Eastern Carolina Counseling Centers

STAFF

	Frank M Dawkins, PhD, Regional Director Licensed Clinical Social Worker (Greenville & Rocky Mount) Dr. Dawkins is a pastoral counselor and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. He has served as a counselor at CareNet Counseling East since 2001. He is an ordained minister endorsed by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and a Fellow of the American Association of Pastoral Counselors. Dr. Dawkins is a graduate of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky (MDiv, 1970; MRE, 1973, PhD, 1979), and East Carolina University (MSW, 1992). He served as a pastor, professor of religious education and pastoral care and an administrator and counselor in the public mental health system. He provides counseling for adults and couples. He specializes in work with ministers; counseling with couples; pre-marriage counseling; grief counseling; mood disorders; trauma; consultation for churches and business; personal and professional coaching and spiritual direction.

	Mary Ellen Bender, MSW Licensed Professional Counselor (Greenville) Mary Ellen Bender has 30 years of experience with adolescents, adults, and families in public schools, other agency settings, and private practice. She has worked extensively with groups, as well as individuals. Mary Ellen has a foundation in Psycho-dynamics and extensive post-graduate training in Transactional Analysis, Gestalt Therapy, and Family Systems. In therapy, she is sensitive to family of origin issues and the inner child needs of persons. She sees psychotherapy as a rich experience of self-exploration and a path toward wholeness. In therapy, the particular issues and needs of the client are addressed in a supportive relationship. In couple therapy and in family therapy, problems and interactions are explored and relationships enhanced. Mary Ellen is also a Licensed Local Pastor in the United Methodist Church and pastors part time. She sees faith and spirituality as providing purpose for life’s journey and as knows them to be important resources for healing. She has particular experience with adolescent issues, educational and career counseling, recovery from abuse, separation and divorce issues, grief, depression, and anxiety.

	David G. Brown, Jr., D. Min. Licensed Professional Counselor (Greenville) Dr. Brown is a Fellow in the American Association of Pastoral Counselors and Clinician Practitioner of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy. He is an ordained minister of the Christian Church, (Disciples of Christ). He holds degrees from Lynchburg College, Vanderbilt University, Murray State University, the College of William and Mary, and Lancaster Theological Seminary. He has served churches in Virginia, North Carolina, and Florida. He was senior Staff Therapist for 21 years at Tidewater Pastoral Counseling Services in Norfolk, Va. While there he offered counseling services to Navy families and troubled youth. He returns to our staff after a brief leave of absence to provide developmentally oriented counseling and psychotherapy to individuals and couples. Dr. Brown has specialized over the years in Working with children, adolescents, and families. He does marriage counseling and deals with issues brought about by depression, trauma, mid-life crises, anxiety, unresolved grief, and life’s quest for wholeness, purpose and direction.

	Beverly Knox, MS Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Approved LMFT supervisor (Greenville) Beverly Knox has thirty years experience in various clinical settings (psychiatric inpatient and outpatient and community mental health) working with adults and adolescents. Her therapeutic approach is a holistic and faith based approach to psychotherapy that incorporates physiological and family of origin influences. Individual and family resilience is affirmed as a basis to growth and emotional intimacy in relationships. Therapy promotes and encourages the development of skills needed to respond to life changes. She provides counseling services to individuals, couples, and families. She specializes in chronic illness; disability adjustment; loss and grief; aging; traumatic stress following abuse or injury; and marriage and family issues.

	Janie Sowers, MA, MS Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Approved LMFT supervisor (Greenville) Janie Sowers is a licensed marriage and family therapist and an approved clinical supervisor. A graduate of Liberty University (MA, Counseling) and East Carolina University (MS, Marriage and Family Therapy), she is presently engaged in doctoral studies at ECU (Medical Family Therapy). Grounded in systems theory, she addresses issues from a relational systemic perspective through incorporation of a biopsychosocial-spiritual approach, often by means of an experiential "technique." Janie Sowers works with all populations, but specializing in providing couple and family therapy, premarital counseling (trained in PREPARE/ENRICH), family of origin issues, as well as psychotherapy with families experiencing a medical illness, trauma, or disability; she also feels great passion for those involved in ministry and caregiving. She has worked extensively with youth and young adult groups in a variety of settings (churches, camps, residential group homes, university classrooms, and national presentations) and is skilled in collaborative work with larger systems. Janie Sowers has presented nationally on stress, family of origin issues, grief and loss, as well as innovative therapeutic techniques, and opportunities for therapists in medical education. At present, she is completing research in the area of spirituality and parental coping with loss (of an adult child). Her areas of interest include spirituality, wholeness and balance, forgiveness, cultural competence, stress and caregiving (especially among those in ministry). Janie Sowers strives to bring healing to that which is broken. She enjoys life, delights in laughter, and seeks to radiate joy wherever she is.

	Ellen Walston, MSW, ACSW Licensed Clinical Social Worker (Greenville) Ellen Walston is a clinical social worker who provides counseling services to adults, children, individuals, couples, and families. She specializes in grief, caregiver stress, end of life care, geriatrics, critical incident stress debriefing, coping with chronic illnesses, family stressors, stress management, substance abuse, and effective parenting. Ellen is a knowledgeable group facilitator and international presenter. She is also an oncology social worker for the Leo W. Jenkins Cancer Center at Pitt County Memorial Hospital since 1992. Ellen is an active member of the Association of Oncology Social Workers and Vice-President of the North Carolina Oncology Social Work Group.

	Adrianne Hardy , Office Manager