Mike Ferguson
founder/executive director
mike@fergusonbhc.com
direct: 310. 684. 2529
office: 800. 624. 2650
Mike Ferguson is the Founder and Executive Director of Ferguson BHC. As an independent behavioral health consultant, Mike is able to direct families and their loved ones to appropriate programs based on their specific needs. Mike has visited over 300 therapeutic programs around the globe and is deeply passionate about finding the perfect fit for every client. He works diligently to help clients find long term recovery and help families heal themselves. At Ferguson Behavioral Health Consulting, Mike’s extensive network of professional contacts provide access to a diverse range of mental health, therapeutic, and addiction treatment options for clients and their families. Mike is an active member of the recovery community, and in his free time enjoys cycling, his dogs and traveling. Mike travels frequently to visit programs, engage in trainings, and meet with families. Mike is a board member of C4 Recovery Solutions, an addiction recovery think tank, a member of the Association of Recovery Schools, and a candidate member of the Association of Intervention Specialists. Ferguson BHC is a proud member of the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers, the National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs, and the Association for Experiential Education. Mike resides in Los Angeles with his lovely wife and two crazy dogs.
Dr. Brigitte Lank, M.A., PhD
director of clinical services
drlank@fergusonbhc.com
direct: 415. 272. 7758
office: 800. 624. 2650
Dr. Brigitte Lank is a licensed psychologist who holds a Master’s Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy and a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology. She has two decades of direct clinical service to include specialization in addiction medicine, substance related disorders, process addictions, eating disorders and co-existing psychiatric disorders for adults and adolescents. With a commitment to addictions field and treatment development she has conducted original research of personality variables and alcohol abuse and dependence. Dr. Lank is the past two-term President of the Board of Directors for the National Council on Alcoholism and Other Drug Addictions (NCADA-Bay Area) in San Francisco, CA. and committee member of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD) Diversity Committee New York, N.Y. She is a Certified Sex Addiction Therapist (CSAT) through the International Institute for Trauma and Addiction Professionals (IITAP). Currently she works as an educator, lecturer, program/treatment consultant and provides substance abuse and sex addiction assessment and individual, couple, and family psychotherapy in private practice in Marin County, California.
Charlotte Bouscaren
director of family services and admissions
charlotte@fergusonbhc.com
direct: 805. 456. 5460
office: 800. 624. 2650
Charlotte Bouscaren is the Director of Admissions and Family Services for Ferguson BHC. Charlotte helps manage families through the initial admissions process, communicates with and visits programs, facilitates family meetings and provides transport services. Charlotte started working in the field five years ago at AIM House in Boulder, CO, which specializes in helping young adults transition from primary treatment programs or outdoor therapeutic programs back into real life, learning about sobriety and life skills, while also providing educational, vocational and therapeutic support. She worked as a mentor and admissions counselor there, and then became the Director of Admissions. Charlotte earned her Bachelor of Arts in Transpersonal Psychology from Naropa University with a minor in early childhood education. Charlotte has received trainings in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) and attends meditation and mindfulness workshops regularly. She loves working with the families at the forefront of this process and getting the privilege to witness major growth in the whole family system. She enjoys sharing her personal journey in recovery from addiction and connecting with the families needing help and in crisis now. In her free time, Charlotte loves to be active: hiking, snowboarding and practicing yoga, and has recently moved from Boulder to Santa Barbara.
Johan Sorensen
family liaison and interventionist, Nashville/New York
johan@fergusonbhc.com
direct: 615. 852. 8780
office: 800. 624. 2650
Johan Sorensen was clinical director for the Nour al Shorouk Centers in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia. Before that, he was director/founder/clinical director/marketing director of some of the best known residential facilities in the UK, including Life Works and Priory Farm Place. Johan now provides consultancy services and interventions in the United States, Europe and the Middle East. He travels and networks internationally in a quest to find the newest and most effective approaches for any given population. His passion is the provision of comprehensive and top quality care using innovative and client centred approaches. As a result of living in different countries and speaking a variety of languages Johan is always looking for new challenges to push the field forward, challenge conventional wisdom and improve on what exists. Johan manages families through crisis worldwide, and is based in Nashville and Brooklyn.
Justin C. Diehl
interventionist, transporter, sober support team
justin@fergusonbhc.com
direct: 651. 336. 9256
office: 800. 624. 2650
Justin has worked in the therapeutic and recovery field for nearly a decade, and in just about every role possible. He brings a hands on, been there, seen that approach to every opportunity. Whether it is helping the still struggling alcoholic/addict and their family or the newly sober/recovering person and their family Justin’s training, experience, and belief is to treat each case as the unique situation it is and deserves.
Justin’s training started at the Hazelden Graduate School, interning on three of their primary residential units. Justin also worked for two years as Sober House Manager for The Retreat in St. Paul, managing 28 clients. Justin was also the Alumni Liaison for the Hazelden Foundation. Justin has been an Interventionist, Clinical Case Manager, and Transporter as an LADC since 2007. Justin is based in Minneapolis/St. Paul, and manages the Midwest and East Coast regions for Ferguson BHC.
Jamie Engel
operations and special projects manager
jamie@fergusonbhc.com
direct: 323. 456. 3827
office: 800. 624. 2650
Jamie Engel is the Operations and Special Projects Manager for Ferguson Behavioral Health Consulting. Formerly based in the Twin Cities, and now living in Indianapolis, Jamie has worked extensively with families & businesses in the field of addiction & mental health consulting. Jamie manages families through their initial phase, handles team logistics and works with families throughout the therapeutic process. Jamie also manages and develops new programs and areas of interest for Ferguson BHC’s diverse team. Jamie is currently studying at Indiana University-Purdue University of Indianapolis, majoring in English Literature & Creative Writing and minoring in Applied Music, with a focus on adolescent & young adult counseling & consulting.
Debbie Connolly
director of parent and family relations
debbie@fergusonbhc.com
direct: 781. 983. 7820
office: 800. 624. 2650
Debbie brings an exciting new perspective to Ferguson Behavioral Health Consulting as our parent advocate/ consultant. Formerly an Admissions Consultant for a private boarding school in Northern Maine specializing in helping families find the right fit with their struggling teen, Debbie has worked with hundreds of schools, psychologists, psychiatrists, and Educational Consultants. Debbie is passionate and highly invested in the field of long term recovery. Her real life experience with addiction, coupled with her passionate desire to help families manage and navigate through what can be the most challenging times in their lives. With her educational background as well as her openness and honesty with her own experience Debbie can make a significant impact on a family’s recovery process. Debbie is based in Boston but works with families across the country.
Our Collaborative Team
We utilize a variety of professionals nationwide to build comprehensive plans for every individual, and these professionals provide a variety of specialties that we bring on board whenever necessary.
Dr. Jessica Romeyn
Special Needs Consultant
Dr. Romeyn has over a decade of expertise in education for individuals of all ages and specializes in the treatment of those with special needs including Autism Spectrum Disorders. She has an understanding and appreciation that each person requires individual and unique consideration. Dr. Romeyn is a passionate team builder and motivator with strong communication skills and will provide you and your family with support and guidance in locating educational placements, creating transitional plans, and can facilitate building clinical resources and teams.
For more than five years, Dr. Romeyn served as Director of a prominent residential treatment facility where she worked closely with psychologists and psychiatrists to assess clients and develop individualized treatment plans addressing psychological, educational, and psychosocial needs for at-risk adolescents and their families. For several years prior to becoming the Residential Director she was a school based and residential clinician. Her responsibilities included conducting individual, family, and group therapy, as well as participated in many Individualized Education Planning Meetings. In addition to the overall management of the facility, Dr. Romeyn specialized in working directly with adolescents who are challenged in the areas of socialization, communication, and peer relations including those with Asperger’s Disorder and other related disorders.
Dr. Romeyn is known for her comprehensive and relatable style and is committed to working closely with students and parents. She offers a personalized approach tailored to you and your family’s individual needs. As an associate member of the Independent Educational Association, she follows all the principals of good practice including accepting the responsibility to understand each student’s special strengths, values and needs, while striving to include all family members in the educational planning process. You can find out more about Dr. Romeyn on her website.
Susan Berlin, LICSW
Susan’s career as a therapist began over two decades ago in 1989 at the Caron Foundation, a drug and alcohol rehabilitation program that also specializes in codependency and ACOA (Adult Children of Alcoholics) work . At Caron, Susan discovered her passion for and joy in helping people find more of themselves and seeing the magical results of that journey.
A few years later, Susan moved to New York City to begin her private psychotherapy practice. While establishing her practice, she also designed and implemented an intensive outpatient drug and alcohol treatment program for Mediplex/United Hospital in New Rochelle, NY.
With a desire to grow personally and professionally, Susan relocated her therapy practice to Georgetown in Washington, DC, where she does Individual counseling and therapy, couples and marriage/relationship counseling, group therapy, Psychodynamic Clinical Supervision for Social Workers in DC and Drug and Alcohol Counselors and specialized work with impaired professionals. In addition she offers aftercare and continuing care for clients coming out of intensive outpatient treatment and inpatient treatment programs for substance abuse and addiction issues. Susan works with people varying in age from 17 to adult. More information about Susan can be found on her website.
Dr. Colleen Kelly, PhD, MFT
Colleen M. Kelly, PhD, MFT is a psychotherapist and clinical outreach consultant. She is a California Licensed Marriage Family Therapist and an APA Board Certified Professional Counselor. She holds a BFA from New York University, a Masters in Clinical Psychology from Antioch University and a Doctorate. With over 20 years of personal recovery, Dr. Kelly has worked in the substance abuse and mental health field in a variety of clinical settings, beginning 17 years ago with American Indian treatment centers.
Dr. Kelly is a California Probation Certified Master Domestic Violence Group Facilitator and has participated in the development of culturally relevant substance abuse and batterers programs. She is a Board Certified Subject Matter Expert in Substance Abuse with the Board of Behavioral Science and a BBSE licensed Continuing Education Provider. In 2005, Dr. Aletha Solter, a colleague of Piaget, certified her as an Aware Parenting Parent Educator Specialist. As an educator, she has had over 80 articles and is the author of over 20 Continuing Education courses for MFTs and LCSWs. Her private practice is in Santa Monica, CA. Dr. Kelly specializes in couples and addiction. More info about Dr. Kelly can be found on her website.
Dr. Reza Nabavi, PhD
Dr. Reza Nabavi (also called Dr. Reza) is a licensed Clinical Psychologist who has over 12 years of clinical experience working with individuals and families suffering from alcohol and chemical dependency, problem gambling, low self-esteem, mood and anxiety disorders, chronic mental illness, men’s issues, interpersonal problems, process addictions, and co-occurring disorders. His psychodynamic training does not limit his use of other modalities. Dr. Reza’s integrative approach incorporates humanistic, family systems, and mindfulness-based cognitive behavioral therapy techniques. Clients have described him as warm and empathic, while appreciating his honest and direct feedback as well. While long-term depth work can be valuable in terms of gaining important insight into one’s self, not everyone has the luxury of being in therapy for years. Dr. Reza understands this and uses a strengths-based approach because he believes in empowering clients by teaching them practical and more effective coping skills that they can utilize on their own. More information about Dr. Nabavi can be found on his website.
Dr. Jennifer Stelwagon, MD
Dr. Jennifer Cooper Stelwagon is a practicing clinical psychiatrist specializing in addiction psychiatry in New York City. As a diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, she is board certified in both general and addiction psychiatry. In addition to full time private practice, she is a Clinical Instructor in Psychiatry at Weill Medical College of Cornell University and an Assistant Attending Psychiatrist at New York-Presbyterian Hospital. As an addiction psychiatrist, her experience has included Medical Directorship of both Bridge Back to Life and Exponents Drug Treatment Program, outpatient chemical dependency treatment facilities in Manhattan.
Dr. Stelwagon graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts from DePauw University, and received her medical degree from The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. She completed her internship and residency at the New York Presbyterian- Weill Cornell Medical College. Dr. Stelwagon then received her subspecialty training with a Fellowship in Addiction Psychiatry at New York Presbyterian Hospital-Weill Cornell Medical College. She is a member of the American Psychiatric Association, The New York State Psychiatric Association, and The American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry. Additionally, she serves on the Advisory Board of The David Nee Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation that seeks to support and encourage organizations devoted to preventing suicide among adolescents and young adults through diagnosis, treatment, education, and research.