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Jack M. Merwin, Ph.D. BCFE
Licensed Psychologist
Board Certified Forensic Examiner
Co-Founder and Co-Director
Jack’s special interest in Psychology and
the Law goes back 37 years to his first job, as
a Psychiatric Aide in a state mental hospital
for the criminally insane. He earned his
Bachelors Degree in Psychology from LSU in
1968, his Ph.D. from The American University,
in Washington, D.C. in 1977 and Board
Certification as a Forensic Expert in both
Civil and Criminal Courts in 1996. He completed
an internship and a residency in clinical
Psychology in the Department of Psychiatry at
the University of Texas Medical School at San
Antonio, Texas. He now specializes in all
aspects of Forensic Psychology.
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Karen Selig, M.A.
Licensed Marriage and Family
Therapist
Founder and Clinical Director
Voted St. Augustine’s
Favorite Counselor for the past three
years
Karen is the founder and Clinical Director of
Psychological Services of St. Augustine, having
moved from Washington, D.C. in 1977. She
graduated from Eisenhower College and then
received a Masters Degree from Antioch College
in 1975. She was the Assistant Director of a
therapeutic school in a leading family therapy
practice in Maryland for four years. She then
moved to St. Augustine and worked for two years
in Jacksonville at the Child Guidance Clinic
before beginning Psychological Services, which
has grown from being a one-person practice to
having fifteen therapists and one
psychiatrist. As well as running the practice,
Karen devotes much of her personal time and
energy to many community projects and boards.
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David Hackney, M.A.
Licensed Mental Health
Counselor
Certified Biofeedback Therapist
Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist
Mr. David Hackney studied engineering at M.I.T. before
discovering his calling in psychology. He earned a B.A. in
Psychology from Vanderbilt, where he played on the varsity
soccer team. He completed his masters Degree and his
internship in Clinical Psychology at Duke University. He
continued to pursue his interest in psychophysiology and
earned national certifications in Biofeedback, Hypnosis, and
Neurolinguistic Psychology.
Mr. Hackney worked for four years in the Durham V.A.
Hospital and two years at Northeast Florida State Hospital
before locating in St. Augustine in 1973. He worked with all
ages and diagnostic groups as a counselor and supervisor at
the community mental health center, while he continued to
develop his special interest in Post-Traumatic Stress
Disorder, Chronic Pain, and other areas that involve both
physical and psychological patterns.
Mr. Hackney joined Psychological Services of St. Augustine
in 1986 and has been associated with the group practice ever
since. He also serves as adjunct faculty at the University
of St. Augustine, where he teaches a course in Psychology
for the Masters Degree in Physical Therapy program. He has
also taught courses in Psychology at Flagler College and the
University of St. Augustine.
Mr. Hackney spent his childhood in Daytona Beach, where he
began lifelong interests in surfing, fishing, sailing,
motorcycles, music, and the natural history of Florida. He
and his wife Laurel live in a 100-year-old fishing lodge on
Little Lake Como. She paints in her artist’s studio, and
they enjoy their pets and plants, a small aviary, and visits
from children and friends.
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Mavis Bennett, Ph.D.
Licensed Marriage and Family
Therapist
Dr. Mavis Bennett has both a B.S. and an M.Ed.
in Early Childhood Education, and has taught in
several elementary schools in Ohio. Her second
Masters Degree is in Family Therapy and she
holds Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology.
Dr. Bennett joined Psychological Services in
1990 and sees individuals and couples. She also
does custody evaluations and parent
coordination.
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Patricia Lewis-Slayton, LCSW, LMFT,
AST
Licensed Clinical Social
Worker
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
Certified Sex Therapist - State of Florida
Patricia joins us from South Florida, where
she received her Masters Degree in Social Work from Barry
University, Miami, in 1981. As Director of Social Services
at Hollywood Pavilion Hospital, she handled all aspects of
patient care and supervision of clinical staff. Patricia
joined the Mental Health Organization that is now Magellan
in 1991. As a senior case coordinator for the South Florida
Network, and while still carrying a personal caseload, she
received specialized training and accreditation as a Sex
Therapist in the State of Florida.
Patricia is a Behaviorist with specialties
in Relationship counseling that are accompanied by an
empathetic and sensitive approach to the problems of sexual
difficulties often encountered. This specialty also includes
Sexual Identity Disorders, as well as Post Traumatic Stress
associated with an experience of past sexual, physical or
spiritual abuse.
While working as Psychosocial Coordinator
for Hospice-By-the-Sea in Boca Raton, Patricia offered group
and individual services to those suffering from grief and
loss. She has written Bereavement Manuals and directed
education seminars on gerontology. She is experienced at
helping those who need to deal with the particular concerns
and losses of our older client.
As a therapeutic generalist, Patricia
reaches out with integrity and compassion. She offers her
experience and an intuitive response with a helping hand
towards renewing emotional stability.
Her achievements during her professional
career have honored her with a respect and recognition among
those who have shared the benefits of working with her.
Blue Cross / Blue Shield provider #26257
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Andrew Sappington, Ph.D.
Licensed Psychologist
Dr. Andrew Sappington received his Ph.D. in
clinical psychology from the University of
Kentucky in 1972. Dr. Sappington specializes in
anger problems, marriage counseling, stress
management and habit change. He has extensive
experience with most adult problems.
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Deborah (Debbie) Dungan,
MS
Licensed Mental Health
Counselor
Masters Addictions Counselor
Certified Addictions Prevention
Professional
Ms. Dungan earned her Bachelors Degree in
Education from the University of North Florida
and a Masters Degree in Mental Health from Nova
Southeastern University in 1993. She has
received national endorsement as a Masters in
Addictions Counseling, Licensed by Florida as a
Mental Health Counselor and Certified by the
State in Addictions Prevention Counseling.
Ms. Dungan became a member of the clinical team
of Psychological Services of St. Augustine in
1998. She uses cognitive behavioral techniques
of care with individuals who are experiencing
problems of depression, anxiety, relationship
issues, substance abuse (alcohol and drugs) and
other mental health issues.
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Michele Kuranz, MA, CEAP, LMHC
Licensed Mental Health Counselor
Ms. Kuranz received her B.A. and M.A. in psychology from the
University of Oslo and University of Trondheim, Norway. She
worked as an Employee Assistance Professional for ten years
and has also worked in the psychiatric research setting.
She has previously trained with the Red
Cross Mental Health Response Team to provide emergency
mental health services to disaster victims. Michele has many
years of experience providing assessment and brief
solution-focused care for a wide array of issues. She is
particularly interested in children, behavioral issues,
eating disorders and workplace and EAP issues.
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Mary Alston Kerllenevich, Ph.D.
Licensed Psychologist
Dr. Kerllenevich (or Dr. K, as we
call her) earned her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Clark
University in 2006. While in Massachusetts, she trained in
family and individual therapy at the Worcester Youth
Guidance Center at UMass Medical School, Children’s Hospital
in Boston, and the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention
of Cruelty to Children.
Her doctoral research focused on the
development of emotion regulation skills in young children.
She completed her pre-doctoral internship with Emory School
of Medicine, where she continued to develop her intervention
skills in family therapy, behavior medicine and
cognitive-behavioral therapy.
Dr.
Kerllenevich utilizes a solution-focused approach in her
work, helping children, adolescents and adults to find new
means to achieve their goals and find greater satisfaction
in life. In addition to individual and family therapy, she
specializes in treating children with attention problems,
oppositional behavior, and trauma. She provides a range of
psychological testing services to both children and adults.
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Kathie Myers, MSW, LCSW
Master of Social Work
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Kathie received her Master of Social Work
Degree from St. Louis University, St. Louis, Mo. She is a
Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the states of Missouri
and Florida. Kathie has twenty-nine years experience working
with a wide array of family and mental health concerns.
As director of Adoption Services with
Catholic Charities in St. Louis, she gained experience in
the grief work associated with infertility, as well as with
loss and attachment issues. She has worked extensively with
children and families throughout her career with emphasis on
parenting skills and behavior modification.
She has been part of a group practice which
focused exclusively on the significant difficulties of
couples/families experiencing divorce, helping couples
create as “amicable” a situation as possible, especially for
the children involved.
Kathie’s most recent experience was acquired within an
Employee Assistance Program setting. There her focus
included Post Trauma debriefing, alcohol and mental health
assessments and treatment, depression, anxiety disorders,
marriage and relationship counseling, particularly
post-affair recovery, codependency and problems in the
workplace.
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Kat Beckwith, RN, BS
Kat Beckwith, RN, BS is a Masters in Mental
Health Counseling student intern at Psychological Services
of St. Augustine, Inc. She has completed all of her academic
course work at Argosy University and is currently completing
the final phase of internship hours under the supervision of
Karen Selig, LMFT. She received her Bachelor’s of Science
degree in Psychology and Creative Writing at the State
University of New York’s Empire State College, with a
capstone program entitled “Writing as Therapy”.
Kat combines her interest, study, and practice of counseling
with her twenty-five plus years of nursing practice to
assist clients in making positive life changes. Helping
clients make both the big and small changes needed to
improve their overall well-being and quality of life is her
main focus. Primarily using a Cognitive-Behavioral approach,
she works with individual adults, as well as couples, who
are ready to improve their lives.
Although Kat currently does not accept insurance, she is
able to work with clients on a sliding scale basis. Please
call for information and availability.
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Mitchell A. Luchansky, M.D.
Board Certified in Psychiatry
Board Cerified in Child Psychiatry

Dr. Mitchell Luchansky has more than 25 years of training
and experience in adult and child psychiatry. Dr. Luchansky
graduated from the University of Maryland School of Medicine
in 1984, and in 1987, he completed his residency in
psychiatry at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.
Pursuing his keen interest in child psychiatry, in 1989 Dr.
Luchansky completed a fellowship in child psychiatry at LAC-USC
Medical Center in Los Angeles. Dr. Luchansky’s credentials
include two board certifications -- he is separately Board
Certified in Psychiatry and in Child Psychiatry. In 1998 he
also earned an M.B.A. from the University of South Florida,
Tampa.
Dr. Luchansky has vast experience in the
field of psychiatry, having counseled patients in private
practice, served as medical director of psychiatric units
for medical centers and mental health facilities, provided
forensic consultation in matters relating to adult and child
psychiatric issues, and served as Chief of Preventative
Mental Health for the Air Staff of the United States Air
Force.
Dr. Luchansky currently is in group practice
with Psychological Services of St. Augustine, St. Augustine,
FL, where he specializes in adult, adolescent and child
forensic evaluations and testimony; psychodynamic
psychotherapy; and diagnostic and psychopharmacologic
evaluations and treatment.
In his private time, Dr. Luchansky is an
avid flyer and holds certificates as an instrument-rated
commercial helicopter and airplane pilot. He owns a Robinson
R-44 helicopter based at Flagler County Airport, Palm Coast.
He also is a Rescue SCUBA diver and Harley motorcycle
enthusiast.
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Psychological Services
of St. Augustine, Inc.
Main Office:
1100-1 South Ponce de Leon Boulevard, St. Augustine, Florida 32084
Phone (904) 824-7733 Fax (904) 829-9768
Southlake Office: 300
Kingsley Lake Dr, Suite 403 St Augustine, FL 32092
pssa@pssacare.com
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