Our Psychology Staff

Evanston

Adam K. Fuller, Ph.D.
Clinical Director

Dr. Fuller earned his doctoral degree in clinical psychology from the University of Florida. He completed an APA accredited predoctoral internship at the State University of New York, Health Science Center in Syracuse. In both settings he received extensive experience in outpatient psychotherapy and psychodiagnostic testing with adults, adolescents, and children. In addition, Dr. Fuller has worked on a number of inpatient psychiatric units focusing on group therapy, crisis intervention, and psychotherapy with chronically mentally ill clients. Coming from a scientist-practitioner tradition, Dr. Fuller has published several research articles related to chronic pain and pain perception. Prior to joining Mountain Regional Services, he worked in a group private practice which provided him with the practical experience of applying a psychologist's skills within a managed care environment. Dr. Fuller's special interests are related to applications of psychodynamic theory to brief psychotherapy.


Cora Courage, Psy. D.
Director of Child & Adolescent Services

Dr. Courage holds a doctoral degree in clinical psychology from the Minnesota School of Professional Psychology and received training in psychodynamic theory and practice during several field training experiences. She brings twenty years of experience in dual diagnoses to her practice. The APA accredited predoctoral internship at the VA Medical Center of the Black Hills in South Dakota she completed emphasized outreach to rural, under-served, culturally diverse communities, and treatment of minority populations. Her masters degree in counseling psychology from Saint Mary's University integrated the application of psychodynamic orientation with family systems approaches in the treatment of addictions. Her primary interests are in psychodynamic theory and therapy with children and adolescents, trauma and critical incidents, sexuality/gender issues, and the impact of multi-cultural diversity in psychoanalysis. She is a licensed psychologist and a member of the American Psychological Association (Div. 33, 39, 53). Dr. Courage is a Team Leader for the state of Wyoming in the Child Trauma Treatment Network of the Intermountain West, part of the National Child Traumatic Stress Initiative, as well as many local organizations serving the needs of children and adolescents. Dr. Courage is also a commissioned officer in the Medical Service Corps, serving as the psychologist for the 34th Infantry Division of the Minnesota Army National Guard, and a member of the National Health Service Corps.

Brian Schaffer, Psy.D.
Staff Psychologist

Dr. Schaffer completed his undergraduate studies at Michigan State University, and continued on to earn his doctoral degree in clinical psychology at Nova Southeastern University. He completed an APA accredited predoctoral internship at Cornerstone Behavioral Health. While completing his graduate studies, Dr. Schaffer received training in psychodynamic theory and practice, and worked with a wide variety of clients from this perspective. He continued to receive psychodynamic training while on internship. His interests include long-term psychodynamic psychotherapy, and psychotherapy with those who suffer from severe emotional disturbance.

Suzanne Petren, Ph.D.
Staff Psychologist

Suzanne Petren holds an Ph.D. degree in counseling psychology from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. She is also a licensed attorney, having earned her J.D. degree from the University of Missouri-School of Law-Kansas City. She completed an APA accredited predoctoral internship at Cornerstone Behavioral Health, where she received training in psychoanalytic theory and practice. She has also received training in existential phenomenology and biofeedback from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Her clinical interests are in psychoanalytic theory and practice with individuals suffering from severe and chronic mental illness. The psychophysiology of emotion and individual differences are her special areas of interest in research, and she received a National Institute of Health Predoctoral Fellowship in the research area of emotion. Suzanne Petren is a member in good standing of the Society for Psychophysiological Research (SPR), the American Psychological Association (APA), and the Western Psychological Association (WPA). Her publications are in the area of emotion and group treatment methods.


Joshua Clauson, Psy.D.
Staff Psychologist

Dr. Clauson completed his undergraduate studies at Gustavus Adolphus College, and continued on to earn his masters and doctoral degree in clinical psychology at the Minnesota School of Professional Psychology. He completed an APA accredited predoctoral internship at Cornerstone Behavioral Health. While completing his internship, Dr. Clauson received training in psychodynamic theory and practice, and worked with a wide variety of clients from this perspective. Following his Internship, Dr. Clauson went on to work in several correctional facilities, providing both individual and group therapy to a diverse population. He has also had training in working with a multicultural population. His interests include both long-term and brief psychodynamic psychotherapy, correctional psychology, and psychotherapy with chronically mentally ill.


Robert Matzelle, Psy.D.
Staff Psychologist

Dr. Matzelle completed his undergraduate studies at the University of St. Thomas in Houston, Texas. He continued his education at John Jay College of Criminal Justice earning a Masters degree in Forensic Psychology. Presently, Mr. Matzelle is completing an APA pre-doctoral internship at Cornerstone Behavioral Health. Furthermore, he will continue his training with Cornerstone Behavioral Health as a post-doctoral psychology resident beginning in August 2006. Mr. Matzelle received training in psychodynamic theory and practice throughout his graduate studies. He has worked with a wide variety of populations from this perspective, including children, families, couples, and adults. Mr. Matzelle's areas of interest include psychodynamic psychotherapy with an interpersonal emphasis, trauma and posttraumatic stress, couples therapy, sexual orientation and gender issues. Additionally, Mr. Matzelle has focused on working with underserved populations throughout his training and clinical experiences.


Mikaela Bernthaler, Psy.D., MS.Ed, M.B.A
Psychological Resident

Dr. Bernthaler earned her doctoral degree in clinical psychology from the George Washington University. She also completed a one year fellowship at the Washington-Baltimore Institute for Psychoanalysis. Throughout her training, she worked primarily in residential and inpatient settings with chronic, multi-problem, under-served and culturally diverse adults and their families. In these settings, she provided individual therapy, psycho diagnostic assessments and co-led groups . Dr. Bernthaler completed an APA accredited internship at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine - Bronx Psychiatric Center, a state inpatient facility specialized in the psychodynamic treatment of chronically mentally ill and forensic clients, where, in addition to working with adults, their families and co-leading groups, she also received training in Emergency Room intervention, psycho diagnostic assessment of children as well as neuropsychological assessment. Dr. Bernthaler also holds a Masters Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of Miami and provided couples and family therapy from structural and strategic systems perspectives. She also worked with children and was a volunteer in the Guardian ad Litem Program at the 11th Judicial Circuit in Florida. She has considerable experience working with the Hispanic community and is a bilingual therapist. She is a member of the APA Division of Psychoanalysis. Prior to turning to the field of psychology, Dr. Bernthaler worked for a multinational corporation throughout Europe and South America in various managerial capacities. Her primary interests are in the role of language in the structuring of internal and external experience, as well as the interweaving influences of trauma, gender and culture to human development.