our staff
We came out to The River because of the shortage of mental health services here. Our staff is composed of Family Therapists, Psychologists, Professional Counselors, and post-graduate interns in those professions.
our staff
staff members
Carl Combs, Ph.D.
Carl has been a counselor for over 30 years. He integrates low energy neurofeedback, EMDR, and trauma-informed psychotherapy.
Carl's Neurofeedback Work
Carl's Neurofeedback Work
Rachel Dietsche
Rachel Dietsche is a registered psychological associate experienced in working with diverse populations, including children, adolescents, adults, and older adults who are survivors of traumatic brain injuries (TBI). Rachel earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Drexel University in Philadelphia, where she developed a foundational understanding of psychological principles and research methodologies. Following her undergraduate studies, she furthered her education by obtaining a master’s degree in clinical counseling psychology from Benedictine University in Illinois. Rachel is currently pursuing her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology at Capella University.
Rachel’s clinical training is rooted in a person-centered and Rogerian approach. She emphasizes the importance of active listening, unconditional positive regard, validation, and empathy. This framework allows her to create a supportive and nurturing environment for her clients, facilitating personal growth and healing. Rachel resides in Santa Rosa, California, and actively engages with the community through her work with Sonoma County Behavioral Health and her therapy practice at Russian River Counseling. In her free time, she enjoys exploring the natural beauty of Sonoma County and cheering on her daughter in softball, reflecting her belief in the importance of family, community, and connection.
Rachel’s clinical training is rooted in a person-centered and Rogerian approach. She emphasizes the importance of active listening, unconditional positive regard, validation, and empathy. This framework allows her to create a supportive and nurturing environment for her clients, facilitating personal growth and healing. Rachel resides in Santa Rosa, California, and actively engages with the community through her work with Sonoma County Behavioral Health and her therapy practice at Russian River Counseling. In her free time, she enjoys exploring the natural beauty of Sonoma County and cheering on her daughter in softball, reflecting her belief in the importance of family, community, and connection.
Steve Frankel, Ph.D., JD
Steve Frankel is a retired Board Certified Clinical Forensic Psychologist and an Attorney at Law who practiced both professions in San Francisco's East Bay and North Bay. A past Director of Clinical Training and current Clinical Professor of Psychology at USC, he began recognizing childhood trauma in his adult patient case-load in 1980 and has specialized in working with that population ever since. He joined the International Society for the Study of Trauma & Dissociation in the 1990s and was the consultant to the Trauma Program at Del Amo Hospital from 1993 to 2001. He was President of the ISSTD in 2002 and has been active in developing and teaching courses in trauma treatment as well as publishing chapters in books and professional journals in the trauma field.
As an attorney, he represented health professionals involved in licensing board actions and consults with mental health colleagues facing a variety of legal challenges. He developed Practice Legacy Program, LLC, for transitioning practices of colleagues upon retirement, death or disability, and has spearheaded an effort to protect health care professionals who suffer from degenerative neuro-cognitive disorders from ending their careers with licensing board actions.
He is now a consultant to counselors who work with DID patients.
As an attorney, he represented health professionals involved in licensing board actions and consults with mental health colleagues facing a variety of legal challenges. He developed Practice Legacy Program, LLC, for transitioning practices of colleagues upon retirement, death or disability, and has spearheaded an effort to protect health care professionals who suffer from degenerative neuro-cognitive disorders from ending their careers with licensing board actions.
He is now a consultant to counselors who work with DID patients.
Breeze Holloway, MFT
Diana AKA "Breeze" Holloway is an LMFT who has been at Russian River Counselors since joining the staff in 2008 as a trainee. She completed her trainee-ship and internship and was licensed in 2012. She has training in hypnotherapy, EMDR, neurobiology, mindfulness, attachment, parenting and relationship work. She works with children, families, adolescents, adults, and couples. She is a certified Domestic Violence counselor and facilitates anger management groups. She has also facilitated parenting support groups and worked with parents, adoptive or natural, of children who have suffered trauma and/or neglect resulting in attachment difficulties. She can provide Mother-Infant Bonding Therapy via hypnosis or EMDR. Her work includes using EMDR and hypnotherapy to address early trauma and repair developmental injuries with adults. She is currently studying ways to deepen understanding and use of Internal Family Systems parts work in addition to the modalities already in the toolbox. She is currently studying ways to deepen understanding and use of "Internal Family Systems" parts work in addition to the modalities already in the toolbox.
Her personal history includes living in France as a child and learning to speak French, raising a family that included five children, enjoying cooking, baking, and preserving the produce from her son's farm, as well as long-term interest in and study of Native American arts and culture. Her most recent hobby is enjoying (long-awaited) grandchildren.
Her personal history includes living in France as a child and learning to speak French, raising a family that included five children, enjoying cooking, baking, and preserving the produce from her son's farm, as well as long-term interest in and study of Native American arts and culture. Her most recent hobby is enjoying (long-awaited) grandchildren.
Denise Horner, MFT
"I am the Director of Program at Russian River Counselors, clinical supervisor, board member and Marriage and Family Therapist. I graduated from USF in the early 2000’s with a Masters Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and received my under graduate degree from Sonoma State University in 1998. I received my license to practice from the state of California in
2009. I work with a variety of clients and ages. I work with people who experience anxiety, depression, relational and/or family issues, grief and difficult transitions. I have been with RRC for over 25 years. I have a love and passion for the river area and feel blessed to be able to give back to the community which I love so much."
2009. I work with a variety of clients and ages. I work with people who experience anxiety, depression, relational and/or family issues, grief and difficult transitions. I have been with RRC for over 25 years. I have a love and passion for the river area and feel blessed to be able to give back to the community which I love so much."
Kathleen Kunster, Psy.D.
Kathleen is a psychologist with a doctorate from The California Institute of Integral Studies. She has a Master's degree in Divinity from Berkeley's Graduate Theological Union. She was a CPA before becoming a psychologist. She does hypnosis, EMDR, and treatment for trauma survivors, including Dissociative Identity Disorders. She also practices in Sebastopol.
Tony Madrid, PhD
Tony has been working at Russian River Counselors for 25 years. Before that he was at the Erickson Institute in Santa Rosa, Pocket Ranch in Geyserville, and Sonoma County Mental Health. He was on the state's licensing board and was an instructor at the University of San Francisco. His specialties are clinical hypnosis, EMDR, childhood asthma, dissociative disorders, and Maternal Infant Bonding (www.mibsonoma.weebly.com).
Veronique Mead, M.D.
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Veronique is a former Board Certified family physician and Dartmouth-affiliated assistant professor of family medicine. She retrained with a Master’s degree in somatic psychotherapy from Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado in 2003 and specialization as a somatic experiencing practitioner (SEP) and pre and perinatal trauma professional. Veronique is no longer in clinical practice.
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For the past 25 years Veronique has explored the scientific literature on how effects of trauma from the prenatal and other periods in a person’s life influence risk for autoimmune and other chronic illnesses. She shares the research on her blog Chronic Illness Trauma Studies.com.
She is currently investigating the role of trauma and bonding disruptions in type 1 diabetes with Dr. Tony Madrid, PhD. |
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Ellie Miller Hall, MSc
Ellie Miller Hall received her Master's in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University and is a member of the Russian River Counselors Team as an intern. Ellie’s experience includes studies in diagnostics, group and family counseling, techniques, and behavioral principles. Ellie is passionate about supporting individuals at all developmental stages to find solutions to their most complex challenges through respect, validation, and hope.
Ellie’s background includes a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science & Urban Policy from the College of the Holy Cross and also a Master’s in Public Policy & Administration from the London School of Economics. Her commitment to community service defines Ellie’s career. Her resume is scattered with experiences in both local and state government. She was the liaison between the Governor’s Office in Massachusetts and the victims and families of the 2013 Boston Marathon Bombings. Her commitment to emergency management and trauma work includes a Certificate in Psychological First Aid from Johns Hopkins University. Ellie also has personal experiences in sobriety and twelve-step programs and has a Certificate in Psychology of Addiction & Recovery from Stanford University. Originally from San Francisco, Ellie currently lives in St. Helena, Napa County. She is very proud to be part of the experienced, supportive staff of the Russian River Counselors. Ellie believes in holistic healing, which includes support for all aspects of health, including physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual. Barbara Prosniewski, PhD
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I am a licensed psychologist with an office in Monte Rio Rosa, California. I also serve clients over telehealth. I have an eclectic approach depending on the needs of the client(s) using any combination of the following:
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I have been working with children and parents and individuals for many years. My approach to therapy is one of respect, compassion and a bit of tough love when it is needed. You need to feel that I am genuinely trying to help you and care for you. I try to normalize, as much as possible, the emotional circumstances under which you are coming to therapy. None of us are perfect. None of us have come through life unscathed. We also have certain strengths. We have all made mistakes. We have all become stuck in our thinking and with our feelings. Often communication breaks down. Here is where we learn different strategies and, as a result, become stronger, more capable and more fulfilled. I do also like to bring some humor into our sessions, when appropriate, as laughter is good for the soul and does help us gain a different perspective on the situation and ourselves.
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Greer Straatsma, AMFT
Greer holds two Masters degrees: One in Fine Arts and a second in Holistic Psychotherapy with a focus in Somatics (body focused approaches to healing mental health challenges). This last graduate degree is from John F. Kennedy University. She is a psychological associate en route to becoming a licensed psychotherapist and is a
creative thinker who views the world with sensitive awareness. She held prior careers as an elementary school art teacher and a provider of therapeutic touch for animals and people. Personally, she has grown using meditation as a foundation towards finding wholeness. She has found her growing use of hypnosis and guided visualization to be helpful in shifting the subconscious mind to open the heart center, the deepest core of one’s essence. Learning to listen to one’s heart center is a path that will move humanity forward.
creative thinker who views the world with sensitive awareness. She held prior careers as an elementary school art teacher and a provider of therapeutic touch for animals and people. Personally, she has grown using meditation as a foundation towards finding wholeness. She has found her growing use of hypnosis and guided visualization to be helpful in shifting the subconscious mind to open the heart center, the deepest core of one’s essence. Learning to listen to one’s heart center is a path that will move humanity forward.
David Westwood, Psy.D.
David works with a variety of folks, young and old, individuals and couples, most anyone who feels they are stuck and not sure what to do next… He encourages people to develop and trust their own wants and needs, and to feel safer with others.
"Drawing on a Person-Centered approach to therapy, I include developmental and attachment models, affect theory, trauma awareness, and learning theories as they seem relevant, and I try to use common sense.
I have worked at Russian River Counselors as a licensed psychologist for 5 years and for 5 years before that as an intern.
I completed my doctoral studies in 2011 with a dissertation on co-occurring grief and meth. addiction, and I later published an article on principles of twelve-step recovery in The Person Centered Journal.
With 30 years’ personal experience in twelve-step programs, I find that change in adulthood can be easier with the support of like-minded folks — a family of choice.
"Drawing on a Person-Centered approach to therapy, I include developmental and attachment models, affect theory, trauma awareness, and learning theories as they seem relevant, and I try to use common sense.
I have worked at Russian River Counselors as a licensed psychologist for 5 years and for 5 years before that as an intern.
I completed my doctoral studies in 2011 with a dissertation on co-occurring grief and meth. addiction, and I later published an article on principles of twelve-step recovery in The Person Centered Journal.
With 30 years’ personal experience in twelve-step programs, I find that change in adulthood can be easier with the support of like-minded folks — a family of choice.