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Staff’s Bio’s

Executive Director

Kenneth Ellis, Ph.D.

Clinical Director

Susan Minsky, Ph.D, M.P.

Psychiatry

Mitchell Mathis, M.D.
Jing Zhang, M.D, Ph.D.

Clinical Associates

William Dean Charmak, Ph.D, M.P.
Jeremy Kisch, Ph.D.
Jill Miron, Psy.D.
Melanie Sholtis, Psy.D.
Marquerite Laban, M.A.,LCPC
Theresa Smith, M.S.,LCPC
Priscilla Ballsun, MSW,LCSW-C
Gabriel Chernoff, MSW, LCSW-C
Kristin Zimmer, M.S., LCPC
Joan Pittman, LCSW-C, Ph.D.
Tanya Quille, Ph. D
Ada Rodriguez, Psy. D

Mitchell Mathis, M.D.

Dr. Mathis is board-certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. He went to medical school at the Uniformed Services University School of Medicine in Bethesda, Maryland and completed his combined residency in psychiatry and family practice at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., in 2001.

Dr. Mathis specializes in medication management of psychiatric disorders and pharmacologic intervention for all forms of mental illness. He manages patients with mood disorders, dissociative disorders, sexual disorders, eating disorders, sleep disorders, attention and impulse-control disorders, adjustment disorders, and personality disorders. He treats adults, adolescents, and children, and is available during the evening and on Saturdays.

Jing Zhang, M.D.,Ph.D.

Dr. Zhang is a Licensed, Board Certified, Psychiatrist with 10 years of experience treating psychiatric disorders for adolescents and adults, mainly psychiatric medication management. Areas of specialty include: patients with depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, phobias, obsessive-compulsive disorder, PTSD, ADD/ADHD, adjustment disorder, schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorders.

Dr. Zhang obtained her MD degree from Henan Medical School and completed her residency training at the University of Chicago. Before joining the Columbia Counseling Center, Dr. Zhang worked for Kaiser Permanente in Fairfax County as a full-time psychiatrist. In addition, Dr. Zhang had 5 years psychiatric research experience at the National Institute of Mental Health, NIH (Bethesda) and obtained a Ph.D. degree in Physiology from the Uniformed Service University of Health Sciences.
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William Dean Charmak, Ph.D., M.P.

Dr. Charmak is a licensed psychologist with 24 years of experience providing individual, family and couples psychotherapy. Services are provided to adults and adolescents over the age of 15. Areas of specialization include depression, bipolar illness, anxiety, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, addictions, geriatric services, oncology, and other chronic illnesses, developmental disabilities, psychopharmacology, executive coaching and organizational consultation.

Dr. Charmak obtained a PhD in Clinical Psychology from California School of Professional Psychology-Fresno and Post Doctoral Master of Science Degree in Clinical Psychopharmacology from Alliant International University/California School of Professional Psychology. He is the recent co-author of Successful Aging: Optimizing Strategies for Primary Care Geriatrics, in Reichel’s Care of the Elderly, Sixth Edition, 2009, Cambridge University Press.
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Jeremy Kisch, Ph.D.

Dr. Kisch received his doctorate from the University of Michigan in 1967. He is currently a licensed psychologist in Maryland. He was previously licensed in New York State, Connecticut, and Washington, DC. He is a Fellow of the American College of Clinical Psychology and Diplomate in Clinical Psychology of the American Board of Professional Psychology. He has had former appointments in the Departments of Psychiatry at Cornell Medical College, New York Medical College and the Yale School of Medicine. He is skilled in mental health diagnosis and psychotherapy with adults, adolescents, and children in the practice of individual, marital, and family therapy.
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Jill Miron, Psy.D.

Dr. Jill Miron is a licensed psychologist who received her Master’s Degree and Doctorate of Psychology from Argosy University in Washington, DC. Dr. Miron uses a directive, cognitive-behavioral approach to therapy and has an area of interest in divorce and its effects on the family. She performs custody evaluations, as well as provides therapy for children, adolescents, adults and families who are experiencing a variety of psychological concerns.
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Melanie Sholtis, Psy.D.

Dr. Melanie Sholtis is a Board Certified Psychology Associate, with 6 years of experience providing individual, couples, and family therapy with adolescents and adults. She has worked in a variety of settings, including substance abuse treatment, hospitals, private practice, and forensic settings. In addition to her experience in psychotherapy, Dr. Sholtis has extensive experience providing psychological, forensic, and psychoeducational assessments to a wide variety of patient populations.

Dr. Sholtis received her Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology from the American Professional School of Psychology. Her areas of specialty include: anxiety disorders, depression, mood disorders, PTSD, anger management, family therapy, behavioral techniques, and psychological assessment.
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Marquerite Laban, M.A., LCPC

Marquerite Laban is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor who works with children, adolescents, and adults. She graduated with her Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology from Loyola College in 1997, her Post-Graduate Certificate in Clinical Neuropsychology in 2003, her second Masters in Psychology in 2005, and is currently working towards her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at Fielding Graduate University. She has also received advanced Graduate certificates in Additions Therapy in 2002, Clinical Community Counseling in 2002, and Play Therapy in 2008. She has been working in the field full-time since 1999 and has participated in part-time work and training internships since 1997.

Marquerite has been a Nationally Certified Counselor since 2006 and a Diplomate member of the American Psychotherapy Association since 2007. She provides comprehensive psychological services for children, adolescents, and adults. Services include performing neuropsychological, psychological, and psychosocial evaluations in addition to the delivery of individual and couples psychotherapy. She conducts psychodynamic therapy with an integrated biopsychosocial approach. She specializes in therapy for depression and anxiety, parent-child conflict resolution, communication enhancement, work and career issues, life transitions, stress management, women’s issues, conflict resolution, issues of aging, and physical, sexual, and/or emotional abuse issues.

Ms. Laban has worked with a wide range of emotional and behavioral issues providing services that span from therapy for depression and anxiety to parenting support, couples’ counseling and beyond. In a comfortable and supportive atmosphere, she offers a highly personalized approach tailored to each of her client’s individual needs to help attain personal growth.
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Theresa Smith, M.S., LCPC-C

Theresa Smith is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor with over five years experience providing individual, couples, and family psychotherapy. She is available to see adolescents, adults, couples, and families regarding premarital counseling, blended family issues, depression, anxiety, stress management, and pastoral counseling. In addition, Ms. Smith provides services to children ages three through thirteen experiencing school related behavioral problems, separation anxiety, generalized anxiety, depression, loss, separation and divorce, blended step-families, social skills, and peer relationship issues.

Ms. Smith obtained a MS in Pastoral Counseling from Loyola College of Maryland and completed additional post-graduate course work and clinical requirements to become licensed in the state of Maryland. She has earned the recognition of the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC), as a National Certified Counselor (NCC), having successfully met the professional counseling standards established by the Board. She is also a member in good standing of the American Counseling Association.
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Priscilla Ballsun, MSW, LCSW-C

Ms. Priscilla Ballsun has been in practice as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker for 22 years. She graduated from Hunter School of Social Work in New York City in 1987, and concurrently attended the Washington School for Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy in New York and received her certificate in 1992. Ms. Ballsun also has a Master’s degree in Rehabilitation Counseling and a Master’s degree in Education. She has post master’s training in couple’s therapy and a specialty in divorce mediation. She was the child and adolescent therapist at Georgetown University Hospital outpatient clinic for 8 years. She worked at Walter Reed Hospital in the Post Traumatic Stress inpatient unit. Her other specialty training is in Cognitive Behavior Training. Ms. Ballsun sees individuals including adults and late adolescents, couples and families. Ms. Ballsun can treat a range of problems including mood and anxiety disorders, work related issues, grief counseling, eating disorders and other life situations.

Ms. Ballsun is a member of the National Association of Social Workers.
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Gabriel Chernoff, MSW, LCSW-C

Gabriel Chernoff is a licensed clinical social worker with 10 years of experience in providing psychotherapy for children, adolescents, adults and families. Mr. Chernoff specializes in children and adolescents dealing with social skills issues, school/behavioral issues, ADD/ADHD, as well as parent/child conflicts. He also assists adults in dealing with depression, anxiety, grief, divorce, work-related stress, and relationship issues. Additionally, Mr. Chernoff offers couples/marital therapy focusing on improving communication and intimacy. Lastly, Mr. Chernoff engages in family therapy and group work including support groups for men as well as social skills groups for elementary school-aged children.

Mr. Chernoff obtained a Masters in Social Work from the University of Chicago, School of Social Service Administration. His clinical social work internship was at the University of Chicago Hospital, Department of Adult Psychiatry. He has previous experience working in school and community mental health settings.

Mr. Chernoff is a member of the National Association of Social Workers as well as the Greater Washington Society for Clinical Social Work.
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Kristin Zimmer, M.S., LCPC

Kristin Zimmer, LCPC-C graduated from Johns Hopkins University with a Master of Science in Counseling. Her primary focus is children, adolescents, and their families, with concerns including: adoption, ADHD, anxiety, depression, blended families, and bicultural adjustment. Ms. Zimmer offers clients a variety of treatment options, including play therapy and expressive arts, relaxation training, and cognitive behavioral therapy. She has 5 years experience providing counseling services.
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Joan Pittman, LCSW-C, Ph.D.

Dr. Joan Pittman is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 10 years experience providing individual and family therapy for adolescents and adults. Dr. Pittman has experience working with individuals who have symptoms of depression and/or anxiety, relationship problems, life transition issues, post-traumatic stress, and eating disorders. She uses a variety of therapeutic techniques to help clients including cognitive-behavioral strategies, family therapy techniques, and solution focused therapy.

Dr. Pittman obtained a Ph.D. and Master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Maryland, in Baltimore. She is a Clinical Instructor at University of Maryland specializing in training clinical social workers to provide group, individual, and family therapy.
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Tanya Quille, Ph.D.

Dr. Quille is a Licensed Psychologist who has an extensive background in treatment and treatment research at both the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine in the Department of Psychiatry and at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health in the Division of Mental Health.

Dr. Quille has worked in the field of psychology for more than 20 years. She offers individual, couples, family and group therapies. Dr. Quille specializes in family therapy, couple’s therapy, substance abuse, depression, anxiety, stress management, women’s issues, sexual trauma, grief and loss. Her preferred populations are adolescents and adults.

Dr. Quille has presented seminars and training nationally to state and local Departments of Children and Families, universities, hospitals and outpatient treatment facilities. She has presented therapy training sessions at the National Conference of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy and presented at the National Conference of the American Psychological Association. Dr. Quille also provides clinical supervision for doctoral psychology students.

Ada Rodriguez, Psy.D.

Ada Rodriguez, Psy.D. is a Bilingual (Spanish and English) Maryland Licensed Psychologist who received her doctoral degree from George Washington University in 2006.  She completed her internship at Walter Reed Army Medical Center with rotations in Neuropsychology, Assessment, Military Psychology, and Psychiatry Consultation Liason. She was the former Assistant Chief for Psychology Service, Behavioral Health Care at Kimbrough Ambulatory Care Center in Fort George Mesage, where she provided psychological assessment and treatment including individual and group pscyhotherapy. She was a staff Psychologist in Iraq providing Anger/Stress Management, relaxation training, psychotherapy and assessment.

Dr. Rodriguez is available to see adults and older adolescents who present with Anxiety, Depression, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, grief and loss, women in transition, Panic, Eating Disorders, Stress Management issues, Separation and Divorce. In addition, she is adept at treating military families and civilians who have recently separated from the military and are experiencing stress due to reintegration. She provides psychological and neuropsychological assessment for adolescents and adults who may present with the following:  ADHD, Learning Disabilities, Academic difficulties, memory impairment, cognitive deficits, need for differential diagnosis.

Dr. Rodriguez provided behavioral health services in Spanish to Latino men, women, and children.  She is a member of the Maryland Psychological Association and the American Psychological Association. She received a Meritorious Service Medal and an Army Achievement Medal while serving in the military.

Previous Articles

July 23, 2010

Couples Communication: The Rules

An experienced couples therapist once told me that “good communication and persistence would cure most problems.” (more…)

January 20, 2010

Seasonal Affective Disorder in Children

Some people suffer from symptoms of depression during the winter months, with symptoms subsiding during the spring and summer months.  This may be a sign of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). (more…)

January 17, 2010

Emotional Distress: Counseling or Medication

Emotional distress comes in many forms and shapes. There are no x-rays or blood tests to explain what is going on or what is wrong, just your verbal description. The two most common mental health problems are anxiety and depression. (more…)

August 12, 2009

The Game Of Rescue: BE Careful, You May Become A Victim.

Offering to help someone who is in need of assistance just seems like the right thing to do. We’ve all had the opportunity to lend a helping hand, or go out of our way for a friend, relative or even a total stranger. The scene, more than twenty-five years ago, of that fireman diving into the freezing waters of the Potomac River to save victims of a passenger jet that crashed while taking off from National Airport during an ice storm lingers in my mind. We praise the heroic actions of first responders who risk everything to save total strangers. So, when someone who is familiar to you asks for help would you rush to assist them and do whatever is required? We’ve heard it said: ‘A friend is a friend – no matter what!” What if that “friend” is engaged in a behavior that violates the law or, your moral judgment. What if their behavior is, in some way, pathological? In those cases, helping that individual might wind up jeopardizing you. Your intentions were honorable but you wound up in trouble or having a major problem!

The complexities of our interactions became the focus of a theoretic formulation known as Transactional Analysis. TA is a method of analyzing and understanding communications and interactions ( transactions) between individuals. The goal of TA is to eliminate dysfunctional behaviors and develop effective coping strategies in our relationships. Clients learn to identify disruptive interactions and replace them with direct, Adult – Adult, communications.

Eric Berne developed the concepts of TA after extensive study and training in traditional therapy and the practice of psychiatry and psychology. He suggested that we develop “life scripts” early in our development that influence how each individual chooses to live and behave. The role of therapeutic intervention would be to “re-write” destructive and self-limiting script messages.

As a result of problematic script messages and learned styles of interacting, Berne noted that we develop dysfunctional patterns – called Games – in which we intend to gain positive “strokes” but actually reinforce negative feelings. Further, Games can be a way of interacting while avoiding intimacy (intimacy here defined as revealing the “real self” to others). Take, for example, the game of “Psychiatry.” You meet someone at a party. He is quite engaging and asks many questions about you. He seems interested in you and appears to be a good listener. However, when the conversation ends, you realize that he has revealed nohting of himself – thus avoiding intimacy. A second example is a game called “General Motors.” Same party: a bunch of guys stand around talking about the virtues and limits of Camaros and Corvettes. In the end, after a discussion of camshafts, transmissions and engine displacement, they part knowing nothing about each other. They interacted, but easily and skillfully avoided any personal knowledge of one another.

You may have heard the saying: “No good turn goes unpunished.” If we offer to help someone who has not requested it, we force them into the role of a “Victim.” They can easily turn and become hostile toward us, shifting from “Victim” to “Persecutor.” Claude Steiner points out that we are encouraged to be selfless, generous and cooperative with people, even if they are deceitful, selfish, stingy and uncooperative with us. Engaging in this type of interaction is guaranteed to take us from the position of “Rescuer” to the “Victim” position while the so-called “Victim” becomes the “Persecutor.”

In the game of “Rescue,” the Rescuer (that’s you) views that problematic, needy person as the “Victim” and thinks: I’ll save you!” As the paradigm progresses, the “Rescuer” becomes the “Victim” and the “Victim” becomes the “Persecutor.” Let’s look at a real life example.
rescue triangle

Archie (not his real name), a recovering alcoholic, was planning to go out on New Years’ Eve. He had tickets to a fancy gala and had rented a tuxedo. His date lived some distance away and he had planned to leave his house no later than six o’clock. Early in the afternoon, he received a call from Edith(not her real name) whom he had met at a meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous. She was “in a jam” and asked if she could borrow his car for a brief errand. Archie quickly agreed (boosting his own ego and self esteem) and told her to return the vehicle by 4 o’clock . “No problem,” she replied, as Archie watched his watched his washed and freshly waxed car roll out of the driveway. Of course, 4 o’clock came and went with no sign of Edith. By 5 o’clock Archie, agitated and concerned, started calling some of Edith’s favorite haunts (bars). He located her at a neighborhood pub and asked her to bring the car back immediately – she (now drunk) hung up on him. Furious, he called the police and reported the car stolen. He told them where the vehicle could be found and the police went to the bar to confront Edith. When they arrived, Edith told them that Archie had assaulted her and she had “fled for her life!” She filed assault charges against Archie and the police arrested him! Archie spent the evening at the police station, in his tuxedo. By the time he had arranged bail and was released, it was too late to go out- Happy New Year, Archie! The “Rescuer” had become the “Victim” and the “Victim” had become the “Persecutor.”

There are countless examples of this paradigm: the house guest who never left; the loan that was never repaid. However, the key to avoiding the game of Rescue is to carefully analyze whether the alleged “Victim” is really a victim; or have they created their own problem. After all, we are each responsible for our own behaviors. What is the “payoff” for you as the “Rescuer?” If you can understand your own motivation and can take an objective look at the so-called victim, you may discover your own co-dependency or realize that you are “enabling” the pathology of the other person.