own soul.
Outside of her calling to counseling, Tiffany enjoys spending time with her three dachshunds, her cat, family, and friends. She enjoys exploring and traveling, laying out by the beach, practicing being an undercover foodie at new restaurants, and cuddling up with a new book.
Willow Portela (she/her) is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor and a graduate of Appalachian State University. She works with high school teens and adults to help them explore, understand, and heal from lived experiences. Willow's areas of interest include complex trauma and PTSD, anxiety, depression, personality struggles, relationship problems, self-compassion, and prioritizing self-care in the midst of stressful life circumstances. She also works with LGBTQIA concerns and fosters a gender-affirming environment. She strives to create a space where all of you are welcome and gives voice to the many parts of your unique and authentic self.
As your therapist and fellow human, Willow believes that we are incredibly complex and that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to healing. She knows that change can be uncomfortable and believes in the power of a safe and supportive therapeutic relationship as the foundation for growth. Willow utilizes a variety of strategies from cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), mindfulness, EMDR, motivational interview, and expressive arts. She understands that your mental health may be greatly impacted by your experiences and believes that it can be beneficial to look at current issues in the context of the past. She views your experiences through a systemic and cultural lens and acknowledges the many parts of your life that have impacted your well-being. Willow walks alongside you through your darkest moments and celebrates the bright ones.
Outside of her work, Willow enjoys reading books, listening to true crime podcasts, watching live music, cooking yummy food, and spending time with her husband and their cat and dog.