Presenters

 

 

 

Jennifer Lefebre, PsyD, RPT-S

Jennifer Lefebre, Psy.D., RPT-S is a clinical psychologist and Registered Play Therapist – Supervisor.  Her clinical and research interests center on the assessment and treatment of children, adolescents, adults and families whose lives have been impacted by complex trauma. She has extensive experience working with young children (0-5), adult survivors of severe childhood abuse and neglect, first responders, and combat veterans.

Dr. Lefebre is the clinical director at Healing the Child Within, a holistic trauma center in northwestern Connecticut which integrates psychotherapy, yoga, and eastern philosophies into the treatment of complex trauma.  She also provides clinical supervision and play therapy consultation throughout New England and online.  She has worked in residential treatment, psychiatric inpatient, community mental health settings, and schools, while teaching both at the undergraduate and graduate level and providing trainings around the country.

She and has received specialized training in many modalities, to include Trauma Sensitive Yoga (TC-TSY), Trauma-focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Attachment, Regulation and Competency (ARC), Sensory Motor Arousal Regulation Therapy (SMART), Theraplay, and Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT). She is working towards becoming an EMDRIA-approved consultant, and is an EMDR (Level II) clinician.  Additionally, she is an Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant.

Sheila Palmquist– Founder and Director of Lincoln Yoga Center and School; E-RYT500, RCYT, RPYT, YACEP, Developer of Take 5 Program

My introduction to yoga began in 2000, while living in Loveland, CO. I had an injury that kept me from my workouts of weightlifting and cardiovascular exercise, so I tried yoga. I have been a student ever since.  My yoga practice became a way to maintain a healthy balance of my mind, body and spirit. I received my 500 Hour Certification at the Himalayan Institute in Honesdale, PA. My approach to yoga is always based on what is best for the student. We are all unique, no one should try to copy someone else’s posture or practice, find yours. Our bodies and minds react differently to stress, we do not perceive or process things the same way. There is a formula for a healthy balance that is unique for all of us.

Kendra McCallie, LIMHP, LCSW

Kendra has been in the social work field for 25 years and a psychotherapist for almost 20 years with experience working in hospital, mental health clinic and academic settings. She has been in private practice for 10 years with a special focus on trauma resolution and integrative treatment of mental health issues. She has been a Level II EMDR practitioner for 12 years, is a certified Trauma Sensitive Yoga teacher from the Trauma Center at the Justice Institute in Boston and is trained in Somatic Experiencing. She has had the opportunity to attend trainings all over the country specializing in trauma, depression, anxiety and their related health issues. Kendra is passionate about helping her clients and students learn mindful practices and body awareness skills to recognize,
listen and release trauma to heal the body.

Gina Furr, PhD

I am a licensed psychologist in Nebraska (#833). I earned by BA with distinction in Psychology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2004 and then went out to Eugene, Oregon for graduate school, earning my MS (2008) and PhD (2011) in Counseling Psychology from the University of Oregon. My training has focused on healing from trauma, anxiety, eating/body image concerns, multicultural issues in counseling, and identity development. I have experience working with all ages. My training also gave me invaluable tools that I continue to use in social justice efforts.  I completed my internship in Ames, IA at Iowa State University’s Student Counseling Services center where I focused on trauma, anxiety & depression, eating disorders, multicultural issues, and consultation/outreach.  Working with college students/faculty/staff is something I greatly enjoy. I consider myself a life-long-learner and actively pursue advanced training opportunities.

I was born and raised in Lincoln NE and am glad to have the opportunity to practice in my hometown. My experiences as a member of a first generation born in the United States, as well as being biethnic, are important parts of who I am. I love music, singing, and dancing, and enjoy yoga, running, and sewing. By far though, most of my free time is spent with my husband and our three young kids! I am a second generation psychologist and can’t imagine a profession I’d love more.

Jocelyn Ritchie, JD, PhD

Jocelyn received a Ph.D. in experimental psychology and a J.D. in the UN-L psychology and law program. She worked for several years as an advocate and legislative lobbyist for Nebraska’s federally funded protection and advocacy agency before re-training to become a clinician in the UN-L clinical psychology program. After a clinical psychology internship at the Norfolk Regional Center, she completed a two-year post-doctoral fellowship at the Yale School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry.  There she focused on neuropsychological assessment within several research projects, as well as civil and criminal forensic neuropsychological assessment. Upon returning to Lincoln she accepted an adjunct position in the UN-L Clinical Psychology Training Program, where she was active in teaching, research and clinical supervision through a contract with the Lincoln Regional Center. She has consulted for several agencies in the Lincoln area, including Blue Valley Mental Health and the Child Guidance Center.  She currently works for the VA Nebraska-Western Iowa HCS as the neuropsychologist with the Polytrauma Support Clinic primarily in Lincoln and Omaha.  Dr. Ritchie notes that her participation in this conference is not sponsored by or otherwise related to her duties through the VA.  She currently does private practice (mostly but not exclusively assessment-related) through Lincoln Behavioral Health Center in Lincoln.  Her interests continue to include forensic and neuropsychological assessment, the assessment and treatment of trauma-related problems, the neurobiology of trauma, as well as psychiatric rehabilitation for severe mental illnesses and mental health policy.

Dr. Ritchie is also interested in complementary and alternative means for individuals with trauma histories to upregulate their parasympathetic nervous systems.  As such Dr. Ritchie completed her 200-hour yoga teacher training in 2015 (RYT-200) and currently is completing an additional 300-hour yoga teacher training.  She has completed numerous other yoga teacher trainings with emphasis on adapting gentle yoga to all body types and abilities.  She is actively involved in the “Veterans Yoga Project” since 2010 and at their 2018 Advanced Training Summit presented on the Neuroscience of Meditation.  Dr. Ritchie completed Level One (2015) and Level Two (2016) of the iRest teacher training program and is in the process of obtaining iRest certification.  She has been teaching iRest Yoga Nidra Guided Meditation since completing her Level One training in April of 2015.

Holly Hatton-Bowers, PhD, Assistant Professor and Early Childhood Extension Specialist

Holly received her doctorate from the University of California, Davis in human development with a focus on early childhood development and early mental health. She completed the University of Massachusetts/Napa Infant-Parent Mental Health Post-Graduate Certificate Program in 2007. She has been a CASA worker, family support worker for families with children 0-5 years with involvement in child welfare services, a child care provider of infants and toddlers in a perinatal day treatment program, and an evaluation consultant for programs aimed at enhancing and improving caregiving for low-income families. For four years she served as a senior academic researcher at the University of California, Davis Extension, examining programs and services serving vulnerable children and families and using research-based education to enhance the lives of professionals, families, and communities.Hatton-Bowers is an assistant professor in child, youth, and family studies and an early childhood extension specialist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Hatton-Bowers’ primary areas of interest and scholarly activity include creating and implementing programs designed to enhance the quality of early childhood development and early care and education and to use strategies that cultivate resilience, compassion, and kindness among caregivers and families. Her work focuses on contemplative practices, such as reflection and mindfulness to promote child, teacher, and family well-being. Specifically, these practices are examined for how they improve parent and teacher capacity for sensitive and responsive caregiving; particularly in the context of stress, and with vulnerable populations of children. As an Extension Early Childhood Specialist, she is active in translating and disseminating current research findings in the areas of caregiving and health in early childhood using an interdisciplinary approach.