REGIONAL DIRECTOR & PROGRAM DIRECTOR

Maureen Peterson, MA, LMHC, CEDS-S

Maureen Peterson is the Program Director at Center For Discovery Tacoma OP treating  adolescents, adults and families impacted by eating disorders. Maureen is a licensed mental health counselor and earned her BA  in Psychology  from Pacific Lutheran University and her MA in Counseling Psychology from Saint Martin’s University. She also completed a certificate program in The Long Term Treatment of Psychiatric Disorders through the University of Washington school of Social Work.Maureen has been working in the mental health field since 1991 and has specialized in the treatment of eating disorders since 1996. She is a Certified Eating Disorder Specialist and Supervisor through the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals. In 2011, Maureen received the “Spirit of the Alliance” award through the Alliance for Families, a national organization. She is passionate about community service, and enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time with friends and family.

PROGRAM DIRECTOR

Sara M. Aslan, PhD

Sara received a master’s degree in counseling psychology with an emphasis on marriage and family therapy from the University of San Francisco. In 2010 she began working as a therapist in the field of eating disorders in outpatient treatment centers, community counseling centers, and private practice settings. During this time, she was also engaged in international psychological research, traveling to Thailand for a project on physical self-concept, and to Samoa for a project on trauma and resiliency after the 2009 tsunami devastation.

During her doctoral program at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, Sara continued her clinical work with eating disorder clients in outpatient and university settings, while gaining experience in neuropsychological assessment at Veteran’s Affairs Medical Centers. Some of the PTSD treatment modalities she is versed in include Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) and Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE), with individuals and groups. Her trauma-focused training included a clinical internship at the Colmery O’Neil VA Medical Center, where she supervised doctoral student’s CPT cases and took part in rotations on their nationally recognized inpatient PTSD treatment program.

Sara has published several journal articles and has presented her research at various conferences, including the International Conference on Eating Disorders, and the American Psychological Association. Her research interests include trauma, eating disorders, culturally specific coping mechanisms, and the application of objectification theory; particularly with Women of Color. Clinically, Sara believes in tailoring treatment to the individual and creating a holistic approach, pulling from DBT, ACT, Psychodynamic, and multicultural perspectives, while utilizing mindfulness-based interventions. In her spare time, she enjoys travel and training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

REGISTERED DIETITIAN

Abigail Ginader, RD

Abby completed her Bachelors Degree in Dietetics at Concordia College in Minnesota, and Dietetic Internship at Iowa State University. Throughout and following her education, she has sought out various opportunities to work with and treat individuals with eating disorders. This includes an inpatient clinic in Fargo, North Dakota and an outpatient program in Auckland, New Zealand. Her passion to work closely with clients and help people achieve their best quality of life drew her to this field of work. Abby works from the model that all foods fit in a balanced diet and strives to help clients develop a healthy relationship with food.

REGISTERED DIETITIAN

Gina Garrett, RD, LD

Gina earned her Bachelors of Science degree in Dietetics at Iowa State University. After completing her dietetic internship, she accepted a position with a specialty clinic working in both the healthy lifestyles and bariatric surgery programs. In these roles, Gina had the opportunity to work with numerous individuals struggling with disordered eating and eating disorders. Gina has been with Center For Discovery Portland location since they opened in the fall of 2016. Gina utilizes a holistic approach to help individuals heal their relationship with food. She meets the clients where they are on their path to recovery and supports them in making progress on their journey. In order to assist individuals in making behavior changes, Gina utilizes motivational interviewing techniques, as well as teaches mindfulness and intuitive eating skills. Her nutrition philosophy is: there are no “good” or “bad” foods; all foods can fit in a balanced diet. Gina is committed to providing a nurturing partnership with the people she serves. She has a strong passion to help people learn to nourish their bodies with the amount and variety of food they really need.  When Gina is not at Center For Discovery, you may find her at her private practice or spending time with her family enjoying beautiful Oregon. Gina is a member of the Columbia River Eating Disorder Network (CREDN) and holds the Media/Technology Chair position for the Willamette Chapter of The International Association of Eating Disorders Professionals Foundation (IAEDP.)

REGISTERED DIETITIAN

Thea Lynch, RD

Thea is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology from University of California at Santa Barbara and Master of Science in Nutrition and Food Science from San Jose State University. During her graduate studies, Thea conducted research on childhood feeding practices. Prior to joining the team at Center for Discovery, Thea worked as dietitian for the adolescent program with Casa Serena Eating Disorders intensive outpatient program in Northern California.

Thea is committed to supporting people of all ages and genders develop a healthy and satisfying relationship with food. She works with both adults and adolescents to stabilize nutrition, normalize the eating experience, and make peace with food. Thea lives in Portland with her family and has been exploring Oregon’s year-round natural wonders. She is an avid reader and music enthusiast. Thea is a member of The International Federation of Eating Disorder Dietitians and the Columbia River Eating Disorders Network.

PRIMARY THERAPIST

Amanda Soden, MA, Registered LPC Intern

Amanda completed her Masters in Clinical Mental Health at George Fox University and is a Certified Body Trust® Provider through Be Nourished. Prior to joining the Center for Discovery team, Amanda was in private practice specializing in eating disorders. She practices from a Health at Every Size® and Intuitive Eating lens, focusing on how individuals live in relationship to their bodies, with others and their communities. Some of the treatment orientations she works from include Existential-Humanistic, Internal Family Systems, Motivational Interviewing, and Trauma-Informed Care. In addition to her role at Discovery, Amanda is also an adjunct professor in the graduate counseling department at George Fox University. Amanda is passionate about creating a safe space for the therapeutic process. She is dedicated to providing her clients with a space to explore and challenge themselves while taking into consideration intersections of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identification, age, class, body size, abilities, and religion.

PSYCHIATRIST

Dr. Alysa Zalma, MD

Dr. Zalma received her medical degree from Tufts University School of Medicine in 1997. She completed her medical internship at Harvard Medical School in 1999 and finished her residency in psychiatry at Oregon Health and Sciences University in 2002. Her areas of specialty include Mind-Body Medicine and the psychoanalytic perspective on eating disorders, body image, trauma, as well as depressive and anxiety spectrum disorders. She has served as a faculty member with the Contemplative Health Project, an international meditation project designed to study meditation with many patient populations.

She has given numerous local and national talks on the treatment of eating disorders and body image within the psychiatric community, as well as in the public-school system in the state of Oregon. She continues to study the emotional and physical effects of guided imagery meditation in combination with music as well as compassion meditation relevant to health and well-being. She is also interested in the physiological mechanisms by which inflammatory processes promote disease states such as anxiety spectrum disorders, and depression and how they impair optimal psychosocial functioning.

FACILITY COORDINATOR

Arianna Kupras, BA

Arianna graduated from California State University, Chico with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology. Before arriving in Portland, Arianna worked within Center for Discovery in Sacramento, CA as a behavioral health counselor at the residential level of care for adolescent’s receiving treatment for eating disorders. Arianna also previously worked as intake coordinator, verifying a client’s health care benefits at the outpatient level of care. Currently, Arianna is the Program Coordinator for Center for Discovery’s Portland outpatient facility. She has been passionate about finding opportunities to work with, and advocate for those who have eating disorders. She also seeks to promote eating disorder research, education, and treatments. Arianna is also currently continuing her education by attending Portland State University to earn her Master’s degree in Social Work.

PROGRAM THERAPIST

Mary Jo Mastro, LCSW

Mary Jo Mastro, LCSW has been licensed for over 10 years and practicing in the mental health field for over 20 years. She has experience working with individuals, couples, and groups in all age range in both inpatient and outpatient settings. Her professional methods include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Strength-Based Practices, and Dialectical Behavior Therapy. Prior to joining the Center for Discovery team, she held a private practice specializing in eating disorders and anxiety. She also has experience in facilitating a wide variety of group populations including those who were experiencing grief and loss, people diagnosed HIV positive, male prison inmates, and heart transplant, patients.

Ms. Mastro is a member of the National Social Workers Association, the American Psychological Association, the Accredited Case Management Association, and Psychology Today. She has been a field instructor for UCLA and USC graduate students. She was a supervisor for MSW candidates and a guest lecturer at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

Ms. Mastro has a passion for physical, spiritual, and mental health. She sees the client as an individual within a system and tailors treatment plans according to a client’s individual needs. Her passion for health goes beyond the work setting as she herself is committed to her own health having completed multiple marathons, triathlons, and other road races.

DIETETIC TECHNICIAN

Alli Williams, RD

Alli completed her Bachelor’s of Science degree in dietetics at California State University, Chico. She then completed her dietetic internship through the Department of State Hospitals, Napa, and became a Registered Dietitian in the summer of 2017. Alli enjoys various areas of dietetics but has always held a strong interest in behavioral health nutrition. During her dietetic internship, she obtained experiences in acute and long-term psychiatric care, ranging from children to adults. Prior to becoming a part of the Center for Discovery team in Portland, she was most recently the dietetic manager of an acute behavioral health center in Northern California.

Alli is a non-diet dietitian who enjoys encouraging others to build a healthy relationship with various foods. She utilizes and promotes the Health at Every Size (HAES) principle as well as intuitive eating. Alli has obtained advanced training in motivational interviewing as a way to facilitate behavior changes. In addition to being passionate about nutrition, Alli enjoys gardening, trying new foods from various cultures, and hiking.

YOGA INSTRUCTOR

Kirsten Kupras

Kirsten found yoga while living abroad in Aberdeen, Scotland.  She gravitated to the physical and spiritual practice of yoga and how it is able to provide a calming space during difficult times. Kirsten invites clients to explore mindfulness and movement on their mats and to stay curious to what they are bringing to the shared experience and practice. Kirsten is also an outpatient orthopedic physical therapist and is able to use yoga postures and philosophies in her work. Kirsten received her 200-hour yoga teacher training through Yoga Medicine in 2016.

CLINICAL OUTREACH REPRESENTATIVE

Rachelann Bryant, MSW

Rachelann Bryant is the is the Clinical Outreach Representative at Center For Discovery Portland. She received her BA in Family and Human Services at the University of Oregon in 2004 and her Master’s in Social Work with an emphasis on Community Based Practice from Portland State University in 2010. She has over 15 years experience working with youth, adults, and families in behavioral health including residential treatment facilities, community mental health and engagement programs. She has worked in outreach for the last 5 years striving to develop relationships with community partners and helping to eliminate barriers and expand access to care for individuals and their families. She is passionate about collaboration and the power of community to work towards breaking down the stigma attached to behavioral health and being a part of providing exemplary care to individuals and their families. She is an Oregon native and enjoys spending time with her family and friends exploring the great outdoors as well as the beautiful city of Portland.

REGISTERED NURSE

Marjorie Hulihan-Meade, RN

Marjorie has been a registered nurse for over thirty years. She believes that the human body is amazing in its ability to heal and strive for balance, and that balance can be achieved when we see each person as a whole being. Body, mind, and spirit all work together to keep each of us thriving. Marjorie has been fortunate enough to have lived in Oregon since 1991, and thoroughly enjoys doing just about anything in the beautiful northwest outdoors.