Counseling & Psychological
Services Staff
We represent the fields of psychology, counseling, social work,
and psychiatry. We train interns in counseling, clinical psychology,
and related
counseling programs. Our primary commitment is to enhance the psychological
growth, emotional well being, and learning potential of students.
Our permanent staff are licensed and/or certified mental health professionals.
However, all members of our counseling team (including graduate interns)
are trained to address a wide range of presenting concerns. We each
have our own unique interests and have developed counseling styles
that best enable us to connect with students in a personalized way
that aims to be most helpful.
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John
Ritchie, Ph.D., Director,
Licensed Psychologist, has a Doctorate in Educational
Psychological Studies-Counseling from the University
of Colorado. He uses primarily cognitive-behavior, family
systems, and psychomotor psychotherapy approaches in
individual and couples counseling. John also enjoys counseling
groups and giving presentations and workshops on various
issues such as relationships, conflict management, gender
issues, substance abuse, crisis intervention, and group
facilitation. He is married and has five children. John
enjoys the outdoors, athletics, animals and spending
time with his family. He also has a part-time private
practice in Sylva.
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Michelle
Cooper, Ph.D., Assistant
Director, Licensed Psychologist, has a Doctorate
in Counseling Psychology from the University of Massachusetts
and a Masters in Counselor Education from Penn State.
She uses relational-cultural, family systems, and
culturally-sensitive
approaches and recently completed training addressing
LGBT issues and integrating spirituality into her
therapeutic work. She's completed WCU's Safe Zone
training and
serves as a member of the training team. She views
counseling as a collaborative process where both
client & counselor
bring their individual expertise/gifts together to
address specific concerns. Personally, she loves
the mountains, rivers & related recreational
activities, especially with her family.
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June
Wytock, M.A., M.S.N., C.S. has
masters degrees in both psychology and nursing and is a
certified clinical nurse specialist. She received her M.A.
in Clinical Psychology from WCU and her M.S.N. in Psychiatric
Nursing from Catholic University of America. June also
completed training in gestalt therapy, neurolinguistic
programming, and psychomotor therapy. June specializes
in the areas of women's issues, sexual abuse, eating disorders,
and body image problems.
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Michael
L. McIntosh, M.A., Training Coordinator, has
a Masters degree in Clinical Psychology and is pursuing
Psychological
Associate
licensure. He received his M.A. from the Illinois School
of Professional Psychology and hopes to complete a Doctor
of Psychology (Psy.D.) degree in the Fall of 2007. He integrates
various theories and techniques, such as humanistic, cognitive-behavioral,
and brief dynamic models, to the unique needs of students.
He enjoys working with individuals and groups on many different
topics such as anxiety, depression and transitions in life.
Mike has also worked with people who are deaf or hard of
hearing and is proficient in sign language. When not at
work Mike enjoys spending time with his fiancée,
working on computers, and exercising.
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Arika
L. Shafer, M.S., Counselor….completed her Masters
Degree in Counseling with a specialty in College Student
Personnel from Shippensburg
University in 2002. Arika recently moved to North Carolina
and is pursuing her Professional Counseling License with
the state of North Carolina. Arika has experience working
with a variety of counseling issues including Stress
Management, Substance Abuse, Anxiety, Depression, and
Women’s Issues. She uses a humanistic approach
blended with cognitive behavioral therapy techniques.
She has a special interest in Trauma Therapy, Spirituality,
Hypnosis, Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR),
Guided Imagery and other Relaxation Techniques. Arika
is also an advisor for the peer education student organization,
C.L.A.W. (Campus Leaders Advocating Wellness). |
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Miles
Ardaman, M.D., Psychiatrist
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Rick
McClendon, M.Ed., S.P.A.R.C. Coordinator is
pursuing a Master’s degree of Education in College
Student Personnel from Western Carolina University. Rick
is a member of the Association of College Unions International
(ACUI), serving on the Region 5 Executive Council as
the Graduate At Large Representative where he was Certified
in Bias Incident and Hate Crime Prevention through the
STOP the HATE Program. In 2004, Rick served as Chairman
of WCU’s First One World Project, a week long event
seeks to break down barriers and shift the paradigm of
hate, ignorance and exclusion to one of compassion, knowledge
and inclusion by creating opportunities for continual
dialogue about diversity. The One World Project is dedicated
to developing a supportive environment where commonalities
and differences are not just tolerated or accepted, but
embraced. Rick has worked with the North Carolina Center
for the Advancement of Teachers and served as guest facilitator/speaker
on several topics on America’s African American
youth rising to the top, Rick has been very involved
in Residence Life, Student Unions and Centers, Greek
Affairs, and Judicial Affairs at Western Carolina University
and hopes to pursue a long term career in Student Affairs
concentrating on holistic development of students.
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Lisa
M. Carter, A.B., Office Manager has
an Associates Degree in General Business.She specializes
in providing excellent customer services skills, computer
knowledge and a positive attitude. She moved here
from Milwaukee, Wisconsin where she worked as
the Executive
Assistant to the Director of Madison Medical Affiliates.
She is originally from Athens, Georgia. She is married
and has two children. She loves the outdoors and being
with friends and family.
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