Meet Our Clinicians Chris Aiken, MD, Director Dr. Aiken’s interest in helping people with mood disorders grew out of his experience with close friends who suffered from depression. He has worked in the psychiatric field since age 18 when he started as a research assistant at the National Institute of Mental Health. He went on to complete medical school at Yale and residency at Cornell and Duke Medical Centers. Dr. Aiken believes in carefully choosing treatment to improve the long-term health of the brain and body. He contributed a chapter to the first textbook on this subject (called neuroprotection). He has published original research on the treatment and diagnosis of mood disorders and the management of side effects, and his work was cited in the International Encyclopedia of Depression. He is the president of the Forsyth County Psychiatric Association and serves as a Clinical Instructor at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine. He has been ranked among the Best Doctors in America since 2010 and is the recipient of the Patient’s Choice award from Vitals.com. Dr. Aiken directly supervises the work of other clinicians in the practice.
Ben Bentley, LPC, LCAS, Therapist We are excited that Ben will be joining our practice in July of 2012. He brings experience in specialist therapies for depression, anxiety and addictions including cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) and motivational interviewing. He works with adults and adolescents. Ben received a graduate degree in counseling at Wake Forest University. He has presented at professional organizations in North Carolina and is actively involved in learning and teaching in the field of psychotherapy.
Matt Case, LPC, Therapist Matt Case is a Licensed Professional Counselor who helps adults, adolescents and parents explore more rewarding ways of living with themselves and others. While he draws upon a variety of approaches (including CBT, DBT and Family Systems), he has found Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT, and evidence-based therapy for anxiety/depression) to be the most useful approach for many of his clients. Matt also offers parent-skills training in group and individual formats. Matt received his graduate degree from Goddard College and has worked in both community health and private practice settings. He has a background in community and divorce mediation, journalism, music and teaching, and is trained in Equine Assisted Psychotherapy. Matt lives in Winston-Salem with his wife and four children, who range in age from 6 to 22.
Kirtan Coan, LPC, Therapist Kirtan works with adolescents and adults, couples and groups to encourage present-moment awareness, personal well-being and the deep listening necessary to develop nourishing relationships. When it is helpful, Kirtan uses therapies that have unique benefits for certain conditions, including: > Cognitive and Mindfulness Therapy for depression, anxiety, and OCD. > Social Rhythm Therapy for bipolar disorder. > CBASP for chronic depression and dysthymia. > EMDR for post-traumatic stress. Kirtan is a licensed professional counselor and is certified in EMDR. She interned in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction with Jon Kabat-Zinn, one of the founders of this therapy, and for the past 15 years has taught mindfulness-based practices, t’ai chi and yoga to students at UNC School of the Arts, where she was a counselor in the Counseling Center. She continually learns about life from her clients, students, family and granddaughters.
Al Greene, LCAS, Therapist Al Greene has been a substance abuse therapist, educator and trainer for over forty years, serving as a clinical consultant and trainer to numerous programs at the regional, state and national level. He is a Professor Emeritus at Appalachian State University, where he developed the masters level curriculum in addictions counseling and implemented the Counseling Services for Faculty and Staff in 1975, serving as one-fourth time clinician until 2004. He was twice a recipient of the Order of the Longleaf Pine and has been honored as the North Carolina Addictions Professional of the year. Al believes in a wholistic, individualized treatment approach with every client and is ever mindful and in awe of the miracle of recovery.
Liat Handing, LMFT, Therapist Liat Handing strives to listen compassionately and find flexible approaches for the unique situations individuals bring. She is experienced in cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), which helps clients build skills to overcome depression and anxiety. Liat also works with specialized versions of CBT for trauma, anger, obsessive-compulsive disorder, bipolar, phobias and self-cutting. She provides CBASP, a therapy designed for chronic depression and dysthymia. Liat works with individuals, families, adults and adolescents. Liat holds a Master of Science from California State University at Fullerton.
Greg Horn, MA, LPA, Therapist Greg works with children, adolescents and adults. He draws from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Reality Therapy/Choice Theory to help people with depression, anxiety, bipolar, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder and relationship difficulties. He has an interest in the mind-body connection and the connection between stress and physical health. He offers specific behavioral and relaxation techniques that can be uniquely effective for chronic pain, anxiety, and addictive behaviors. A graduate from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Greg developed an interest in adolescent mental health at Eckerd Youth Alternatives (EYA), a wilderness therapeutic program for at-risk youth focusing on experiential learning. He completed his masters degree in Clinical and Health Psychology at Appalachian State University, and developed an interest in the mind-body connection with additional training at Duke University and work at North Carolina Baptist Hospital. Greg also provides psychological evaluation and testing for ADHD, learning disabilities, autism and immigration evaluations. He is fluent in Spanish and provides counseling en Espanol. Outside of his work Greg enjoys hiking, biking, running, traveling, ballroom dancing, yoga, ultimate frisbee, and tennis.
Brian McCarthy, Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner Brian McCarthy helps people recover from mood and anxiety problems through medication, natural treatments and behavioral approaches. He completed training as a psychiatric nurse practitioner at Rush University and brings valuable experience from his work at several of top-ranked psychiatric centers in the country including Duke, Cornell and Sheppard-Enoch Pratt. Brian was born in Ireland and speaks Spanish, German, Russian and Mandarin; he is comfortable working with people of all faiths and ethnic backgrounds. He spent many years as a Franciscan Friar and brings to his practice the same sense of compassion, respect and openness to all people that has made St. Francis so admired for over 800 years. When he is not in the office, Brian is happy to slip into his other role of parent to his five children and caregiver to his family’s German Shepherd and cat.
Ann McCarty, Psychiatric Physician Assistant & Therapist Ann McCarty specializes in therapy, medication and lifestyle approaches to mood disorders, including nutrition and mindfulness-based stress reduction. Ann’s interest in therapy began in the medical field and grew into a deep appreciation for the mind-body connection. She started her career as a clinician, educator and researcher in the fields of dermatology and breast cancer at Wake Forest University’s School of Medicine. While working there, she studied at the Duke Center for Integrative Medicine and trained in Boston with Jon Kabat-Zinn, one of the founders of mindfulness-based therapy. She also earned a certificate from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, where she learned to combine the knowledge of traditional philosophies with modern concepts like the USDA food pyramid, the glycemic index, and the Zone. She is certified through Teachers College at Columbia University.
Gray Moulton, LMFT, Therapist A graduate of UNC-Greensboro and Appalachian State University, Gray Moulton is a licensed NC Marriage and Family Therapist and is certified in Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. She has worked in the community for almost fifteen years providing counseling to individuals, families and couples. Gray has also served as a clinical supervisor to colleagues and graduate students. Her areas of special interest include depression, anxiety, marital issues, domestic violence, pregnancy/adoption, grief and loss. Her clients find her to be kind, compassionate, and a good listener; they appreciate being challenged to think “outside the box.”
Carolyn Orr, Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner & Therapist Carolyn Orr offers psychotherapy and medication treatment. She has completed a post-graduate program in psychiatric treatment the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and advanced training in cognitive-behavioral therapy at the international center for this therapy, the Beck Institute.