Cherie Mills
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT #40443)
DBT-Linehan Board of Certification, Certified DBT Clinician™
EXPEDITION LEADER / EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Cherie oversees the implementation of Compass’ Mission Statement and adherence to its driving principles.
HER STORY
After nearly two decades of working with adolescents struggling with depression, suicidal ideation and other disorders, Cherie noticed a disturbing trend. “When I interviewed the young adults on our psych ward who weren’t getting better, I heard the same statements over and over,” she recalls. “It must be me, I must be too broken to be fixed.”
Working closely with hundreds of patients and their families, it became clear to Cherie that recovery depended on developing an effective treatment program before patients started to form their identity. “Before their identity literally became ‘depressed and suicidal’,” she says. “Before they developed a mindset that nothing could help or that they were broken, that was when they needed help the most.” It was with these families in mind that Cherie founded Compass Behavioral Health.
HER TRAINING
- Undergraduate degree from Vanguard University in Cultural Anthropology
- Master’s degree in Marriage, Family, and Child Therapy from Fuller Theological Seminary’s Graduate School of Psychology
- Certification as a Play Therapist from UCSD Extension
- Intensively trained in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) through Behavioral Tech, DBT treatment developer Dr. Marsha Linehan’s training institute
- Intensively trained in DBT-Prolonged Exposure by treatment developer Dr. Melanie Harned
- Comprehensively Trained as a Family Connections Leader by treatment developer Dr. Alan Fruzzetti
- Intensively trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Eating Disorders (CBT-E) through Oxford’s Center for Research on Eating Disorders
- Intensively trained in Behavioral Activation through Oxford’s Center for Research on Eating Disorders
- Intensively Trained in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy for Children (DBT-C) by treatment developer Dr. Franscheska Perepletchikova
- Intensively Trained in DBT Family Therapy by treatment developer Dr. Alan Fruzzetti
- Trained in Emotion-Focused Family Therapy by treatment developer Dr. Sue Johnson through Psychwire Training Institute
HER SUMMITS
- Past Director of the Advisory Board to Orange County Parenting Magazine and a contributing writer
- 1999 nominee for Mental Health Care Professional of the Year for Orange County for her effective treatment outcomes (now titled Thomas F. Riley Award)
- DBT-Linehan Board of Certification, Certified DBT Clinician™
HER TRUE NORTH
An avid mountaineer and globe-trotter, Cherie is on a continuing mission to carry a Compass summit flag to the highest peak on every continent on Earth. Two down, five to go.
Mount Elbrus, the highest point in Europe at 18,511 ft.
Dr. Clive Robins, Ph.D.,
DIRECTOR OF COMPASS
TRAINING INSTITUTE
Licensed Clinical Psychologist (License No. 1421)
DBT-Linehan Board of Certification, Certified DBT Clinician™
Compass Behavioral Health is proud to have Dr. Clive Robins as its premier Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) expert and Director of the Compass Research & Training Institute. Dr. Robins provides consultation to Compass on program development, staff training, and treatment assessment. Dr. Robins evaluates Compass treatment plans, and reviews treatment videos for coding and treatment adherence in Compass’s comprehensive DBT Training program. In Dr. Robins’s role as Director of the Compass Research & Training Institute, he oversees the University of California, Irvine Child & Adolescent Psychiatry second year DBT Didactics at Compass Behavioral Health. This comprehensive DBT training involves core didactic lectures on DBT principles, strategies, and protocols.
HIS STORY
Dr. Robins has been a proponent of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) for more than 20 years. In 1993, he completed the first intensive training in dialectical behavior therapy, which was conducted by Dr. Marsha Linehan, the psychologist who created DBT, which combines behavioral science with concepts such as acceptance and mindfulness.
During that same year, Dr. Robins established the DBT program at Duke University Medical Center, which he directed until 2015. In the last two decades Dr. Robins has: provided DBT to many patients, trained and supervised more than 70 psychology interns and postdoctoral fellows, taught graduate-level courses in Psychological Intervention, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and the Psychology of Mindfulness, given more than 25 Grand Rounds and other invited presentations at Universities and Medical Centers, and conducted more than 90 DBT trainings and workshops for mental health professionals. He was also a co-investigator, along with his colleague Cedar Koons, on the first randomized controlled trial of DBT outside Dr. Linehan’s laboratory, and published in 2001.
HIS TRAINING
- Masters degree in Experimental Psychology from the University of Sussex graduate school at Stanford University
- Doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology, State University of New York at Stony Brook
HIS SUMMITS
- Faculty member, New York University
- Faculty member, Duke University
- Professor Emeritus, Duke University, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
- Professor Emeritus, Duke University, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience
- Certified in Cognitive and Behavioral Psychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology
- Licensed Psychologist, North Carolina, License No. 1421
- Founding Fellow in the Academy of Cognitive Therapy
- Served as Associate Editor and on the editorial boards of several scientific and professional journals
- More than 80 published articles and book chapters on depression, borderline personality disorder, and cognitive-behavioral and dialectical behavior therapies
- Recipient of research grant funding from the National Institute of Mental Health
- Behavioral Tech DBT Expert Trainer
- DBT-Linehan Board of Certification, Certified Clinician™
HIS TRUE NORTH
Clive had the privilege of seeing Jimi Hendrix perform live in 1967 and playing guitar has been a passion ever since. Self-taught as a rock guitarist, he is now (slowly!) learning to play jazz.
Dr. Nicole Motakef, D.O.
COMPASS RTC MEDICAL DIRECTOR
Medical License in California (License No. 20A16793)
Board certified in General Psychiatry by American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology
Board Certified in Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
SENIOR GUIDE/COMPASS RTC MEDICAL DIRECTOR
In Dr. Nicole’s role as Medical Director of the Compass Residential Treatment Program (RTC), The Farmhouse, she oversees the medication management and overall psychiatric treatment of residents. Dr. Nicole works closely with the Compass Chef to develop nutritional psychiatry informed menu programming, utilizing food as a source of mood stabilization, improving focus, and enhancing overall well-being and health.
HER STORY
Early in her training in medicine, Dr. Nicole realized quickly that health is far from black and white, and medicine is often looked at from the standpoint of disease and what is wrong, rather than searching for optimal health. It was through her intensive training that Dr. Nicole found medications far from enough to help those struggling with their mental health. By integrating therapy, self-discovery, mindfulness, nutrition, exercise and sometimes medications, we can live an emboldened life to the fullest.
At Compass Behavioral Health, Dr. Nicole found a community of providers that embodied these values of wellness where a life worth living can be realized.
- Undergraduate degree from University of California, Irvine in Psychology and Social Behavior
- Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree from Western University of Health Sciences, College of Osteopathic Medicine (WesternU)
- Completed a Post-Doctoral Teaching Fellowship in medical school at WesternU
- General Psychiatry Residency at Kaiser Permanente, Fontana
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship at University of California, Irvine
- Trained in infant, child and adolescent psychoanalytic psychotherapy at Newport Psychoanalytic Institute
- Trained in Mentalization Based Treatments with Children and Young People at the Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families
- Certifications in Integrative and in Nutritional Psychiatry from Integrative Psychiatry Institute
HER SUMMITS
- Fitness instructor at LA Fitness
- President of MBLDN Psych and Wellness
HER TRUE NORTH
Dr. Nicole loves spending time with her family and two shih-tzus, Honey and James. Though while with her family, she will often be spotted making amigurumi with crochet or learning new crafts.
Marissa Colangelo
Associate Director of Compass Research & Training Institute, Clinical Supervisor, DBT Program Clinician
Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW #78805)
DBT-Linehan Board of Certification, Certified DBT Clinician™
Within Marissa’s role as Associate Director of Compass Research & Training Institute, Marissa serves as the Clinical Supervisor for Columbia University’s Master of Social Work graduates. Additionally, Marissa is responsible for teaching didactics and DBT Skills Training to UCI’s Psychiatry Fellows and the community, providing supervision and ensuring adherence to DBT, and managing Continuing Education. Marissa works closely with Compass’ Research Director to identify training needs and to ensure clinical excellence. She provides both in-house training and external trainings. Additionally, she facilitates meet and greets with families interested in Compass to identify goodness of fit and to provide an overview of the program.
Additionally, Marissa facilitates a clinical caseload, providing individual and family therapy, leading DBT Skills Training groups, phone coaching and attends weekly team consultation meetings. A team of coding and therapy adherent professionals review her treatment plans and clinical videos and she receives expert consultation from Dr. Clive Robbins, DBT Training Director at Duke University and Compass Research & Training Institute.
Marissa started her master’s in Social Work at Columbia School of Social Work (CSSW) in 2012. She served as a Student Ambassador, working with prospective students and Alumni. It was here that Marissa gained interest in research and participated in research under Dr. Allen Zweben studying the efficacy of Chantix with substance abuse. Marissa’s research sparked interest in working with mental health and substance abuse. During her second year at CSSW, she found her passion in providing therapy to individuals who suffer from emotion dysregulation and completed her intensive training in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) in 2014 by Dr. Andre Ivanoff. Marissa completed her second-year internship at Rikers Island, providing DBT to female inmates. Here, she provided DBT in a setting with limitations and restrictions, leading to her passion of providing affordable and accessible DBT to the community.
Marissa has extensive experience working with adolescents and young adults providing evidence-based therapy in a variety of levels of care. Marissa participated in the development of the Partial Hospitalization Program at Clearview Treatment Programs and has provided therapy at the outpatient and intensive-outpatient level of care for nearly 4 years. Marissa has a passion for teaching and returned to her alma mater at California State University, Northridge and was an Associate Professor in the Child and Adolescent Department for 3 years. Here, Marissa taught Child Abuse and Neglect, Adolescence, Professional Pathways and Careers in Child and Adolescent Development before joining the team at Compass Behavioral Health.
- Bachelor of Arts in Child and Adolescent Development at California State University, Northridge 2012
- Master of Science in Social Work at Columbia School of Social Work, New York City 2014
- Adjunct Professor California State University, Northridge 2014-2018
- Completed Intensive DBT Training, 2014
- Certification in Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Lynn McFarr 2016
- Completed Advanced DBT Training, 2017
- Completed Intensive Training in DBT-Prolonged Exposure, 2018
- Completed Intensive Training in DBT-C (DBT for Children), 2019
HER SUMMITS
- DBT-Linehan Board of Certification, Certified DBT Clinician™
- Calibrated video Adherence Coder to the DBT-Linehan Board of Certification™
HER TRUE NORTHIn addition to her loving fur-baby, teaching is at the core of Marissa’s passions and values.
Compass Research & Training Institute
Compass Research & Training Institute offers evidenced-based trainings to the larger Orange County community of mental health professionals.
DBT Foundational Training
Compass Research & Training Institute is excited to announce our 4-day Foundational Training!
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Dialectical Behavior Therapy was developed by Marsha Linehan in the 1980s for individuals with Borderline Personality Disorder. Over the last 40 years, DBT has become the gold-standard treatment of emotion dysregulation disorders and has been adapted for various populations including and not limited to: co- occurring disorders, adolescents and families, different levels of care including outpatient services, residential services, inpatient units and correctional facilities.
EDUCATIONAL GOALS
By attending this foundational training, you will be prepared to engage in comprehensive DBT therapy. You will learn the core DBT principles, strategies, and protocols to engage in when a client is at high risk for suicide or not engaging in therapy effectively. This training will entail various activities such as case vignettes, role-plays and lecture.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Participants will be able to identify the 4 modes of treatment in DBT. 2. Participants will be able to identify the 6 secondary targets.
Participants will be able to explain the difference between biological predisposition and social environment and how the transactions leads to emotion dysregulation
Compass Behavioral Health Provider # 89604 is approved by the California association of marriage and
family therapists to sponsor continuing education for LMFT, LCSW, LPCC, LEP licensures.
TARGET AUDIENCE
This training is designed for mental health professionals who have no prior
DBT Training as well as those who would like a refresher
Our Foundational Training is led by CR&TI’s Associate Training Director Marissa Colangelo, LCSW and Associate Director of Postdoctoral Fellowships Nicole Zaha, Psy.D.
Our Foundational Trainings are offered to CR&TI’s practicum and post-doc trainees, as well as the community. This training is designed for mental health professionals who have no prior DBT Training as well as those who would like a refresher. We will cover a foundation of DBT’s strategies, principles and protocols.
For full course description and educational goals, please reach out to trainings@mycompassnow.com
When & Where is the Training Held?
Where:
Remote via Microsoft Teams
When:
October 14th – October 17th, 2024
8:30am – 4:30pm PST
Cost:
Practicum Universities Associated with Compass: UCI, CSULB, CSUSB, CSSW: $350
All Other Students: $500
Early Bird (before September 30): $900
Standard Registration: $1200
*Refunds accepted before October 4th
Required Readings
Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder
DBT Skills Training Manual (Second Edition)
Marsha M. Linehan
Recommended Readings
ACCOMMODATIONS
To request accommodations for special needs, please email the Program Administrator at
trainings@mycompassnow.com
GRIEVANCES
To obtain the grievance policy or report a grievance, please email the Program Adminstrator at trainings@mycompassnow.com
CERTIFICATIONS
Course completion will be awarded at the end of the course in exchange for a completed evaluation form. Course meets the qualifications for 24 CE hours of continuing education credit for LMFTS, LCSWs, LPCCs, LEPs & Psychologists as required by CA BBS Trainers will not receive commercial support.
Practicum for Master’s Program
What can CR&TI offer me?
Additionally, you get to participate on a well-rounded team that consists of master level clinicians, psychologists, psychiatrists, dietitians and experts from various fields.
Supervision
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Training
Master Program Partnerships
Compass Research & Training Institute (CR&TI) is proud to host students from esteemed master’s programs and aid in their education and training experience. CR&TI partners with Columbia School of Social Work, California State University, Long Beach, University of Massachusetts and Chapman University.
Don’t see your University listed here? Interested in partnering with CR&TI? Please email Marissa at trainings@mycompassnow.com
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
(LCSW #78805)
DBT-Linehan Board of Certification,
Certified DBT Clinician™
Marissa Colangelo
Marissa Colangelo, LCSW graduated from Columbia School of Social Work where she received her DBT intensive training and participated in Dr. Andre Ivanoff’s DBT Lab during her second year. Marissa is a DBT-LBC Certified Clinician and also contributes to the DBT-LBC board. She serves as Compass Research & Training Institute Associate Training Director, provides Clinical Supervision and is a Field Instructor with Columbia School of Social Work.
Prior to her work at Compass Research & Training Institute, Marissa assisted in the development of the Day Treatment Program at Clearview Treatment Programs where she facilitated the DBT Family Program.
Practicum for Doctoral Psychology Students
Compass Research & Training Institute (CR&TI) offers a 1-year clinical practicum for doctoral level psychology students with special emphasis in learning and implementing comprehensive Dialectical Behavior Therapy. The doctoral practicum student at CR&TI will also be provided with a robust training and experience in other evidence-based treatments (such as DBT-PE, CBT, ERP, and BA, ACT) during the practicum year.
Caseload average is 3 clients/families.
Time commitment weekly is 10-15 hours.
A portion of the students’ time may include experience providing DBT individual and family skills coaching, conducting intakes, co-leading DBT and CBT groups, case management, and administrative tasks.
Didactics will be provided.
Associate Director of
Post Doctoral Training
Licensed Clinical Psychologist
(Lic. PSY29916)
DBT-Linehan Board of Certification, Certified Clinician™
Nicole Zaha
Dr. Nicole Zaha, Psy.D., Associate Director of Post Doctoral Training, Clinical Supervisor, Licensed Clinical Psychologist (Lic. PSY29916) DBT-Linehan Board of Certification, Certified Clinician™
Dr. Nicole Zaha, Psy.D.
Associate Director of Post Doctoral Training, Clinical Supervisor
Licensed Clinical Psychologist (Lic. PSY29916)
DBT-Linehan Board of Certification, Certified Clinician™
Dr. Zaha’s role at Compass includes providing individual DBT treatment and skills coaching sessions, conducting DBT skills group, participating in weekly team consultation and supervision, and developing the teen residential program.
Dr. Zaha mentors post-doctoral psychologists through Compass’ Comprehensive DBT Fellowship training program. She has also provided individual, group, skills coaching, and family therapies at residential, partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient and outpatient levels of care and supervision to residential staff at Compass Behavioral Health since 2017. Dr. Zaha was intensively trained in DBT, CBT, ACT, and CBASP during her practicum at Harbor-UCLA in 2008-2009, under the direction of Lynn McFarr, Ph.D. Dr. Zaha’s internship was completed at Metropolitan State Hospital (APA Accredited), in Norwalk, California, in which she helped to train and develop an inpatient DBT team, and provided DBT services to patients on a specialized unit.
Her graduate studies focused on Family Psychology and Adolescent Identity Formation and emphasized multicultural and spiritual integration. She graduated from Azusa Pacific University (APA Accredited) with her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology in 2010. She worked as a Psychological Assistant at Clearview Residential DBT Program in Los Angeles, California for six years during which she aided in transitioning the residential program from a psychodynamic model to DBT. She trained staff members in DBT interventions, including skills coaching, and crisis intervention along with serving as an individual and group therapist. She has been directly supervised and intensively trained in DBT-Prolonged Exposure by developer Melanie Harned, Ph.D. and has a special interest and experience in assessing and treating trauma.
In addition, she has received advanced training in DBT for specific populations, including for substance use, eating disorders, adolescents, and emotionally dysregulated families. She has been formally trained in Behavior Activation, as well as Mindful Self-Compassion by developers Kristin Neff, Ph.D. and Chris Germer, Ph.D. and in Exposure and Response Prevention by developer Jonathan Abramowitz, Ph.D. Dr. Zaha also currently works as a Qualified Medical Evaluator and provides psychological evaluations for adults with industrial injuries.
Her true north and greatest joy is her new baby Farah.
HER TRAINING
- Bachelor of Arts in Psychology (Minor in Religious Studies), Cum Laude, Azusa Pacific University
- Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology, specialty in Family Psychology, Azusa Pacific University
- Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology, specialty in Family Psychology, Azusa Pacific University
- Comprehensively trained in Dialectical Behavior Therapy
- Intensively Trained in DBT-Prolonged Exposure
- Comprehensively trained in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Intensively Trained in Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) by Dr. Daniel Moran
- Comprehensively trained in Exposure-Response Prevention for OCD by Dr. Jonathan Abramowtiz, founding editor and chief of OCD Medical Journal
- Trained in Attachment-Based Family Therapy by treatment developer Dr. Guy Diamond at Drexel University
HER SUMMITS
- DBT- Linehan Board of Certification, Certified Clinician™
HER TRUE NORTHDr. Zaha’s passions and personal interests include yoga, family, ukulele, dancing, writing, and mindfulness meditation.
Postdoctoral Fellowship in Dialectical Behavior Therapy:
A Collaboration between DBT San Diego and Compass Behavioral Health
Compass Behavioral Health and DBT San Diego are honored to present our 2-year Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Psychology Fellowship. This is an advanced clinical training opportunity in comprehensive DBT for Postdoctoral students in Psychology. The training program aims to mentor psychologists who wish to specialize in DBT and in the treatment of emotion dysregulation disorders. The fellow is not expected to have prior training and experience delivering DBT. The training goal is to help psychologists learn and strengthen their skills in both DBT and other evidence-based treatments (DBT-PE, CBT, ERP, BA, ACT) during the fellowship year(s). We are seeking fellows who are passionate about providing comprehensive DBT to high-risk children, teens, and adults, across a range of modalities (individual, group, and family therapy in OP, IOP, PHP, and residential levels of care).
Eligible candidates must be U.S. citizens and must have completed a doctoral degree in Clinical or Counseling Psychology, including a doctoral internship, from APA-accredited program. Our sites are equal opportunity employers and provide reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. Applicants from underrepresented communities are strongly encouraged to apply. Following the completion of the fellowship, a full time, paid position as a Licensed Psychologist may be offered. Intensive supervision will include frequent review of the fellow’s therapy sessions. The fellowship will be a full time position, is heavily clinical, however also includes serving the role of a Research Clinician. The role involves data collection with consenting clients in session and adhering to target standardization in creating target behaviors. Opportunities are provided to be more closely involved in research, such as in data analysis or presenting at professional conferences, depending on the interest on the fellow/intern.
Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship
Compass Behavioral Health’s DBT Adolescent Residential Rotation will allow fellows experience in working with complex psychiatric co-occurring conditions at a residential level of care. Residents are 12 to 18 yrs of age, have a history of multiple inpatient hospitalizations, and due to their acuity require 30 to 90 days in a 24 hr supervised care setting. Fellows will be supervised by a Board-Certified Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist trained in DBT, integrative medicine, and nutritional psychiatry.
To learn more about our residential program click here.
To learn more about our research outcomes click here.
- Learning objectives for this rotation include a deep dive into the behavioral analysis of suicide attempts, self-harm, and eating disorder behaviors.
- Fellows will learn to identify functions of behaviors, missing emotion regulation skills, and when treatment calls for DBT Skills training, MAT, or contingency management of the environment. Fellows will develop expertise in the differential diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder versus frequently co-occurring mood disorders.
- Additionally, fellows will be taught nutritional psychiatry didactics and will develop expertise in providing psychoeducation to families on how to stabilize mood through food.
Compass Behavioral Health, Tustin, California
- California’s First DBT-Linehan Board of Certification, Certified Program™
- Duke University Clinical Research Performance Site
- Columbia School of Social Work: Selected Practicum Training Site
- UCI School of Medicine Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship
Interested in our Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship? Email Dr. Nicole Motakef at trainings@mycompassnow.com.
Dr. Nicole Motakef, D.O.
COMPASS RTC MEDICAL DIRECTOR
Medical License in California
(License No. 20A16793)
Board certified in General Psychiatry by American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology
Board Certified in Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
Nicole Motakef
In Dr. Nicole’s role as Medical Director of the Compass Residential Treatment Program (RTC), The Farmhouse, she oversees the medication management and overall psychiatric treatment of residents. Dr. Nicole works closely with the Compass Chef to develop nutritional psychiatry informed menu programming, utilizing food as a source of mood stabilization, improving focus, and enhancing overall well-being and health.