Our Staff & Credentials

Director - Shelly Dutch, CSAC, ICS

Shelly has been dedicating her life work to young people and their families for more than 25 years. She has received numerous awards and recognition for her dedication to the alcohol and drug problem in our society. She is certified at both the state and national levels, and emphasizes mentoring and service as the key to recovery. She works with staff at UW Madison training residents on substance abuse and provides panels to speak throughout the country. She also founded Horizon High School, an emotional growth recovery school in 2004.

Assistant Director - Tami Bahr, LCSW, CSAC, ICS

Tami has 10+ years experience providing both mental health/substance abuse treatment to individuals and families in a variety of settings. She also works with women in exploring women’s specific issues, including trauma and abuse, self-harm and self-esteem.

Psychiatrist, Medical Director - Matthew Felgus, MD

Dr. Felgus is the Medical Director and our consulting psychiatrist specializing in mental health/substance abuse, available to clients also seeing any therapist at Connections Counseling. He is both board certified in Psychiatry and ASAM certified in addiction medicine.

Jane Bartels, LMFT, CSAC

Jane has 20+ years of substance abuse/mental health treatment. Trained at Hazelden in Minnesota. She has also worked for Hazelden-Chicago as a family therapist and dual diagnosis therapist. Jane works with adults, families and couples who have been affected by alcohol and drugs.

Tim Bautch, MA, LPC, CSAC

Tim has worked in the field of substance abuse/mental health for 16+ years in inpatient, outpatient, residential and correctional settings. He believes people know what they need to do to become healthy, however need assistance through positive relationships.

John Boyne, LPC, SAC-IT

John received his masters in substance abuse in 2001. He also works as an AODA/mental health counselor at Edgewood College. Previously he worked in Minneapolis at an alternative high school doing counseling with teens.

Cory Divine, CSAC

Cory works primarily with teens and young adults through the process of change. He believes in the strength of individuals, but also in the power of group thoughts as a means of transformation. He is also a musician who performs in a successful band, which has received recognition in Rolling Stone Magazine, and has toured nationally.

Elizabeth Schreiber, PhD

Beth is a licensed psychologist who provides mental health and substance abuse treatment. Dr. Schreiber brings over 10 years of experience specializing in trauma, motivational interviewing and opiate specific treatment.

Skye Tikkanen, CSAC

Skye specializes in working with teens and those suffering from opiate dependence. She believes that people change from their strengths and resiliencies not their weaknesses. Skye encourages family involvement in the treatment process and connections to sober peers as the keys to recovery. She facilitates the mentor program and is a tireless advocate for overdose prevention. Skye is passionate about recovery and believes living life sober is living life to the fullest.

Jim Thompson, MS, LPC, CSAC

Jim is very experienced in working with individuals and families struggling with mental health and substance abuse issues. He brings a wealth of experience to his work regarding relationships, trauma, depression, anxiety and addictions.

Amy Mosher-Garvey, LCSW, CSAC

Amy is dually certified in mental health and substance abuse treatment. She specializes in women's issues, trauma, dual diagnosis, family therapy, and mood disorders. Amy is also trained in EMDR and is a Substance Abuse Professional for the Department of Transportation.

Jeff Ryan, LPC-IT, CSAC

Jeff goes back to the beginnings of Connections Counseling where he specialized in treating substance abuse with adolescents and adults. He recently returned to Connections after spending years gaining specialized training in treating truama. As an EMDR trained therapist, he employs an evidenced method for treating trauma and other psychological struggles.

Michael Witkovsky, MD (psychiatrist)

Dr. Witkovsky is our consulting psychiatrist with a focus on adolescents and mental health issues. He brings years of experience in adolescent services and a commitment to providing care to individuals and their families.

Joe Kuehn, MA, LPC-IT, SAC-IT

Joe currently works as a licensed mental health and substance abuse counselor in training. He started his own journey of recovery in 2007 at Connections Counseling and hasn't left. Joe has experience working with a wide variety of ages, cultural backgrounds and economic classes. He believes that people who were once deemed "hopeless" in their struggles with mental health and substance use disorders, can change to be hopeful.

Joe holds a BBA in Marketing and Finance, and a Master of Arts in Counseling with a Community Counseling emphasis. In addition to being a counselor, he is responsible for community outreach where he organizes and participates in speaking panels for schools, organizations and conferences

Laura Suminski, MSE, NCC, LPC-IT, SAC-IT

Laura currently works as a licensed mental health and substance abuse counselor in training. As a nationally certified counselor, she has experience working with teenagers, adults and groups struggling with a wide range of mental health and substance abuse issues. She believes therapeutic success will not simply form through counseling interventions and techniques, but with the addition of positive and healthy relationships we create and maintain.

Laura received her education at the University of Wisconsin – Madison (BA), and the University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh (MSE) in Professional Counseling with a Clinical/Community Counseling emphasis. She operates from an eclectic theoretical approach, blending person-centered, reality, and cognitive-behavioral techniques, depending on the needs of the individual.

Mary Kay Aide, MS, LPC

Mary Kay has over 25 years working with individuals, couples and families in a variety of settings and organizations, such as day treatment for youth, community mental health, employee assistance consulting, and private practice. She has a master’s in Rehabilitiation Counseling, with an emphasis in AODA issues, is a Professional Certified Coach and Licensed Professional Counselor.

Mary Kay brings a solution-focused and strength based philosophy to her work with couples and families that help her clients move forward in a healthy, positive direction.

Patrick Nichols, LCSW, CSAC

Patrick has over 22 years of experience working with individuals, couples and families. He has worked in various settings - inpatient and outpatient, AODA and mental health clinics, domestic violence treatment and private practice.

He will bring his years of experience doing interventions to Connections Counseling, and help families shepherd their loved ones into an appropriate treatment setting.

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