Northern Mental Health Associates (Demonstration Site)

631 West 6th Ave
Suite 101
Anchorage, AK 99501

1308 rosehill blvd
niskayuna, NY 12309

(555) 555-3456

info@northermentalhealthassociates.org

To view a clinician's information click on a name:
Ashley Thomas, M.D.
Bob South, Ph.D.
Francine Bettes, MSW, LICSW

Ashley Thomas, M.D.

I have been practicing in Anchorage since 1983. In my practice I provide services for people aged 6 to 106. While my primary focus is on the individual, I believe that an individual's life is embedded in a rich, complex, and highly interactive social system. Therefore my initial assessment may very well include interviewing the individual's parents, siblings, and/or children. The treatment plan may involve some combination of psychotherapy, medication, and strategies to be initiated at home or elsewhere.

As an undergrad I attended Boston University and went to Case Western Reserve University for medical school. I did my internship at Montefiore Hospital in New York City and my residency in adult psychiatry at Yale University. Before moving out to Anchorage, I served two terms as president of the Connecticut Psychiatric Association. Currently I am the medical director at the Anchorage Family and Youth Services. I am Board certified in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and General Psychiatry.

I have published books and journal articles on the efficacy of psychotropic medications for children. I am a member of the editorial board of the Journal of Adolescent Development and the Journal of Family Psychology.

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Bob South, Ph.D.

I have been practicing in Anchorage since 1985. Much of my professional work has focused on psychotherapy services for children, adolescents, and families. Though I was trained at a psychodynamically oriented institute, my therapeutic approach could best be described as integrative. I maintain a flexible approach to therapy to ensure a good fit between my clients' needs and my style.

I received my Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Arizona State University in 1978. Following my Internship at the Phoenix Youth Guidance Center I have held faculty appointments at the University of Arizona Medical Center and the Arizona State University Children's Hospital. Currently I am on the faculty at the Alaska Pacific University Children's Hospital and am a member of the Board of Directors of the Alaskan Psychological Association.

In addition to my clinical interests I have written and published in the areas of Play Therapy and Projective Testing for Children. I also have a special interest in technology and how it can best be used to provide psychological services for larger systems - beyond traditional, one-on-one psychotherapy.

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Francine Bettes, MSW, LICSW

I have been a practicing clinician since 1988. My therapeutic approach could best be described as cognitive-behavioral. My work focuses on the modification of behavioral risk factors, behaviors, and maintaining lifestyle changes. In my practice I help people re-examine their cognitions, emotional responses, and subsequent behaviors and modify (or "tweak") them as necessary.

I am currently the Director of Behavior Management Services in Anchorage and the Coordinator of Behavioral Therapies at the Anchorage General Hospital Healthcare Center. I also serve on the faculty of the Alaska Medical School in Anchorage. Currently I am the President-Elect of the National Association of Social Workers Alaska Chapter.

I graduated from Smith College for Social Work in 1983. After completing my internship at Tufts New England Medical Center, I moved to Nome where I was a Clinical Instructor in Psychiatry at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. I am a Board Certified Diplomate in Clinical Social Work and a Certified Group Psychotherapist.

I have published journal articles in the areas of cardiac rehabilitation and the treatment of phobias and anxiety disorders.

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