Meet our Clinical Team
 Mia
S. Elwood, MSW, LCSW, SEP, founder and clinical director of Healthy Futures,
is an Arizona Licensed Clinical Social Worker and a Somatic Experiencing
Practitioner. She has been in practice since 1996.
Specializing in eating disorders, Mia
worked six years at an inpatient and partial hospitalization eating disorder
program. When the clinic closed in 2003, this led the way to the creation of
Healthy Futures. She treats anorexia, bulimia and overeating in males and
females, age 6 to 60.
Mia also has a specialization in
childhood and family obesity. She is a certified Pediatric Obesity Specialist
and is licensed to provide the Shapedown and Kidshape® programs. Mia also has a
great deal of experience with gastric bypass surgery for adults and is a
consultant with local hospitals and practices. She also leads a
multidisciplinary team at Healthy Futures to provide pre- and post-surgery
counseling, nutrition and exercise consultation.
After struggling in adolescence with eating, weight, and
mood issues, her career has been exclusively focused on helping individuals
recover fully from weight and eating issues. Her warm, down to earth, ‘been
there’ approach along with her extensive experience and education in these areas
help individuals and families feel safe and filled with hope. Her overall goal
for clients with eating and weight problems is to help them have happier and
healthier futures where weight becomes exactly what is should be - simply a
number on the scale.
In addition to eating disorders, Mia helps clients fight
depression and anxiety, as well as help individuals and couples overcome
relationship problems. She does a great deal of teaching in her therapy and uses
dialectical behavioral therapy skills training as one model. Another guiding
force in her work is Somatic Experiencing®, a trauma healing technique that
works with the body’s natural ability to heal itself. Mia teaches clients to
re-parent and safely reconnect with themselves, creating a nurturing home
inside.
She greatly believes in using an individual or family’s
strengths to help them overcome their current problems. Because of her
background in social work, Mia emphasizes the systems impacting the person and
their family. She especially enjoys working with people and their families and
witnessing change and growth within the family system.
Originally from Nebraska, Mia earned her master's degree in
Social Work (1995), with an emphasis in marital and family therapy from the
University of Nebraska at Omaha. She lives with her high school sweetheart and
their three young, happy boys, one of which is a furry dog named Gus.
Kim Lipsman, LPC, MEd, SEP is passionate about helping people find their
strength and wholeness from within. Her background in education gives
awareness to the needs of children and adolescents. Family dynamics,
marriage and parent-child relationships are her specialties. Her integrated
approach to therapy uses spirituality with psychology honoring each
individual’s emotions, traumas, family work, past and goals for the future.
Kim has her Master’s in Counseling from Argosy University/Phoenix and a
Master’s in Education from Chapman University. She is also a certified
Hypnotherapist graduating from the Atwood Institute for Research and
Education. Kim is an active member of the American Society of Clinical
Hypnosis and the American Psychological Society - Division 30 – Society of
Psychological Hypnosis. Her training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT),
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) and Somatic©Experiencing for trauma
healing is useful when working with clients experiencing all trauma, eating
disorders, depression, anxiety, fears and other syndromes.
Recently, Kim has increased her education by completing
two specialized areas of psychological training. As an Advanced
Somatic©Experiencing student, Kim works with the world renowned Dr. Peter
Levine’s method for healing body trauma. The trauma work is some of Kim’s
most rewarding therapy work in its gentle format and the relief to an
individual’s suffering. Another important piece to Kim’s expertise is
Childhood Obesity. Through two programs, Shapedown© and Kidshape©, Kim is
helpful in creating positive results for many children. She is certified at
the highest level and works currently with many children and their families
in the area of Childhood Obesity. Her expertise helps her guide children to
empower themselves towards a balanced life. These children and their
families are allowed to increase their choices for healthy living through
emotional and behavioral changes.
Currently, Kim Lipsman has entered a doctoral program
in clinical psychology. Her studies increase the awareness and knowledge of
her professional therapy skills.
Kim believes that with therapy work, transformations
from emotional pain and life’s problems leads individuals to healing,
wellness and more fulfillment. Everyone can improve their life…do you have
the courage to take the healing journey?
For more about Kim Lipsman, please visit her website at
www.KimLipsman.com
 Dr. J.R.
Evans, Psy.D., - Dr. Evans is licensed as a psychologist in the State of
Arizona. He earned both his masters and doctoral degrees in Clinical
Psychology from Argosy University/Phoenix. He completed his APA-approved
internship at Purdue University’s Counseling and Psychological Center and
his post-doctoral fellowship at Insight: Eating Disorders, Disordered
Eating, and Weight Management, an intensive outpatient eating disorder
treatment facility located in Chicago, IL.
Additionally, J.R. has experience in a variety of
therapeutic settings involving treatment of mood disorders, trauma,
addictions, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, and Sexual/Gender Identity
issues. J.R. specializes in the treatment of individuals with anorexia,
bulimia, and compulsive overeating in both men and women. Furthermore, as a
member of the LGBTQ community, J.R. is dedicated to helping individuals who
identify within this community heal and feel empowered by their differences
to achieve the future they deserve.
J.R. is emotion focused in his therapeutic approach,
and provides a genuine, warm, and empathic environment to assist his clients
in exploring difficult affect, develop alternative styles of coping, and
work to resolve past and present relational trauma. He is enthusiastic about
his work, and feels privileged to experience an individual’s ability to
rediscover their identity while engaging in the power to heal.
 Jeanne
Phillips, MA, CPC, CEDS, received her Masters Degree in Counseling from
Ottawa University and Certified Professional Coach from GROW Training Institute,
Inc. She started the Valley’s first eating disorders support group, SHED,
(Self-Help for Eating Disorders) in 1981 and ran the group until 2003. In 1993
she became a Certified Eating Disorders Specialist.
Jeanne is passionate about working in the field of eating
disorders and can often be heard saying, “The reason God allowed me to have an
eating disorder was so I could help others when I grew up,” hence applying her
clinical skills and personal experience in working with her clients. Jeanne
has been published nationally and internationally and has taught classes on the
Psychology of Dieting for the Maricopa Community College District.
She developed a special program “Regaining Control:
Overcoming Emotional and Stress Eating” for the Hilton Head Health Institute in
South Carolina, which she facilitated monthly for five years. Jeanne’s approach
helps individuals demystify their relationship with food, helping them discover
why they turn to either restricting, emotional eating or bingeing and purging.
She has presented at IAEDP on the topic of “Eating Disorders 101,” to help
educate individuals wanting to pursue their career in treating individuals with
disordered eating as well as the 2nd International Conference on Eating
Disorders in New York on “The Impact of Pregnancy on Anorexia Nervosa and
Bulimia” and published in the International Journal of Eating Disorders.
Jeanne has facilitated groups on Women’s Issues, focusing
on cognitive experiential techniques to enhance growth and self-esteem;
Body-Image Group for Women, focusing on overcoming body shame and body-image
distortion, with an emphasis on increasing self-esteem and body-acceptance;
Emotional Overeating Groups and Adolescent Groups for both men and women.
Publications include: The Impact of Pregnancy on Anorexia
and Bulimia, International Journal of Eating Disorders
The impact of Pregnancy on Anorexia and Bulimia, British
Review
“Self-Help Groups in the Treatment of Eating Disorders,”
Controlling Eating Disorders with Facts, Advice and Resources, 1st Edition and
2nd Edition
Thesis: A Longitudinal Study of the Impact of Pregnancy on
Anorexia and Bulimia
Monthly articles on the topic of emotional eating for the
Hilton Head Health Institute Newsletter
 Sheri
Robenstine, MA - Sheri has been working in the Mental Health field since
2004. She brings with her a passion for working with women and
adolescents. She knew from a very young age that she was going to help
others and had made it her career. She earned her Masters Degree from Argosy
University in Mental Health Counseling.
She has six years experience working with at-risk
adolescent females in a residential setting. While completing her degree,
Sheri was an intern with Healthy Futures for 12 months. After graduating,
she worked for Phoenix Interfaith Counseling, completing the residency
program where she gained specialized skills in DBT and ACT therapy.
When Sheri is not facilitating groups or individual
sessions at Healthy Futures, she enjoys spending time with family and
friends. She loves practicing Yoga and going to the dog park with her two
dogs.
 Laurie
Geraghty, LCSW, DTR, is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and a
Nutritionist at Healthy Futures.
Laurie has more than
15 years of professional experience in the field of eating disorders. She
earned her Master of Social Work degree from Arizona State University and
has eight years of experience as a Social Worker.
Laurie has
experience as a Social Worker in an inpatient Psychiatric facility as well
as a Medical Hospital. Laurie has been working with individuals with eating
issues since 1997. Her experience includes working with individuals with
anorexia, bulimia, and overeating disorders as well as childhood feeding
problems.
Laurie also has
experience working with childhood obesity and utilizes the Shapedown
concept. Being a Licensed Clinical Social Worker as well as a Certified
Nutrition Professional, Laurie is able to use both areas of expertise to
assist individuals.
 Kim
Feinstein, MC, LAC, is a Licensed Associate Counselor, has completed her
Masters of Counseling degree in Community Counseling from the University of
Phoenix and earned her doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology at the Arizona
School of Professional Psychology/Argosy University-Phoenix campus. Furthermore,
Kim is educated in Gestalt therapy, EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization
Reprocessing - a proven trauma resolution technique), as well as qualified to
facilitate DBT (Dialectical Behavioral Therapy) skills training groups. She
specializes in treating eating disorders, depression, anxiety, relationship
issues, and life adjustment problems.
Kim provides support and understanding within a safe
environment to explore and experience personal growth. Kim combines her
education and experience with compassion, warmth, and enthusiasm. Clients
can also acquire new tools and skills that can help them create a greater
sense of freedom, to live the lives they choose, and make decisions
according to what is right for them.
 Jessica
Meinhart, MA, MA joined the Healthy Futures team in 2011 as a Clinical
Support Specialist. She completed her two masters degrees from Argosy
University, Phoenix in search of her passion – helping athletes and
performers in related mental health areas. She joined Healthy Futures as an
intern in 2010 for her mental health counseling degree and hopes to utilize
this experience along with her sport and exercise psychology degree in her
future work.
Jessica is continuing her work as a part of the Healthy
Futures team while pursuing licensure. She is also pursuing the national
Association for Applied Sport Psychology certified consultant qualification.
She has a drive and passion that translates to her work at Healthy Futures.
Her dedication comes through in her administrative and therapeutic work. Her
goals include creating her own mental skills training practice with
performers and athletes and continuing her passion of teaching dance.
Jessica has experience in Dialectical Behavior Therapy
skills training, Multimodal/CBT theories, as well as group work. With a
background in team building activities, she engages groups with fun and
creative techniques to enhance the therapeutic process. Her experience as a
dancer and ballet instructor, in addition to several non-traditional sports
and activities gives her a wide range of skill to draw from. You may find
her canine companion, Max, by her side assisting with groups, or just
welcoming you to the office.
|
