PROGRAM DIRECTOR, REGIONAL DIRECTOR

Richard Barnes, LMFT

Richard J. Barnes is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with 15 years experience. He graduated from University of California, Santa Cruz with a degree in Psychology, completed his Masters in Counseling Psychology from the University of San Francisco, performed his traineeship with the City of San Francisco Dept of Public Health EAP, and a one year post masters fellowship at Stanford University, Vaden Health Center.

Having witnessed life changing results with families and adolescents in hospital outpatient care over the years, Richard J. Barnes is confident that the strong residential treatment programs at Center for Discovery can bring positive shifts for adolescents struggling with eating disorders while building hope and bringing relief for parents.

FACILITY MANAGER/NURSE ADMINISTRATOR

Nicole Johnson, BA

Nicole obtained her Bachelors in Human Development from CSU East Bay, graduating with the distinction of Summa Cum Laude. After graduation she joined the Center for Discovery Danville team as a counselor, working one-on-one with adolescents in the milieu, running therapeutic groups and collaborating with fellow team members to ensure the best care of every adolescent. After fulfilling the role of counselor for a year Nicole took on the role of Facility Manager for the Danville house. Nicole believes that with the support and tools offered through the therapeutic process recovery is possible and each individual can begin to thrive.

REGISTERED DIETITIAN

Amanda Adkison, RD

Amanda Adkison, RD is the Registered Dietitian at Center for Discovery in Danville and Brentwood, CA and specializes in nutrition therapy for eating disorders and disordered eating. She graduated from University of Texas at Austin where she completed her Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Dietetic Internship. She enjoys sharing her experiences and knowledge onto others and challenging individuals to adopt a non-diet approach and incorporate the All Foods Fit Philosophy into their lives. Her goal is to help people heal their relationship with food and have a more balanced and intuitive lifestyle. 

THERAPIST

Sarah Morgan, MA

Sarah is an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist who received her degree from University California, Davis in Psychology with a minor in Human Development, and her Masters in Counseling Psychology from The Wright Institute. Sarah’s approach is congruent with the philosophy of the Wright Institute, which emphasizes support focused on resiliency, recovery, and social justice. Sarah utilizes her training in client-centered therapy to create a therapeutic environment that is strength-based and trauma-informed. She believes in the importance of a relational approach to cultivating an authentic, supportive connection between therapist and client.

Prior to joining the team at Center for Discovery, Sarah worked as a school counselor at a non-profit organization providing school-based counseling services. In this position, Sarah worked with adolescents and families in providing individual and group therapy. Her work involved collaborating  with school administration and staff, as well as outside agencies and facilitators. Her areas of professional interest include trauma-informed care, grief and loss, addiction, and social issues from a strength-based approach.

NURSE ADMINISTRATOR

Katherine Walker, RN

Katherine is a Registered Nurse and a dedicated humanist with a spirited interest in the field of mental health nursing. Originally interested in specializing in early childhood education, Katherine was soon drawn to what she saw as an urgent need for passionate mental health nurses. Katherine graduated with honors from Indian Hills Community College in 2016, earning dual degrees in arts and sciences, and R.N. licensure. She is currently working on her Bachelors of Science in Nursing at California State University – San Marcos. Katherine has chosen to direct her focus on the treatment of addiction and eating disorders, and is eager to apply her approachable warmth and energy with both adult and adolescent patient populations.

PHYSICIAN

Dr. Sue Knight, MD

Dr. Knight received her BS degree in Biophysics from the University of California at Berkeley. She earned her medical degree from the University of California at San Francisco and completed her internship and residency training at the same institution.

She is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine and is on staff at San Ramon Regional Medical Center.

PSYCHIATRIST

Dr. Dipti Bhakta

Dr. Dipti Bhakta completed medical school David Geffin School of Medicine at UCLA in 1993. She completed her psychiatry residency training at California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco, California in 1997.  She is board certified in psychiatry and has been in private practice in Pleasanton California for the past 19 years.  Her area of expertise is treatment of depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder and eating disorders.