Directors

Victoria Yoshen, Executive Director

vyoshen(at)windhorseimh.org

I grew up on the South Side of Chicago in the 60’s and 70’s, amidst the fear and turbulence of violence, while learning community organizing from my mother.  My high school was a “school without walls”.  I graduated college from Pratt Institute in New York City, where I truly learned how to see.  I then migrated to smaller cities and rural communities: The Interface Workshop Community in Boston, Apeiron Photography Workshops in upstate New York, back to Boston and the Boston Food Cooperative.  I found the cooperative dance scene and from that joined 9 people ready to build an intentional community in the western MA hills.  All of this time I was learning and using bookkeeping and management skills, a full spectrum of talents that small businesses need, contemplative as well as practical.  I was a co-founder of Earthdance, and then the Hilltown Cooperative Charter School, and many other civic endeavors (recycling, libraries, mother/daughter groups).  I joined the Windhorse organization in 2000, when Jeff Fortuna was the Executive Director, as the Administrative Director.  I supported two leadership transitions, with other jobs in between.  This is my third return, as the Northampton Site Director. 

Jeff Bliss, MSW, Director, Admissions and Marketing

jbliss(at)windhorseimh.org

Jeff's first degree was in Zoology (Marine Biology). He has combined his personal interests with working for n0n-profit social change organizations which have included teaching on a boat on the Chesapeake Bay, six years as the dancer in residence at the National Childrens' Hospital in Washington DC, as a Senior Program Manager at Lincoln Center Institute, and teaching in the graduate Gerontology Department at Naropa University for 5 summers. He has also continued with his professional interest in focus group moderation.

Clinical & Program Staff

(** All Senior Clinicians serve as Intensive Psychotherapists (IP) 

Annie Collins, Fiscal Manager 

Annie Collins joined the Windhorse staff as Fiscal Manager in September 2007. She brings with her over 20 years of fiscal experience gained from working in a variety of for profit and non profit settings. She has served on the board of directors of her church and currently volunteers there as a prayer chaplain. You might also see her contra dancing, selling her own unique line of handmade skirts, or singing for peace and freedom in the Amandla Community Chorus.

Eric Friedland-Kays, MA, Senior Clinician / Admissions Manager

Eric has been working for Windhorse since 2000. He earned a Masters degree from the School for International  Training and has achieved Psychosynthesis Levels I, II, and III. In 2002 he trained in Intensive Psychotherapy with Jeffrey Fortuna. For the past 15 years, Eric has been a daily Vipassana meditator. He spent five years living in Japan in the 90's teaching and studying.

If you have any questions regarding Admissions at Windhorse, call him at 413-586-0207 x106 or 413-586-0207 x333 or email at: eric(at)windhorseimh.org

Cynthia Johnson, LICSW, Team Leader

Nick Luchetti, MS, Housemate, Senior Clinician

 Nick has worked at Windhorse since 1998. He and Mary Tibbets-Cape coordinate the Education and Training Initiative at Windhorse. In addition to his work with psychosis, Nick has a particular interest in how mindfulness oriented approaches can be applied to develomental issues such as Aspergers and ADHD. For many years Nick has had an interest in Christian contemplative practices and is a practitioner of Bag Gua Zhang, an internal martial art.

Phoebe Walker, MA, Senior Clinician

 Phoebe received a master degree in Dance/Movement Therapy and Counseling Psychology from Antioch New England Graduate School in 2003.  In 2001 She was the first graduate student to intern at Windhorse IMH.  In her 8 years at Windhorse IMH she has served as a Team Counselor, Clinical Mentor, Team Leader, Intensive Psychotherapist, Community Yoga Teacher, Addictions Group Leader and Admissions assistant.  Phoebe’s Bachelors degree in Philosophy from Kenyon College and years of training in body disciplines inform her daily practice of developing compassionate awareness, action and relationships within the community of Windhorse.  

Pauline Ovens, LICSW, Team Leader

Suzanne Rataj, Respite

Ben Ross, MA, Respite

Ben has been working at Windhorse since November 2007. He earned his MA in Contemplative Psychotherapy from Naropa University. Ben loves seeing people become confident in the use of their voices to tell stories from their lives in ways that empower and open new possibilities for them. In his personal life this love has expressed itself mainly through creative writing and music. In the field of healing arts, this love is often expressed through his ability to make an encouraging space for others to tell their stories in the ways that are most fulfilling for them.

Sparky Shooting Star, Spiritual Counselor

Lindsay(St. John) Weremay, BA, Team Counselor

Following her degree in Anthropology at UMass, Lindsay traveled west to California where she became a counselor for a Community Counseling Center in Santa Cruz. She found her way back to the beautiful Pioneer Valley where she tries to find time to hike, snowboard, and develop her skills as a banjo player.

David Stark, BA, Peer Counselor, Peer Coordinator, Board Member

 Certificates/Licenses: WRAP, Peer Advocacy, Boston University Recovery Workshop

David has been on the Board since September 1997 and Peer Coordinator since March, 1999. He earned a B.A. from Princeton University in Psychology/Linguistics in 1987. David was Windhorse Associate's first client. He wrote "Sanity Recovered" in House Calls (Springer is publisher of this collection), has worked at a warmline, facilitates the Windhorse Writing Group and Peer Social Hour, was a DMH consumer initiative grant recipient, trains peer counselors, and is completing Shambhala graduate level training.

Cheryl Stevens, Respite

Mary Tibbetts, LICSW, Senior Clinician, Family Coordinator

Mary began studying Buddhism and Psychotherapy at Naropa Institute in 1975. In 1976, she went to Karme-Choling for a brief retreat and made a decision to stay for three years. After receiving a degree in Social Work from Columbia University in 1991, Mary moved with her family to Amherst and began working at Windhorse in 1994.  Mary enjoys spending time with her children (now young adults), as well as reading, painting, photography, and yoga.

Stephanie Westphal, BS, RN, Wellness Nurse

Stephanie studied creative movement and dance therapy before completing a degree in Psychology and Nursing. She worked as a nurse in England, Switzerland, and America. Her work as a nurse inspired by her lifelong study of contemplative Christianity and Buddhism and the desire to practice both where they meet in compassion and loving kindness. She and her husband recently moved to western Massachusetts to be closer to their children.

Elise White, BA, Peer Counselor, Administrative Assistant

Tim Ness, BA, Administrative Assistant

Tim joined Windhorse in September of 2009.  He has a degree in World Literature and Creative Writing and worked for many years as a construction carpenter.  He developed an interest in non-profits while serving on the Board of the Madison Community Cooperative, an 11-house co-op in Wisconsin.  He also serves as a housemate and co-facilitates the Hearing Voices Group.

Medical Consultants

Robert Gardiner, MD, Psychiatrist

Robert E. Gardiner, MD is a graduate of the Stanford University School of Medicine and trained at the residency program in Psychiatry at Stanford Hospital (Palo Alto, CA).  Dr. Gardiner has many years' experience in the treatment of mood disorders, anxiety disorders, substance abuse, and co-occuring disorders.

Dr. Gardiner has been in private practice for many years and has been the university psychiatrist for Sacred Heart University and University of Bridgeport for 7 years. He offers detailed diagnostic evaluations, state-of-the-art psychopharmacology, and the application of meditation to the treatment of illness.  Dr. Gardiner is skilled in working with children, adolescents, and adults.

Bruce Goderez, MD, Psychiatrist

 Dr. Goderez received his medical degree from the University of Virginia School of Medicine, and did his postgraduate training at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City.He worked for many years as a community psychiatrist, including starting a community mental health clinic in Springfield, Massachusetts.He has been in private practice since 2000.

In recent years, Dr. Goderez has received training in Holistic Psychiatry and Integrative Medicine through a variety of organizations, including the American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM), the American Academy for the Advancement of Medicine (ACAM), and the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine (AAAM).He is also among the first physicians given Board Certification by the American Holistic Medicine Association (AHMA).

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