Solstice East
Weaverville, NC

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Solstice East
Welcomes Talented Therapists

Solstice East is thrilled to announce that we have added two therapists Melissa Villodas and Mark Dunn to our dynamic clinical team!

Melissa J. Villodas, M.S., LPC, NCC, joined us this spring, coming from Asheville Academy for Girls, which shares the same campus as Solstice East. Melissa sees her move to Solstice East as a new adventure that allows her to work with a different population that she's had experience with and has been excited to return to. She states, "I'm excited to join and collaborate with the Solstice East team. The clinical sophistication of this slightly older population really interests me, and I'm also looking forward to more of the outdoor, experiential components that Solstice East has to offer. Asheville Academy has a special place in my heart, and I'm truly grateful for the team and the playfulness of middle-schoolers!"

Melissa is a licensed professional counselor, who has experience working with children, adolescents and families in a variety of therapeutic settings. She pursued her graduate degree at Western Carolina University in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Melissa has experience facilitating family-centered treatment in both wilderness and residential settings, as well as play and art therapy groups in middle and elementary schools. Some of the broad issues addressed in her clinical work include: conflicted family relationships, depression, anxiety, eating disorders, oppositional defiance, self esteem issues, adoption, grief, ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, and risk taking behavior. Melissa uses a family systems approach to support families in creating healthy connections. Additionally, she believes in the power of experiential, "in the moment" intervention which creates self-awareness and understanding through mindfulness and peer connections.

Mark Dunn, M.C., LPC, LCMHC, LSUDC, joined our team this summer, after moving cross-country to the beautiful mountains of Western North Carolina! Of the transition, he says, "Coming to Solstice East is like coming home to me. I feel really comfortable here, and the philosophy fits in well with my own in terms of the approach and programming. Structure and predictability is really important. Not only is it one of the things that makes Solstice East a solid program, it also makes it easier to excel as a therapist in that environment."

Mark has worked in behavioral health and therapeutic settings for over two-and-a-half decades. He entered the behavioral health field in a direct care capacity, learning the important role of creating structure and ensuring client safety. Being in the direct care role for over fifteen years has helped him understand that relationship building and positive regard are at the heart of any therapeutic relationship. Mark served in both supervisory and administrative positions in residential settings prior to becoming a clinician. In 1997, he received the Licensed Substance Use Disorder Counselor Credential and began serving as a substance abuse counselor and program coordinator. After several years of counseling he was asked to create new addictions programming and structure, which focused on core issues and executive functioning skills in a recovery atmosphere. Mark continued his education and graduated with a Master's Degree in Mental Health Counseling, and then attained the Clinical Mental Health Counselor License in the state of Utah.

Of the new additions to the team, Dan Hadley, Clinical Director, says, "Melissa is a very insightful therapist, and has the unique ability to build rapport very quickly, which allows girls to connect with and open up to her. Her past experience in residential treatment makes Solstice East a natural fit for her! Mark brings a solid, centering presence to our team as our newest therapist. He has an extensive background in residential treatment, and has worked with hundreds of families over the years. Both Melissa and Mark have significant wilderness and experiential therapeutic backgrounds, and this is very complimentary for the population we serve, as over half of our students complete a wilderness experience prior to coming to Solstice East. We are delighted to have them on the team, and it already feels like they've been here for years!"

Please come and visit us the next time you are in the Asheville area, or contact us directly and we'd be happy to coordinate a tour for you!

Warmly,
Kyle

Solstice East is a clinically sophisticated residential treatment center for girls between the ages of 14 and 18.