John provides counseling and psychological services as the Clinical and Executive Director at Hope Counseling Center. He has provided counseling and psycho-educational services in church, community and institutional settings for over 14 years. In addition to providing counseling and assessment services to individuals, couples, and families in the Fairbanks area, John participates in research concerning mental health issues. John received his Doctor of Psychology degree from Wheaton College and is licensed as a Clinical Psychologist in the State of Alaska. He has been appointed by the Governor to sit on the Alaska Psychologist and Psychological Associate Licensing Board and currently serves as the Board's chair. John is the Training Co-drector for the Alaska Psychology Internship Consortium, and is a member of the FACES team in Fairbanks that provides diagnostic services for individuals with FAS or FASD. John is a member of the American Psychological Association, and the National Association for Rural Mental Health. He has developed a two-day workshop that assists stepfamilies dealing with the special issues they face. The workshop has been presented both locally and nationally. John has been an Alaskan resident since 1984. He and his wife Artha have 3 adult children and 4 grandchildren living and working in the Fairbanks area.

Hayley Allison Psy. D

Hayley is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist who has been with Hope Counseling Center for the past four years. She received her Masters Degree in clinical psychology from Midwestern University in Downers Grove, IL. She is originally from Fairbanks, AK and is pleased to be working with members of the community. She has had a variety of counseling and diagnostic experiences in both private and state hospitals. During the course of Hayley's clinical training she has had the opportunity to work with the following populations: substance abuse, management of severe mental illness, child and adolescent behavioral disorders, eating disorders, and anger management. Also, Hayley participated in research concerning substance abuse, personality disorders, and spirituality. She is a student affiliate of the American Psychological Association, and a member of the Alaska Psychological Association. She has a strong interest in working with individuals who have substance abuse issues and severe mental illnesses. Hope Counseling Center provides an opportunity for members of the community to seek support and guidance in a respectful and comfortable atmosphere.

Nina has a Doctorate and Master of Arts degree in Community-Clinical Psychology from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. She is a Forensic Psychologist with eighteen years of experience conducting forensic and personality psychological evaluations on adults, adolescents and children. Her assessments cover a variety of issues including competency, mental state at the time of an offense, sex offenses, parenting, disability and custody. She also has extensive experience providing court testimony. Her therapeutic specialities include working personality disorders, post-traumatic stress disorders as well as anxiety and depressive disorders. Nina is a mother and grandmother who loves wildlife, mountains and the outdoors. She recently has begun experimenting with photography.

Shawna Ragan LCSW

Valerie Gifford, Ph.D., LCSW

Valerie brings extensive experience working with children, adolescents, families and couples as well as the Alaska Native/American Indian and military cultures. She earned her Ph.D. from the University of Alaska's Joint Program in Clinical and Community Psychology with an Emphasis on Rural and Indigenous Psychology. Prior to relocating to Fairbanks, Valerie lived in rural Alaska where she provided school-based counseling and therapeutic services to students and their families. Valerie is dedicated to tailoring her services to meet the specific needs of her clients in a way that honors their values, beliefs and traditions. In addition to her clinical interests, she is an APA Minority Fellow researching issues related to ethnic minority mental health. Her training and research endeavors focus on the development of a highly qualified and culturally attuned behavioral healthcare service delivery system for residents of rural Alaska. Valerie serves as an advisory board member to the Trust Training Cooperative and Alaska Rural Behavioral Health Training Academy. She enjoys spending time outdoors in Alaska camping, fishing, hiking, canoeing, riding snowmachines and berry-picking as well as tending to the many animals living on her family's ranch in Wyoming.

Courtney Horwath-Oliver, LPC

Courtney received her Masters of Arts in Counseling from Cincinnati Christian University and is a Licensed Professional Counselor. She works part-time at Hope while also pursuing a Ph.D. in Clinical-Community Psychology from the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Courtney has experience working with both individuals and families. For the past several years, she has specialized in working with children who experience attachment difficulties, have social and emotional problems, and/or have been victims of trauma, including sexual abuse. Courtney was born and raised in Soldotna, Alaska and relocated to Fairbanks with her husband three years ago.

Dan Curns, M. A. L.P.A.

Tara Ford is completing her Ph.D. in Clinical-Community Psychology from the joint University of Alaska Anchorage and University of Alaska Fairbanks program. Her training has focused on practicing in rural communities and among indigenous populations. She is very interested in the progressive developments underway in behavioral health around service delivery to rural communities via telebehavioral health technologies. Tara earned her Master of Science in Clinical Psychology and Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Alaska Anchorage. She integrates science, theory and practice in culturally responsive approaches. She has worked with children experiencing Autism and Asperger's Spectrum Disorders. She also works with individuals who have experienced trauma, loss, feelings of anxiety, and feelings of depression. Tara is personally familiar with the military culture and its accompanying joys and stressors and also completed a practicum at Ft. Wainwright. She does psychological assessments and is part of Fairbanks' diagnostic team for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. She enjoys working with children, adolescents and adults individually. Moreover, she finds working with couples, families and groups a rich opportunity to foster personal growth through the dynamic relationships. Tara aspires to collaborate with community agencies and community members to maximize a holistic (i.e., mind, body and spirit) approach to gaining adaptive functioning and personal growth. In her free time, she enjoys gardening, being outdoors, and playing catch with her coonhounds.

Kurt Webb hails from California, where he completed his Bachelors degree at William Jessup University. He has his Masters degree in Psychology and currently is working to complete his doctoral degree (Psy.D.) in Clinical Psychology from George Fox University in Newberg, Oregon. Kurt is retired military, having spent 21-years in the United States Coast Guard. He enjoys working with veterans, and specializes in Cognitive Processing Therapy for PTSD. His clinical orientation is based on a combination of cognitive behavioral therapy and psychodynamic therapy. Kurt enjoys outdoor activities, cooking and spending time with family and friends.

Executive Assistant

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