Kevin is Recovered. He founded Accelerated Recovery Centers to produce results and success rates never before seen in the industry for those seeking to overcome alcohol addiction. After years of evidence-based research and starting with the fact that many people stay out of or postpone treatment due to a lack of appealing options, Kevin and his team defined and then eliminated the top barriers to entry for treatment. His goal for Accelerated was not to add just another option to the addiction recovery market, but to create a new standard of treatment; a sea of change within the industry. Industry firsts like the COMBINED Recovery Protocol ™, Recovery Guaranteed ™, and his challenge of perpetual recovery programs are proof of his focus and commitment to task. He is a tireless advocate for the addicted and a passionate speaker on the topic of alcohol dependence.
Kevin graduated with honors from Boston College and has over two decades of executive general management experience. In past roles, Kevin has been responsible for strategy and execution in a broad range of businesses, from start-ups to the Fortune 500.
Jan Holt Watkins, Senior Vice President
Jan oversees Service Delivery and Administration at Accelerated Recovery. Her career has encompassed sales, marketing, business planning, executive management and an Internet start up within the High Tech and Human Resources industries. Jan graduated cum laude from Dartmouth College with a major in Electrical Engineering. She began her career working for IBM in a sales capacity. She supported major insurance companies, selling a range of equipment from mainframes to PCs as well as software solutions. She joined IBM’s insurance industry marketing group, working with insurance companies around the world and external software providers to deliver end-to-end application solutions.
Subsequently, Jan worked for two other software companies as a Vice President responsible for sales, marketing, customer support, consulting, business planning, third party relationships, and small business acquisitions. From there, she joined a Human Resources company in a product line management capacity. When the company was acquired, she ran the startup Internet venture within the domain of this new company.
Jan loves spending time with her husband, her two children and their dog. As the wife of a recovered alcoholic, she is thrilled to pair her business management skills with her passion for helping others reclaim their lives and triumph over addiction.
Therapeutic Management Team:
Dr. David Stone, Ph.D.
Dr. David E. Stone, Ph.D. has over 25 years of experience as a licensed psychologist including seven years of experience treating alcohol dependence. He holds a Ph.D. in Psychology from Cornell University and was a Post-Doctoral Fellow at Harvard where he studied psychology at Harvard Medical School and spirituality at Harvard Divinity School. Dr. Stone is a member of the Harvard Medical School Postgraduate Association. He is an expert on:
Substance addiction: He has worked in this specialty for 7 years, including 5 years as a Major in the U.S. Army Medical Service where he worked with soldiers suffering from alcohol and drug abuse. He is now in his third year with Accelerated Recovery Centers.
Trauma: He has worked with Dr. Richard Mollica at Harvard Medical School and at the Center for Torture and Trauma Survivors in Atlanta, Georgia (2004 - 2007)
Mind/body medicine: He has studied with Dr. Herbert Benson at Harvard Medical School (2004 - 2007)
Spirituality and healing: He completed the four year Education for Ministry program at the University of the South. He studied with Professor Sarah Coakley at Harvard Divinity School and in some years since has lived in a Christian Monastic community when in Cambridge (1998 - 2007)
Couples counseling and family therapy: During his doctoral program at Cornell University he studied with Professors Harry Levin, Chair of the Psychology Department and George Suci Chair of the Department of Human Development and Family Studies. (1977 - 2007)
Dr. Stone has been married for 35 years and has four grown children.
Dr. Amy Hamilton, PsyD, LPC
Dr. Amy Hamilton has over 15 years experience doing individual and group therapy with individuals with psychiatric illness, substance abuse and dual diagnoses. She has worked in a variety of clinical settings, both inpatient and outpatient. Dr. Hamilton utilizes an integrated approach of cognitive, behavioral, and interpersonal techniques in helping people overcome addictive behaviors and beliefs. Her related areas of interest include recovery from trauma and abuse, relationship style, and issues related to treatment of dual diagnosis and group behavior.
Dr. Hamilton graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. She went on to graduate magna cum laude with a master’s degree in counseling psychology and then pursued further education at the Georgia School of Professional Psychology. She was awarded her doctorate degree in clinical psychology in 2001. She is an expert in interpersonal relationships and conflict resolution.
Dr. Hamilton enjoys doing outdoor activities with her family.
Dr. Lorie J. Welsh, Ph.D., LPC, NCC
Dr. Lorie Welsh graduated from the University of Central Florida with her Ph.D. in Counselor Education. She also received her MA in Counselor Education and her BA in Psychology from the University of Central Florida. After years of raising a family, Dr. Welsh pursued her counseling education so that she could be better equipped to help other people. Dr. Welsh's theory in counseling is an integrative approach with a propensity towards Existentialism and Humanism. Instead of focusing on an individual's pathology, she believes in working with individuals based on their strengths. She also believes that clients are often looking for purpose and meaning for their lives and her part is to help them become fully aware of their core issues and values.
Dr. Welsh has worked as a generalist since 2003 focusing on individual, couples, and family therapy. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Georgia and National Board Certified Counselor. She has certifications in Victim Services, Clinical Hypnosis, and Prepare/Enrich marital counseling. She is a professional member of the American Counseling Association, Southern Association of Counselor Educators, American Association of Christian Counselors, and Association for Assessment in Counseling and Education. She has published and presented numerous presentations locally, regionally and nationally. Dr. Welsh is currently working on a model to streamline the understanding of the counseling process as well as completing a manuscript on the effect of basic counselor skills on client outcome. She is an expert in mood disorders as an antecedent to alcohol abuse or alcohol dependency, as well as childhood issues, relationship issues and parenting issues.
Beverly Matthews, MS, LPC
Beverly Matthews is a former executive who is now a Licensed Professional Counselor and Coach. She has over 13 years of experience in her own private counseling and coaching practice. She specializes in working with anxiety and stress issues, business and personal relationship coaching, addictions, codependency, eating disorders, childhood abuse & trauma issues, along with pre- and perinatal shock & trauma, both in adults and children. Beverly also brings expertise in the facilitation of psychodrama and other experiential approaches. She has advanced training in hypnotherapy and breathwork as well as shamanic energy and healing modalities. She uses her intuitive skills to link current problems with the understanding of life lessons and human development.
Beverly received her Masters in Community Counseling from Georgia State University. She is also a clinical supervisor and trainer. She has trained and supervised therapists around the country in hypnotherapy and other experiential therapies for over 10 years. Beverly is an expert in experiential and intuitive approaches to counseling and therapy for mental, emotional and spiritual development.
Ruby Blow, MA, LPC, NCC
Ruby Blow is a Masters level Licensed Professional Counselor. She is a Nationally Certified Counselor specializing in the facilitation of personal growth and wellness, empowerment, and personal responsibility. She attended Clemson University for her Bachelors in Psychology and obtained her Masters degree in Psychology with a Counseling Specialty from the Georgia School of Professional Psychology.
Ruby is also an adjunct faculty member at Argosy University in the Community Counseling program and has experience in a variety of clinical settings over the past twelve years including community non-profit counseling centers, substance abuse prevention and intervention agencies, private practice, and training and consultation services for businesses, organizations, and individuals. She has conducted research in the field of mental health treatment outcomes for those with severe disorders and the impact of domestic violence on children. She researches and provides training on the topics of popular culture, substance abuse, and behavioral health. Her counseling orientation relies on interpersonal theory, narrative therapy, and appreciative inquiry. She is an expert in identifying personal and relational strengths. She focuses on what is right with her clients and grows those characteristics so that they become the clients' solutions of choice when they face whatever life presents.
Georgia Geiger, LPC
Georgia Geiger is a Licensed Professional Counselor and National Board Certified Counselor with over twenty years of experience in the counseling field. She earned a B.S. degree at the University of Wisconsin-Stout and a M.A. from Oakland University in Michigan. She has worked in mental health and educational settings.
Georgia believes that people seeking counseling have satisfying directions for their lives inside them and that they can access an apply those directions when put in a safe and caring counseling environment.
Additionally, Georgia is an Associate Professor at Reinhardt College and a mediator registered with the Supreme Court of Georgia.
Susan Berel, Ph.D.
Dr. Susan Berel is a licensed psychologist with diverse clinical training and experience. She has worked in various settings including medical centers and private practice, and has experience with individual, couples, and group therapy. Dr. Berel specializes in women's issues, but tends to work equally well with men and women struggling with addictive behaviors and related issues.
Dr Berel's approach in working with clients is one that tends to deemphasize psychological problems as illnesses. She instead assumes that people develop various ways of being in the world based on their lived experience. Several schools of thought influence her approach to psychotherapy. Where appropriate, Dr. Berel focuses on family and interpersonal influences. With other clients, she emphasizes the development of life skills and solutions to problems. She often uses a combination of these approaches and/or adjusts her therapeutic approach with clients depending on their needs. Therapy, she believes, is a tool that can help individuals feel empowered, free themselves of problematic behaviors, and develop more intimate relationships.
Dr. Berel received her undergraduate degree from Vassar College with honors in psychology. She attained her M.S. and Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Washington State University. She completed a predoctoral internship at the University of Chicago Medical Center and postdoctoral fellowships at the Atlanta VA Medical Center and Northside Hospital (through the Women's Center).
Dr. Berel has been married five years and has one child.
M J Murphy, LPC, NCC, CRC
Mary Jane Murphy, M.A., LPC, NCC, CRC, began her career in the counseling field in 1982 when she worked as a career consultant for a psychological testing and consulting firm in Nashville, Tennessee. She is now a licensed counselor who devotes half of her practice to psychotherapy and the rest to career testing and counseling.
Mary Jane also holds certification as a rehabilitation counselor. She helps people adjust after a life-changing event such as an accident, addiction recovery, loss of a loved one, divorce, mental or physical illness, job loss or other life transition.
Patty Farinola, Life Coach
Patty Binns Farinola has been coaching since 1998 in the areas of leadership, communication, team-building, career development, spiritual direction, achieving life goals and creating profoundly fulfilling love relationships. Patty received her training at CoachU and has been professionally certified through the International Coach Federation. She also holds a license in sacred healing (SHL). Other education includes personal development and leadership training through Landmark Education Corporation, Turknett Leadership Group, and the Center for Inner Knowing. Her primary focus is helping people create success in all areas of their lives through powerfully connected relationships.
Patty's professional history includes over twenty-five years of diverse experience with industry leading Fortune 100 corporations and privately held firms. She has worked for such companies as Coca-Cola, Bank South (now Bank of America), and S1 corporation, and her last position was Managing Director of Marketing for Georgia Natural Gas. She holds a degree in Economics from Emory University.
Patty pulls from her own personal experience and many levels of training to provide coaching and classes that have clients look deeply into their patterns of communication, connection, action and attraction, helping them open up to the true possibilities of business success, relationship success, and life satisfaction.
Pat Stogner, MEd, LMFT
Pat has been a therapist in the Atlanta area for over 30 years. He received his Master’s Degree in counseling from the University of Georgia and is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. He is also a Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist and Certified HypnoBirthing Practitioner.
Throughout his career he has worked in psychiatric hospital settings, community mental health, corporate settings, private practice and has taught psychology at the undergraduate level. As well as being skilled in traditional individual, couples, family and group therapy modalities, Pat has completed advanced training in the experiential therapies of hypnotherapy, breathwork therapy, and psychodrama groups.
Dr. Reginald B. Riley, Ph.D, LMSW, MS, CTRS
Dr. Reginald Riley holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Counseling, a Master of Science in Social Work, a Master of Science in Human Services and a Bachelors Degree in Therapeutic Recreation. Dr. Riley has over 10 years experience in the field of mental health and addiction counseling.
Dr. Riley is licensed as a Licensed Master Social Worker and is nationally certified as a Nationally Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist. Dr. Riley's career includes senior mental health and addiction counseling positions with both adolescent and adult populations. Having worked in both inpatient and outpatient settings, Dr. Riley is extremely familiar with various approaches to treating addiction.
Some of Dr. Riley's research interests include: addiction, cognitive and non-cognitive factors as they relate to educational success, social work education, non-profit management, mediation and conflict resolution, religion in social work and spirituality in leisure. Dr. Riley is an active member of The Georgia Southern University Alumni Association Board, The National Association of Social Workers, The Georgia College and University Suicide Prevention Task Force and many other community based organizations. Dr. Riley enjoys traveling, cooking, martial arts, kayaking, horseback riding, golfing, spending time with family and working out.
Melissa Beddingfield, MA, LPC
As a licensed professional counselor, Melissa works with clients to help them gain a more positive sense of well-being within themselves and in their lives. She obtained a Master of Arts in Counseling from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in 2002. Since that time, she has worked in outpatient and residential programs as well as private practice helping people address many different problems including addiction, depression, anxiety, life transition issues, relational concerns, self-esteem, grief, loss and abuse. She has a specialty certification in addiction and has worked with many individuals in recovery and/or family members of recovering persons.
Melissa believes that the relationship between psychotherapist and client is a vital part of the change that can occur in therapy. It is a relationship of equals wherein you will share your thoughts, feelings, and experiences and she will use her knowledge and experience to guide the process. She will share with you what she thinks, help you to trust your own inner wisdom, and gently guide you to fully express and experience your feelings during sessions. Her therapeutic approach is eclectic and utilizes client-centered, experiential and cognitive therapies.
Nancy S., Office Manager
Nancy has worked in healthcare for the past 9 years and in children's mental health prior to that. She has been a Practice Administrator and Office Manager for several medical practices, building extensive experience in all aspects of office management and human resources. Nancy pairs her concern for each client's personal outcome with her organizational skills and attention to detail in order to ensure an outstanding client experience. She manages all client logistics with strong efficiency, but also sensitivity for the clients' needs and outcomes.
Nancy received her Master's in Public Administration after earning a BS in Public and Social Services. She has earned a reputation for excellence in interpersonal communication, client care, planning, process efficiency, detail orientation and organization.
Wellness Management
Dr. Tommie Richardson, Medical Director
Tommie M. Richardson, M.D., C.A.S. has over 20 years of experience in identifying, diagnosing and treating chemical dependence and psychiatric illness. Serving as Medical Director for both in and out patient facilities Dr. Richardson has organized and implemented Healthcare Delivery Systems that have enhanced the lives of thousands of citizens. He takes a holistic approach to delivering healthcare, through individual and family counseling; he treats addictive, psychiatric and medical disorders. Dr. Richardson has also implemented culturally diverse treatment programs.
Dr. Richardson received his Doctor of Medicine from University of Tennessee Medical Units, winner of the Verstandig Award. His Medicine Internship was with City of Memphis Hospital and his Family Practice Residency with Howard University Hospital.
He is certified with the American Board of Family Practice, American Society of Addiction Medicine, American Academy of Healthcare Providers in Addiction Disorders and Georgia Addiction Counselors Association, Certified Addiction Counselor, Level 1.
Dr. Richardson is a professional member of American Society of Addiction Medicine, American Academy of Providers in Addictive Diseases, American Medical Association, Atlanta Medical Society, Medical Association of Georgia, Georgia Addiction Counselors Association, National Association of Alcohol and Drug Counselors, Georgia ASAM and Medical Association of Atlanta.
Nancy Certain, RN
Nancy Certain received her RN license in New York and her BSN from the Georgia University System. She has been a practicing nurse for over 30 years.
She spent most of those 30 years in hospital settings where she was a bed-side educator for patients and their families. In addition, she taught for 5 years in formal group education sessions. During these group sessions, she taught relaxation therapy with excellent success in the areas of stress management and pain reduction.
Nancy joined the Accelerated Recovery team in May, 2008. Her focus at Accelerated is education, relaxation therapy, and restoration of healthy life styles through good nutrition, nutrient supplementation, and exercise.
Together with Accelerated Recovery Centers' Medical Director, she monitors the clients’ well being during their treatment program.
