WellStead Mental Health

Bios

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  Jeffrey T. Ferraro, M.D.

  Psychiatrist

  Dr. Ferraro is currently Medical Director of Psychiatric Services at Capital Regional Medical Center (CRMC). He is board certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology as well as the American Board of Addiction Medicine. He was Chief Resident at the University of Florida and completed his internship at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh, PA. He has also served as medical director at the Tallahassee Memorial Hospital Behavioral Health Center as well as the chief psychiatrist at many large residential facilities. Dr. Ferraro is an assistant clinical professor with the Florida State University College of Medicine. He has been a member of many professional associations, including the Florida Psychiatric Society and the American Society of Addiction Medicine.

  Services:

  Link: Jeffrey T. Ferraro, M.D.

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  Eileen Venable, M.D.

  Psychiatrist

  Dr. Venable is board certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. She began practicing psychiatry in the Tallahassee area in 2000 and has served since 2005 as the Tallahassee Regional Campus Psychiatry Clerkship Director with the Florida State University College of Medicine. She is currently providing care to patients at Capital Regional Medical Center.

  Services:

  Link: Eileen Venable, M.D.

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  Mark Strickland, M.D.

  Psychiatrist

  Dr. Strickland grew up with his family in Northern Virginia. After graduating from high school, he attended George Mason University and pursued an undergraduate degree in Biology. He graduated with High Distinction and was accepted into the Eastern Virginia Medical School, located in Norfolk, Virginia. Following his graduation from EVMS, Dr. Strickland completed his Psychiatry Residency, Child Fellowship and Chief Residency at the University Center for the Health Sciences in Memphis, Tennessee. He is certified in both Adult and Child & Adolescent Psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. After completing his Child Fellowship in 1984, Dr. Strickland accepted a position at the Cleveland Clinic, located in Cleveland, Ohio. Not a fan of Cleveland’s winters, he and his family later transitioned to the Cleveland Clinic Florida, located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where he eventually served as the Chairman of the Department of Psychiatry for six years. He briefly transitioned to private practice in South Florida, expanding his practice to include Naples, Florida. After a valued colleague, Dr. Paul Zislis, accepted a position at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital (TMH) and recognized the need for child psychiatrists in the area, he reached out to Dr. Strickland. In 2000, Dr. Strickland accepted a position at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital and, along with his family, moved to the area. Dr. Strickland worked at TMH for over ten years, treating children, adolescents and adults. During that time, along with Dr. Connie Speer, he managed TMH’s Child & Adolescent Unit. He has also been on the faculty of the Florida State University College of Medicine since 2003, and he is currently the Clerkship Director for Informatics at the regional campus. In 2011, he accepted a position at the Tallahassee VA Outpatient Clinic, where he was the Chief of Mental Health Services. Dr. Strickland joined us at WellStead Mental Health in 2020 – just a week before the COVID shutdown. Although his practice was initially limited to adults aged 18 and older, in his role as faculty for the UCF/HCA Psychiatry Residency Program, he has expanded it to include children and adolescents who are seen as part of the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Resident Clinic.

  Services:

  Link: Mark Strickland, M.D.

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  Michael Mitchell, M.D.

  Psychiatrist

  Dr. Mitchell is originally from Boston, Massachusetts. He attended Dartmouth College and The Morehouse School of Medicine. His residency and internship were done at The Cambridge Hospital in Cambridge, Massachusetts, now part of the Harvard combined residency program. He has worked at the Community Mental Health Center of Middle Georgia as Medical Director of Twin Oaks Crisis Stabilization Unit, and their various children’s clinics. He moved to Tallahassee in 2003 with his wife, Dr. Jolita Burns. He has worked for the last 15 years with the Psychiatric Emergency Response Program at Tallahassee Memorial Behavioral Health Center. Since coming to WellStead Mental Health, he works on the Behavioral Health Unit at Capital Regional Medical Center.

  Services:

  Link: Michael Mitchell, M.D.

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  Esther Elphick, M.D.

  Psychiatrist

  Dr Elphick started practicing in Tallahassee in 2014 and recently joined WellStead Mental Health. She graduated from Angeles University Foundation, College of Medicine. She completed Residency Training in General Psychiatry at The Ohio State University then went on to complete a Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship, at the same institution. She is passionate in assisting individuals to attain a good sense of well-being. She hopes to have a positive impact on children and adolescent’s lives so they become productive members of society. She prefers to concentrate her practice with children, adolescents and young adults.

  Services:

  Link: Esther Elphick, M.D.

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  Jamie Lee Sorenson, M.D.

  Psychiatrist

  Dr. Sorenson (she/her/hers) is board certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. She attended Florida State University and the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. She trained in psychiatry residency at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, TN. Dr. Sorenson worked in Denver before returning to Tallahassee in 2020. She is originally from Florida and happy to be home. Dr. Sorenson worked in multiple settings: inpatient, homeless outreach, telemedicine, and community mental health. Dr. Sorenson has special interests in Women’s Mental Health, LGBTQ Mental Health, Climate Psychiatry, HIV/AIDs Mental Health, and Addictions. Dr. Sorenson is a member of the American Psychiatric Association (APA) and is a co-chair for the APA Climate Caucus. She is also a member of the International Society of Reproductive Psychiatry.

  Services:

  Link: Jamie Lee Sorenson, M.D.

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  Allesa English, M.D.

  Psychiatrist

  Dr. English is board certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. She is a graduate of the Florida A&M University College of Pharmacy, and the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. Dr. English trained in psychiatry residency at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. She is a Tallahassee native who’s worked in Washington, DC., Memphis, TN, and Tampa, Florida before returning home in 2015. Dr. English is a general adult psychiatrist with particular interest in student mental health.

  Services:

  Link: Allesa English, M.D.

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  Christopher Wadsworth, M.D.

  Psychiatrist

  Dr. Wadsworth holds dual board certifications in general psychiatry and forensic psychiatry. After completing medical school and residency at the University of Florida, he pursued subspecialty fellowship training in California, where he later served as the chief psychiatrist at San Quentin State Prison. He maintains an active interest in teaching, currently serving as professor of psychiatry at the University of Central Florida and at the University of California, San Francisco. Born and raised in Florida, Dr. Wadsworth is delighted to return to his home-state, joining the team at WellStead Mental Health in 2023.

  Services:

  Link: Christopher Wadsworth, M.D.

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  Gregory Hutton, M.D.

  Psychiatrist

  Dr. Hutton is board certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. He completed medical school at Eastern Virginia Medical School in 2007 and his residency at University of Miami in 2020. He has since then focused on inpatient medicine and teaching medical students and residents. Currently he cares for patients at HCA Capital Hospital.

  Services:

  Link: Gregory Hutton, M.D.

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  Roopashri Kurse, M.D.

  Psychiatrist

  Dr. Roopa Kurse (pronounced as Koorsay) is a board-certified Child and Adolescent and Adult psychiatrist who was in private practice in Denver, CO for 18 years. She works with children as young as 3 years of age, mainly using parent-child interaction therapy. She has gained a lot of experience working in different settings like inpatient as well as outpatient. She also has worked with adolescents in the juvenile delinquency system. Dr. Kurse completed her medical training in India. She completed her adult psychiatry training at the University of Alabama in Birmingham and then moved to CO to complete her fellowship in Child and adolescent psychiatry. She served as the Chief resident in the Fellowship program at the University of Colorado. Dr. Kurse is also trained in psychodynamic psychotherapy at the Denver Institute of Psychoanalysis. Dr. Kurse moved to Tallahassee to be a part of the residency program here. She has maintained an interest in teaching and would like to help train younger doctors. Dr. Kurse enjoys working with young children, adolescents as well as young adults.

  Services:

  Link: Roopashri Kurse, M.D.

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  Kelly Sunshine, APRN

  Psychiatrist

  Kelly Sunshine, APRN acquired her Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing from Chipola College, and spent eight years working as a psychiatric nurse at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital Behavioral Health Center. Here she gained valuable experience with both inpatient and outpatient psychiatric treatment, working with a wide range of disorders, and was inspired to continue her education as a psychiatric Nurse Practitioner. She went on to graduate from the University of Alabama in Birmingham with a Master’s Degree in Nursing, and became board certified as a Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner.

  Education:

  Certifications:

  Services:

  Link: Kelly Sunshine, APRN

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  Katie Mann, APRN

  Psychiatrist

  Katie has more than 15 years of psychiatric nursing experience. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing from Florida State University and later her Master’s Degree in Nursing from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. The majority of her work as a psychiatric nurse has been in the acute mental health setting, assessing and helping to coordinate care for children, adolescents and adults within a multidisciplinary team framework. She also has experience in providing and managing transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) treatments, as she helped to develop and direct Tallahassee’s first Deep TMS treatment center, Tallahassee Brain Stimulation Center. Katie is a board certified Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and sees adult patients age 18 and over.

  Education:

  Certifications:

  Services:

  Link: Katie Mann, APRN

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  Angela Jackson, APRN

  Psychiatrist

  Angela is a board certified Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and a board certified Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner. She received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing from The Ohio State University, and her Master of Science Degree in Nursing from University of Cincinnati. Angela gained a wide variety of nursing experience in the Air Force, and received an honorable discharge upon resigning her commission as a Captain. She has been a provider of OB/GYN care for many women in our community, and has a particular interest in women’s mental health issues across the lifespan. She is currently available to see patients aged 18 and over.

  Education:

  Certifications:

  Services:

  Link: Angela Jackson, APRN

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  Amanda Phelps, APRN

  Psychiatrist

  Services:

  Link: Amanda Phelps, APRN

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  Sara Barber, APRN

  Psychiatrist

  Sara is a board certified Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and a board certified Family Nurse Practitioner. She received both her Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in Nursing from Florida State University. She also completed a Psychiatric-Mental Health certificate program through FSU as well. Sara’s first love has always been working with children and adolescents and she has 19 years of experience in a pediatric office. She has a special interest in young people and those transitioning to college and early adulthood. She will be available to see patients down to 7 years of age.

  Education:

  Certifications:

  Services:

  Link: Sara Barber, APRN

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  Iraida Miller, APRN

  Psychiatrist

  Iraida Miller received her Bachelors of Science Degree in Nursing from The College of Saint Scholastica and her Masters of Science Degree in Nursing from The University of South Alabama. She is a graduate of both the Florida State University Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner Program and the University of South Alabama Adult-Gerontological Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Program. She comes to the practice with eight years of clinical experience and is an active member of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association. Her areas of interest include eating disorders, chemical dependency, and sustaining recovery. Prior to joining WellStead Mental Health, Iraida practiced at the Florida State University Wellness Center and assisted with the development of an eating disorder program. She has recently joined efforts with Living Intentionally, Finding Togetherness (LIFT), a Florida State University recovery program. Iraida is committed to utilizing her clinical expertise and experience to support the physical and psychiatric well-being of patients in the Tallahassee area. She is fluent in English and Spanish and is currently available to see patients ages 18 and up.

  Education:

  Services:

  Link: Iraida Miller, APRN

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  Rebecca Howell, PA-C

  Psychiatrist

  I believe that mental health is remarkably individual, that every person’s unique story must be appreciated and understood to help them find the best path forward on their mental health journey. I believe strongly in a patient-centered approach, partnering with the patient to define goals and concerns, and providing the resources they need to effect positive change through pharmacologic as well as non-pharmacologic means. As a Paramedic in New Orleans, I had extensive experience with patients in acute mental crises, in the throes of grief, and suffering the long-term complications of poorly managed mood and personality disorders. It was always a point of frustration for me to have brief positive interactions with these patients, which in the long run were nearly meaningless as I was unable to ensure the quality of their treatment, access to follow-up care, or compliance. I always felt there was more I could do in fact, that I should do. While I don’t believe I possess any unusual or special skill that enables me to “fix” the problems of others, I do believe I possess a great deal of patience and empathy that drive me to seek out and help those lost in the darkness of their own minds. Over the years I have learned that, often, the thing people need most is a good listener, one who hears that which is said as well as unsaid, and not just someone to tell them what they should do. My place is to help people understand that which they already know, to guide them through the dark times, and shine a light on the path they already walk.

  Services:

  Link: Rebecca Howell, PA-C

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  Donna Kitch, Ph.D.

  Mental Health Counselor

  Dr. Kitch has been working in field of mental health for more than 30 years. She specializes in adult assessment and counseling for trauma, anxiety disorders, and depression. She has worked in private practice outpatient settings as well as coordinating care in large residential facilities. Dr. Kitch see patients ages 18 and over.

  Services:

  Link: Donna Kitch, Ph.D.

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  Craig Asselin, Licensed Psychologist

  Mental Health Counselor

  Craig is a Licensed Psychologist and Certified Group Psychotherapist with over 12 years of experience providing mental health services to individuals, couples, and families. He has spent the last six years working as a Staff Psychologist and the assessment coordinator at the Florida State University Counseling Center. Craig earned his doctorate from the Combined-Integrated Clinical and School Psychology program at James Madison University. He has also earned his Master of Education degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies in Marriage and Family Therapy from Springfield College. He also earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Syracuse University in Psychology. In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Asselin’s research has been focused in the area of well-being and assessment. His areas of interest include: depression, anxiety, marital and family conflict, and life stage transitions. Craig is an integrative psychologist, utilizing aspects of family systems and psychodynamic theory. He works with individuals and couples 18 and over.

  Education:

  Certifications:

  Services:

  Link: Craig Asselin, Licensed Psychologist

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  Katharine Whealdon, LCSW

  Mental Health Counselor

  Katharine is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 6 years of experience working with clients of varying ages in both inpatient and outpatient treatment settings at Tallahassee Memorial Behavioral Health Center (TMBHC). Katharine spent 3 years working as the primary clinician on the child and adolescent unit at TMBHC. Prior to joining WellStead Mental Health, Katharine worked as a Treatment Coordinator at Florida State University Counseling Center. Her areas of interest include: anxiety, depression, self-esteem, and life stage transitions. Katharine is trained in several theoretical treatment modalities including Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Family Systems Theory. Katharine works with individuals 12 and over.

  Services:

  Link: Katharine Whealdon, LCSW

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  Jennifer Beaupied, LCSW

  Mental Health Counselor

  Jennifer Beaupied is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 19 years of experience in both inpatient and outpatient settings and has been a licensed clinician since 2008. She began her career in the Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Center at Broward Health (Chris Evert Children’s Hospital) as a Pediatric Social Service Counselor and Stem Cell/ Bone Marrow Coordinator. At Broward Health, Jennifer assisted in the development of both the pediatric program for the outpatient clinic and pediatric inpatient services, incorporated patient and family support groups, retreats, discharge planning for inpatient and outpatient services and coordination of hospice care. She served as a Healthcare Council Member with Gilda’s Club and Member of the Youth, Family, & Community Advisory Board. After moving to Tallahassee, Jennifer was an Adjunct Professor at Florida State University in the School of Social Work. From that position, she began working at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital as a Clinical Social Worker and then selected as Social Work Team Leader. While at TMH, she was nominated Design Team Member for Development of Shared Governance Council, Member of Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare Interdisciplinary Shared Governance/ Design team Council and I CARE recipient. Prior to joining WellStead Mental Health, Jennifer was the Clinical Care Manager providing diagnosis and treatment for behavioral/mental health issues in patients and families, assisted in the development and implementation of both the Chronic Care Management Program (CCM) and the Behavioral Health Program at Tallahassee Primary Care Associates (TPCA). While at TPCA the program received Honorable Mention for Behavioral Health at the 2017 Tally Awards. Her areas of clinical interest include: depression, abuse, grief/ bereavement, anxiety/ panic disorders, trauma, family conflict, behavioral concerns, autism, and coping with major life events through Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Crisis Counseling and Family Systems Theory. Jennifer works with children, adults and family dynamics. She is a member of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) and the Maternal Mental Health Community Advisory Board (MMHCAB)

  Services:

  Link: Jennifer Beaupied, LCSW