NATIONAL DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS MENTAL HEALTH

Amy Brown, MA

After completing her Master’s degree in Psychology at Pepperdine University, Amy Brown began working to help individuals and families find healing and hope. Ms. Brown came to Discovery’s Resilience with extensive experience managing various eating disorder programs as well as behavioral health facilities. Under Ms. Brown’s leadership, Discovery’s Resilience’s substance abuse and mental health programs have flourished and Ms. Brown now oversees numerous mental health and substance abuse programs throughout southern California. Ms. Brown feels very deeply about the contribution she is making to improve the quality of life for adolescents and their families. One of the things that attracted Ms. Brown to Discovery’s Resilience was the shared commitment to providing the best quality of care to each patient and his or her family.

Program Director

Heather Marshall, LPCC

Heather is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor with over six years of experience. She has had the unique opportunity to work in adolescent residential and outpatient programs throughout her career and has extensive experience in program development, milieu management, utilization review, and case conceptualization. Heather earned her Master’s Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at the University of Redlands and received her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology with a minor in Sociology from California State University, Dominguez Hills. Heather began her career with Center for Discovery as a counselor at the adolescent dual-diagnosis facility.

Since joining the Center for Discovery team she has had the opportunity to expand her role in many different clinical facets of the company for both the dual-diagnosis and mental health programs. Most recently, Heather held the role of the Clinical Coordinator for Center for Discovery’s largest adolescent facility in Whittier, Ca. There she facilitated all client admissions, provided case management, and co-facilitated Parent Seminars to support families in having a better understanding of the challenges adolescents with mental illnesses face and the importance of collaborative discharge planning. She utilizes a Humanistic Cognitive Behavioral therapeutic approach with her clients and operates from a Client-Centered perspective. Heather is passionate about creating a warm and inviting family-centered program that will greatly improve the quality of life for the client and family.

Primary Therapist

Brooke Wharton, M.S., P.P.S. AMFT

Brooke Wharton is both a Marriage and Family Therapist Intern (MFTI) and School Counselor in the State of California. Brooke graduated with Distinguished Honors from California State University, Northridge with a Masters in Educational Psychology. Brooke has extensive education, training, and experience working with adolescents in the field of mental health by providing both school-based and community-based counseling. Brooke is known for her warm, relaxed, and genuine caring approach to counseling.

Brooke works with clients utilizing strengths driven, evidence-based practices such as trauma-informed cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT), Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, and Family Systems Therapies. Brooke had a long-term goal to become a therapist and to work with adolescents within the field of mental health and considers herself blessed to be able to work in a profession she truly loves and feels passionate about. As someone who has grown up in the local area, Brooke feels a deep sense of gratitude and connection to be able to serve individuals within her community. Her vision for the program is to create an atmosphere that promotes individual growth, healing, and a sense of connection to one’s own life purpose and goals.

Registered Dietitian

Lindsay Lipton, RD

Lindsay became interested in a career in nutrition because it is a field in which her passion for food, science, problem-solving, and helping others intersect. Lindsay obtained her Bachelors of Science in Dietetics and Nutrition at California State University, Long Beach, where she also completed her Dietetic Internship program. She has been working for Center for Discovery for 5 years where she has had experience at the mental health, eating disorder, and dual diagnosis facilities. Working for CFD has allowed her to gain experience implementing an intuitive eating approach emphasizing the importance of balance, variety, and moderation in one’s diet. Lindsay believes nutrition plays an important role in both physical and mental health and is an integral part of recovery. Lindsay is excited to be part of the Chino Hills Clinical Team and help support our clients through their journey.

Facility Manager

Jessica Dirks, ASW

Jessica is a recent Masters in Social Work graduate from the University of Southern California. She has also obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from the California State University, Long Beach with an emphasis on Social Deviance and Control. She began with Center for Discovery Chino Hills in 2016 as a counselor and has been able to take on the role of Facility Manager.

Prior to joining the team, Jessica has worked to help individuals in various fields including addiction, Autism spectrum disorder, and mental health. She approaches clients and their families from a Humanistic eclectic therapeutic style, utilizing both cognitive behaviors therapy practices with psychodynamic influences. Jessica hopes to foster the program to provide a warm and safe space so that clients and families feel empowered to advocate for themselves while continuing to grow and heal throughout their mental health treatment.