FAIRFIELD RESIDENTIAL MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT PROGRAM

Andre Vilarinho, LMFTA

André is an associate licensed marriage and family therapist. He received his master of arts degree in marriage and family therapy from Fairfield University in 2020. He completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Connecticut where he studied psychological sciences and gender and sexuality studies. During this time, his eyes were opened to a world of marginalized and underserved populations affected by the complex systems that surrounded them and their loved ones. Shortly after entering graduate school, André was accepted into two internships where he would cultivate his experience working with adolescents, families, couples and adults from all walks of life. After two years of outpatient work and various modalities firmly under his belt, he worked at a private practice before joining Discovery. André is passionate about connecting with clients and establishing a strong therapeutic bond through which change will result. He sees through a systemic, strength-focused and non-pathologizing lens, working hard to be thoughtful and calm when assessing how each person’s perspective and context blend to shape their reality. André has seen firsthand how the participation of all members in a system can be instrumental in adjusting unproductive patterns to expand possibilities, ultimately creating lasting growth and change. In this way, families leave treatment hopeful and capable of handling life’s many stressors after investing time and effort into a process not dissimilar to physical therapy. Whatever children and families are struggling with, André looks forward to engaging them to advance past it, onto the next stage in their journeys. In his free time, he enjoys building igloos, meditating, hiking, camping and chasing his kittens around his small apartment while they destroy his plants.

Kayla Flores

Ruby Lekwauwa, MD

Dr. Lekwauwa is a board-certified child, adolescent and adult psychiatrist and an assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at Yale University. She is the facility psychiatrist for the Discovery Mood & Anxiety Program’s residential treatment facilities in Fairfield and Stamford, Connecticut, and joined the Discovery team in 2018. Dr. Lekwauwa graduated from Duke University with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. She attended medical school at the Duke University School of Medicine where she completed her thesis on the relationship between PTSD and substance use in adolescents presenting for trauma treatment. She also co-authored a book chapter on the biological, psychological and social impacts of early adversity on children. She completed her general psychiatry training at Yale University, followed by her child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship at the Yale Child Study Center, where she served as the chief fellow.

Dr. Lekwauwa has extensive experience in the treatment of children, adolescents and young adults and has worked as a staff psychiatrist, medical director and psychiatric consultant to mainstream and therapeutic day schools, college counseling centers, community child guidance clinics and inpatient psychiatric units. Dr. Lekwauwa has special interests in mood and anxiety disorders and trauma. She has a private practice in Fairfield.

Katie Matuska

Katie began her journey with Discovery Mood & Anxiety Program in 2019 as a Master of Social
Work Intern. Currently, she is a primary therapist at Fairfield, CT’s adolescent residential mental health treatment facility. Katie graduated with her master’s degree in social work from Fairfield University, receiving a concentration in sexual and gender minority mental health. Before this, Katie received her bachelor’s degree in women’s, gender and sexuality studies at The Ohio State University, having interned at the Ohio Statehouse through the Women in Policy program, and having successfully created and leading a task force responsible for implementing gender inclusive housing at The Ohio State University. Katie is a dynamic and down to earth mental health professional, passionate about providing young people and their families the tools to reduce suffering and inspire hope. When Katie is not at work, she is rock climbing, traveling, looking for her new favorite restaurant and spending time with loved ones.

Liz Rosario

Lizbeth Rosario Mieses has been working at Discovery Mood & Anxiety Program since 2021. She started in May 2021 as a mental health technician and advanced to the milieu manager position. She went into this field shortly after finishing college to support adolescents who struggled with various mental health disorders. Lizbeth chose this career because she has always been very involved with mentorship programs and worked as a teacher’s aid with kids that experienced similar challenges. Her goal is to keep advancing her education and gain as much experience as she can to better support her patients. Her hope is to keep growing within the agency and continue to learn from those around her. When she’s not at work, Lizbeth is often working on her art and finding new things to learn.