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The staff at Colorado Recovery provide care at our residential treatment facility and outpatient rehabilitation services for adults recovering from schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders.

 

Wren Fritzlan, MA, LPC, CAC III, Balsam House Program Manager, is a Colorado native with a master’s degree in contemplative psychotherapy from Naropa University.  He has worked in human services for 26 years, the past 19 with people suffering from major mental illness.

Joseph Schultz, MA, LPC, Director of Outpatient Services for Colorado Recovery, is originally from New York, and graduated from Naropa University with a master’s degree in contemplative psychotherapy. He has worked in community mental health for 12 years.

Cynthia Dafler, MD, is a board-certified psychiatrist with Colorado Recovery. She graduated with honors from the University of Colorado Medical School, and completed residency training at Northwestern University Medical School in Chicago. She worked in community mental health for over 12 years and served as Medical Director of the Mental Health Center Serving Boulder and Broomfield Counties for three years prior to joining our staff.

Julia Maximon, MD, is a board certified psychiatrist.  She graduated from the University of Colorado School of Medicine and completed her residency training at the University of Colorado, serving as Chief Resident in Psychiatry.  Dr. Maximon has contributed to research in the evaluation and treatment of mood and psychiatric disorders in children and young adults.  She has worked in several clinical settings, including student mental health and the treatment of psychiatric disorders in patients with HIV/AIDS.

Carla Ogden, RN, Colorado Recovery Nurse, graduated from Mercy Hospital School of Nursing and Regis University. She has over 32 years of experience, 25 in psychiatric nursing.  She also has experience with hospice, general medical and pediatric nursing.

Karen Sturgis, MA, LPC, Outpatient Therapist and Transitional Housing Coordinator for Colorado Recovery, is a Colorado native with a master’s degree from Naropa University in transpersonal psychology. Karen has over 20 years of experience in the mental health and addictions recovery field. 

Rene White, MA, CAC III, Outpatient Therapist. Originally from Chicago, Rene has lived in Boulder since 1980. She has a master’s degree in contemplative psychotherapy from Naropa University and, has worked in community mental health for over 14 years. She has extensive training and experience in dialectical behavioral therapy, cognitive behavior therapy, EMDR, addictions and grief work. In the past, she has worked with hospice and vocational rehabilitation. Rene spends much of her free time riding her horse and enjoying the Colorado mountains.

Maureen Makar-Olson, LCSW, Intake Coordinator.  Maureen received her master’s degree in social work from Arizona State University.  Maureen has a broad range of experience including working with people with developmental disabilities, victims/survivors of sexual assault and at-risk youth.  She has over 5 years of experience working with people with serious mental illness.

Samantha Ricklefs, Billing Coordinator for Colorado Recovery, is a Boulder native with 15 years of accounting experience, 10 of them in the behavioral health field. She is responsible for billing and coordinating with insurance companies around health benefits. She has travelled the world extensively and is an avid gardener and a champion bicycle-racer.

Karen Schumacher, Colorado Recovery Office Manager, has over 25 years of experience in human resources, executive and office management, facilities and safety.  She has worked for both profit and non-profit organizations in the human services and medical manufacturing fields.  Karen has a degree in philosophy from Goucher College.

Nicole Clayton, MS, Outpatient Therapist for Colorado Recovery, is originally from Arkansas and received her Master's Degree in Community Counseling from Henderson State University. Nicole has over 9 years of diverse experience as a therapist including working with adults with serious mental illness, at-risk youth and their families in office, school-based, outdoor adventure, and inpatient hospital settings.

Patricia Taylor, RN, LPC, CAC III, Utilization Review Coordinator, is originally from Connecticut and has lived in Colorado for 26 years. She has a Master's degree from Southern Connecticut State University in Marriage and Family Therapy. Pat has worked in mental health and addiction recovery programs for 20 years as a nurse, case manager and family therapist and has also worked in the fields of medical triage and organ donation.

Carol Palm, RN, Outpatient Nurse, has 26 years of psychiatric nursing experience. She has worked with children, adolescents, and adults in inpatient and outpatient mental health settings, including community mental health and jail diversion programs.

Deme Yuan, MSW, Community Organizer for Colorado Recovery's social/vocational center, earned her Master of Social Work degree from the University of Denver. Deme specializes in empowering approaches to strengthening individual resilience through community building. Her previous experience includes both domestic and international work with adults with developmental disabilities, refugees, and high-risk youth. In her free time, Deme relishes sunshine, good food, and the company of family and friends.

Margie Mateer, RN, Outpatient Nurse, is originally from Wisconsin and graduated from Madison General Hospital School of Nursing in 1981. She has worked in a wide range of clinical settings including critical care/burn units, medical telemetry, home health, community public health and mental health inpatient and outpatient programs.

Missy Holoubek, MSW, Community Organizer, is a Colorado native with a master's degree from Denver University in community social work with an international emphasis. She is passionate about organizing from an empowerment and strengths-based perspective, which includes leadership skill development. She worked with the Latino population for 3 years as a grass roots community organizer and recently has been involved in many projects that empower individuals to lead a more holistic and balanced life style.

Denise Gurmatakis, Outpatient Office Manager, has her BS in mathematics and a BA in women studies from Mount Holyoke College. Her background includes over 20 years in printing and publishing, specializing in project management. With a history of close family members suffering from major mental illness, she made a career change in 2006 to the behavioral health field and is passionate about combating the stigma of mental illness.

Diana Madsen, BS, is our billing assistant. She is 80% close to being a Colorado native. She graduated from the University of Colorado, Boulder, with a degree in environmental biology and elementary education. She has over 20 years of experience in accounting and finance. She has had experience with mental illness within her family and has abandoned the corporate world in order to work directly with people. Her passions include organic gardening and cooking. In the fall she freezes the vegetables she grows and makes jams and jellies from fruits she buys from local farmers.

 

The Director of Colorado Recovery, Dr. Richard Warner, is an internationally renowned psychiatrist with 35 years of experience working with people with serious mental illness and in the development of community-based treatment and rehabilitation programs.