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As President & CEO of the Lindner Center of Hope, Dr. Groat provides strategic leadership to fulfill the organization’s mission of transforming lives through expert mental health care, cutting-edge research, and the education of future clinicians. He works closely with a dedicated team, community partners, and supporters to advance innovative treatments, expand access to care, and sustain the Center’s financial health for long-term impact. In addition, he actively engages in strategic outreach across the United States and frequently lectures on topics such as mental health recovery, therapeutic engagement, and suicide prevention.

Dr. Groat believes that relationships are at the heart of recovery. "Feeling safe and not judged is essential to any healing relationship. At the Lindner Center, we are committed to creating that experience for our patients. We see the whole person, recognizing each individual’s unique strengths, and avoid categorizing people as a diagnosis or a symptom." He emphasizes that the combination of highly trained professionals with genuine warmth, compassion, and skill makes treatment effective. "One size does not fit all. Helping each person requires time, understanding, and a willingness to embrace the complexity of their lives. I am privileged to lead a team that really listens, so we can most effectively support recovery from depression, anxiety, trauma, substance use, and more."

Dr. Groat sees his role as President & CEO as advancing the success of his team and improving the lives of the patients and families the Center serves. "The best mental health care comes from excellent teams, and I am fully committed to ensuring our staff has the support they need to excel. I am proud of our interdisciplinary teams—nurses, physicians, psychologists, social workers, expressive therapists, chaplains, and more—all dedicated to seeing the whole person and embracing the richness and complexity of each individual. It is an honor to support their work and help those who turn to the Lindner Center of Hope rediscover hope, purpose, and connection."

Education

• Miami University
• University at Albany, State University of New York
• Rice University, Non-Profit Executive Management Program

Postdoctoral Training

• Austen Riggs Center, Four-Year Clinical Psychology Fellowship

Professional Experience

• Former President & CEO, CooperRiis, Asheville, NC
• Former Chief Clinical Officer, Silver Hill Hospital, New Canaan, CT
• Former Director of Adult Services, The Menninger Clinic, Houston, TX

Academic Affiliations

• Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
• Former Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine
• Former Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine

Professional Memberships

• American Association of Suicidology, American Psychoanalytic Association, Anxiety and Depression Association of America, National Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology

Board Memberships

• Board Member, Mentalizing Initiative
• Board Member, American Psychoanalytic Association

 

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Whitney Peters is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor and serves as an outpatient therapist at the Lindner Center of Hope.

She is a member of the Lindner Center of Hope OCD Treatment Team and is a specialist in the treatment of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorder, Phobias, ADHD, Body Focused Repetitive Disorders such as skin picking (excoriation disorder) or hair pulling (trichotillomania), Body Dysmorphia, Mood and Depressive Disorder, and PANS/PANDAS.

She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology at The Ohio State University and later went on to earn a Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Wright State University. She has received extensive post graduate training and education in the field of Cognitive Behavioral Therapist, Anxiety, and OCD through the International OCD Foundation, TLC Foundation, and the CHADD Organization.

Prior to joining the Lindner Center of Hope, she worked as an outpatient counselor in community mental health, mental health court, private practice, and telehealth practice in Columbus, Ohio. She is a member of the International OCD Foundation and is a Grassroots OCD Advocate, a member of the TLC Foundation for Body Focused Repetitive Behaviors, the PANS/PANDAS Network, and The Tourette Association of America.

She has written articles and educational materials about OCD, presented at the International OCD Foundation annual conference, presented professional trainings, was invited as a guest speaker on the topic of anxiety for wellness summits, hosts a monthly OCD consultation, and fundraises for continued OCD research, awareness, and treatment with the annual One Million Steps for OCD Walk in Columbus and Cincinnati, Ohio.

Degree(s):

• 2007 - 2011 B.A. Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
• 2012 - 2014 M.S. Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Wright State University, Fairborn OH

Internship and Practicum:

• 2014 Counselor Practicum, Marion Area Counseling Center, Marion OH

Licensure and Certification:

• 2014 Counselor Trainee, Counselor, Social Worker, & Marriage and Family Therapist Board
• 2015 Licensed Professional Counselor, Social Worker, & Marriage and Family Therapist Board
• 2019 Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor, Social Worker, & Marriage and Family Therapist Board

 

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Shea is an outpatient telehealth therapist at the Lindner Center of HOPE.

Prior to earning dual masters degrees in School Counseling & Clinical Mental Health counseling, Shea studied Creative Writing at Ohio University while minoring in Spanish. Throughout her undergraduate experience Shea volunteered with a variety of social justice oriented organizations in the Appalachian region including Girl Power, a program through Athens County Child Services.

Shea is trained in EMDR through EMDRIA and pursing Certification. The focus of her EMDR work includes simple and complex trauma, somatic symptoms, and specific phobia. Additionally, Shea is certified in DBT (C-DBT), a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP), and a Certified Autism Disorder Clinical Specialist (ASDCS). Shea’s practice philosophy is patient-centered, neuroscience informed, evidence based, and always includes room for a good joke!

Prior to joining the Lindner Center of HOPE, Shea worked for a small private practice in north-central Ohio.

Shea specializes in trauma work and working with neurodivergent adults, including adults diagnosed with ADHD and level 1 Autism. She also enjoys working with LGBT adults, adults living with disability, and caretakers of loved ones with physical or developmental disabilities.

This provider offers telehealth visits. 

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Dr. Dillon serves as a staff psychologist and Director of Family Therapy at the Lindner Center of HOPE. He has a generalist practice, treating families as well as individual adults, children, and adolescents in the Outpatient department.

He has been associated with the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine since completing a postdoctoral fellowship in 1999. He holds the rank of Associate Professor of Clinical Psychiatry in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience.

He earned his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at the University of Virginia, with extensive training in Cognitive Behavior Therapy as well as Family Systems therapy, taking a Competence Approach to understanding patients and families, with balanced attention to both pathology and strengths. His dissertation research focused on the long-term benefits for families using divorce mediation versus traditional adversarial court to resolve issues related to custody, support and visitation. This line of research led to working closely with divorce attorneys in the Cincinnati region in collaborative divorce, a multidisciplinary process for assisting families to made decisions about their future outside of court, in the most dignified and respectful manner based on their highest-level goals and values. Dr. Dillon became the first non-attorney to serve as Co-chair for the Cincinnati Academy of Collaborative Professionals.

Prior to joining the Lindner Center of HOPE in 2023, he practiced as a generalist in the UCHealth Psychiatry department outpatient practice. Dr Dillon was awarded the Excellence in Mental Health Award as Exemplary Therapist of the year 2018 by the Southwest Ohio chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). He is past president of the Cincinnati Society of Child Clinical Psychologists and has served on the board for the Cincinnati Academy of Professional Psychologists.

His teaching has focused on psychotherapy, providing lectures to medical students and residents on this topic, and supervising psychology graduate students and psychiatry residents in their training in individual, couples and family therapy. He developed and directed the UC Family Guidance Clinic, which provided a unique and innovative training model while providing excellent mental health services for the Medicaid population. This clinic provided live supervision with bug-in-ear input for the training therapists from a supportive team of fellow trainees, observing one another’s casework and therapy styles. The richness of the training and the quality of care was significantly enhanced by this team approach.

Dr. Dillon has also dedicated himself to burn-out prevention in the field of mental health. He developed the Program for Enhanced Engagement and Peer Support (PEEPS) at UC's Psychiatry department, an innovative burn-out prevention model using weekly small-group wellness accountability sessions in which providers share stresses that "drain batteries" as well of successes that "charged batteries," in order to catch early signs of burnout and support connection and work vitality.

This provider offers telehealth visits. 

Office location at:  One Waterstone Place. 9435 Waterstone Blvd., Cincinnati, OH, 45249

Presentation Topics:

• Psychotherapy
• Family Systems and Parenting
• Depression and Anxiety

Degree(s):

• 1986--1990 B.A. Psychology, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame. IN
• 1992-1998 Ph.D. Clinical psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA
• 1999-2000 Postdoctoral Fellowship, University of Cincinnati, Department of Psychiatry

Internship and Residencies:

• 1998-1999 Generalist Internship in Clinical Psychology. Illinois Masonic Medical Center, Chicago, IL

Licensure and Certification:

• 2000 Ohio License in Clinical Psychology
• 2022 PSYPact Member

 

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Mattie serves as a Clinical Dietitian at the Lindner Center of HOPE. She attends to inpatients and those participating in partial programs.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology, nutrition, and health with a concentration in dietetics from Miami University and completed her dietetic internship at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

Degree(s):

• 2022 Bachelor of Science, Kinesiology, Nutrition, and Health, Miami University

Internship:

• 2022-2023 The Dietetic Internship at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee

Licensure and Certification:

• 2023 Registered, Licensed Dietitian

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Mary Montemayor is a psychiatric nurse practitioner at Lindner Center of HOPE in the child/adolescent outpatient services and Esketamine Clinic.

She has received a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Loyola University Chicago and Master of Science in Nursing with a concentration in Psychiatric Mental Health from Maryville University St. Louis.

During her career as a nurse, she has worked in both medical and psychiatric settings. Her experience in psychiatric settings consists of inpatient adult general mental health, adult eating disorder, child/adolescent general mental health, and child/adolescent eating disorder. Her clinical experience as a nurse practitioner has been working with all ages and diagnoses ranging from eating disorders, anxiety, depression, OCD and ADHD in the outpatient setting.

Her approach towards patient care was reinforced by her undergraduate education at Loyola University, emphasizing the concept of “Cura Personalis” – care for the whole person. She believes that a holistic approach is important, and the most effective care considers the body, mind, and spirit.

This provider offers telehealth visits. 

Degree(s):

• Bachelor of Science in Nursing Loyola University Chicago
• Master of Science in Nursing Maryville University St. Louis

Licensure and Certification:

• State of Ohio Board of Nursing Advanced Practice Registered Nurse License
• American Nurses Credentialing Center – Board Certified Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

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Laura serves as a clinical dietitian at the Lindner Center of HOPE. She provides services to inpatients; outpatients; individuals staying on the residential units, Sibcy House and William’s House; as well as those participating in the partial hospitalization programs.

Laura earned a bachelor’s degree in Dietetics from the University of Kentucky and completed her dietetic internship at University of Kentucky Hospital and Veterans Hospital in Lexington, Kentucky. Prior to joining the Lindner Center of HOPE, Laura worked as a dietitian in a variety of settings including a large acute care system specializing in kidney transplants and nutrition support, food service management and consulting.

Degree:

• 2000-2004 Bachelor of Science, Dietetics, University of Kentucky

Internship:

• 2004-2005 Dietetic Internship, University of Kentucky Hospital/Veterans Hospital, Lexington, Kentucky

Licensure:

• 2005 Registered, Licensed Dietitian

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Karly is a full time Residential Therapist, serving both Sibcy and Williams House at Lindner Center of Hope. She also serves as Adjunct Faculty at Xavier University.

With undergraduate degrees in both Theatre and Interpersonal Communication, Karly employs an innovative, interpersonal, and systems-based approach to therapy. As an avid arts practitioner, she utilizes expressive and creative interventions to initiate change and healing, while increasing inter- and intrapersonal efficacy and functioning. Further, she is passionate about creating a collaborative therapeutic alliance, coupled with evidence-based practices to assess, and address, mental health concerns along the spectrum of the DSM.

Karly has worked in a variety of settings, providing both clinical and consultative services and trainings, short- and long-term treatment, and in varying levels of care. She began her career right at UC Health working in the Employee Assistance Program. She then worked as a Residential Therapist at the Center for Addiction Treatment. After a brief stint in private practice, she has returned to working in Residential Treatment to continue providing excellent clinical care through an ecological and team-based approach.

Karly is planning to combine her areas of study, and advance the field, through further development, outreach, practice, and study within the intersection of theatre, communication, and the art of therapy.

Areas of specialty:

• Trauma & Domestic Violence
• Addictions
• Couples & Family Systems
• Personality Disorders

Special Training:

• Developmental and Relational Trauma Theory (DARTT)
• Eye Movement and Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
• Somatic Embodiment

Degree(s):

• 2012-2016 B.A. Theatre, Miami University, Oxford, OH
• 2012-2016 B.A. Speech Communication- Interpersonal Communication
• 2017-2019 M.A. Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Practicum & Internship:

• 2018-2019 Counselor in Training, UC Health EAP

Licensure and Certification:

• 2019-2021 Licensed Professional Counselor
• 2019 Certified Career Counselor
• 2021 Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor
• 2024 Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor and Supervisor

 

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Dr. Price serves as a staff psychologist at the Lindner Center of HOPE.  She is an expert in providing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and works collaboratively with adults who are experiencing a wide range of mental health issues.  She specializes in providing treatment that is person-centered, solution-focused, and goal-oriented.  Her encouraging approach empowers clients with increased coping skills and needed insight to increase their hope.  Dr. Price welcomes clients seeking to integrate their faith as part of the healing process.

Dr. Price obtained her doctorate degree in Clinical Psychology at the Wright State School of Professional Psychology in 2000.  Prior to joining the team at Lindner, she served at Summit Behavioral Healthcare in Cincinnati, Ohio.  In this role, she provided individual and group psychotherapy, conducted psychological assessments and competency to stand trial evaluations, and supervised doctoral psychology graduate students from the University of Cincinnati.  Dr. Price was an Affiliate Faculty member at the University of Xavier for the supervision of their graduate students.  She completed her APA accredited internship at the Wright State School of Professional Psychology where she rotated to several training sites and worked with clients all ages and diagnoses.  She trained in a prison where she completed forensic assessments, assisted with crisis intervention, and provided individual and group psychotherapy to inmates.  During her training, she also worked in an outpatient mental health clinic, in elementary schools assisting children who were coping with feelings of depression and anxiety, and in inpatient psychiatric hospitals with patients dealing with severe mental illness.

This provider offers telehealth visits. 

Areas of Specialty:

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
• Adult Psychotherapy
• Mood Disorders
• Spiritual Care and Faith Integrated Counseling
• Severe Mental Illness
• Substance Use Disorders

 Degrees:

• 1995 B.A. Psychology, Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware, Ohio
• 2000 Psy.D. Doctorate, Clinical Psychology, Wright State University – School of Professional Psychology, Dayton, Ohio

Internship and Residencies:        

• Wright State University’s Ellis Human Development Institute in Dayton, Ohio
• Warren Correctional Institution in Lebanon, Ohio
• Twin Valley Psychiatric Services in Dayton, Ohio
• Preventing Anxiety and Depression in Youth in Dayton, Ohio
• Center for Psychological Services in Dayton, Ohio

Licensure and Certification: 

• Licensed Clinical Psychologist – State of Ohio

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Alyssa Wall serves as a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner at the Lindner Center of HOPE. She provides psychiatric care, including medication management, to adults in the inpatient and outpatient setting.

She holds a Doctorate of Nursing Practice from The University of Tennessee and is board certified through American Nurses Credentialing Center as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP). She began her training at Belmont University, earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Before becoming certified as a nurse practitioner, Alyssa worked as a registered nurse gaining experience in inpatient and outpatient psychiatric nursing. Prior to coming to the Lindner Center of Hope, she spent time as a nurse practitioner in the residential treatment setting.

Alyssa enjoys working collaboratively with the patient, as well as the treatment team, to help individuals obtain their optimal mental health. She believes in using a holistic, trauma-informed, individualized approach to the care she delivers.

This provider offers telehealth visits. 

Degree(s):

• Doctor of Nursing Practice, The University of Tennessee
• Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Belmont University

Licensure and Certification:

• ANCC Board Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
• Current Ohio Nursing and Nurse Practitioner License