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Thomas W. McCormack, M.D.  Medical Director and founder of Athens Behavioral
Medicine, Dr. McCormack is a native Georgian and graduate of Emory University School of Medicine. He held an appointment as
Clinical Professor in the Dept. of Psychiatry at Emory from 2003-2010, and he currently holds the same position at the new medical school in Athens, the
Georgia Health Sciences University. Over his six-year tenure
at Duke University School of Medicine, he completed residency in General Psychiatry and then sought subspecialty training,
completing fellowships in both Forensic Psychiatry and Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, where he served as Chief Resident. He
earned his undergraduate degree Magna Cum Laude from Wake Forest University. Dr. McCormack is one of only five physicians in the state to be awarded
board certifications in General Adult Psychiatry, Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, and Forensic Psychiatry. He specializes in ADHD, Neuropsychiatry, Forensic psychiatry, Child
and Adolescent bipolar/ depression/ anxiety/ OCD/ tic disorders/ eating disorders, behavioral disorders of childhood, and
general adult psychiatric practice. Dr.
McCormack strongly believes in utilizing the most conservative medical treatments, depending upon the nature and the gravity
of the patient’s presenting symptoms. Dr.
McCormack lives in Athens with his wife and three children. He is an active member of Beech Haven Baptist Church, where he
serves as a Deacon and Usher. Dr. Mack's hobbies include his children, religion/ philosophy, fossil shark tooth collecting,
astronomy, and most sports (especially Atlanta Braves baseball, UGA football, & Wake Forest Demon Deacon basketball &
football).  Kayln Lane, M.D. joined ABM in February 2010 and
is Board Certified in Child/Adolescent Psychiatry, Adult Psychiatry, & Forensic Psychiatry. Dr. Lane is a native Georgian and a magna cum laude graduate of the University of Georgia Honors Program
with a major in Cellular Biology. She is also a graduate of the Medical College of Georgia, and she completed a residency in General Psychiatry and additional subspecialty training in Child & Adolescent
Psychiatry at the University of Kentucky School of Medicine, where she served as Chief
Resident in her final year. At UK she received the H. Otto Kaak Award for the
Outstanding Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Resident, the Suzanna Park, M.D. Award for Excellence in Psychotherapy, and the
110% Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Residency Training Program two consecutive years. Dr. Lane then sought additional subspecialty training, completing a one-year fellowship in Forensic Psychiatry at the Emory
University School of Medicine. Dr. Lane currently holds a position as Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the Georgia Health Sciences
University, and she is one of only five physicians in the state to be awarded board certifications
in General Adult Psychiatry, Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, and Forensic Psychiatry. Dr. Lane lives in Athens with her husband.
Dr.
Fisher brings over 30 years of clinical and administrative practice experience to Athens Behavioral Medicine. Dr. Fisher graduated
from Indiana University School of Medicine, and he completed an internship in pediatrics, residency training in general psychiatry,
and subspecialty training in child and adolescent psychiatry at its affiliated hospital program. He is board certified by
the American Academy of Psychiatry and Neurology. Prior to beginning his private practice in Athens in 2000, Dr. Fisher worked
as the medical director for Charter Winds Psychiatric hospital. Dr. Fisher sees children, adolescents, adults, and geriatric
patients for medication management in his practice. He lives in Athens with his wife. Andrew
Heidesch, MS, LMFT
 Andrew Heidesch is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist originally from Iowa, who received
his B.A. in Psychology from Benedictine College and his M.S. in Marriage and Family Therapy from Kansas State University.
Andrew has worked in a variety of settings, including Mercy Hospital (Manhattan, Kansas) where he led groups on anger management
and performed individual therapy. While in Kansas, he worked within Job Corp assisting adolescents with anger and oppositional
problems. When Andrew moved to Athens, he began working at Advantage Behavioral Health Systems, where he provided
family therapy and worked within the Innerlight Program providing drug and alcohol addictions counseling for adolescents.
He has also worked within their Right Track Program providing group and individual therapy for teenagers charged with sexual
offenses. Andrew specializes in child and adolescent psychotherapy, drug and alcohol addictions, family therapy, and
couples therapy. Andrew lives in Athens with his wife.
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Ellen
F. Bargeron, LPC, NCC
 A
native Georgian and long-time Athens resident, Ellen Bargeron is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Nationally Certified
Counselor. She earned her BFA in Photographic Design and MED in Guidance and Counseling
from the University of Georgia and is currently working toward certification in Thanatology through the Association for Death
Education and Counseling. While working at Advantage Behavioral Health Systems as a Parent
Educator for families with severely emotionally disturbed children, Bargeron taught active parenting and
included the whole family in treatment. As a clinician, she utilized individual and group
therapy for those children, adolescents, and their families as well as individual therapy for adults. Her
therapeutic skills transferred well to her multi-faceted duties in the Emergency Department at Athens Regional Medical Center.
She assisted with crisis intervention, fostered complex problem solving, and offered bereavement counseling to a diverse
population. Her practice is solution-focused with an emphasis on mind-body skills to address long and short-term
challenges, mood and personality disorders, stress, and bereavement. Elizabeth Estes, R.N.
Ms. Estes has distinguished career as a pychiatric nurse, serving in a number of different settings. She has
worked as Charge Nurse of the Pediatric Psychiatry Unit at Charter Winds Hospital and as an outpatient Pediatric Psychiatry
Nurse at Advantage Behavioral Health in the past and currently at ABM. "Nurse Ede" assists Drs. McCormack
and Lane in the care of their patients.
 Rita is a Licensed Professional Counselor, and she is Certified in Advanced
Clinical Hynotherapy and EMDR. She earned her BA in Studio Art from The State University of New York/Queens College
in Fresh Meadows, New York. She also holds an MA in Psychology/Counseling from The State University of West Georgia.
Rita trained under John Gray, the author of "Men Are From Mars, Women are from Venus" and worked as a facilitator
in Dr. Gray's workshops. Rita trained in Heartcentered Hypnotherapy at the Wellness Institute in Seattle, Washington,
completing their 2 year intensive program which focuses on humanistic, holistic, and experiential modalities.
Her practice
experience includes, but is not limited to, the field of addiction and recovery, drug court, trauma, PTSD, ADHD, OCD, depression,
stress, grief issues, group therapy, individual & family therapy with both adolescents & adults, and couples
counseling. She especially enjoys working with seniors and is the presentor of the newly forming "Stress Free Hour"
class with Olli. Rita is involved with Care for The Troops and offers trauma counseling for various branches of
the Armed Forces.
Widowed in 2007 after 35 years of marriage, Rita is new to the Athens area. Rita has lived
in the South since 1996 and considers herself "a bit Southernized", although she is a native New Yorker. She
credits her love for her 5 year-old granddaughter for bringing her back to Georgia. "These are the happiest
days of my life". Maureen Killeen, PhD, CNS Dr. Killeen is a psychiatric clinical nurse specialist, board-certified
in adult mental health psychiatric nursing. Dr. Killeen graduated from D'Youville College School of nursing in Buffalo,
New York, and earned a master's degree in psychiatric mental health nursing at Emory University. Dr. Killeen earned
a Ph.D. in Child and Family development from the University of Georgia and also received postdoctoral training in child and
adolescent assessment and therapy from the clinical psychology and school psychology programs at the University of Georgia.
Additionally, she received further postdoctoral training in mental health research methods at the University of Georgia and
Harvard University graduate school of education. Dr. Killeen has over 35 years experience in psychiatric nursing
education and practice. She is Professor Emerita in the Medical College of Georgia School of Nursing and School of graduate
studies, Adjunct Associate Professor of clinical psychology and a Fellow in the Institute for Behavioral Research at
the University of Georgia. Dr. Killeen has also been named the Angela Barron McBride visiting professor of psychiatric
nursing at Indiana University school of nursing for 2008 -2009. Dr. Killeen provides mental health evaluations of adults as
well as medication management for adults under the supervision of Dr. Thomas McCormack. She lives in Athens with her husband.
Eric Thurmond is a Licensed Professional Counselor
and native to the state of Georgia, who received his B.A. in Psychology from Piedmont College and his M.S. in Clinical Counseling
Psychology from Brenau University. Eric has worked in the field of behavioral health in various capacities since early
2002. He has extensive experience with child, adolescent, and adult populations and provides individual, family, and
group counseling services. Eric has a special passion for Christian counseling services, but he enjoys helping people from all
beliefs and backgrounds. Some of his specialties include working with defiant teens, family and social relationship
problems, and anger management training. Eric lives with his wife and 3 children and serves at his local church in the
Jackson County area.
Blaine Everson, LMFT, PhD  Dr.
Everson joined ABM after working with several other practices around Georgia. He has extensive experience in faith-based
couseling throughout his 20 year career. After relocating from The Fraser Center on the Georgia coast, he worked as a family
therapist with Samaritan Center of Counseling & Wellness, where he most recently served as Clinical Director. His specialty
areas include traumatic stress, secondary stress reactions in families, child & adolescent behavior and mood disorders,
couple therapy, and family therapy focused on emotional and physical conditions. Dr. Everson has been licensed as a marriage
and family therapist in Georgia since 1995. Additionally, he has advanced training in Imago Couple Therapy and has been a
Level II EMDR practitioner for over 10 years.
Dr. Everson has held numerous part-time and adjunct faculty positions,
most recently in the Dept of Human Development and Family Sciences at the University of Georgia. He has also been involved
in research and writing about stressors associated with military lifestyles and has published several journal articles and
book chapters over the past few years. He recently edited and co-authored Families Under Fire: Systemic Therapy With
Military Families.
He is married to Denise and they have one daughter, Eliza. Dr. Everson and his family
are active members of St. Gregory the Great Episcopal Church, and he enjoys spending time with his wife and daughter, traveling,
flying, and fishing.
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