"Your experience and expertise creates a place that, for me, promotes healing."
- Former Patient
Anita Walker, CPA
Chief Financial Officer
Joseph Christenson, MD
Medical Director
Dr. Christenson, in his role as medical director, leads the EDCD team in providing compassionate care for patients with eating disorders. He emphasizes the bio-psycho-social-spiritual model, the essential element of EDCD’s CAMSA TM approach. Dr. Christenson brings with him almost thirty years' experience in psychiatric medicine. He is a retired U.S. Army Colonel, having served at military posts worldwide, including two combat tours, before completing his 28 year military career in Colorado Springs. Dr. Christenson graduated from Johns Hopkins University, went on to the F. Edward Herbert School of Medicine, and completed his internship and residency at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington D.C. He is a member of the American Psychiatric Association, American Medical Association, Colorado Psychiatric Society, Academy for Eating Disorders and past president of the Colorado Springs Psychiatric Society. He is board certified in both general psychiatry and addiction psychiatry. Dr. Christenson fills much of his free time pursuing both physical and spiritual renewal in the glorious Colorado mountains.
J. Verne Singleton
Chief Executive Officer
Pam Sjoerdsma, MA, LPC
Director of Clinical Operations and Human Resources
Tamara Pryor, PhD
Clinical Director
Rose Reinhardt
Director of Business Development
Trish O’Donnell, MA, ATR-BC, LPC
Program Director
Beth Martin, MSW, LCSW, LAC
Primary Clinician
Beth understands that the journey to recovery/discovery is both challenging and rewarding. In partnership with clients, she facilitates this journey with compassion and connection. She utilizes relational and somatic approaches to the healing process, while incorporating mindfulness and acceptance practices, dialectical behavioral skills, motivational enhancement techniques, and cognitive behavioral skills. Beth has an interest and specialized training in the treatment of addictions and trauma as they co-occur with eating disorders. Beth has worked for more than 18 years promoting and protecting women's health and human rights locally and globally. Her own journey has led to work in a variety of settings, including community mental health, crisis intervention, university women's resources, and international humanitarian aid and development prior to joining EDCD in 2008. She has experience working with survivors of sexual and domestic violence, as well as individuals struggling with eating disorders, trauma, addiction and mental illness. Beth received a Master's of Social Work from the University of New England in Biddeford, Maine in 1999 and a Bachelor of Arts in Art, Culture and Society from Eugene Lang College at the New School University in New York, NY in 1992. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and a Licensed Addiction Counselor in Colorado and has completed EMDRIA approved basic training in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing).
Casey Martin, MS, NCC
Utilization Management Clinician, Program Facilitator - BED Program
Casey enjoys his multifaceted role at EDCD. When he is not completing Utilization Review for the patients, he is facilitating the 10 week Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for BED program. You can also find him assisting with meals, spending time in the milieu, or preparing research for proposals and publication. Casey places emphasis on the therapeutic relationship and developing a connection with each patient. His previous professional experience involved facilitating a bariatric support group in a hospital weight management center, providing crisis intervention as well as individual and group therapy for community mental health, and performing cognitive assessments at a rehabilitation hospital. For his master’s thesis, Casey researched emotional eating desires and body mass index (BMI) and their relationship with job insecurity and occupational stress in a hospital employee population. Casey received a Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology from the College of Charleston in Charleston, South Carolina and a Master’s of Science degree in Mental Health Counseling from Central Washington University. Casey is also a National Certified Counselor (NCC) and pursuing his licensure in Colorado.
Christina Bokenkamp Hruby, MA, LPC
Manager of Professional Outreach/ Outpatient Therapist
Dana Chorpenning, MA
Family Therapist
Dana’s role as a family therapist is to make the client and their family feel safe and supported. She views herself as an equal partner of encouragement and unconditional positive regard as each client explores their therapeutic journey. Dana emphasizes the importance of healthy communication, setting consistent boundaries and the healing of past hurts as integral in treating the family system. Dana has worked primarily with adolescents, adults, couples and families with a focus on mood disorders, anxiety, substance abuse, eating disorders and relationship issues. Dana’s past experience includes adolescent residential treatment work; she served as a therapist in a faith based non-profit organization, and worked in a private practice setting. Dana has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of North Dakota and a Master’s in Counseling Psychology and Counselor Education from the University of Colorado at Denver. Dana is an active volunteer with the Eating Disorder Foundation in Denver where she co-facilitates an eating disorder support group.
Elizabeth Adler, MSW, LSW
Milieu Therapist
Felicia Greher, PhD
Outpatient Psychologist
Jessica Dale, PsyD
Primary Clinician
Jessica graduated from the University of Texas with a BA in government and sociology in 2005 and an MSW in 2007. After Texas, Dr. Dale moved to Colorado and graduated from the University of Denver with an MA in sport and performance psychology in 2008 and with a PsyD (Doctorate in Clinical Psychology) in 2012 specializing in sport and performance psychology and behavior therapy. In 2012, she completed a pre-doctoral internship at The Ohio State University in Counseling and Consultation Services with an emphasis in eating disorders and sport and performance psychology. Jessica is actively involved in the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP) including a recent term on the Executive Board as the Student Representative as well as Division 47 – Exercise and Sport Psychology in the American Psychological Association (APA).
With patients, Dr. Dale uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to increase psychological flexibility (or relating to your thoughts differently) using techniques in three broad categories: mindfulness, acceptance, and values-based living. Specifically, Jessica appreciates that ACT purposely capitalizes on the commonality between patient and therapist and helps move the patient as well as the therapist forward in their respective lives.
J. Gerald Celebre, EdD, LP
Outpatient Psychologist
Kate Bennett, PsyD
Primary Clinician
Laura Peroutka, MA, ATR, LPC
Art Therapist
Marissa Battaglia, PhD
Outpatient Psychologist
Mary Williams, MA, LPC
Program Coordinator - Evening Intensive Outpatient Program
Mary Williams earned her Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology at the University of Denver. She has experience working with adults and adolescents affected by eating disorders and addictions and is working towards her LAC (Licensed Addictions Counselor). Mary integrates the elements of body-centered psychotherapy with DBT and ACT techniques, like mindfulness and emotional regulation, into her work. Due to her extensive training, Mary is able to tailor each treatment plan to meet the needs of her clients and to provide structure in therapeutic groups. Her favorite and most guiding quote is one shared with her by the Buddhist nun Pema Chodron: “Only to the extent that we expose ourselves over and over to annihilation can that which is indestructible be found in us.”
Michael Maley, PhD
Outpatient Psychologist
Nancie Ziemke, PhD, LP
Outpatient Psychologist
Working from a relational approach, Dr. Ziemke is a “fellow traveler” in her patients’ healing and recovery journey, by helping them move toward health through acceptance of self and “what is.” She works with individuals who struggle with all forms of eating disorders and also evaluates bariatric surgery candidates providing recommendations to optimize their goals or address problems with eating. Dr. Ziemke believes that co-existing problems, such as mood and anxiety disorders, chemical dependency, or trauma history, increases the complexity of recovery and healing; and are honored and addressed in the journey. She uses a bio-psycho-social-spiritual perspective and a variety of therapeutic tools rooted in mindfulness, acceptance, sense of self, values, action and humor. Dr. Ziemke has more than 20 years of professional experience working with individuals, groups, families and couples in a variety of treatment settings. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in nutrition and dietetics from the University of Minnesota, a Master’s in counseling from the University of Wisconsin-Stout, a PhD in counseling psychology from the University of North Dakota, and a three-year professional training certificate in marriage and family therapy through North Dakota State University. She is a licensed psychologist and a member of the American Psychological Association.
Pam Hurley, MSW, LCSW
Family Therapist
Roberta Fogarty, MA
Milieu Therapist
Roberta earned her Masters of Arts in Art Therapy and Transpersonal Psychology at Naropa University. Additionally, she holds a background in fine arts which propels her belief that the recovery process, at its core, is a creative and transformative process. Individuals with eating disorders often suffer from feeling compartmentalized or split. Roberta believes recovery entails identifying one’s authentic identity and achieving inherent wholeness. Prior to working at the Eating Disorder Center of Denver, Roberta has worked with children, adolescents, and their families recovering from severe trauma histories in clinical settings including residential treatment centers, community outreach programs, and alternative schools. In addition to EDCD, Roberta works at an autism center specializing in early childhood intervention and applied behavioral analysis. Roberta loves to read non-fiction, particularly works relating to mental health care in America. Her favorite book is The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down: A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two Cultures by Anne Fadiman.
Shelby Hall, MA
Milieu Therapist
Stephanie Jordan, MSW, LCSW
Outpatient Therapist
Susan M. Woodmansee, MS, OTR, TEP, CAC I
Psychodramatist
Tamara Pryor, PhD
Clinical Director
Tracy Goldenberg, MA, R-DMT, MA
Dance/Movement Therapist
Trish O’Donnell, MA, ATR-BC, LPC
Program Director
Corrie Van Horne, RD
Registered Dietitian
Deanna Murphy
Chef
Zach Kerkow-Provo
Dietary Technician
Zach, has a strong passion for food and a strong passion to help others. He is currently attending school at Johnson & Wales University Denver, where he is studying for his Bachelors of Science in Nutrition. Along with working on his Bachelors, he has completed his certification to be a personal trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine. Zach strongly believes that eating a balanced diet and exercising can improve one’s happiness and overall perspective on life. He finds working at EDCD a great fit for him. Zach’s favorite quote is “Those who dare to fail, succeed”.
Amy Laurent, MD
Attending Psychiatrist
Joseph Christenson, MD
Medical Director
Dr. Christenson, in his role as medical director, leads the EDCD team in providing compassionate care for patients with eating disorders. He emphasizes the bio-psycho-social-spiritual model, the essential element of EDCD’s CAMSA TM approach. Dr. Christenson brings with him almost thirty years' experience in psychiatric medicine. He is a retired U.S. Army Colonel, having served at military posts worldwide, including two combat tours, before completing his 28 year military career in Colorado Springs. Dr. Christenson graduated from Johns Hopkins University, went on to the F. Edward Herbert School of Medicine, and completed his internship and residency at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington D.C. He is a member of the American Psychiatric Association, American Medical Association, Colorado Psychiatric Society, Academy for Eating Disorders and past president of the Colorado Springs Psychiatric Society. He is board certified in both general psychiatry and addiction psychiatry. Dr. Christenson fills much of his free time pursuing both physical and spiritual renewal in the glorious Colorado mountains.
MIchael Rollin, MD
Attending Psychiatrist