We strive to individualize our clients by listening carefully to all their needs. Based on this information, we design a treatment plan unique to each patient. Brain Solutions PLLC has developed an array of treatment modalities which reflect the state of the art in mental health care. Each treatment plan draws on that array in order to address each patient’s unique situation. In regular treatment reviews we adjust the treatment plan whenever necessary.
Jonathan Mackey is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and the founder of Brain Solutions PLLC. Jonathan has over 18 years of professional experience guiding individuals to solutions overcoming mental, physical, social, and relationship issues. He graduated with a Masters of Social Work (MSW) and Bachelors of Social Work and Psychology from Arizona State University. Jonathan has a diverse background from working with brain injury patients at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center/Barrow’s Neurological Institute to Maricopa Integrated Health Systems providing services to patients with Serious Mental Illness (SMI) on secured acute psychiatric units. In addition, he spent several years providing crisis intervention services in the emergency department at Mercy Gilbert Medical Center. In recent years, he has honed his psychotherapy skills working in long-term care serving patients at assisted living and skilled nursing facilities across the Valley.
Jason Buck, DBH, LPC is an experienced counselor and therapist, and he has been a Licensed Professional Counselor since 2011. He is a Certified EMDR Therapist, after having completed his yearlong training in December of 2014. Jason is the Owner / Practitioner of Desert Eagle Counseling Services PLLC, and has been since June 15, 2014. EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, and it is a highly effective modality that helps treating patients who have experienced acute trauma that remains unresolved. Specifically, this psychotherapy is used to alleviate the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and to assist in processing distressing memories, reducing their lingering effects and allowing clients to develop more adaptive coping mechanisms. Currently, Dr. Buck is working for our group practice in addition to his own practice. Jason attended Arizona State University and was awarded his Doctor of Behavioral Health degree in 2012. For his graduate degree, he completed a Master of Professional Counseling at Ottawa University in 2008. He enjoys volunteering in his free time to support several faith-based organizations with providing psycho-educational training, email outreach, and lending support with writing letters to incarcerated individuals.
A Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing, American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, and National Academies of Practice, Dr. McCarthy has almost 40 years of clinical experience and is triple board certified as a geriatric nurse practitioner, geriatric clinical nurse specialist, and as an adult psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner. Dr. McCarthy was a W.G. Kellogg Multidisciplinary Fellow and became the first nurse to complete the San Francisco Geriatric Medical Fellowship Program in 1990. She is an Associate Professor at Arizona State University and has coordinated the Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner Program since 1994. She is also the Director of the Hartford Center’s Cognitive Aging Core at the College of Nursing and Health Innovation at ASU.
Dr. McCarthy has an active practice in behavioral health and in geriatric primary care. Her program of research has focused on the study of delirium in older adults, intimacy in persons with dementia living in residential care, and most recently, she is collaborating with the Phoenix Symphony, studying the effects of music on the quality of life of persons with dementia, their families, and caregivers.
Dr. McCarthy has presented nationally and internationally and has numerous publications to her credit in the areas of geriatrics and gerontology, and advanced practice nursing. She was recognized in 2009 for her contributions to geriatric research and practice by being honored as the Gerontologist of the Year by the Arizona Chapter of the American Geriatrics Society.
Arnaldo Fargas-Rodriguez is a Board Certified Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner. He earned his degree in Masters in Science of Nursing with a specialization in Family Psychiatric Mental Health at Florida International University in Miami, Florida. He has worked as Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner in Crisis Recovery Units and outpatient treatment with adolescents, adults and geriatric populations. His areas of specialization include depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, schizophrenia, OCD, oppositional defiant disorder, aggression, ADHD, PTSD and Trauma related disorders.
Arnaldo has worked his way up in the mental health field starting as a Mental Health Technician in the Crisis Stabilization Unit. Then, he worked as a Health Navigator and Targeted Case Manager in the community assisting and advocating on behalf families to enable them to obtain access to needed mental health, medical, social, educational and other support services. With this position he learned about family structures, different cultures, and was able to discover his genuine passion to help others and he identifies this position as the most fulfilling and rewarding job he’s ever done.
In 2009, he completed a Masters in Science of Mental Health Counseling at Carlos Albizu University in Miami, Florida. He worked for over four years as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor providing psychotherapy to children and adolescents using effective techniques to assist clients achieve their personal goals. In 2012, he earned his Bachelors of Science in Nursing at University of Miami and worked as a Registered Nurse in different settings such as Crisis Stabilization Unit, Corrections, and was a Nurse Manager at the Miami Dade County Correction Health System (Behavioral Health Unit) which is the second largest county jail in the country, providing guidance feedback, mentoring and contributing to staff professional development.
Arnaldo is bilingual in English and Spanish, enjoys teaching and has served as a preceptor for different universities teaching mental health treatment and the application of effective and safe treatment including psychotropic medications.
Danielle is Board Certified as a Family Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner and as an Adult-Geriatric Nurse Practitioner. She received her Bachelor’s in Nursing from Arizona State University. She had a nursing career that included working with oncology, medical surgical and hospice patients and was certified to give chemotherapy. She went back to school for her Masters in Nursing at Arizona State University after being a nurse for 10 years and was certified as an Adult/Geriatric Nurse Practitioner. She worked in urology, urogynecology and primary care for 8 years before going back to Arizona State University to obtain her Post-Masters certificate to become a family psychiatric nurse practitioner. She also has a Masters in Psychology from California Coast University. She works with all ages, from 5 to 105 and beyond. She enjoys using a holistic approach in treating clients with a wide range of disorders including the seriously mentally ill and general mental health.
Terry brings over 20 years of professional experience to the Brain Solutions Team from his roles in managed care organizations and behavioral health settings. His background includes having worked for Mercy Care Plan Long Term Care of Arizona as a Supervisor for Behavioral Health Services; a Clinical Care Planner with Value Options (then Regional Behavioral Health Authority in Maricopa County); Director of Testing for Pinnacle Education, overseeing assessment and testing programs for 13 charter schools across Arizona; and providing counseling services through several community-based counseling agencies. These areas of professional experience have allowed Terry to build a comprehensive foundation from which to provide highly effective training, education and consultation to healthcare providers on diverse topics such as behavior management, residential clinical programming, staff development, regulatory compliance of behavioral health and long-term care facilities, documentation standards, program evaluation and best-practice models for treatment. His efforts have found their way into the improved operations in specialized healthcare settings such as nursing facilities, behavioral health residential treatment and assisted living programs. Terry holds a Master of Education in Counseling from the University of Houston, a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Texas at Austin and is a Licensed Associate Counselor.
Paula is a licensed associate counselor. She has a Master’s Degree in Education with a certificate in School Counseling and a Master’s Degree in Professional Counseling from Ottawa University in Phoenix, Arizona. Before obtaining her two master’s degrees, Paula’s professional life was filled with experiences that built the solid foundation she stands on as she enters her “official” counseling career. As an LPN Paula worked with all ages. A critical component of nursing is the ability to listen, comfort, and communicate with others in situations that can be anxiety-ridden. After the birth and early childhood of her daughter, Paula focused on working in the educational system. Her next step was teaching students in kindergarten through sixth grade who struggled emotionally, behaviorally, and socially. Paula learned and built on many counseling skills. This population also presented with many dysfunctional parents and family units. Working in homes helped connect the goals Paula was establishing with her students. Completing her counseling certificate led to working with the gifted population through the Chandler Public Schools. She has retired from working in the education system after 25 years. Joining the team at Brain Solutions has allowed Paula to smoothly transition to one-on-one therapy settings. Paula’s professional experiences excite her as she now will have the opportunity to work with people of all ages. Varied experiences have helped her create an eclectic style in her approach to counseling. Paula strongly believes the focus of each counselor/client interaction is based on client needs, guiding her towards the best method of therapy. Paula has been trained in CBT, Solution Focused, EMDR, and person-centered therapy. These specialized trainings, along with years of experiences, have allowed Paula to grow into a respected, knowledgeable counselor.
Shannon is a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) who received her Bachelors in Psychology and her Masters in Social Work from Arizona State University. Shannon currently works as a Clinical Therapist at Brain Solutions under the supervision of Jonathan Mackey, LCSW. Her expertise includes helping adolescents and adults of all ages in overcoming problems caused by mood and anxiety disorders, OCD, ADHD, PTSD, and various life transitions. She specializes in working with individuals struggling with relationship issues and complex family dynamics, as well as those recovering from domestic violence, substance abuse, and other forms of trauma. In her previous professional experience, she focused on working with families, children, and adolescents while providing in-home care and behavior training.
Shannon utilizes a number of different treatment approaches based on the needs of the individual client, such as Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Mindfulness-based practices. She is also certified in Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy to better serve clients seeking specialized trauma treatment. Shannon is passionate about helping others to navigate their own unique challenges by providing the tools and support to guide clients toward healing. She seeks to foster the therapist-client relationship and works hard to ensure that clients are provided a warm, non-judgmental, and compassionate environment while working with her. Shannon currently offers both in-person and telehealth services.
Anna Kortsen completed her Master of Social Work (MSW) as well as her Bachelors in Psychology, and Bachelors in Speech and Hearing at Arizona State University. Anna currently works as a Clinical Therapist at Brain Solutions under the supervision of Jonathan Mackey, LCSW. Her expertise includes assisting adolescents and adults of all ages in overcoming problems such as depression, anxiety, OCD, ADHD, and PTSD. She also has an experienced background working with patients with ASD, epilepsy, cerebral palsy, and TBIs. Anna specializes in working with individuals struggling with mental health issues, cognitive deficits, substance abuse and trauma. Her background and training allows her to be familiar with clients who need long term care as well as acute care. In her previous professional experience, she focused on working with adults, children, and adolescents providing in-home care and school setting therapies providing speech therapy and behavioral support. She also has had experience with working with adolescents in crisis in an inpatient setting, assisting families and individuals with the care and support needed to have a safe and successful transition home.
Anna utilizes a number of treatment approaches based on the needs of the individual client, such as Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Solution Focused, and Mindfulness-based practices. Anna is compassionate about helping others to navigate their own individual challenges by providing the tools and support to guide clients progression towards a restorative journey. She seeks to encourage the therapist-client relationship and works hard to provide clients with an environment that is safe, non-judgmental, and compassionate. Anna currently offers both in-person and telehealth services.