Cook Counseling Center Staff

Counselors/Psychologists 

Charlotte Amenkhienan, Ph.D. || Gary T. Bennett, Ph.D. || Cathye G. Betzel, Psy.D. || Anna Epperson, M.A., NCC || Christopher Flynn, Ph.D. (Director) || Michael R. Gore, Ph.D. ||  Rita Klein, Ph.D. ||  Mark Perez-Lopez, Ph.D. || Brandon Phillips, Psy.D.  || Reliford T. Sanders, Jr., Ph.D. || Ellie T. Sturgis, Ph.D. || Debbie Thurneck, Psy.D. || Sarah Kate Valatka, M.A. || Tevya M. Zukor, Ph.D.

 

Psychiatry Staff

Vicki Arbuckle, APRN || Joseph Frieben, MD || Cyndy Gibbons, APRN || Crystal Smith, LPN || Sally Williams, MD


 

Support Staff

Emily Conway  || Cheryl Curran ||  Wanda Hale ||  Sandy Ward


 

Pre-doctoral Psychology Interns 2007 - 2008

 Joeleen Cooper, Ph.D. Candidate  || Keith Kaufman, Ph.D. Candidate  || Rob McNamara, Ph.D. Candidate


 

Charlotte Amenkhienan, Ph.D. (Virginia Tech)
Licensed Professional Counselor

Charlotte Amenkhienan is the Multicultural and programs evaluation Coordinator at the center. In addition, she coordinates Outreach Requests, Peer Assistance for Learning (PAL), and Learning Assistance programs. Her professional areas of interest include cross-cultural counseling issues, stress management, adjustment issues, and depression. Other areas of special interest include the provision of outreach services to individuals and groups who would otherwise not utilize traditional mental health services, and working with international students. Her theoretical orientation is cognitive-behavioral.


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Gary T. Bennett, Ph.D. (University of Kentucky)
Licensed Clinical Psychologist

Gary’s area of interest including substance abuse, trauma, and sport psychology. Currently, he is working fulltime in the Virginia Tech Athletics Department where he meets with both individual student-athletes and with varsity teams. Gary’s theoretical style is influenced by cognitive-behavioral, feminist, acceptance and mindfulness, and brief therapy models. Gary is a member of APA (Division 47—Exercise and Sport Psychology) and of The Association of Applied Sport Psychology.


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Cathye Griffin Betzel, Psy.D. (Georgia School of Professional Psychology)
Licensed Clinical Psychologist / Director of Training

Cathye's professional interests include psychological assessment and women's issues, with a special interest in couples therapy. Her  theoretical orientation is primarily systemic with influences from cognitive-behavioral, interpersonal, and constructivist theories.  Cathye coordinates the APA accredited pre-doctoral internship in psychology, as well as post-doctoral and practicum training programs at the CCC. She is a member of the American Psychological Association (Divisions 12 - Clinical Psychology and 42- Independent Practice), the Virginia Psychological Association, the Virginia Academy of Clinical Psychologists, and the Southeastern Psychological Association. She is listed as a Health Service Provider in the National Register of Health Services in Psychology.


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Michael R. Gore, Ph.D. (University of Toledo)
Licensed Professional Counselor

Michael's professional interests include psychotherapy with college students and information systems management. A current research interest involves use of computer-mediated communication to improve organizational efficiency and productivity, and to enhance service to clientele.


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Rita Klein, Ph.D. (Fordham University)
Assistant Director/Head of Clinical Services/Licensed Clinical Psychologist

Rita's professional interests include test anxiety, anxiety disorders, relationship difficulties and communication skills. Her treatment orientation is cognitive-behavioral with techniques borrowed from other orientations. Group interests include graduate student therapy groups, support groups and skill building groups. Couples and family interventions are also an interest.


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Mark Perez-Lopez, Ph.D. (University of Arkansas)
Licensed Clinical Psychologist

Mark's clinical interests include body image dissatisfaction and eating disorders, anxiety, depression, and relationship dysfunction. He has published numerous articles and book chapters on body image and its impact on the use and abuse of performance enhancing drugs in society. His style is influenced by cognitive behavioral, interpersonal, and brief treatment models. His current research projects emphasize empirically supported treatments and outcome based research.

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Brandon Phillips, Psy.D. (Argosy University/ D.C.)
Staff Counselor

Brandon’s professional interests include anxiety, stress, grief, and groups. His clinical style is multifaceted, aiming to help resolve problems and develop self-awareness in a collaborative way. His approach is grounded in an integration of psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral, and humanistic theories. Other areas of interest include premarital counseling and facilitating seminars and workshops

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Reliford T. Sanders, Jr., Ph.D. (University of Illinois)
Licensed Clinical Psychologist

Reliford's clinical interests include GLBT issues, diversity and multiculturalism, African American culture, and couples treatment.  His therapeutic influences are Humanistic, Gestalt and Psychodynamic theories.  He is published in the area of Black male role strain and learned helplessness in children.   Reliford is a member of the Association of Black Psychologists, the American Psychological Association, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., and the United States Tennis Association.  He is married to Dr. Karen Eley Sanders, and they have two children.

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Ellie T. Sturgis, Ph.D. (University of Georgia)
Licensed Clinical Psychologist

Ellie’s professional interests include anxiety, mood, and eating, and substance abuse disorders as well as attentional and learning difficulties which impede a student’s ability to demonstrate knowledge. She is also interested in relationship issues, particularly those of LGBT students. She has published numerous articles and book chapters on anxiety, substance abuse, eating, and physiological disorders. Her therapy is influenced by cognitive-behavioral, biological, interpersonal perspectives and she uses a collaborative style when working with clients. In addition to her background as a therapist, Ellie spent a number of years on the faculties of medical schools and universities and has been an academic dean, thus she is able to help students learn to negotiate the challenges of university life.

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Debbie Thurneck, Psy.D. (James Madison University)
Post-Doctoral Resident in Clinical Psychology

Debbie is a post-doctoral resident at the Cook Counseling Center.  She came to us from West Virginia University where she completed her pre-doctoral internship.  Her primary interests include anxiety, depression, relationships, adjustment difficulties, and identity-related concerns.  Couples counseling and psychological assessment are also areas of interest.  Debbie’s style is integrative, primarily influenced by systemic, interpersonal, and cognitive-behavioral models.

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Tevya M. Zukor, Ph.D. (George Mason University)
Licensed Clinical Psychologist

Tev is Cook Counseling Center's group psychotherapy coordinator.  He has worked with both children and adults in the areas of depression, anxiety, and adjustment. Tev has a particular interest in working with clients on issues related to romantic relationships, including coping with the loss of a relationship and the strengthening of current relationships. His current research project is understanding the ways in which internal psychological characteristics impact the quality of romantic relationships, particularly as applied to college students. Other areas of interest include psychological assessment, group therapy, outreach, and the Chicago Cubs.

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Joeleen Cooper, M.Ed., Ph.D. Candidate (University of Albany, SUNY)
Clinical Psychology Intern

Joeleen is a pre-doctoral intern at the Cook Counseling Center and is completing her degree in counseling psychology from the University at Albany, State University of New York. During her graduate training, Joeleen has had experience working with college students in the counseling centers at the University at Albany and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. She also has experience working with adults in a community mental health setting. Her treatment orientation is integrative, incorporating interpersonal and cognitive-behavioral techniques. Joeleen’s professional interests include multiculturalism/diversity, psychological assessment, supervision of trainees, women’s issues, and working with issues of religion and spirituality in therapy. Some personal interests include watching sports, writing, and enjoying live music.

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Keith A. Kaufman, M.A., Ph.D. Candidate (The Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C.)
Clinical Psychology Intern

Keith is a pre-doctoral intern who is completing his Ph.D. in clinical psychology from The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC. He has experience working in various settings, including university counseling centers and community mental health centers. His clinical interests include anxiety, perfectionism, sleep disorders, and sport psychology. Among his personal interests are skiing, biking, and tennis.

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Robert McNamara, M.S., Ph.D. Candidate (Colorado State University)
Clinical Psychology Intern

Rob is a pre-doctoral intern at the Cook Counseling Center who is completing the final requirements for his degree in counseling psychology from Colorado State University in Fort Collins, CO.  Rob has experience working with children, adolescents, and adults in a variety of settings including university counseling centers, schools, psychology department-based clinics, and juvenile detention/correctional facilities.  His clinical interests include anxiety, mood, and substance-related disorders, particularly co-occurring substance-related and psychological disorders.  Rob’s theoretical orientation is cognitive-behavioral, but he integrates techniques from other orientations in treatment based on individual needs.  Some personal interests include running, hiking, and biking.     

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Cook Counseling Center's Online Screening Module

Cook Counseling Center and Screening for Mental Health, Inc. offer free and anonymous online screening for depression, alcohol use, eating disorders, and anxiety. The online screenings are informational, not diagnostic, and treatment recommendations are not provided. Online screening is made available so that Virginia Tech students may find out whether consultation with a Cook Counseling Center counselor may be helpful.