Matt Boone, LCSW, is the associate director of the Student Wellness Program and an instructor in the Department of Psychiatry. His professional interests include evidence-based treatments for anxiety, depression, trauma, and eating disorders; training professionals in cognitive behavioral therapies (CBT); and supporting students of color, LGBTQ+ students, students with disabilities, first-generation students, and others who might face challenges in medical training. He specializes in acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), a mindfulness- and acceptance-based behavior therapy for a broad spectrum of problems, and is the coauthor of two ACT-related self-help books: Stop Avoiding Stuff and The Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Skills Workbook. In his life outside of work, he enjoys writing and recording music, eating amazing food, and hanging out with friends. He and his wife spend way too much time talking about their cats, Giorgia and Finley, and he loves working with people who think therapy is kind of cringey.
Todd is a proud native of North Little Rock, a two-time graduate of the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville, and a former Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Maintenance Officer in the United States Air Force. His interest in psychiatry blossomed after his third year rotations at the VA and the Arkansas State Hospital and was fully cemented after meeting all of the fantastic people in the psychiatry department. He spends most of his spare time obsessing about soccer, running, and hanging with his family and his pals.
After earning a Bachelor of Science in Health Science from the University of Arkansas, Angie enjoyed a career in finance, sales, and marketing until she took three years away to raise her son. She returned to the workforce in sales and began to work toward her goal of becoming a therapist. Angie attended the University of Arkansas at Little Rock School of Social Work. She was trained in psychodynamic theory, family systems approach, and mediation during her work toward her master’s degree. Along the way, she earned a Certificate in Marriage and Family Therapy. She has served multiple populations from children to teens in the juvenile justice system, children and teens in the day treatment, outpatient, and school settings, as well as families in distress. Angie was introduced to meditation through extensive yoga practice and workshops, finding that slowing down and paying attention are positives! As a recovering perfectionist and constant “doer,” mindfulness provided her with calmness, balance, and a place for compassion and acceptance. As a clinical therapist, mindfulness is integrated into her practice as a valuable tool. Angie joined the Student Wellness team in December 2015. She enjoys working with individual clients, couples, and groups. In her personal time, Angie enjoys nature, creative projects, learning new things, visiting with family, and fishing/boating with her husband, Greg. Her Golden-Doodle, Tater Tot, occasionally joins her in her office on campus.
Jim Holland, MSW, LCSW, joined the UAMS Student Wellness team in February 2014. Prior work centered on mental health with kids, teens, and families, so the move to the Student Wellness Program provided an opportunity to hone skills in individual work with adults. After earning a bachelor’s degree at the University of Arkansas, Jim moved to St. Louis to join the Master of Social Work program at the George Warren Brown School of Social Work at Washington University in St. Louis. An initial interest in child welfare narrowed to a passion for child, adolescent, and family mental health issues as expressed in traumatized children and teens. Jim graduated with a concentration in Children and Youth and a Family Therapy specialization in May 1997. He has since worked in suicide prevention, crisis intervention, foster care and adoption recruitment/training, clinical case management, school social work, and individual/group/family therapy. In his free time, Jim enjoys live blues music, learning new things, and napping with his dog, Henry.
Caitlin is a native of Arkansas and graduated from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. She went on to obtain a Doctor of Philosophy in Cell Biology and a medical degree from UAMS. During her third year of residency, Caitlin developed a particular interest in psychotherapy and its capacity to foster transformative therapeutic relationships and meaningful change. She has a special interest in women's mental health, with a focus on the sociocultural and relational influences that shape women's experiences and well-being. In her free time, Caitlin enjoys gardening, discovering good food with her family, watching movies, and tending to her dog, three cats, and three birds.
A Massachusetts native, Shalini earned a B.S. in Bioengineering and an M.S. in Biology from University of Massachusetts Dartmouth before attending medical school at William Carey University COM in Mississippi. Her experiences during clinical training drew her to psychiatry, where she witnessed the profound impact mental health can have on quality of life. Her clinical interests include psychotherapy, women's mental health, emergency psychiatry, obesity medicine, and lifestyle medicine. She welcomes and affirms LGBTQIA+ patients and values creating a therapeutic space where all individuals feel respected and supported. Outside of work, she enjoys pickleball, photography, international travel, and spending time with her cats.
Mary grew up in Van Buren, Ark., and first became interested in psychiatry in high school. Her interest was solidified by her third-year clerkship experiences at PRI and the Arkansas State Hospital. She is particularly interested in outpatient psychiatry, psychodynamic therapy, and building long-term therapeutic relationships with patients. In her free time, she enjoys reading, gardening, and spending time with her friends and family.
Whitman Kent, MA, is currently on his Neuropsychology internship at UAMS. Over the past four years he has been living outside Chicago Illinois completing his doctorate at Wheaton College. However, he has spent most of his life calling Alabama home. Whitman’s professional interests involve a combination of supplying neuropsychological assessments, conducting research, and providing quality evidence-based interventions. He primarily provides therapy for anxiety, depression, and adjustment concerns; although he especially has a desire to serve clients who are from rural backgrounds. Whitman has typically worked using Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy but is aiming to provide care in acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) this year. Regardless of which treatment he uses, Whitman’s hope is to help clients find their own distinctive strengths to continue fostering growth outside the therapy room.
Kathryn is a clinical psychology doctoral intern at UAMS and a doctoral candidate at the University of Central Arkansas. She grew up in Pine Bluff, AR and earned her B.A. in psychology and secondary education from Hendrix College. Kathryn believes that while change is inevitable, sometimes people can get overwhelmed "stuck" when navigating life’s demands. She collaborates with and empowers clients as they face these struggles. She enjoys working with individuals from various backgrounds and has a special interest in supporting those from marginalized and underrepresented communities, which aligns with her research on multicultural factors in counseling. Outside of work, she enjoys cooking, baking, playing video games, and spending quality time with loved ones.
Varenya was born and raised in Bentonville and has called Arkansas home ever since. She earned her degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Hendrix College and completed her medical education at UAMS. Her interest in Psychiatry began during her third year of medical school, when she recognized the far-reaching impact of mental health care on patients’ lives. She is pursuing fellowship training in forensic psychiatry after graduation and is currently developing research skills to complement her clinical training through the NIH- funded T-32 research program. In her free time, she enjoys taking workout classes, boxing, and spending time with her friends, family, and dog, Havana.
Lecretha Brown is the Administrative Coordinator of the Student Wellness Program. She has worked at UAMS since 2013, both in Student Wellness and Care Management. She loves supporting students, and in her off-hours she enjoys spending time with family, working in her church, hula hooping and going on long walks.