Pasadena Villa Outpatient – Nashville

Executive Director

Amber Lucchino, LCSW, LADAC

Amber is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor. She has been working in the behavioral health field for over 18 years, with a primary focus on trauma and co-occurring disorders. She earned her Bachelor of Social Work degree from Union University and her Master of Social Work degree from Columbia University in NYC. She has experience in outpatient, as well as residential treatment settings, where she has held positions ranging from providing direct care to clients to facilitating program management, staff development and organizational wellness in Director roles. She enjoys providing trainings in the community and has been an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Social Work for Belmont University in Nashville, TN.

Amber is married and has 4 kiddos. In her spare time, she can be found at the barn with horses or hiking on nearby trails. She loves cake decorating, spontaneous dance parties and anything outdoors. Amber brings a unique perspective to her role as Executive Director in holding 22 years of recovery herself from an eating disorder. Her motto is: “Pay attention to what brings you joy and do more of that”.

Program Therapist

Lina Roberts, LCSW

Lina Roberts is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who comes to this program following a 20-year career at Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital where she specialized in adolescent and young adult health needs. She worked in inpatient and outpatient settings to meet the needs of patients and families in the Nashville and surrounding area. She specializes in the treatment of eating disorders, anxiety, and depression through modalities that include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy. Prior to her work at Vanderbilt, she was the clinical therapist for group homes that worked with at-risk adolescents in the Nashville area.

Lina is a native Nashvillian who received her master’s degree at Tulane University in New Orleans Louisiana where she began her career working at Columbia DuPaul Psychiatric Hospital treating adolescents.

Supervising Psychiatrist

Dr. Tom Scales

As the attending psychiatrist/physician for Selah House, Selah House Outpatient, and Toledo Center for Eating Disorders, Dr. Scales provides psychiatric and medical care to our clients. He is a diplomat in the American Board of Internal Medicine, American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, and in Addiction Medicine through the American Board of Preventive Medicine. Dr. Scales completed his undergraduate training at Wheaton College in Wheaton, IL, followed by medical school at the University of Tennessee, Memphis. He completed his residency training in a combined Internal Medicine/Psychiatry program at Rush Presbyterian St. Luke’s Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois. He is passionate about helping those with eating disorders and has made numerous community presentations and local media appearances regarding the topic. Dr. Scales was the radio show host of a live web-based program entitled “Understanding Eating Disorders” which occurred weekly on www.health.voiceamerica.com and featured professionals and laypeople as guests in the eating disorder field. Most importantly, he is a husband and proud father of two children.

Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner

Yvonne Creighton DNP, PMHNP-BC, FNP-BC

Yvonne Creighton is board certified as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) as well as a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP). She received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree from Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU), a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) from Austin Peay State University, and a post-master’s certificate in PHMHNP from Maryville University of St. Louis. Most recently, Yvonne completed her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) at Maryville University. Her DNP scholarly project was aimed at reducing the negative consequences of problematic alcohol and drug use. Yvonne has been an assistant professor at MTSU for eight years, teaching a wide range of clinical nursing courses. She currently teaches Mental Health Nursing to BSN nursing students and developed the PMHNP track in the MSN program at MTSU. With a background in critical care nursing, Yvonne understands the complex interaction between physical and mental health. She believes that developing a therapeutic alliance between the patient and provider is a key component in helping patients achieve their goals.

Attending Psychiatrist

Kelly Ownby, MD

Dr. Ownby is board certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. She graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Health and Exercise Science from Furman University in Greenville, SC., and completed her residency in psychiatry at James H. Quillen College of Medicine at East Tennessee State University. In addition to serving as a Chief Resident of Psychiatry, Dr. Ownby has served in a psychiatric role in a variety of clinical settings including inpatient, addiction treatment center, outpatient and residential mental health treatment. She has been a guest presenter for the healthcare field on numerous topics including Diagnosis and Treatment of Psychiatric Disorders During Pregnancy, Psychopharmacology, and Psychiatric Medications. Dr. Ownby also serves as Remote Area Medical team member in East Tennessee. She has a passion for addiction treatment, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, psychotic disorders, and women’s health. With over 12 years of experience in the mental health field, she feels that people should be educated about their illnesses and treatment options so they can be empowered to make the best decisions with their providers.

Program Therapist

AJ Shoemaker LCSW

AJ Shoemaker is a Licensed Master Social Worker with a background working as a clinical social worker in inpatient psychiatric care, inpatient physical rehabilitation, and intensive outpatient programming where he was able to work with a variety of populations. His most recent focus was on adolescent psychiatric needs, but also has an extensive history working with both the adult and young adult populations including military personnel. He specializes in the treatment of mental health disorders primarily through Cognitive Behavioral Therapy while also building upon Dialectical Behavioral Therapy skills. He relocated to Tennessee in 2016 from South Carolina where he received his Bachelor’s in psychology from Coastal Carolina University, and a Master’s in Social Work from the University of South Carolina. In his free time, AJ thoroughly enjoys watching baseball and college football, particularly the University of South Carolina Gamecocks!

Office Coordinator

Haley Richardson

Haley Richardson has been working in behavioral health since 2019. She attended Western Carolina University where she received her bachelor’s degree in psychology. Haley has experience working in direct patient care, treating individuals diagnosed with obsessive compulsive disorder, anxiety, depression, and eating disorders. Along with this, she has worked in intensive outpatient, partial hospitalization, residential and inpatient programs. In her free time, Haley enjoys reading, going to concerts and watching rom coms. On the weekends she can be found spending time with her dog and exploring the great outdoors.

Program Therapist

Yohana Temesghen, LMSW

Yohana Temesghen is a Licensed Master Social Worker, with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. She is certified in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT). She works in behavioral health because she values mental and emotional well-being, personal growth, and resilience. Therapy has helped her, and many other people learn how to navigate life’s stressors, overcome current grief/loss, and resolve past traumas. Her theoretical orientation to therapy is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) with a person-centered approach. She likes to meet her clients where they are and work towards achieving their goals that they establish for themselves, in a safe and supportive environment. Her personal philosophy is to empower her clients to take control of their lives, advocate for their needs, heal from past trauma, and create healthy relationships.

Dietitian

Diana Romanach MS, RD, LDN

Diana is a Registered Dietitian who received her undergraduate degree at Middle Tennessee State University and went on to complete her dietetic internship and Master’s degree at Samford University. Diana is passionate about helping her clients restore their relationship with food and is committed to meeting her clients where they are. She wants nothing more than for her clients to learn how treasured, loved, and valuable they are. Diana empowers and guides her clients using Intuitive Eating and Health at Every Size principles and loves to incorporate hands-on activities and games into her group topics. Aside from her love of cooking and all things dietetics, Diana loves visiting bakeries, hiking with her husband, and watching movies.