PROGRAM DIRECTOR

Emily Gee, LPC, CPCS

Emily Gee is a Licensed Professional Counselor with a Masters and an Education Specialist degree in Professional Counseling from Georgia State University. Prior to attending Georgia State, she earned a Bachelors degree from The University of Georgia in Child and Family Development. Emily’s passion for counseling and empowering others began in college during an internship where Emily would help develop and apply self-esteem building curriculum for young girls and women. Emily’s focus on eating disorders began prior to graduate school after noticing a lack of resources and advocacy for individuals struggling with the disorder.

Prior to coming to Center for Discovery, Emily worked directly with children, adolescents, and families affected by eating disorders in a variety of settings, such as hospitals and private practice over the last 10+ years. Through these experiences, she has learned the importance of having a collaborative and cohesive connection with clients, clients’ support systems, colleagues and other providers in the community. Emily provides evidence-based treatment that focuses on individuals’ inner strengths and abilities to help elicit positive change. Emily encourages individuals to concentrate on the present moment and to challenge themselves to take a candid look at the connection between their thoughts, behaviors, and emotions to move towards acceptance and authenticity of self.

Dietitian

Abby James

Abby James is a Registered Dietitian with a degree in Nutrition and Food Science from Georgia Southern University. Abby has a variety of work experience in the field of nutrition, has a passion for counseling, and is happiest when working with clients. She has worked with pediatric to geriatric populations in a variety of settings, but has found her passion in clinical nutrition. Abby believes food should be both nourishing and enjoyable.

Primary Therapist

Lucia Caltabiano, LMSW

Lucia has seven years of experience in mental health working primarily with children and adolescents. Lucia’s primary experience with individual and family therapy has been through the lens of trauma-informed DBT.

Facility Coordinator

Candice Franklin

Candice Franklin earned her Bachelor’s of Science degree in Food and Nutrition Sciences from
San Diego State University in San Diego, CA. Throughout her schooling, Candice was an active
member of the Student Nutrition Organization and HeadSTRONG at SDSU. Following
graduation, she joined the Center For Discovery team as a Diet Technician/Counselor. She has
worked with adolescents and adults in Residential Mental Health and Outpatient Eating
Disorders since 2016. After gaining experience in these positions, Candice earned the role of
Facility Coordinator (FC) for the Del Mar Outpatient Eating Disorder Program in San Diego, CA.

In 2019, Candice became Senior FC, in which she co-trained Facility Coordinators of the
Outpatient Division. In November 2019, she relocated to help open the Atlanta Outpatient
Eating Disorders Program, where she is the current FC and regional support for the Southeast.

Psychiatrist

Candice D. Tate, MD, MBA

Dr. Tate believes in quality mental health services, such as psychotropic medication in combination with psychotherapy. Her treatment philosophy includes a strong physician-patient therapeutic alliance and safe, responsible medication management.
She has years of experience in psychotropic medication management for a variety of psychiatric conditions in inpatient and outpatient settings in adults and adolescents. During her graduate medical training, Dr. Tate was extensively trained in psychodynamic psychotherapy and was supervised by experienced psychoanalysts. She is also familiar with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), interpersonal therapy (IPT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and other evidence-based psychotherapy modalities. Dr. Tate also has experience in utilization
review and management.

Dr. Tate graduated from the University of Tennessee Medical School in Memphis and completed her General Psychiatry residency at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, IL. Dr. Tate is a board-certified psychiatrist by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. She also completed a Master’s in Business Administration degree from the George Washington University School of Business.

PRIMARY THERAPIST

Michele Saltman MSS, LMSW

Michele is a licensed master’s level social worker with over 15 years of experience working in
the mental health field with people of all ages in all levels of facility based care. MIchele earned
a Master of Social Services at the Bryn Mawr Graduate School of Social Work and Social
Research in Bryn Mawr Pennsylvania. In addition to providing therapeutic services for children,
older adults and their family’s Michele has several years of experience working as a care
manager/advocate for several different insurance companies working collaboratively with
facilities to ensure members received appropriate and quality mental health and substance
abuse care.

Prior to coming to the Center for Discovery, Michele was working as a child/adolescent therapist
providing individual and family therapy to client’s in need of services.

CLINICAL INTAKE COORDINATOR

Lindsey Cope, LMSW, MA

Lindsey is a Licensed Master Social Worker with a Masters in Social Service Administration from the University of Chicago and a Bachelors in Social Work from Augusta University. Lindsey has a passion for working with adolescents, teens, and young adults, and has previously worked in school and private practice settings providing individual and family therapy to girls and women with anxiety, depression, trauma histories, and relationship challenges. Integrating a mindfulness-based approach, Lindsey pulls from evidence-based therapies to help clients be able to identify and replace unhealthy patterns of behavior.