Meet Our Providers
Lorie Ritschel, PhD
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Dr. Ritschel is a founding member and co-owner of the TAP Clinic. She is a licensed psychologist with expertise in treating adults and adolescents with mood and anxiety disorders, suicidal thoughts and self-injury, personality disorders, trauma, and behavioral dysregulation (e.g., binge eating, impulsivity, oppositional defiant disorders). Dr. Ritschel is a certified Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) clinician through the Linehan Board and she is a national trainer and consultant of DBT through Behavioral Tech and DBT PE through Harned Consulting. Dr. Ritschel is also trained in Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), Behavioral Activation (BA), Prolonged Exposure (PE), and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT).
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Learn more about Dr. Ritschel​
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Kathryn Byars, PhD
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Dr. Byars is a founding member and co-owner of the TAP Clinic. She is a licensed psychologist with expertise in treating adults with mood disturbance, anxiety and perfectionism, suicidal thoughts and self-injury, and trauma. Dr. Byars is a certified Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) clinician through the Linehan Board and has particular interest in working with young adults. Dr. Byars is also trained in Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) and Prolonged Exposure (PE) for traumatic experiences and PTSD.
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Dr. Byars most recent love is self-compassion based therapy, which involves learning a more gentle and effective way to relate to ourselves.​​
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Christopher Sheppard, PhD
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Dr. Sheppard is a co-owner of the TAP clinic. He is a licensed psychologist with expertise in empirically supported treatments for mood and anxiety disorders, obsessive compulsive disorders, substance use, trauma, and couples relationship distress. Broadly trained to treat individuals across the lifespan, Dr. Sheppard works with children, adolescents, and adults. Dr. Sheppard is trained in Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), Exposure with Response Prevention (ERP), Cognitive-behavioral Couples Therapy (CBCT), Prolonged Exposure (PE), and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT).
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Katie Weinel, md
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Dr. Weinel is a double board certified psychiatrist with experience working with children, adolescents, and adults. Dr. Weinel conducts diagnostic evaluations and consultations for a wide array of mental health conditions, including post traumatic stress disorder, mood disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, eating disorders, gender dysphoria, and autism. Dr. Weinel provides medication management services and prescribes psychiatric medications when indicated. Dr. Weinel highly values and has sought training in various evidence-based psychotherapies and uses this experience to support her medical conceptualization, as well as collaboration with therapy providers both in and outside TAP.
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Learn more about Dr. Weinel​
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Becca Edwards-Powell, LCSW
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Becca is a licensed clinical social worker specializing in severe emotional and behavioral dysregulation, trauma, mood and anxiety disorders, personality disorders, and self-injury. She is a certified Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) clinician through the Linehan Board. Becca has also received specialized training in Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) and Prolonged Exposure (PE) for traumatic experiences. Becca is also part of our Behavioral Parent Training Program and runs our EMERGE program for young adults
Nicole Turner, LMFT
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Nicole is a licensed marriage and family therapist, specializing in problematic, out of control behaviors of youth (ages 13 – 17 ½). Additional areas of expertise include: adult anxiety, depression, mood disorders, suicidal thoughts, self-injury and eating disorders (AN, BN, BED). Nicole has received intensive training in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) and Multisystemic Therapy (MST). She was a clinical supervisor for Family Integrated Transitions (MST-FIT), an adaptation of MST for youth returning home from secure incarceration. Nicole has been a consultant for a Norway FIT program since 2015, a program designed to support therapists in helping prevent out of home placements of youth by use of parenting interventions and family therapy.
Clair Robbins, PhD
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Dr. Robbins is a licensed psychologist who specializes in providing evidence-based treatments to adults with a range of mental health problems including anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, trauma, personality disorders, self-injury, anger, and misophonia. She has unique expertise in providing treatment for people who find strong emotions are interfering in their lives, regardless of the diagnoses they may or may not have. Dr. Robbins is a co-developer, certified therapist, and national trainer in the Unified Protocol (UP) for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders. She is also trained in Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), Behavioral Activation (BA), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT).
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Cara Lusby, PhD
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Dr. Lusby is a licensed psychologist who specializes in providing evidence-based treatments to children and adolescents with a variety of presenting concerns, including oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), mood and anxiety disorders, emotion dysregulation, suicidality, and self-harm. She has extensive training and experience in the assessment and treatment of children and adolescents with ADHD and associated concerns. She also works with parents to more effectively support their child or adolescent who struggles with attentional, emotional, or impulsive behavior concerns. Dr. Lusby provides Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Behavioral Parent Training (BPT).
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Chloe Zachary, PhD
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​Dr. Zachary specializes in treating obsessive compulsive disorder, anxiety, depression, emotion dysregulation and trauma in youth and adults. Moreover, she has extensive experience coaching caregivers of toddlers, children and adolescents. Dr. Zachary blends her advanced training in DBT-A and parent training to help caregivers more effectively respond to challenging behaviors in youth, including suicidality and emotion dysregulation. She is trained in delivering an array of evidence-based psychotherapies including Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), Prolonged Exposure (PE), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) and Behavioral Parent Training (BPT).
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Sindhu Shivaji, PhD
Dr. Shivaji specializes in treating adults with anxiety, depression, emotional dysregulation, substance use, and trauma. She also provides couples therapy treatment. Dr. Shivaji uses evidence-based techniques, including Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT). She strives to tailor interventions to each individual’s unique needs, contexts, and therapy preferences. Dr. Shivaji has a particular interest and strong background in working with racial and ethnic minority stress, LGBTQ+ issues, and identity development.
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Connor Tripp, PhD
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Dr. Tripp specializes in treating adults with a variety of mental health concerns including anxiety, depression, substance use disorders, self-injury and suicidality, and borderline personality disorder. She has particular interest in treating mental health concerns within the context of chronic health conditions, such as chronic pain or other chronic illness. Dr. Tripp uses evidence-based therapies including Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), and Behavioral Activation (BA).
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Eleanor Beale, Post-Doctoral Fellow
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Dr. Beale is a post-doctoral fellow who specializes in providing evidence-based
treatment to adolescents and adults struggling with a range of mental health concerns including depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, emotion dysregulation, trauma, suicidality, and grief. She strives to understand each individual in the context of their life experiences, personal identities, and unique perspectives in order to tailor treatment to individual needs, goals, and preferences. Dr. Beale uses evidence-based techniques including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Unified Protocol (UP), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), Behavioral Activation (BA), and Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT).
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Kara Fox, MA
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Kara is a doctoral student in UNC’s Clinical Psychology program and is one of the TAP Clinic’s graduate practicum students for 2022-2023. Her graduate training experiences have included using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Interpersonal Therapy (IPT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Behavioral Parent Training (BPT) for depression, anxiety, and emotional and behavioral difficulties in adolescents and adults. She currently co-leads the high school multi-family groups on Thursday evening.
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Olivia pollak, ma
Olivia is a doctoral student in UNC’s Clinical Psychology program and is one of the TAP Clinic’s graduate practicum students for 2023-2024. Her predoctoral and graduate training experiences have included Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Interpersonal Therapy (IPT) for treatment of depression, anxiety, school refusal, ADHD, and emotional and behavioral difficulties in children and adolescents. She also has experience working with gender diverse youth and in suicide risk assessment and management with suicidal and at-risk clients. She currently co-leads the Tuesday high school multi-family group.
Administrative Team
Amanda Powell, Office Manager
Amanda is committed to ensuring the smooth and efficient operation of our therapeutic practice. With a passion for creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere, she plays a pivotal role in supporting both our clients and our team of providers. She brings a wealth of experience in office management, with a focus on healthcare and therapeutic settings. Having successfully managed administrative responsibilities in the past, she has a keen understanding of the unique needs and nuances of a therapy office. She works closely with our team of therapists to facilitate effective communication between the administrative team and our providers. Amanda is dedicated to fostering a client-centered environment. She understands the importance of creating a safe and supportive space for everyone. She is passionate about creating an environment where healing and personal growth can flourish and feels fortunate to be a part of the TAP team!
LaQuitta Key, Administrative Assistant
As the welcoming face behind the scenes at TAP Clinic, LaQuitta ensures that every patient's journey through our clinic is smooth and seamless. With a keen eye for detail and a warm demeanor, she plays a pivotal role in maintaining the efficiency of our operations.
LaQuitta is the first point of contact for patients, providing friendly assistance with scheduling appointments, answering inquiries, and ensuring paperwork is completed accurately and efficiently. She understands the importance of confidentiality and professionalism in handling sensitive patient information, and she strives to create a welcoming and comfortable environment for everyone who walks through our doors.
Beyond administrative duties, LaQuitta is an integral part of our clinic's collaborative team. She supports our team by managing administrative tasks, organizing files, and facilitating effective communication between staff members. Her dedication to teamwork and her proactive approach makes her a valued asset to our clinic.
LaQuitta is committed to upholding the highest standards of patient care and service excellence. With her positive attitude and dedication to exceeding expectations, she contributes to creating a positive and supportive environment where patients feel valued and cared for.