Our Behavioral Health Team
The clinical team at Premier Behavioral Health Services provides therapy and behavioral health care for adults and teens in Mentor and throughout Lake County, Ohio. Our team uses evidence-based, trauma-informed approaches including Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and other proven treatments to address a wide range of mental health concerns. Appointments are available in person and through telehealth.
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Clinical and Forensic Psychologist
Dr. Farshid Afsarifard is a clinical and forensic psychologist. He received his master’s degree in Clinical Psychology from Cleveland State University and a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the Fielding Institute in Santa Barbara, California. Dr. Afsarifard was trained in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) by Dr. Marsha Linehan, at University of Washington. He has been utilizing this approach in treatment of a variety of mental health disorders since 1998. He has developed many programs over the years based on this approach. He works with children, adolescents, adults, and geriatric patients. Dr. Afsarifard specializes in performing diagnostic assessments and developing effective treatment plans. His therapeutic interests include treatment of borderline personality disorder, mood disorders and addictions. He conducts psychological evaluations for clinical and forensic purposes utilizing standardized psychological tests and diagnostic interviews.
As a forensic psychologist Dr. Afsarifard serves as an expert witness in state and Federal courts providing testimony on criminal and civil cases. He specializes in child custody evaluation as well as civil and criminal competencies.
He has extensive experience in healthcare administration and program development. He was the President and Chief Executive Officer at Laurelwood Hospital for 11 years. He started PBHS in 2006 with the goal of providing evidence-based outpatient mental health and addiction recovery treatment in a validating and respectful setting.
Dr. Afsarifard has co-authored several book chapters on clinical and forensic aspects of methamphetamine use. He has also co-authored a book on equivocal child abuse cases. His doctoral dissertation is on the effect of abuse of children of alcoholics. He lectures on ethical and legal issues in psychology; mindfully based stress reduction; use of meditation in treatment of psychological problems; and topics related to psychological development throughout the life span.
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Clinical Director
Licensed Clinical PsychologistDr. McMahon provides clinical and forensic services to children, adults, and families. He has worked in both outpatient and inpatient capacities and has experience treating a variety of needs including depression, anxiety, marital/family discord, parenting concerns, complex trauma, and personality disorders. He completed his doctoral internship at Hawthorn Center, the only state-run child psychiatric hospital in Michigan, where he worked closely with children and families struggling with severe mental illness.
Dr. McMahon has received training in Psychodynamic Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Dialectical Behavior Therapy. He is a fervent advocate of destigmatizing mental illness and promotes the use of science-based interventions in psychology and the treatment of mental health. To this end, Dr. McMahon also adopts a systems and solution-focused approach to help patients identify which areas of their lives are not working, collaborating with them to develop mastery of skills so that they might increase their sense of self-worth and independence.
Dr. McMahon completed his undergraduate education in Psychology and Religion at Heidelberg University and obtained his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at the University of Detroit Mercy. His doctoral dissertation examined the intersection of personality, emotion, and moral judgment.
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Clinical Psychologist
Clinical Supervisor
Internship Coordinator
Compliance OfficerDr. Burns is a licensed psychologist who offers clinical services to adult and geriatric populations. She completed a two-year post-doctoral fellowship in the Chronic Pain Rehabilitation Program at the Cleveland Clinic. Her doctoral dissertation examined the impact of patient perception of mental health diagnosis on medication adherence.
Dr. Burns has clinical experience in providing clinical services including chronic pain, trauma, depression, anxiety, grief related to various losses. She has worked in both in- and outpatient settings. Dr. Burns is trained in both Cognitive Behavioral and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy methods. She utilizes outcome-based approaches and strength-based methods to work with patients to identify areas of their lives that they would like to change to build a sense of empowerment and mastery to create a life worth living. She provides clinical intake assessments, psychological evaluations for various procedures and individual therapy.
Dr. Burns completed undergraduate and master level training at John Carroll University and received her Ph.D. from Cleveland State University. Her dissertation examined the subjective response of being diagnosed with a mental health condition and being prescribed psychotropic medication. She is currently a member of the American Psychological Association and the Ohio Psychological Association. She is the Vice President of Science and Education on the Ohio Psychological Association Board of Directors. She also serves on the Advisory Board for the Clinical Mental Health Program at John Carroll University. Dr. Burns is passionate about advocacy and is actively involved in efforts to de-stigmatize mental illness, and for access for all marginalized populations seeking mental health services.
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Nurse Practitioner
Jenniviere is a board certified Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, licensed to treat patients across the lifespan. She provides assessment, diagnosis , and treatment of mental health conditions by prescribing and managing medications as well as providing therapy.
Jenniviere graduated from Ursuline College with a degree in Psychology and received her MSN from Kent State University. She treats patients in the outpatient and long term care settings. Jenniviere is also certified through NESTA as both a Lifestyle & Weight Management Specialist and a Fitness Nutrition Coach.
Jenniviere believes that each person is a unique individual who deserves a personalized care plan to assist them in attaining their own best quality of life.
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Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner
Paul Homitz-Daniels MSN, APRN, AGNP-C is a board certified Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner and earned his Masters of Science in Nursing from Case Western Reserve University’s Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing.
Paul has years of experience in cardiovascular critical care and emergency psychiatric/addiction inpatient management along with geriatric psychiatric care. He is certified to treat adults and adolescents ages 13 and older in both the outpatient and long term care settings. Paul is also certified through NESTA as both a Lifestyle & Weight Management Specialist and a Fitness Nutrition Coach.
His approach to care of his clients is to integrate medical knowledge and nursing care in utilizing pharmacologic approaches to complement the behavioral therapy offered at PBHS to promote the best possible treatment outcomes, tailored to the individual.
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Nurse Practitioner
Lynnette Enterline, NP is a board-certified Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP-BC) based in Northeast Ohio. She brings extensive experience in delivering compassionate, evidence-based mental health care across diverse clinical settings.
Ms. Enterline earned her Master of Science in Nursing from Kent State University between 2012 and 2019. She currently serves as a Nurse Practitioner at Premier Behavioral Health Services in Mentor, Ohio, where she provides individualized psychiatric care to adolescents and adults.
Beyond her clinical practice, Ms. Enterline is dedicated to advancing the field of psychiatric nursing through education. She holds the position of Adjunct Clinical Instructor at Cuyahoga Community College, mentoring the next generation of nursing professionals.
Ms. Enterline is committed to fostering a supportive environment for her patients, emphasizing personalized treatment plans and holistic care approaches. Her dedication to mental health advocacy and education underscores her role as a leader in the nursing community.
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Adult IOP Coordinator
Licensed Professional Clinical
Counselor- SupervisorShannon is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor Supervisor. She currently works with adults for individual counseling at Premier Behavioral Health. Shannon is the coordinator for the Adult Mental Health IOP, which was developed for patients with various mental health diagnoses.
Shannon implements a variety of treatment methods, including dialectical behavior therapy, motivational interviewing, and cognitive behavioral therapy.
Shannon completed her B.A. in Psychology from John Carroll University. She received her Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling also from John Carroll University. Shannon completed her practicum and internship hours at PBHS. She is also currently an active member of the American Counseling Association.
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Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor
Kelly is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC). She graduated from John Carroll University with her Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Kelly has co-facilitated both adolescent and adult IOPs at Premier. She primarily uses Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). She specializes in working with adolescents and parents to address depression, anxiety, and other concerns. She believes in meeting her clients where they are and helping them to feel empowered in their lives.
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Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor
Mena is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor. She currently works with young adults, and the general adult population for individual counseling at Premier Behavioral Health. She is an advocate of destigmatizing mental health and utilizing skills-based interventions in her individual work.
Mena implements a variety of treatment methods, including dialectical behavior therapy, motivational interviewing, and cognitive behavioral therapy. She has experience collaborating with clients who are experiencing anxiety, depression, and relational issues.
She completed her B.A. in Psychology from The Ohio State University. She received her Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from John Carroll University. She completed her practicum and internship hours at PBHS co-facilitating the adult daytime IOP along with seeing individual clients.
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Clinician
Trauma Responsive Care Certified
Director of Marketing & Business DevelopmentAlyson is a clinician who utilizes an integrative approach in the treatment of mental health of both adults and adolescents. Alyson is certified in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and has extensive experience providing psychological services with both inpatient and outpatient modalities (intensive outpatient programs, partial hospitalization programs, and individual therapy) across various setting including psychiatric hospitals, community mental health, and private practice. In addition, Alyson is Trauma Responsive Care Certified and specializes in trauma, grief, and loss, serious mood disorders, and addiction. She is also certified to provide Telehealth services.
Alyson completed her B.A. and M.A. in Clinical Psychology at Cleveland State University. During her time at CSU, she worked in research concentrating on nonverbal and verbal memory and learning. She won a national award from the National Academy of Neuropsychology for her work validating a new visual-spatial memory assessment. Alyson has completed trainings in various specialties including Marriage Therapy, LGBTQ awareness and support, and Addiction and Recovery.
Alyson assists patients through the acquisition, maintenance, and generalization of skills to increase confidence in their ability to effectively address their behavioral health goals. She provides compassionate care in the treatment of trauma allowing patients to achieve resilience, growth, and recovery. She believes strongly in the power of collaboration to foster growth in body, mind, and spirit to increase self-awareness, self-care, and self-compassion to build a life worth living.
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Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor Supervisor
Certified Clinical Trauma Professional, Level II
National Certified CounselorBrianna is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor with her Supervision endorsement. Brianna is a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional and works with adult clients who present with various mental health disorders. Brianna is trained in utilizing Dialectical Behavioral Therapy and integrates trauma informed practices when necessary. Brianna is passionate about counseling and provides a nonjudgmental, supportive environment to empower her clients to meet their goals.
Brianna completed her B.A. in Psychology with a Minor in Communication Studies from Cleveland State University. As an undergraduate student, she worked as a research assistant in the Healthy Relationships (HEART) Laboratory at CSU which focuses on understanding how relationships during childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood shape and impact our behavior. Brianna received her Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Clinical Mental Health Counseling also from CSU. She completed her practicum and internship hours here at PBHS as well as at The Counseling Academic & Success Clinic at CSU. Brianna has experience with co-facilitating our Adult Mental Health Intensive Outpatient Program. She is currently an active member of the American Counseling Association and enjoys taking continuing education courses.
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Chemical Dependency Counselor Assistant
Erin is a Chemical Dependency Counselor Assistant (CDCAII) at Premier Behavioral Health Services. She received her Bachelor of Science Degree from Kent State University. Post-graduation, Erin volunteered at an anti-human trafficking center where she rescued individuals from several types of locations. Upon rescue, Erin helped survivors recover from the trauma they experienced while helping them regain stability in their everyday activities. She is currently enrolled in courses to become a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor (LCDC II) at the Institute for Addiction and Criminal Justice Studies.
Erin is trained in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy which she utilizes while collaborating with patients in our Adult Dual Intensive Outpatient Program. By assisting in this program, she can help individuals struggling with addiction and create healthy coping mechanisms. She sees her patients at IOP sessions as well as during individual therapy. Her passion towards helping individuals who struggle in chemical dependency stem from the struggles she faced while becoming and remaining sober for over 12 years. Erin’s overall goal is to help individuals overcome addiction and pursue lives they were created for.
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Licensed Professional Counselor
Isabel is a Licensed Professional Counselor. Isabel’s clinical work includes providing evidence-based mental health treatments to adult clients struggling with a variety of different mental health concerns including depression, anxiety, and substance abuse.
In her clinical practice Isabel relies mainly on Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) as well as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Isabel’s hope is to help guide clients towards gaining awareness of their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. From gaining this insight Isabel’s hope is to help clients develop effective coping strategies for stress as well as challenge unhelpful thinking styles and ineffective behavior patterns. Isabel strives to create a space that is warm, welcoming, collaborative, and accepting in which clients feel they can be themselves and take pride in their therapeutic space. Through the therapeutic alliance, clients can take an active role in their journey towards self acceptance, awareness, and appreciation to build a life worth living.
Isabel graduated with her M.A in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from John Carroll University. Isabel completed her internship through PBHS and has experience conducting individual therapy with adult and adolescent clients with various mental health concerns. Isabel also has experience co-facilitating the Dual Diagnosis Intensive Outpatient Program for adult clients experiencing both mental health and substance use concerns.
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Licensed Professional Counselor
Zoë is a licensed professional clinical counselor who received her master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at John Carroll University. Zoë uses mostly DBT and CBT techniques to provide care for adults with a variety of different mental health disorders. Specifically, Zoë uses a direct, skills-based approach to help clients identify and examine unhelpful behaviors in their lives and help them better regulate their emotions. Zoë also helps co-lead the evening adult IOP group.
Zoë completed her practicum at Moore Counseling Mediation Services mainly working with court-mandated adults with substance use disorders. Additionally, Zoë completed her internship at PBHS.
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Forensic Assistant
Edward is a Forensic Assistant at Premier Behavior Health. He currently works to coordinate psychological testing and client interviews for forensic evaluations. He is trained in the administration and interpretation of several psychological inventories, including those for personality and intelligence.
Edward graduated with his Bachelor’s in Neuroscience and Psychology from Baldwin Wallace University. He completed his M.A. in Clinical Psychology with Cleveland State University, completing his thesis project on the impacts of intimate partner violence in the LGBTQ+ community. He completed an internship at the Cuyahoga County Juvenile Justice Center Diagnostic Clinic, administering psychological testing and conducting interviews with incarcerated juveniles and families referred by the Cuyahoga County Division of Child and Family Services.
Edward has presented research at several regional and international research conferences, including the Midwestern Psychological Association (MPA) in Chicago, IL, and the Society for the Study of Emerging Adulthood (SSEA) in Toronto, ON.
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Licensed Professional Counselor, Provisional Registered Art Therapist
Maya is a Licensed Professional Counselor and holds a Provisional Registered Art Therapist credential. She graduated from Ursuline College with a Master’s in Counseling and Art Therapy. During her time at Ursuline, she completed internships in a pediatric hospital setting and an adult residential treatment facility utilizing counseling and art therapy approaches. Prior to coming to Premier, she was working as a clinician in residential treatment.
She enjoys working from a DBT framework, helping her clients to learn and implement coping skills to assist them in navigating everyday life. She believes it is important to create a supportive, collaborative environment where clients feel empowered. Maya also enjoys incorporating art interventions into her sessions if clients desire. Art can be an alternative way to expressing oneself that sometimes words alone cannot achieve. It can also act as a therapeutic outlet. She will begin leading our Adolescent IOP groups in the Fall and is currently accepting new clients.
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Erin Burke, MA, is a master's level clinician and doctoral candidate in Kent State University's clinical psychology program. At PBHS, she currently works with patients in the Adult Dual Intensive Outpatient Program as well as in one-on-one therapy sessions. She has previously worked in community behavioral healthcare and psychological counseling settings where she has assisted patients with a wide variety of experiences (e.g., trauma, depression, anxiety, substance use) in the context of evidence-based treatments and psychological assessment.
Erin aims to establish trusting and supportive relationships with her clients, and takes a person-centered approach that considers biological, psychological and social aspects. She strives to support clients as they discover their agency while working towards their short-term and long-term goals. She is currently accepting new clients.
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Licensed Social Worker
Kelly is a Licensed Social Worker providing individual and group counseling at Premier Behavioral Health Services. She works with individuals and families across the lifespan, specializing in complex trauma, grief, caregiver burnout, obsessive compulsive disorder, chronic illness, and the emotional impact of long-term hospitalization.
Kelly integrates evidence-based approaches including dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), exposure and response prevention (ERP), eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), narrative exposure therapy (NET), and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), tailoring treatment to meet each client’s specific needs.
As a clinician with autism, Kelly is committed to providing safe, neuro-inclusive care and offers psychoeducation tools to support individuals and their families throughout treatment.
Kelly completed her B.A. in Sociology and Gerontology from Miami University (2011) and earned dual master’s degrees in Social Work and Nonprofit Administration from Case Western Reserve University (2019).
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Licensed Independent Social Worker Supervisor
Christie Rush is a Licensed Independent Social Worker with Supervisory Designation. She provides individual therapy, clinical assessment, and forensic evaluation services to individuals of all ages. She works with families involved in high-conflict and court-involved matters throughout Ohio.
Christie is trained through the Supreme Court of Ohio Judicial College as a forensic custody evaluator under Rule 91 and as a Guardian ad Litem under Rule 48. She is also a member of the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC).
Her clinical approach is grounded in evidence-based treatment, including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), motivational interviewing, grief counseling, and trauma-informed care.
Christie has extensive experience working with individuals with severe and persistent mental illness in psychiatric and secured behavioral health settings, as well as in crisis stabilization. She also has experience in clinical mental health, child welfare, hospice and grief services, and long-term care. She has completed complex clinical assessments in hospital and state behavioral health facilities to support safe and appropriate discharge planning.
Christie earned her Master of Social Sciences Administration (MSSA) from Case Western Reserve University with a concentration in child welfare. She also provides professional supervision to clinicians working toward licensure. Christie offers both in-person and virtual appointments.
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