Judy E. Byrns, Ph.D. owns our clinic and operates a business that focuses on the well-being of persons and families.  She started college as a single parent of two children in her early thirties and graduated from Kearney State College with a major in Psychology and a minor in Biology.  She graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1990 with a Ph. D. in Clinical Psychology, where the focus of study was Rural Psychology with minors in Neuropsychology and Alcoholism.  Her clinical internship was at Malcolm Bliss Mental Health Center in St. Louis, Missouri where she worked with children and adults, both as inpatients and as day patients plus weekly counseling sessions with child victims of rape or incest, through the court Victim-Witness Program in downtown St. Louis.  She has been associated with the Lincoln Behavioral Health Clinic, as a Clinical Psychologist, from 1990 to the present, previously working as a Behavioral Therapist with children and adolescents at Lincoln General Hospital.  During her extensive training at UNL she worked at Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital, the Nebraska Center for Children & Youth in Lincoln, at the Cherokee Mental Health Institute in Iowa, and Pioneer Mental Health Center in Seward, Nebraska.  While a student in Kearney, she was a volunteer for the Task Force on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault and the Crisis Line as a counselor and law enforcement liaison.  In 1996, she joined the faculty at Doane College-Lincoln, teaching Group Therapy as well as Rural and Community Psychology at the Master's level.  While no longer on the faculty, she utilizes Doane students as personal interns to assist with the intense needs of many of the clients who are suffering from chronic mental illnesses.  Dr. Byrns is a licensed and certified Clinical Psychologist, providing psychological assessment and psychotherapy, at both inpatient and outpatient sites, for a wide variety of clients, including infants, children, adolescents, adults, and geriatric persons.  She has experience with minority and disabled populations and with doing individual, family, and group therapy, using varying methods depending on the needs and abilities of clients.  Using cognitive and behavioral techniques, with pre-determined goals and objectives, she provides clients with the skills and practice sessions to benefit from anxiety reduction and depression management, relaxation and hypnotic techniques, parenting skills training, or specific behavioral modification plans. 

Lynn Marcus, MA, LPC, NCC  is licensed in the state of Nebraska as a Professional Counselor/Licensed Mental Health Therapist and also has the endorsement of the National Board of Certified counselors.  She has completed PhD level coursework at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln as well as her pre-doctoral internship and will be completing her doctoral dissertation.  Additionally, Lynn Marcus is also registered as a Psychological Assistant with the state of Nebraska to conduct psychological evaluations and is supervised by a licensed psychologist.  As a main area of focus, Lynn Marcus treats individuals with eating disorders along a spectrum ranging from anorexia and bulimia nervosa to binge eating disorder and morbid obesity.  Her scope of practice also includes conducting pre-surgical evaluations for patients seeking gastric bypass surgery, assessments for eating disorders, PTSD and providing psychotherapy for these and other emotional disorders.  Issues related to infertility, menopause, PMS, anxiety and depression are also an area of clinical interest.  Lynn Marcus is a member of the American Psychological Association, the  Academy of Eating Disorders, the Nebraska Psychological Association and the National Eating Disorders Association.
 

Judith Kriss, Ed. D.  All right--just ask yourself: Is this what I want my life to be like?  If your answer is "no", don't just muddle along--you can make changes!  And, Judith, may be the person to help you make those changes.
     Judith believes that feelings of being caught up in a life that isn't really what we want, is more common that we'd like to think.  And it can occur at a number of different times in our lives. Young women, career women, wives, and mothers, may find themselves at times feeling very unhappy, trapped, depressed, that they are spiraling downward and out of control.  That's when it's time to talk to a professional, and to figure out the things that are really important for you and how you can make them a part of your current life.   She also devotes time working with couples.  She encourages couples to come in before things reach a crisis level.  She helps couples use their counseling as a building point, not as an ending point, and her goal is to help them reconnect.
     Judith's style is very comfortable and supportive.  "I try to create a non-threatening environment to help remove any barriers someone may have about seeking counseling.  I recognize it's not easy to take that step to go to a therapist and plan to talk about the thing going on in your personal life."
     Judith is a Licensed Mental Health Practitioner and a Certified Professional Counselor. She has helped a number of women, young adults, and couples over the years. She also works with the Employee Assistance Program, Impact, which is affiliated with many companies, and also worked at, and then later became director of the University of Nebraska's Women's Center. She also sees adolescents, usually over age 14. 
     Most insurance plans cover some level of counseling, but you should check beforehand to find out exactly what is covered and for how long. 
    

Jana McBride-Stoner, MA  has been employed by the State of Nebraska since 1986.  She began working with adolescents at the Nebraska Center for Children and Youth (Whitehall).  She then transferred to the Lincoln Regional Center in 1993.  She has worked with adults who have a variety of mental illness.  She is currently a therapist at the Lincoln Regional Center in the Sex Offender Services Cognitive Behavioral Change Program. 
     Jana graduated from Doane College with her Masters in Counseling.  She is a Licensed Mental Health Practioner, recognized at both the State and National level, as well as a Certified Professional Counselor.  She has been an adjunct professor at Doane College Lincoln and Southeast Community College Lincoln.
     Jana began working at Lincoln Behavioral Health Clinic, Inc. in 1999 as an intern.  She has specialized training and interest in domestic violence and sexual assaults, as well as working with adolescent females, adults and families.  She has spoke in the community on topics of suicide, working with mental illness and sex offenders.
     Jana finds that each person is unique and special.  She believes people deserve to be treated with dignity, respect and compassion.  Everyone has much to offer and people need someone they can talk to.

Patricia "Pat" Costello,  MSW, LCSW,  has 26 years of experience providing quality client services at Cedars Youth Services.  As a program manager at Cedars, she developed and implemented a group home for "at-risk" adolescent mothers and their babies.  She has also worked as an outpatient therapist at Cedars providing individual, group and family therapy for a diverse population of children, youth and families.  Pat's primary focus is providing therapy for individuals, couples and families who want to improve relationships, especially those who are experiencing family conflict, separation and divorce, loss, remarriage, blended families, teenage stresses and life transitions.  Pat understands about diverse and alternative lifestyles, family units and the importance of these family supports.  She also works with teen parents by improving family supports and teaching them the skills to manage stressors created by teen pregnancy.  Pat's experience as a mental health practitioner has given her the insight and skills to move individuals towards change.  She is familiar and comfortable with providing assessment and short-term problem solving.  Pat's 26 years of human services experience has also helped her become knowledgeable of community resources and has developed strong relationships with other professionals in the area.  Pat's approach is strength-based, empowering individuals to make changes in their relationships and their lives.  Pat has three grown children and nine grandchildren and has lived in Lincoln all her adult life.


Sandy Lutz, MA,  has over 25 years experience working with individuals who have developmental and physical disabilities.  She welcomes the opportunity to assist people of all ages and abilities.  Sandy has assisted children, adults, senior citizens and families in reaching their personal goals. 
Sandy received her MA in counseling from Doane College.  She is licensed to provide mental health counseling under the supervision of Dr. Judy Byrns.
Sandy does accept Medicaid as payment for services. 


Anne Whitney, MA in Counseling Psychology, Ph.D. in English, is beginning a second career at Lincoln Behavioral Health Clinic after 17 years teaching literature and writing in the English Department at UNL.  While teaching English was a career she loved, especially working one on one with writers, Anne had also long maintained a keen interest in psychotherapy.  Of course, making the decision to change careers meant graduate school again -- a definite challenge after so many years in the role of teacher -- but by August, 2007, Anne received her MA in counseling psychology from UNL and now looks forward to many rewarding years as a psychotherapist.
     Anne is drawn to women's issues as well as to working with individuals experiencing grief, difficult life transitions, and sexuality concerns.  Existential and Jungian therapies, which prioritize the exploration of life meaning and purpose, identity, and spirituality, are relevant to her.  Where there is interest on the part of a client, she would enjoy using such approaches as writing, art, and/or dream work to elicit personal imagery and meaning.  Currently, as a PLMHP, Anne is building a private practice at Lincoln Behavioral Health Clinic and also providing therapy to clients at Community Mental Health Center and at Voices of Hope, where she co-facilitates a sexual trauma support group. 


Kay Konz, Ed.S.,  Independent/Licensed Mental Health Practitioner has practiced in the Lincoln area in a range of settings with children, youth, and families since 1987.  Kay received her Educational Specialist degree in School Psychology from the University of Iowa in 1983, and continued her training at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in Counseling Psychology.  Licensed in mental health practice in Nebraska in 1994, Kay is a provider with most major health insurance companies in the Lincoln area, and offers evening hours as needed.
     Kay is trained in psychological assessment, mental health therapy, and consultation.  Kay also has completed training in the assessment of juvenile sexual offenders and persons with developmental disabilities.  She has extensive experience with persons with traumatic brain injury as well as with persons affected by vision loss and blindness.  She has provided consultation to public and parochial schools, and has teaching experience as well as in parent training.  Kay specializes in working with children and youth and their families in individual, group, and family therapy.
     Specific clinical issues that Ms. Konz has proven her skill successfully include:

• Mood Disorders
• Anxiety Disorders
• Behavioral Disorders
• Eating Disorders
• Developmental Disorders
• Traumatic Brain Disorders
• Parenting Issues
• Adjustment Disorders
• Low Vision/Vision Loss
• Coping Issues related to medical conditions
• Social Skills Training

Kirk L. Brown, D.Min., LPC, LMHP,  People seek counseling services for a variety of reasons and for many different issues and situations. Some people come for an objective perspective, while others want to explore options and make a decision; some need to process their concerns, be listened to and understood, while others need to better understand themselves; some want support or guidance, while others struggle to understand what is happening in their lives; some know what is wrong but need hope, while others need encouragement or accountability in order to change.
This wide range of needs, combined with the reality that there are well over 200 theories of how to do counseling, point to the ancient wisdom in the Scriptures which says that we are created in the image of God, and that "we are fearfully and wonderfully made." Human beings are the most wonderful and complex creatures in all of God's creation.
Because of this, Dr. Brown believes in tailoring his counseling to every individual and/or relationship according to each unique need and situation.  As a therapist and pastor, it is his studied effort to be knowledgeable, flexible, creative, and resourceful in finding an approach that will be helpful and effective for every client.
Dr. Kirk Brown has a rich and varied vocational background that he brings to his work as a Pastoral Counselor and psychotherapist. He has worked as a church pastor, hospital chaplain, pastoral counselor, and teacher. In addition to being a licensed counselor, he is an ordained minister, board-certified chaplain, and is currently the only certified Pastoral Counselor (Fellow AAPC) in Lincoln. Dr. Brown has several specialties, but considers himself to be a general practitioner, and works with a wide variety of life situations and mental health challenges, including but not limited to:

Personal and Spiritual Growth
Relationships
Young Adults
Grief and Loss
Abuse and Trauma
Depression and Anxiety
Men's Issues
   ---Anger
   ---Relationships
   ---Pornography
Crisis Situations
Pre-marital Counseling
Attachment Disorders
Low Self-esteem
Self-harm
Marriage Counseling
EMDR Trained