The Bluestem Center Staff:
A Multi-Specialty Team…
Helping Individuals Discover Potential…
Helping Families Discover Strengths.

Professional Staff

Dr. Susan Jenkins
Susan C. Jenkins, M.D.
Medical Director of Bluestem Center
Board Certified in Psychiatry
Board Certified in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association

Dr. Jenkins graduated from St. Olaf College and then the University of Chicago-Pritaker School of Medicine. Dr. Jenkins completed seven years of residency training at the University of Chicago and the Mayo Clinic in pediatrics, psychiatry, child psychiatry, and psychopharmacology. She co-authored The Biology of Star Trek (Harper Collins, 1998) and A Pocket Reference for Psychiatrists (American Psychiatric Press, 1990, 1994). She has a specialty interest in ADHD and other Neurodevelopmental disorders.
 
Dr. A.W. Atkinson
A.W. Atkinson, M.D., F.A.A.P.
Board Certified in Developmental/Behavioral Pediatrics
Fellow of American Academy of Pediatrics

Dr. Atkinson completed fellowship training in Developmental Pediatrics. His practice includes developmental-behavioral evaluations, treatment, and management for a broad range of concerns for all ages. Areas of specialty include: attention and learning disorders, early childhood behavior and temperament problems, autism spectrum disorders, as well as coaching his patients in the use of mind-body techniques for problems such as migraine headaches, anxiety, stress reduction, tics and habit disorders.
 
Dr. Jeanne M. Allen
Jeanne M. Allen, PsyD., L.P., R.N., C.N.S.
Child, Adolescent, and Family Psychologist
Clinical Nurse Specialist – Child/Adolescent Psychiatry

Dr. Allen is a licensed psychologist, with emphasis in child and family psychology. She is also a Clinical Nurse in Child/Adolescent Psychiatric Nursing. Competencies listed with the Board of Psychology include individual and group psychotherapy of adults and children, psychological assessment (personality, objective, intellectual, academic achievement, projective, neuropsychological screening) of adults and children, crisis intervention, psychopharmacology, and therapy with young children, youth and adults. Her practice emphasis is on sexual abuse, anxiety disorders, learning, and behavioral problems.
 
Ms. Bobbi Nichols
Bobbi Nichols,
M.S., L.P., S.L.P., C.C.C.
Licensed Psychologist
Speech Language Pathologist

Ms. Nichols is a licensed psychologist and speech language pathologist. She has worked in both elementary and secondary schools. Her interests include: communication disorders, parenting, family conflict, adoption, women’s issues, and anxiety and depression in children, adolescents, and adults.
 
Ms. Jean O’Malley
Jean O’Malley-Laursen, M.S.E., L.P.
Licensed Psychologist

Ms. O’Malley-Laursen has over 25 years of experience in working with children and families in school, community and residential settings. Her practice includes psychological assessment and therapy with young children, youth and adults. She has worked extensively with families dealing with attention and learning, autism spectrum syndromes, adoption, divorce, trauma and grief. She is trained in behavioral, psychodynamic and experiential approaches and offers EMDR and Theraplay. Her practice is in Rochester and Owatonna.
 
Ms. Karen Ortloff
Karen Ortloff,
M.S., L.P.
Licensed Psychologist

Ms. Ortloff has 17 years of counseling experience as a licensed psychologist. Her practice includes work with all ages and group therapy. Areas of expertise include anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorders, developmental transitions, marital/parenting issues, and special problems of women and adolescents. She works with emergency service providers and ministerial families. She supports Christian values, and employs cognitive behavioral strategies and educative skills acquisition.
 
Ms. Katherine A. Porter
Katherine A. Porter, M.S., L.P.
Licensed Psychologist
Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing

Ms. Porter has worked extensively with Reactive Attachment Disordered children and their parents. Her practice includes work with parents, children, adolescents, individuals, couples and families. She is trained to provide play therapy, EMDR and Theraplay. Other areas of expertise include trauma, parenting, adoption, divorce, women’s issues, also, grief and loss work. She is fluent in sign language and has extensive experience working with people who are deaf and hard of hearing.
 
Ms. Kristin Nelson
Kristin Nelson,
PsyD. LP
Licensed Psychologist

Dr. Nelson is a licensed psychologist who has experience with children, adolescents, and adults. Competencies listed with the Board of Psychology include individual therapy to address mood, adjustment, learning, attention, and behavior concerns. Her practice also includes diagnostic assessment and psychological evaluation for cognitive functioning, academic achievement, adaptive functioning, mood and behavior problems, personality traits, and neuropsychological screenings.
 
Ms. Brandy D. Brown
Brandy D. Brown,
PsyD. LP
Licensed Psychologist

Dr. Brown is a licensed psychologist, with emphasis in adolescent and adult psychology. Competencies listed with the Board of Psychology include individual and group psychotherapy of adults, adolescents and children, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), grief and loss counseling, and chemical dependency counseling. Areas of expertise include anxiety, depression, mood disorders, borderline personality disorder, developmental transitions, marital/parenting issues, faith based counseling, educative skills acquisition, and stress management.
 
Mr. John Anderson
John Anderson, M.S.W., L.I.C.S.W.
Individual and Family Therapy

As a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker, Mr. Anderson’s practice includes individual, couple, and family therapy. He has special expertise in working with adolescents, family therapy, and marital counseling. He has worked at assisting families and individuals with emotional and personal growth for over twenty five years.
 
Ms. Louis Blissenbach
Louise Blissenbach, M.S.W., L.I.C.S.W., L.A.D.C.
Board Certified Diplomat in Clinical Social Work
Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor
Individual and Family Therapy

Ms. Blissenbach’s practice includes individual, couple, group and family therapy with 25 plus years experience. Her focus includes: chemical dependency and co-dependency, adult children of alcoholics, parenting, spirituality, divorce and separation, grief and loss, adoption, women’s issues, and affective disorders.
 
Mr. Mark Sherman
Mark Sherman, M.S.W, L.I.C.S.W., B.C.D.
Master Level Licensed Social Worker
Individual and Family Therapy
Clinical Member of Association for Treatment of Sexual Abusers

Mr. Sherman brings thirty years experience in individual and family therapy working with children, adolescents, and adults. Areas of interest include individual therapy, play therapy, family therapy, groups, the impacts of neglect, Autism spectrum disorders, physical and sexual abuse, sex offender treatment, and advocacy for school programming.
 
Ms. Sylvia DeMott
Sylvia DeMott, M.S.W., L.I.C.S.W.
Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker

Sylvia DeMott is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker. Her practice includes adults and adolescents, and she is trained in a variety of therapeutic modalities, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) and psychodynamic therapy. Her interests include anxiety and mood disorders, work-life balance, women’s issues, parenting and stress management. Ms. DeMott moved to Rochester from the Boston area in 2009, where she worked as a Clinician at McLean Hospital, a psychiatric hospital affiliated with Harvard Medical School.
 
Mr. Dwight DoBell
Dwight H. DoBell, M.Div., L.M.F.T.
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist

Mr. DoBell has over twenty years of Pastoral Counseling experience, having served in three parishes and as a Chaplain for the Army Reserve and Federal Bureau of Prisons. He has also been an elementary school counselor in two Roman Catholic schools. His interests include: parenting, divorce adjustment, marital, blended families, anxiety, anger, depression, emancipation, neurodevelopmental disorders and their impact on the family, grief work, and the relationship between spiritual/theological and psychological health.
 
Ms. Nelle Moriarty
Nelle Moriarty, L.M.F.T.
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
Specialist Certificate in Human Sexuality and Family Intimacy
Specialist in Chemical Dependency

Ms. Moriarty’s thirty years of experience includes individual, couple, family, and group therapy. Areas of interest include: ADHD, school refusal, adolescent oppositional behaviors, parenting, grief, loss, trauma, divorce and separation, and chemical dependency and co-dependency. She supervises candidates seeking MFT licensure in Minnesota.
 
Ms. Patti Miller
Patti Miller, M.S.W., L.I.C.S.W.
Ms. Miller has 20 years experience providing direct service to children and families in a variety of settings. Her practice focus includes: child-directed and prescriptive play therapy, physical/sexual abuse, parent education, anxiety/depression, PTSD/trauma, attachment issues, grief and loss, and crisis intervention.

Nursing Staff

Ms. Andrea Simonson
Andrea Simonson, R.N., B.S.N.
Psychiatric Nurse

Administrative Staff

Ms. Ann Schwanke
Ann Schwanke
Clinic Administrator
 
Mr. Tim Heightland
Tim Heightland
Business Manager
 
Deb, Terri and Gina
Deb, Terri and Gina
Patient Services – Front Desk
 
Aaron and Catherine
Catherine and Aaron
Patient Services – Billing