Instructors

Mike Andrick, LCPC, joined Sweetser as the Senior Director of Adult Crisis & Residential Services in 2024. In this role, he oversees mobile crisis services, adult crisis stabilization units, crisis aftercare programs, OPTIONS, and adult PNMI. He is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor and has presented at numerous professional conferences during his career. Prior to joining Sweetser, he served as Director of Outreach & DMH MATCH Services at Pine Street Inn. Mike holds a master’s degree in counseling and education from the University of Maine, Orono.

Nick Blunier started as an Ed Tech at the Saco School upon his graduation from the University of New England in 2012. Since joining Sweetser, he has held many positions at the school. Five years ago, he revived the school’s Art Program, which had been eliminated seven years prior. Nick was able to build the entire program from scratch. Adapting the projects to meet the clients’ specific needs can be a challenge, but it allows for creativity in supporting them.

Amy L. Coha, MSW, LCSW, retired from the University of New England School of Social Work in 2021. Her social work experience includes working with survivors of intimate partner violence and individuals with mental illness. She continues her work in the field of IPV/DV.

Jeanne Croy, LCSW, CCS (she/her) has over 25 years of experience in mental health, working with children, adolescents, and adults in the fields of mental health, substance abuse, child welfare, and forensic interviewing and evaluations. She is the recipient of fellowships at the Yale School of Medicine as a Psychiatric Social Work Fellow and Zigler Fellow, and is a former faculty member at the Yale Child Study Center. She has specialized training in a range of therapeutic modalities, including evidence-based treatment for anxiety, depression, trauma, and other concerns. She currently has a private practice and provides training, supervision, and consultation.

Shayne Croy, LCSW, LADC (he/him) has over 25 years of experience in mental health and substance abuse, including extensive work with high-risk adolescents and young adults. He received his master’s in social work from the University of Connecticut, an internationally leading program in the field. He is trained and certified in several evidence-based modalities for substance use, trauma, anger, and aggression, depression, issues of gender and sexuality, and other challenging life issues. He has received specialized training and supervision in Brief Strategic Family Therapy under Olga Hervis, one of the model’s developers, and the Duluth Model in domestic violence interventions. He currently has a private practice and provides training, supervision and consultation.

Bette Freedson, LCSW, is a clinical social worker, speaker and author of two books: Soul Mothers’ Wisdom: Seven Insights for the Single Mother, and Other Realms, Other Ways: A Clinician’s Guide to the Magick of Intuition. Bette is also a contributing author to ERICKSONIAN THERAPY NOW: The Master Class with Jeffrey K. Zeig, Ph.D. An approved consultant of The American Society of Clinical Hypnosis, Bette incorporates hypnosis methodology along with guidance of the non-conscious mind into her work. With early roots in public education, Bette remains mindful of connecting presented material with the diverse needs of each audience. She is a frequent faculty member and moderator for conferences and training of the Milton H. Erickson Foundation. Bette also served for two years as a contributing member of the NASW specialty practice section on Children, Adolescents and Young Adults. Currently, she serves on the board of the North Carolina Society of Clinical Hypnosis. She lives and practices in Southern Maine.

Joanne Grant, LCPC, LADC, CCS, is the Chief Growth Officer at Sweetser. She has held both administrative and clinical leadership positions in Maine for over 20 years. The majority of her career has been spent overseeing services for adolescents/families who have substance use disorders. She has an undergraduate degree in rehabilitation services with a specialty in substance use counseling from UMF and a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling from USM. Joanne also has specialized training in clinical supervision and has several certifications in Evidenced-Based Practices.

Holly Hall, PHR, SHRM-CP, is Sweetser’s Chief Human Resources Officer. She provides administrative leadership and oversight of the HR functions, ensuring that policies, standards, and services are consistent with the organization’s mission, vision, and values. Holly started her career in behavioral healthcare in 1997, before moving to HR in 2007, when she was promoted to HR Manager. She graduated from the University of Southern Maine with a B.A. in Social Sciences, and has also completed the Project Management and Human Resources Certificate programs at the University of Southern Maine. Holly is an active member of the Human Resources Association of Southern Maine and Society for Human Resource Management.

Alaina Knox is the Director of Recovery Services overseeing peers who work on the Peer Support Line, in the Emergency Department, Peer Training Network, and Integrated Teams. In this role, she promotes the professional development and growth of Sweetser’s Peer Support Team. Alaina joined the Sweetser team in 2023, but she has worked in various roles as a professional with lived experience.

Rob Lagos, statistician, was diagnosed with autism as a young adult when there was no peer support. He is the facilitator of the Maine-based support group for autistic adults, and has presented in numerous autism workshops, webinars, and conferences. He is a computer programmer/developer and statistician. He is a co-author, along with Wilma Wake (LICSW) and Eric Endlich (Ph.D.), of the book Older Autistic Adults: The Lost Generation.

Shelby Levesque, LMFT, has been practicing therapy for 18 years. She served as President of the Board of the Maine Association of Marriage & Family Therapy from 2015- 2016, and is the CEO and Founder of Connections Rising, LLC, a personal development brand whose mission is to coach and educate people on communication, relationships, inner growth, and well-being.

Carol Mundigler joined Sweetser in the summer of 2021 as Director of Talent Acquisition & Retention, moving into the Director of Human Resources role in 2023. She oversees employee relations, recruitment, retention, interns, and volunteers. Carol enjoys supporting employees throughout the organization and is passionate about retention and engagement at Sweetser. She graduated from the University of Puget Sound in Washington state with a BA in Business and has spent the last 11 years working in the HR space.

Julianne Myers, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist who has been working with people with developmental disabilities for over 10 years and has focused on the field of FASD since 2018. Dr. Myers is currently a postdoctoral associate in THRIVE FASD Research and Clinical Services at the University of Rochester and Mount Hope Family Center. She is currently conducting research on developing and evaluating interventions for people with FASD with hopes of better understanding differences in developmental profiles of children with ASD and FASD. Dr. Myers has experience providing training for medical and mental health providers on detecting prenatal alcohol exposure around the country. She also provides caregiver-focused intervention for families with children with FASD to increase parent knowledge, skills use, advocacy, and self-care through the Families Moving Forward Program in Rochester, NY.

Steve Nesky, CADC, received his master’s degree in counseling from Northern Arizona University and was an independently licensed substance use disorder counselor in Arizona. He has been working in the behavioral health and criminal justice fields for over 30 years. With experience in outpatient, in-patient, and secure care, his experience is well-rounded. He currently serves as the clinical Quality Improvement Specialist for Sweetser.

Ann Palozzi, Psy.D., earned her undergraduate and master’s degrees in education from the University of Maine at Orono. With over 20 years of experience specializing in neuropsychology, Dr. Palozzi currently serves as a private practitioner in Southern Maine working with a broad spectrum of clients.

Alyssa Pelchat, LCSW, CCS, is the Director of Crisis Services overseeing Access, OPTIONS, Crisis Triage, and Mobile Crisis. She has a master’s degree in social work from the University of New England. Alyssa joined Sweetser in February of 2021 as the Clinical Supervisor of Crisis Triage and the OPTIONS program. Prior to working at Sweetser, she worked with children, teens, and adults in a variety of settings, including primary care and residential treatment, as well as within Maine’s prison system.

Nancy Rubbico, LMHC, a skilled psychotherapist, integrates mind and body for overall well-being. With expertise in EMDR, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, AEDP, yoga, and Polyvagal Theory, she has extensive experience with trauma, dissociation, addiction, and couples therapy. As a former international trainer for The Polyvagal Institute, Nancy brings rich knowledge to her engaging, playful, and accessible workshops, helping you understand and harness your nervous system’s potential.

Laura Slap-Shelton, Psy.D., is a licensed psychologist who has been in practice for over 20 years. She specializes in neuropsychology and has worked extensively with the autistic and neurodiverse community, including children, adolescents and adults.

Andrew Sokoloff, LMSW, is the Coordinator of Grief and Bereavement Services at CHANS Home Health & Hospice in Brunswick. He is a 2010 graduate of the University of New England School of Social Work and has served on the Board of the Maine Hospice Council and Center for End-of-Life Care for eight years.

Emma Swift, LCPC, opened her private practice, Moving Mountains Mental Health LLC, in Brewer, ME in 2022 and is expanding her business into professional consulting/training. She has a special interest in advocating for mental health awareness in the community and assisting her fellow helping professionals through training/development. She works with folks of all ages, including children/
adolescents, with experience working with Anxiety, Depression, Bipolar Disorder, PTSD, ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, and Gender Dysphoria. She is also trained in EMDR Therapy and incorporates tenants of Play Therapy into her daily work.

Wilma Wake, LCSW, is a Sweetser Affiliate working with autistic children, adults and families, and co-author of an upcoming book on spectrum adults over 50.

Ashley Wilock, LICSW, LCSW, CCS, currently provides substance abuse and mental health counseling in outpatient, residential, and MAT program settings. She is a graduate of the State University
of New York at Albany. Ashley has worked with all ages in a variety of settings in a clinical and supervisory capacity.