BRIDGEWATER OUTPATIENT EATING DISORDER PROGRAM

Linda Mullin

Linda Mullin is a board certified licensed professional counselor and clinical supervisor with extensive expertise in operational and crisis management. Linda’s breadth of clinical work includes serving individuals, groups and families in community, outpatient, hospital inpatient, and private settings. Her approach is to aid individuals to live their best life possible in spite of their fears, regain control and repair what is most important to them. She believes wholeheartedly in the human connection and our ability to help one another through life’s challenges and to celebrate one another’s successes.

Linda imparts Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) enhanced by evidence-based frameworks of CPT, TEAM, and EFT for the treatment of trauma, panic & phobia, OCD, social anxiety, general anxiety, anger, and depression. As an enhancement to her therapeutic services, she is also trained in therapeutic hypnosis.

Ariyel Whitehead, BSHA

Ariyel Whitehead earned her Bachelor of Science in Health Administration from University of Phoenix. Prior to working for Center for Discovery Eating Disorder Program, she worked in case management as a coordinator for a hospital in New Jersey. She honed her skills of providing quality care, by caring for patients with various mental conditions such as Dementia & Alzheimer’s Disease. Ariyel also has clinical experience providing care in sub-acute and rehab settings.

As the Milieu Manager, Ariyel handles daily operations in the Outpatient program including administrative duties, research, clinical documentation, project management, systems development, and customer service.In the winter of 2021 Ariyel became the Senior Milieu Manager of the Bridgewater program in addition to becoming a Licensed Be Body Positive Facilitator. In her new roles, Ariyel supports with training new Milieu Managers. As a Licensed Be Body Positive Facilitator, she provides a safe space for each individual to find their voices while making peace with the bodies they’re in.

Ariyel takes pride and joy in assisting others with their healing journey. She is grateful to be a part of the Center for Discovery Eating Disorder Program team.

Katie Hawkins MS, RDN

Katie is a registered dietitian at Center for Discovery (CFD). She graduated from Ohio University with a Bachelor of Science degree in dietetics. After obtaining her registered dietetic technician credential, Katie worked as a dietetic technician at a hospital in Cleveland, Ohio for a few years. She then went on to complete her Master of Science degree in clinical nutrition from Rosalind Franklin School of Medicine and Science and completed a distance dietetic internship with Nutrition Ink. After passing her registered dietitian exam, Katie went on to work in endocrinology with patients living with diabetes. While completing her master’s degree, she focused on eating disorders and related topics whenever possible, as it has always been an area of nutrition she has felt passionate about. Katie firmly believes in fostering healthy relationships with food, both in her own life and most importantly when working with patients and clients. She is very excited to be a member of the team at CFD and is honored to be a part of the treatment team and journey to recovery of every patient that passes through our doors.

Dr. Nicole Dorio, DO

Dr. Nicole Dorio is board -certified in general and forensic psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. She earned her Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. She completed her residency in psychiatry at Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine and a forensic psychiatry fellowship at Rutgers University- Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.

Since completing her training, Dr. Dorio has provided clinical psychiatric services to incarcerated and civilly committed chronically mentally ill adults and is the owner of Mentis Forensic Psychiatry LLC. She has experience in serving on a treatment team and as a team leader, and she recognizes the importance of building and involving a support team around everyone she treats.

In addition to her clinical experience, Dr. Dorio also serves as an expert witness in psychiatry in New Jersey Superior Court and has been asked to provide testimony in courts across the state.

Cathy Lane

Samantha Renfree

Sam is a Licensed Associate Counselor here at Center for Discovery. Sam holds value for the process of growing towards living our lives as our authentic, true selves. Sam views healing as a journey rather than a goal. She strives to meet people where they are in their journey and walk beside them as they discover patterns that may be holding them back. Sam employs a foundation that believes people are innately resilient and capable of growth when given the appropriate tools. Operating out of a holistic view, she aims to find approaches that complement each individual’s needs, attending to the factors outside of themselves that influence where they are now and how they have come to be. Sam is passionate about incorporating a practice of embodying authenticity, compassionate self-awareness, radical acceptance and living wholeheartedly. She has worked with clients in childhood through adulthood, in individual, group and family settings. Sam has experience with clients in the PHP/IOP/OP level of care working with anxiety, depression, eating disorders, trauma, substance abuse, bipolar as well as others. Sam exerts a humanistic approach with components of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy as well as others. Sam received her Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling from Monmouth University and her Bachelor of Arts from Rutgers University.
“Wholehearted living is about engaging in our lives from a place of worthiness. It means cultivating the courage, compassion, and connection to wake up in the morning and think, No matter what gets done and how much is left undone, I am enough. It’s going to bed at night thinking, Yes, I am imperfect and vulnerable and sometimes afraid, but that doesn’t change the truth that I am also brave and worthy of love and belonging.” – Brené Brown

Kiersten Higgins, ED

Kiersten recently graduated from the University of Rhode Island with a bachelor’s degree in nutrition and dietetics and a minor in kinesiology. Before working at Center for Discovery, she worked at multiple senior living homes as a server and dietary aide. This allowed her to work with those with cognitive decline and acquire patience and compassion that she uses within her everyday life and will bring to this environment as well. Kiersten’s previous work environment also allowed her to help residents make choices about food and encourage them to try new things, which she will strive to do here at Center for Discovery. She believes in promoting intuitive eating and developing food freedom to empower patients to continue making quality choices even after they leave care. Kiersten plans to incorporate her own life experiences to bring her unique perspective to the patients Center for Discovery serves and to make an impact on anyone that walks through the doors.