Clinical Personnel

Joye L. Henrie, PhD
Licensed Clinical Psychologist; Founder & Clinical Director

Dr. Henrie is a psychodynamically-oriented clinical psychologist who has been treating military service members for more than a decade. She specializes in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) – to include combat-related trauma, first responder trauma, complex- and developmental-trauma, and interpersonal trauma, and she is a certified war trauma expert. Dr. Henrie’s therapeutic style is a fusion of deep compassion, high accountability, and down-to-earth relatability, and she is well-matched with patients who want to be active, deliberate agents in their fight for peace and purpose. She is a sought-after clinician by individuals in high stakes occupations and high viz positions (e.g., aviators, medical professionals, therapists, commanders).

In addition to providing psychotherapy, Dr. Henrie provides expert consultation to legal professionals on military/veteran matters, provides mentorship and clinical supervision to therapists in training (to include LMSWs as a New Mexico Social Work Board-approved interdisciplinary supervisor), and engages in continuous advocacy work on behalf of military and veteran populations.

Dr. Henrie earned a double bachelor’s (i.e., psychology and sociology) at the University of Utah and her master’s and doctorate in clinical psychology at the University of Arkansas. She completed an APA-accredited internship at Lackland Air Force Base’s (AFB) Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center, after which she served as an active duty psychologist in the U.S. Air Force where she was also Kirtland AFB’s Suicide Prevention Program Manager. Dr. Henrie was named Air Force Global Strike’s biomedical clinician of the year in 2016.

Dr. Henrie’s abridged CV can be viewed here.

Please note: Dr. Henrie is not currently accepting new psychotherapy patients, but does continue to accept new one-time evaluations.

B. Thomas Hail, LCSW, BCD
Board Certified Clinical Social Worker; Director of Clinical Supervision

Tom has 15 years’ experience as an Active-Duty Air Force officer and Board Certified Licensed Clinical Social Worker with training in clinical supervision. Recently, as the Mental Health Department Head for the 27^th Special Operations Wing he honed his expertise in conducting psychotherapy for service members in highly sensitive positions who are often inherently apprehensive to seek mental health treatment.

Tom especially enjoys working with active and retired service members who are struggling with any of the following challenges:

Individuals in high-stakes professions
Posttraumatic Stress
Childhood trauma
Caregiver for special needs dependent
Transitioning from Active Duty to civilian status
Military occupational stress or dissatisfaction
Distress from geographical separation of spouse or children

Tom is passionate about providing dignified, discreet, compassionate, and effective treatment tailored to patients’ needs. Tom prefers not to employ manualized or scripted psychotherapy techniques. Rather, he uses a psychodynamic and psychoeducational approach fused with his training and expertise.

Tom is a New Mexico Social Work Board approved supervisor.

Please note: Tom is not currently accepting new patients.

Jemia Warner, LCSW (WI), LMSW (NM), LCSW (TX)
Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Jemia graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2015 with a Master’s degree in Social Work with a concentration in mental health. Prior to joining Desert Wise full-time, Jemia worked as the New Mexico Director of Healthcare Coordination Services for the Department of Veterans’ Services supporting the healthcare needs of veterans. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the states of Wisconsin and Texas and has experience working with diverse client backgrounds.

Jemia has worked with adults, children, racial/ethnic populations, families, and veterans. Her clinical expertise has focused on working with individuals who experience grief, trauma, adjustment issues, and mood-related disorders. She is also a military spouse of a prior active duty, current reserve officer who serves in the United States Air Force. Jemia’s diverse career path in the world of social work has given her a unique perspective on the needs of therapy, self-care, and behavioral health education. Jemia is passionate about creating change in various stages of life through the utilization of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and person-centered therapy.

For additional information about Jemia, visit: Rose Legacy Institute

Sujana Chowdhury, LMSW
Licensed Master Social Worker

Sujana Chowdhury is a compassionate and dedicated therapist with a deep understanding of various mental health issues and a commitment to providing effective therapy and support. She earned her Master’s degree in Social Work at New Mexico State University, equipping her with the knowledge and skills to make a positive impact on the lives of her patients.

With years of specialized training and experience, Sujana’s passion lies in working with military populations, recognizing the distinct nature of military experiences and the need for qualified mental healthcare providers for military-connected individuals. Through her provision of therapy, she works continuously to be a connecting bridge between the civilian and military worlds, ensuring that military personnel and their families receive the skilled support they deserve.

Sujana’s expertise extends to areas such as childhood emotional neglect, attachment styles, sexual trauma, and complex- and developmental-trauma. Her in-depth knowledge and training in these areas allow her to approach therapy with a comprehensive understanding of the complex emotional and psychological needs of her patients.

Sujana employs a psychodynamic therapeutic approach, which focuses on exploring the unconscious and past experiences to promote healing and personal growth. She creates a safe and supportive environment for her patients to delve into their emotions, beliefs, and past experiences. Through this therapeutic process, she helps her patients gain insights into their emotions, thoughts, and behaviors, enabling them to work through trauma and other psychological challenges effectively.

Sujana’s approach to therapy is characterized by her compassion, non-judgmental posture, and active engagement, which enables her patients to feel seen, heard, and accepted. She tailors treatment plans to meet the unique needs of each individual, employing collaboration and clinical wisdom to achieve positive outcomes in therapy.

KrynBeth McClain, LMSW
Licensed Master Social Worker

KrynBeth is a military spouse and has served the military-connected population in various capacities for over 15 years, to include: FRG leader and key caller for the DFAC, mortar, sniper, and Cav Scout platoons, working for the DoD as an event planner, serving homeless veterans in the Housing First model, serving as a caregiver for veterans with TBI and PTSD, and speaking with caregivers about brain injury, PTSD, and self-care. For her dedication as a volunteer, KrynBeth received the Patriot of the Year Award from the Blackhawk Brigade. KrynBeth has 12 years of progressive experience in behavioral health that spans administration, direct care, grant writing, nonprofit organization management, case management, intensive outpatient substance use and trauma group work, and individual and family therapy.

KrynBeth earned her Master’s from Boston University School of Social Work with a specialization in adult trauma. She is trained in cognitive processing and behavioral therapies, motivational interviewing, STAIR narrative, play and expressive art, somatic awareness, breath work, and mindfulness. KrynBeth’s practice is client-centered, and she views the therapy space as a collaborative atmosphere where clients can be themselves, voice concerns, and work through their individual mental struggles with curiosity and non-judgmental exploration. Her passion for her clients focuses on facilitating self-direction, empowerment, and a growth mindset – through the use of creativity, imagination, and humor.

Brittany McKinley, MS, LSAA
Therapist; Substance Abuse Specialist

Throughout her decade of service as an Army medic, Brittany provided medical support in both clinical and combat environments, witnessing firsthand the challenges faced by her fellow service men and women. This experience ignited a passion within her to help veterans lead fulfilling lives, free from the grip of addiction.

In pursuit of her mission, Brittany pursued a Master’s degree in Psychology with a specialization in addictions from Purdue University, which she completed in 2023. Her academic journey equipped her with the necessary knowledge and tools to address the profound impact of addiction on individuals and their families. Motivated by her desire to make a meaningful difference, she made the conscious decision to dedicate her life to helping others find relief and freedom from addiction.

Recognizing the unique obstacles and stigma that veterans may encounter, Brittany joined Desert Wise with the intention of continuing her service to the military community. Her personal understanding of the adversity faced by her clients allows her to provide client-centered and compassionate support. Brittany’s unwavering commitment to empowering her fellow service men and women drives her to assist them in thriving in every aspect of their lives.

With her blend of military experience, psychological expertise, and genuine empathy, Brittany embodies a true advocate for veterans’ well-being. Through her work, she strives to guide her clients towards self-empowerment and a brighter future, where they can reclaim their lives and experience the happiness they deserve.

Megan Sexton, LMSW
Licensed Master Social Worker

Megan is a prior military child and current military spouse who is passionate about serving the military community, by providing quality and supportive mental health services to military affiliated individuals. Megan worked at the Kadena AB Mental Health Clinic in both administrative and FAPA roles. She subsequently graduated with a Master of Social Work from Arizona State University, where she completed internships treating veterans with the VA and working with adolescents with complex mental health conditions at Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health.

Megan primarily takes a humanistic approach when working with her patients, but also considers the importance of a psychodynamic lens. Megan is particularly interested in working with military spouses and adult children, and her clinical foci include complex trauma, generational trauma, and treating trauma survivors who have repeated cycles of violence.

Romney Brown, LMSW
Licensed Master Social Worker

Romney Brown is transitioning from 10 years of active duty service in the Air Force to the Reserves. She spent most of her career as a medical technician serving joint force populations and working in a trauma hospital. Most recently, she served as an NCOA instructor providing professional military education to service members. She is passionate about advocating for the military community and providing a safe space for people to be heard. Romney received her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology at Valdosta State University. There, she developed a solidified goal to become a therapist. She is a recent MSW graduate from Rutgers University.

During her internships at Rutgers, she worked with adults and children dealing with addiction, homelessness, trauma, anxiety, and depression. Today, Romney is passionate about treating individuals dealing with stress, anxiety, depression, and active duty-related stress, and she has particular interest in working with active duty service members, veterans, military dependents, and women.

Michael Zink, LMSW
Licensed Master Social Worker

Mike served 24 years in the Air Force including deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, sea duty for operations in Libya and humanitarian support in Haiti. He served in various roles working closely with all ranks, services, various federal and civilian agencies, special operations forces, intelligence partners, multinational partners, and law enforcement agencies. His own experiences in the military, as well as those serving alongside him, inspired Mike to become a therapist.

Mike has a passion for working with clients with a diverse range of concerns including those feeling uncertain about how to create the life they desire and those looking for support to overcome past challenges and experiences. His therapeutic approach is client-centered and cooperative, which empowers clients to guide the direction of their care. He is skilled in using various approaches that provide clients with a safe space to connect, unburden, and heal at their own pace.

Mike’s recent experience includes working with children, teens, and adults at a non-profit counseling center where he provided clients with therapeutic support for abuse, addiction, trauma, grief & loss, work/life balance, burnout, depression, anxiety, sexuality & gender identity, marriage & partner relationships, parent & child relationships, and palliative care & caretaker challenges.

Mike received his Master of Social Work, with a focus in Adult Mental Health and Wellness, at the University of Southern California and has training in Internal Family Systems, Compassionate Inquiry, The Gottman Method, and is a Certified Grief Educator.

Mike is supervised by Tom Hail, LCSW, BCD.

Administrative Personnel

Russell Henrie
Business Manager

Russ joined Desert Wise full-time in 2019 and serves as the Business Manager. Russ’ professional history spans the highway department and private construction industries – to include supervisory positions. He served as a level-3 foster parent for several years and put in his time as a military spouse. Russ brings to Desert Wise a wealth of varied personal and professional experiences and an enthusiasm for supporting the best care for our nation’s military members and veterans.

Phylicia Bediako, PhD, LMSW
Patient Care Coordinator & Special Projects

Dr. Phylicia Bediako earned her bachelor’s degree in public health at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she completed a thesis about the well-being of helping professionals. As an undergraduate student, she discovered her passion for providing emotional support to people during the most challenging times of their lives. She began volunteering at the Orange County Rape Crisis Center and Alliance for AIDS Services-Carolina and completed UNC’s Helping Advocate for Ending Violence Now (HAVEN) to help those experiencing relationship or sexual violence.

She then earned a PhD in Health Policy and Management and Demography at Penn State University, where she studied how identity and social status influence the way people interact with the world around them (e.g., how they behave in intimate and familial relationships, how they define and develop community, how they access or create resources that improve their health and well-being, and how they reach out for help when they need it).

As a Behavioral Sciences Training postdoctoral fellow at New York University, she researched how people are impacted by violence, coercion, abuse, and other dangerous power and control dynamics that operate at interpersonal, community, and societal levels. She studied the wide variety of coping mechanisms that people adopt to survive abuse, control, toxic environments, and difficult circumstances. After years of conducting research that repeatedly revealed gaps in the availability of compassionate, holistic, and culturally competent services to help survivors, Dr. Bediako was inspired to return to school to pursue her Master of Social Work (MSW) with a concentration in Violence and Injury Prevention from the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis.

Please note: Dr. Bediako is not currently accepting new patients.

Britton Scritchfield
IT Consultant

Britton is a US Army veteran, where he served as a tactical communications specialist and software developer. Britton currently works full-time for the Department of the Army as a Software Engineer and Knowledge Management Officer, while freelancing as a software/web developer and IT consultant on the side. At Desert Wise, Britton has been key in establishing and maintaining our web and network capabilities, as well as ensuring a seamless transition to virtual services during the public health emergency.

For more information about Britton, visit: www.x2labs.com

Recently Departed Colleagues

Anna Fedotova, PsyD, ABPP
Licensed Clinical Psychologist

Dr. Fedotova recently PCSed to complete a fellowship in forensic psychology. We are excited for her professional journey and wish her the very best!

Our Team

Clinical Personnel

Administrative Personnel

Recently Departed Colleagues

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Clinical Personnel

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