Dr. Simon is a triple board certified psychiatrist in the areas of pediatrics, child/adolescent and adult psychiatry. He completed his undergraduate degree at Creighton University, then attended the Medical College of Wisconsin and the University of Utah. Dr. Simon has presented on topics including eating disorders, somatization disorders and difficult diagnoses in patients and families. In 2003, Dr. Simon was honored as nominee of the year. In 2005 and 2012, he was awarded teacher of the year by the triple board and child psychiatry residents. He approaches students in a holistic, strength based manner to foster greater resiliency. Although he used to enjoy mountain biking, snowboarding, hiking and photography, his time has now been replaced with raising two little boys.

Jane received her Master’s degree in social work from the University of Utah. She has over 30 years of experience working with children, adolescents and their families in all levels of care including residential, day treatment, IOP, and outpatient. She has developed and managed programs in addition to directing treatment teams and supervising students and is on the faculty at the University of Utah College of Social Work. She has also provided extensive clinical care during this time treating children, adolescents and providing family therapy. Jane has treated a variety of diagnoses including mood disorders, anxiety disorders, complicated grief, PTSD, ADHD, ODD, ASD, and attachment issues. She is trained in DBT and EMDR and uses many approaches in her practice including CBT, developmental approaches, systems theory, trauma-focused CBT, Theory of Mind, and attachment-based therapies. Animal-assisted therapy has also been a part of her work with clients to help with attachment issues. Additionally, she has experience running many types of therapy groups including mindfulness, psychotherapeutic and psychoeducational ones. She emphasizes mindfulness practice to promote emotional regulation, as becoming and staying healthy requires a mind/body approach. Most importantly, she emphasizes a strength-based, relationship approach with clients. She has been married for 27 years, raised two children, enjoys reading, cooking, traveling, walking her dog, and spending time with family.

Rod has extensive background in working with adolescents in educational and residential treatment settings. He spent seven years in Asia, teaching at the American Village International Institute, working as an Education Director for the largest private language school in Taiwan, and acting as an English Advisor for the Kaohsiung City Secondary Education System. He received several awards for his teaching methods and service to education. Before taking over as Solstice’s Addiction Program Director, Rod worked as the Residential Director, a Team Manager, Substance Abuse Counselor, and Program Director. Drawing on his clinical knowledge, milieu management skills, and pedagogic background, Rod has affected a climate for change for troubled adolescents.

Rod loves to vacation in Barbados, where he met his Bajan wife. Rod and his wife were “promoted” to grandparents in June 2016 and September 2018. They consider it to be one of their best promotions. His family consists of his wife, two sons, his daughter and son-in-law, and grandchildren, Tatum and Tayla.  Maximus, the family cat, is still an active part of the family. Max tends to spend a lot of time outside when Tatum is visiting, as Tatum hasn’t learned the fine art of petting animals the correct way. Rod loves spending time with his family, swimming in the Caribbean Sea, and reading mysteries and westerns.

TJ received his M.S. in Marriage and Family Therapy from Brigham Young University and his Ph.D. from Texas Tech University. He began his clinical work with individuals, couples, and families in 2000, and has since practiced in various residential and private settings. From these experiences, TJ’s interest in serving both youth and their families grew and emphasizes four areas of focus while engaged in helping efforts with those he serves:  (1) principle-guided prevention & intervention, (2) character strengths and virtues, (3) the inevitability of “relationship” in daily living – the “what” and “how” of it, and (4) the reality that clients are the gatekeepers of change and true heroes in their own success stories!

With an eye on these areas when working with others, Tj has come to firmly believe that addressing our “problems” ultimately involves drawing on our strengths and the best that lies within us and our relationships!  He has found that these strengths most often need to be reclaimed from struggle or developed from weakness as youth and families engage in their own healing process.  With this background, TJ maintains ongoing interest and professional development related to Involved Fathering and Post-traumatic Growth literature and interventions.  As a clinician, he is informed by Contextual Family Therapy (CFT), Family Systems and Ecology, and Arbinger’s attention to increasingly seeing others as people as valid as one’s self versus as objects to be resisted, used, or disregarded.  In all of this, Tj continually looks for opportunities for “less talk, more action” by way of creative and experiential intervention efforts (i.e. equine, adventure, athletic, etc.).

Originally from Arizona, TJ is the oldest of four siblings, and is married to Becky. He is a proud “Daddy” to Haylea, James, Sterling, and Ellie. TJ’s personal interests and hobbies include many things – a sort of “Jack of all Trades, Master-enough of Those I Want To Be.”  A sample of current interests and activities includes: fly tying and fishing, camping, various sports (his own and with his kids), cycling (both road and mountain), reading, and spending quality time with his wife, family, & friends.  Tj also actively serves his local community via faith and intervention opportunities to ensure involvement and impact close to home.

Blake has worked in residential treatment since 1998. Prior to working in adolescent treatment, he worked in juvenile detention, college counseling, and county mental health. He has also taught parenting classes in the community since 2004. He enjoys working with students struggling with anxiety, depression, trauma and social skills issues, OCD, as well as the wide variety of complex issues and presentations seen in residential settings. Blake utilizes cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) and rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT) modalities. Blake is also trained in trauma modalities, such as EMDR and Brainspotting. Blake completed his undergraduate studies in psychology at Weber State University, and attended graduate school at Idaho State and B.Y.U. In addition to his experience, Blake brings warmth and humor to the therapeutic setting. He enjoys the updates he gets from former clients, many of whom now have families of their own. Originally from Ogden, Utah, Blake now lives in Syracuse with his wife and three children. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his family, collecting dusty old books, reading, and pretending to work with his computer.

Rachel started at Solstice West in 2016  as a mentor.  She became a primary therapist with us after completing her Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Utah.  Rachel has worked in various settings, including community mental health, substance abuse groups and IOP counseling, as well as mobile crisis.  Rachel utilizes her training in DBT, self-harm management, exposure therapy, CBT, Motivational Interviewing, EMDR, and Brainspotting.  She approaches her clients utilizing a strengths-based perspective and brings humor into the therapeutic setting.  Rachel works with many clients struggling with anxiety, depression, trauma, attachment and relationship struggles, as well as students with obsessive-compulsive tendencies. In her spare time, Rachel enjoys skiing, being outside with her dogs and building electric guitars.

Rich received his B.S. in social work from Weber State University and his Master’s degree in counseling from the University of Phoenix. Rich has worked with teenagers in residential and outpatient centers for over 15 years in a variety of settings. Rich has also worked with adult and the elderly clientele. Rich comes to Solstice with a variety of skills and treatment modalities including EMDR, DBT, CBT, Motivational Interviewing, and Attachment based theories. Rich is passionate about treating and improving the impact that trauma has with individuals. He believes that we don’t need to be defined by our negative experiences and can incorporate our past and use it to strengthen who we are today. Rich uses his client’s natural strengths throughout the therapeutic process to reinforce his client’s personal power and growth.

Rich has been married for 26 years and has three children, two cats, and a dog. He is an avid fan of University of Utah football, watching movies and enjoys reading, traveling, fly fishing, and spending time outdoors.

Jennifer holds a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from Texas A&M International University. She has experience working in various environments including community, school, and residential settings. She is knowledgeable and passionate about working with individuals and families who experience trauma, interpersonal strain, anxiety, ADHD, substance use, and other complex issues.

Jennifer’s own trauma experience is what led her into the field of counseling and she utilizes her empathy in these areas to create a safe space for healing. In her personal and professional life, her values of honesty, fairness, and genuineness shine through and help her form a strong working alliance with her clients. Her aim in therapy is to provide clients with a nonjudgmental environment in which they can explore their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. She believes that as clients gain greater self-awareness, they are empowered to make the changes they want for themselves.

In her leisure time, she enjoys playing volleyball and golf, hiking, biking, and skiing. She takes her dog, Rye, with her wherever she is able. Her other hobbies include playing the piano, reading, crafting, and listening to music of all kinds.

Andrea received her Master of Social Work from the University of Utah in 2013. She has over 15 years of experience in working in the social work field primarily working with kids, adolescents, and young adults with varied backgrounds in family dynamics, socioeconomic background, and sexual orientation. She has worked in all levels of care including residential, day treatment, and outpatient. She has developed and carried out programming in these levels of care. Her therapeutic approach is based on a person-centered and strengths-based perspective. She incorporates approaches in DBT, CBT, and Narrative therapies. She believes strongly in building skills, such as coping skills, life skills, and social skills in order to help improve mindfulness as well as emotion regulation in order to work through distress in more effective and healthy ways. She has experience in treating clients with PTSD, RAD, Anxiety, Depression, DMDD, Self-harm, ODD, ADHD, among other diagnoses.

Outside of work, Andrea enjoys time with friends and family. She has a strong passion for music and has played the violin and is interested in learning new instruments. She also enjoys spending time recharging and enjoying activities to laugh and have fun.

Makenzee has a Bachelors of Science degree in Psychology & Sociology with a Certificate in Diversity & Criminology from the University of Utah. She has had the opportunity to present at high schools relative to mental health issues and community resources that are available to support individuals and their families. Her hobbies include boating, swimming, hiking, and anything that can be done and completed in a Utah summer season.

Angela Johnson graduated from Southern Utah University with a Bachelors in Special Education and Physical Education. Angela has been working as a teacher in treatment centers since March 2013 and has a passion for working with students that struggle with executive functioning skills and confidence in school. She has been working at Solstice as the Special Education Teacher since November 2015 and teaches Executive Functioning and Study Strategies.

Angela specializes in teaching executive functioning skills and works one on one each week with her students to figure out what they need to work on specifically in school and to see if students need more one on one support in their other classes. She loves to motivate and push her students to reach their full potential and to be better individuals in school and in their lives.

Jamie is originally from north Georgia, but has spent most of her life in Utah. She graduated from Southern Utah University with a B.S. in Biology and a minor in Chemistry. After tutoring and substitute teaching at an RTC, she decided to obtain her secondary teaching license. Jamie has been teaching at RTC’s for 10+ years and loves the treatment setting. Working at an RTC allows her to do more than just stand in front of a class and teach science. She loves being involved in the whole treatment of the students and getting to know each one of them. Jamie loves spending time with her husband and three kids, ages 6, 12 and 16. Her hobbies include crochet, hanging out with her farm animals, and watching as much Atlanta Braves baseball as she can!

Nate grew up in Portland, Oregon and came out to Utah State University to complete his Bachelors Degree in Fine Art.  He has since gone back to earn his Masters Degree in Education.  He has experience working with youth at a variety of residential treatment facilities for the past 15 years.  As a working artist, Nate feels that his students pay better attention to him concerning the subject matter.  He sells his paintings at shows and venues with commissions from clients across the country.  His work can be seen at natepack.com. Besides creating – Nate loves spending time with his wife and 8 kids, playing basketball and going to shows.

Ashley has a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from Weber State University and a master’s degree in Forensic Science from the University of Florida. Before switching to education, Ashley worked as a research chemist in the polymer science industry. She has a passion for encouraging teens to pursue education and careers in STEM fields and loves showing how science, arts, and mathematics overlap in the real-world.

Ashley played bassoon throughout college and currently sings and plays guitar. She and her husband enjoy traveling, trying new things, hiking, camping, doing anything outdoors, and spending time with her family.

Conner is 23 years old and has grown up in Utah. He is a licensed teacher and is pursuing a degree in History Education at Weber State University.  Conner has taught 2nd and 4th grades in the past and also used to teach English in Taiwan.  He is fluent in English and Chinese.

Conner has worked as a mentor at Solstice for the last 7 months and is excited to transition into teaching.  He has a huge passion for History and teaching and has loved working at Solstice.  He is looking forward to continuing to work with our students and be able to help them achieve their goals in academics.

I was born in Northern Alabama and graduated with a History major and a minor in the classics. I then went on to spend 2 years in Minnesota doing college ministry and then 3 years in St. Louis studying theology. I graduated with my Masters of Divinity in 2017 Covenant Theological Seminary. I am most importantly a proud father to a sweet, funny, smart, and curious little boy. Canaan will turn 3 in October. My wife, Nykki, and I are expecting our second son in December (2020). I have spent the last 2 years teaching History, English, and Latin at Capstone Classical Academy here in Utah. Teaching students to learn how to read and make their voices heard through writing and speaking is one of the most important things we can do for our children. I look forward to working with your children and I hope that I can help them see the importance of reading and writing as well as helping them find the confidence necessary to continue life after High School. I am excited for this unique opportunity to help teens find a voice.

Mason is a certified trainer through the International Sports Sciences Association. He focuses on and specializes in overall functional fitness and training. Mason was born in Salt Lake City, Utah and grew up in Layton, Utah. He graduated from Layton High School in 2015. Mason was involved in various athletics growing up which helped peak his interest in fitness. After graduation he started to pursue a career in fitness which led him to becoming a certified trainer and joining the team here at Solstice West.

Mason enjoys working with the students at Solstice. He helps everyone he trains take a holistic approach to fitness and overall health and wellness. His goal is that everyone he works with will be able to use fitness to become more functional in the overall use of their body, to find and build confidence in themselves, and to find joy in the process of self improvement.

In his free time, Mason loves doing things outdoors, spending time with his family, and playing golf. In the future he hopes to continue a career in fitness working with all types of athletes ranging from beginners to professional level athletes.

Dr. Simon is a triple board certified psychiatrist in the areas of pediatrics, child/adolescent and adult psychiatry. He completed his undergraduate degree at Creighton University, then attended the Medical College of Wisconsin and the University of Utah. Dr. Simon has presented on topics including eating disorders, somatization disorders and difficult diagnoses in patients and families. In 2003, Dr. Simon was honored as nominee of the year. In 2005 and 2012, he was awarded teacher of the year by the triple board and child psychiatry residents. He approaches students in a holistic, strength based manner to foster greater resiliency. Although he used to enjoy mountain biking, snowboarding, hiking and photography, his time has now been replaced with raising two little boys.

Shaylee was born and raised in Kaysville Utah. She grew up on a small farm of sorts and loves animals. Shaylee had horses, cows, chickens, cats, and dogs and felt that was a fun way to grow up.

Shaylee has worked in healthcare for 10 years and is passionate about this line of work. Shaylee loves working with and helping people and has previously worked in long-term care as a recreation therapist. She is currently studying Healthcare Administration at Weber State and will be graduating next year.

In her free time, Shaylee enjoys crocheting, spending time outdoors, attending Broadway musicals, and snuggling with her fur baby mini golden-doodle, Cooper.

Donovan has been working in the residential treatment setting since 2016. In those years, he had experience helping to build and establish a preadolescent and adolescent program. He values many aspects of working in this field, but the feat that he values most is the relationships that he builds with youth, families and colleagues that he works alongside with. Donovan feels a special fulfillment from seeing a family reunify and strengthen their relationship. This is the sole reason he has loved working in the mental health field.

When Donovan isn’t working he is either spending time with his family or playing sports. His family is very competitive, which is how he came to love sports. Basketball, football and rugby are his favorite. Donovan is a die hard Chargers and Jazz fan, and has one dream to see one of them win a championship.

Jessica started at Solstice West as a mentor in January 2020.  She worked to advance through each of the mentor levels and has always been excited for the opportunity for growth and in her roles at Solstice. Jessica loves working with teens and helping them become strong, independent and helping them to reach their full potential.

Jessica was born in the Marshall Islands and moved to the United States when she was 2 years old.  She has grown up in Utah and is currently attending Weber State University to earn a degree in Social Work.

In her free time, Jessica enjoys backpacking, raising alpacas, traveling, and trying new things….she also makes really good chocolate chip cookies.

Tilly was born in Layton Utah and has lived there her whole life. She attended Weber State University and got her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a minor in Criminal Justice.

Tilly began working at Solstice in 2019. When she started she was looking for a lot of direction in her life and Solstice has had a huge impact in her growth. Tilly has also found a passion for working with adolescents.

Tilly currently lives in Ogden with her husband and 2 dogs, Elle and Leia. She is attending the MSW program online at University of Denver in the fall. Her goal is to become a therapist to continue to help kids process their trauma and improve their lives.

During her free time she enjoys being active and getting outside. Some of her hobbies are climbing, hiking, running, drawing, and attending concerts. Tilly loves to travel and has been to many places in and outside the U.S. and hopes to continue to travel as much as possible. She is very driven and clear on what she wants and determined to have fun and enjoy life as much as she can.