Megan Freeman, MD

Meagan Blews is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC) in North Carolina.  She graduated with her MA in Professional Counseling in 2011, and after being a stay at home mom for six years, ventured into community mental health.  Meagan has served as both a lead clinician and Interim Center Director over the years and is passionate about providing quality assessment and treatment options. With extensive training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Meagan provides comprehensive and empathetic care to her clients.

Meagan's approach to therapy is deeply rooted in trauma-informed principles, ensuring that clients feel safe, seen, and supported throughout their healing journey. Her passion lies in empowering individuals with the skills necessary for emotion regulation, helping them navigate life's challenges with resilience and confidence.  Meagan utilizes a mindfulness-based approach, guiding clients toward acceptance and self awareness in order to help clients overcome obstacles that prevent them from reaching their full potential.  Through a collaborative and non-judgmental environment, she fosters a safe space for exploration and self-discovery.

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Dawn Parks, LMHC, has worked in hospitals, forensics, community clinics, private practice, and research with Harvard Medical School, where she served as project director for a two-year addictions study for couples. She holds an undergraduate degree in exercise physiology, a master’s in clinical psychology, and a PhD in psychology. Dawn is a HeartMath practitioner with certifications in clinical stress, anxiety, and self-regulation treatment, as well as trauma-sensitive interventions. She also holds advanced certifications in addictions and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction and has extensive training in trauma work, couples therapy, nutrition for mental health, and healthy lifestyle development.

Dawn values open communication and works with patients to set clear treatment goals. She creates a warm, supportive environment where patients feel heard and respected. She emphasizes the mind-body connection, encouraging movement toward health from both perspectives, and meets patients where they are, providing a non-judgmental, trusting space conducive to growth.

She begins by thoroughly understanding each patient’s history, concerns, and goals during the initial session. Dawn develops individualized treatment plans aligned with patient objectives. Using a collaborative approach, she matches interventions to each client’s needs, fostering teamwork and supporting patients in achieving sustainable progress.

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Maegan Roberts, PMHNP, earned her MSN from Indiana University School of Nursing and her BSN from the University of Evansville. She worked as a Registered Nurse in inpatient psychiatry for five years before transitioning to outpatient care as a psychiatric nurse practitioner in 2017. Maegan has experience treating patients across the lifespan, from school-aged children to older adults. She is especially attuned to the challenges of young adulthood, parenting, and navigating complex family dynamics. Committed to lifelong learning, she values the insights and perspectives her patients bring to their care.

Maegan creates a therapeutic environment grounded in dignity, empathy, and respect. She empowers patients through education about diagnoses, symptoms, and medications while promoting autonomy and informed decision-making. Her approach blends psychopharmacology with supportive therapy, skill-building, and sustainable lifestyle strategies, helping patients build insight and resilience.

In the initial appointment, Maegan takes time to understand each patient’s history, concerns, and goals. From there, she collaborates with patients to create and adapt treatment plans that align with their evolving needs, always keeping the individual’s unique context and aspirations at the center of care.

Dr. Michael Watkins is a board-certified adult psychiatrist. He completed his residency at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler. In addition to being thoroughly trained in psychopharmacology, Dr. Watkins has also received extensive training in psychotherapy. From traditional psychodynamic therapy to the more modern mindfulness-based dialectical behavior therapy, Dr. Watkins takes the approach that best serves his patients. In addition to being trained in a variety of therapies, Dr. Watkins also employs a positive psychiatry approach which, as well as addressing a patient's symptoms, also focuses on their strengths and how they can be used to overcome adversity. Prior to pursuing a career in psychiatry, Dr. Watkins was a high school math teacher, and prior to that, he was an NCAA Division I college athlete. His teaching and athletic careers have given him a well-rounded perspective on the human experience. Drawing on his academic training and life experiences, Dr. Watkins meets patients where they are at, helps them overcome their obstacles, and serves as a guide and a resource for them on their journey to their desired destination.

Dr. Jessica Marz is a board-certified psychiatrist who completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Florida and earned her medical degree from the Florida State University College of Medicine. She went on to complete her psychiatry residency at the University of Florida College of Medicine Jacksonville. Dr. Marz treats adults experiencing a variety of mental health concerns, including anxiety, depression, PTSD, OCD, ADHD, bipolar disorder, and adjustment-related challenges.

Dr. Marz is a compassionate and thoughtful psychiatrist committed to holistic, patient-centered, evidence-based care. She approaches each individual with warmth and without judgment, fostering a therapeutic environment built on open communication and trust. She believes that strong rapport is essential to achieving meaningful progress in treatment.

Dr. Marz combines medication management with supportive psychotherapy, incorporating cognitive-behavioral techniques and motivational interviewing. She customizes each treatment plan to align with the patient’s personal goals and evolving needs, recognizing that healing is a highly individualized journey.

Dr. Dennis Valerstain is a board-certified Adult and Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist. After completing his undergraduate education at Emory University, he attended medical school at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. He subsequently completed psychiatry residency at University of Miami/Jackson Health System and further sub-specialized at University of Miami/Jackson Health System with a fellowship in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Dr. Valerstain has had the opportunity of working with a diverse array of patients including children, adolescents, the severely mentally ill, veterans, and cancer patients across three distinct hospital systems. Dr. Valerstain has had varied clinical experiences in specialty inpatient psychiatry units, emergency psychiatry, consultation liaison psychiatry, psycho-oncology, and outpatient clinics via telemedicine and face to face interactions. Dr. Valerstain has experience working with patients of all ages, particularly those with depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, ADHD, Tic disorders, substance use disorders, and more. Dr. Valerstain's practice focuses on medication management and also employs empathic listening, supportive psychotherapy techniques, and a comprehensive and methodological approach to his visits. Given his broad and diverse training experiences, he enjoys problem solving and working collaboratively with patients (and their families) to navigate their complex issues and jointly focusing on simple solutions to work towards improving their mental health.