Five New Clinicians Join CareNet Residency in Psychotherapy and Spirituality

CareNet in August welcomed five new members to the two-year residency in psychotherapy and spirituality, joining seven second-year residents for an overall 12-member class that will this year feature a partial return to in-person programs.

“We’re now in Year 3 of operating this program with COVID-19 in play,” says Russell Siler Jones, director of CareNet’s residency program. “That variable helped us learn that we can have meaningful training experiences in online format.

“That said, it is also true that something extra happens in in-person meetings. Our cohort met in person in August, and there was a magic to that meeting that I did not experience in our online meetings.”

Jones says as a result, the residency program plans to meet four times in person and seven times online for the 2022-23 year.

“We’ve appreciated the reduced wear and tear on our residents that online meetings allow (saving travel time) and the cost savings, too. And we know we can do good work online. In fact, in terms of teaching goals, we’ve not changed a thing.”

The residency’s focus remains on integrating elements of spirituality into therapy, along with understanding and knowledge of the role trauma plays in peoples’ lives.

The newest members of the CareNet team are first-year residents Ed Barron, Coastal Region (Wilmington); Janna Byrd and Wiley Smith, Piedmont Triad Region; Alisha Davis, Western (Marion) Region; and Tom Riley, Eastern Region (Greenville).

Second-year residents are: Ashley Allman, Northwest Region (North Wilkesboro); Ann Gilchrist, Coastal Region (Wilmington); Maggie Rains, Eastern Region (Greenville); Stacey Steck, Central Piedmont Region (Mooresville); and Emily Hamby, Nathan Usey and Zachariah Usey, all of the Piedmont Triad Region.

This year’s CareNet fellows are: Esmé Bieberly, Northwest Region; Betsey Brooks, Piedmont Triad Region; Michelle Dameron, Eastern Region (Greenville); and Mark Siler, Western Region (Marion).