Expert Trainers

Jelan Agnew, LCSW, is an award-winning mindfulness and mental health Speaker. She is the recipient of Hartford Business Journal’s 40 Under Forty award and CT Magazine’s 40 under 40 award, and is a highly rated TEDx Speaker. Jelan has 11+ years of experience as a DBT Therapist, Adjunct Professor and Workshop/Training facilitator. Founder of Nalej of Self, LLC, Jelan helps individuals and organizations by teaching mindfulness as a skill to address post pandemic burn out, compassion fatigue and feeling stuck in survival mode.

Colette Anderson, LCSW, is the Executive Director of The Connecticut Women’s Consortium (CWC). She has spent over 30 years working in behavioral health. Her expertise is in trauma-informed systems change and she spearheads multiple groups and initiatives across the state to promote trauma-informed, gender responsive care. She also trains and presents on a number of topics including trauma, gender, staff care, and healing arts for diverse audiences and agencies. In October 2016, Colette was awarded the National Association of Social Workers – Connecticut Chapter Social Worker of the Year Award.

Linda Blozie is the Director of Training and Prevention for the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence. There, she is responsible for the overall operation of the Coalition’s Training Institute and the implementation of Connecticut’s Plan for the Prevention of Intimate Partner Violence. She has been with the Coalition since 2001 and hasserved in a variety of capacities including public policy advocacy, communication and fatality review. Previous to joining this staff, Linda served for fifteen years as the executive director of the Prudence Crandall Center, the domestic violence agency located in New Britain. Linda has trained nationally on such topics as domestic violence and substance abuse, domestic violence fatality review, communicating for change and the risks and benefits of technology for victims/survivors of domestic violence.

Ashley Starr Frechette, MPH, is the Director of Health Professional Outreach at Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence. She oversees the Health Professional Outreach Advocacy program for CCADV’s member organizations, and provides IPV screening and intervention trainings for health professionals across the state. Ashley is a member of the Governor’s Council on Women and Girls- Health and Safety Committee.

Mara Gottlieb, PhD, LMSW, is the President of Talking Changes, an anti-oppression and bias-awareness consulting firm. For over twenty years, she has run workshops across the country, including serving as a keynote speaker and presenting at NASW conferences. Her programs address subjects ranging from cultural humility to anti-racism advocacy, LGBTQ awareness, teen suicide prevention, and vicarious trauma. Dr. Gottlieb has served as an adjunct professor at the NYU Silver School of Social Work, Smith College School for Social Work, and Southern Connecticut State University. She holds a BA from Brown University, and earned her MSW and PhD in Social Work from NYU.

Linda Lentini is currently the Director of Healing From Within at Toivo by Advocacy Unlimited in Connecticut. Advocacy Unlimited is the only peer run agency in the state that offers education and advocacy in a variety of settings and has a mind-body center called Toivo (Hope in the Finnish Language). Ms. Lentini started advocating for change in the mental health and addiction field after her own experiences being incarcerated, hospitalized, and homeless. Her training in Breath-BodyMind, Aromatherapy, Stephanie Covington Women and Trauma, and a certified Louise Hay trainer allows her to continue advocacy by sharing healing practices with others she meets in her life’s journey. One of her goals in life is to continue sharing Louise Hay’s belief about learning how to love ourselves can heal our mind-body and spirit. As she shares her personal healing journey with others she encourages individual roads to recovery and building resiliency through adversity. She continues to grow in her personal healing as she works on building human connection, strengthen individual hope, and sharing love, kindness and support.

Daryl McGraw is the CEO of Formerly Inc., Connecticut’s first criminal justice consultant agency that is uniquely staffed by formerly incarcerated individuals who seek to assist and support those impacted by the criminal justice system. With over ten years of personal and professional experience with urban trauma, addiction recovery and community reintegration; Mr. McGraw is highly regarded as an expert in the field. He is a dynamic speaker delivering speeches, webinars, and trainings that support the recovery and reintegration process. Mr. McGraw holds state certifications as an Addictions Counselor, Recovery Support Specialist, and a Criminal Justice Professional. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Services and a Master’s Degree in Organizational Management and Leadership, both from Springfield College. Prior to entering the human service field, Mr. McGraw held several leadership positions in the hospitality field working for Fortune 500 companies. His transformative work on behalf of battling addiction and overcoming obstacles facing formerly incarcerated persons upon their release is truly inspiring.

Tracey Meyers is a licensed clinical psychologist with expertise in neuropsychological assessment, psychotherapy, including traumainformed therapies, and positive behavioral planning. In addition, Tracey has extensive training in integrative medicine modalities to support optimal mental health. She is an advanced yoga instructor and yoga therapist. She is certified to teach MBSR, iRest, and BreathBody-Mind. She lectures across the country and internationally on different integrative medicine topics for healing. She authored several publications and book chapters around holistic behavioral treatment for mental health conditions. She recently wrote a book called, Yin Yoga Therapy and Mental Health, which describes how yoga can be an important part of the recovery journey for people with mental health and traumatic brain injuries. Tracey is on staff at Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers, a legal assistance program for lawyers, judges, and law students providing mental health support and wellbeing coaching. She is a senior facilitator for Studio Be, a digital well-being solutions to companies, non-profits, and individuals that are rooted in mindfulness, and is part of the faculty at Maryland University of Integrative Health, and the Center for Integrative Yoga studies.

Amy B. Otzel, LPC, LMHC, is a retired U.S. Army Behavioral Health Sergeant and Iraq War veteran whose personal trauma healing and health recovery journey has enhanced her contribution forward in helping service as a skilled psychotherapist, passionate educator, and dedicated advocate. Proudly continuing the mission, she has formerly served as a Department of Veterans Affairs Readjustment Counseling Therapist as well as a State of CT Military Support Program clinician and currently is a private practice counselor promoting resiliency, connectivity, and personal growth opportunities with military members, veterans, and their families. Maintaining proficiencies in conditions of trauma and stress, Amy routinely contributes to educational service as a Yale University Department of Psychiatry lecturer, a professional development educator, a holistic health and stress management instructor, and an Advanced Level 3 Breath-Body-Mind teacher. In volunteer service, Amy is an assertive advocate who has led by example as a peer support representative, spearheaded extensive outreach, assisted with the organization of a Veterans’ Coffeehouse chapter, and acted as CoChairperson of the VA CT Mental Health Community Advisory Board. She is also a published songwriter whose endeavors and accomplishments have been complimented by the valued relationships she shares with her husband and children presently enjoying residency in southeastern coastal Georgia.

Eileen M. Russo, MA, LADC, is a certified clinical supervisor and an advanced certified alcohol and drug counselor (substance use and co-occurring disorders) who has worked in the addiction and mental health field for the past 37 years. Ms. Russo also holds credentials as a relapse prevention specialist and a compassion fatigue educator. She has recently retired as Professor and Program Coordinator for the Drug and Alcohol Recovery Counselor program with Gateway Community College in New Haven, Connecticut. For the past 17 years, she has served as a trainer/consultant with the Connecticut Women’s Consortium, the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, private agencies, and several states beyond Connecticut. Ms. Russo has assisted over 35 agencies/programs with developing trauma-informed programs. Her training experience is extensive, including but not limited to, the staff of private- nonprofits, corrections, domestic violence programs and presentations at national conferences. Ms. Russo has co-authored articles on the integration of trauma-specific services into treatment for substance use disorders and is a co-author of the curriculum Healing Trauma+: A Brief Intervention for Women and Gender-Diverse People, Third Edition, by Stephanie Covington.

Don Scherling, PsyD, is a Senior Clinical Consultant, Health Educator, Behavioral Health Wellness Coach, assistant in the Care for Caregivers Yoga program, & a clinical faculty member in the Berkshire Medical Center - Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences in Pittsfield, Massachussetts . He is a QPR and SPRC certified trainer and a senior clinical consultant and Trainer with SAMHSA/CSAT, the Connecticut Department of Mental Health & Addiction Services, and other regional and statewide agencies in the Northeast.

Shane Scott, LCSW is a Connecticut native. Shane received his Master’s Degree from University of Connecticut School of Social Work in 2012. He believes that compassion, understanding, and fostering a holistic approach are an integral part of the healing process. As a dynamic and skilled social worker, Shane brings a vast array of experience beginning in 2005, where he began his career working with youth and families across the life span and in a variety of settings, including schools and communities. In addition, Shane has experience working with individuals that are experiencing depression, anxiety, trauma, and substance abuse conditions. Shane also has a strong passion and skill in working with individuals experiencing gender and sexual identity issues. Shane also has a talent with facilitating trainings, workshops, and coaching other professionals. Shane currently has a private practice in West Hartford, Connecticut. Shane also facilitates personal and professional development trainings for the LGBTQIA+ community.

Dr. David Tolin is the Founder and Director of the Anxiety Disorders Center at the Institute of Living, and an Adjunct Professor of Psychiatry at Yale University School of Medicine. He is the Past-President of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, the Past-President of the Clinical Psychology Division of the American Psychological Association, and a principal investigator for the National Institutes of Health. He received the Award for Lifetime Contribution to Psychology from the Connecticut Psychological Association. Dr. Tolin is the author of over 200 scientific journal articles, as well as the several books including Doing CBT: A Comprehensive Guide to Working with Behaviors, Thoughts, and Emotions and Buried in Treasures: Help for Compulsive Acquiring, Saving, and Hoarding. Dr. Tolin has been featured on the reality TV series Hoarders and The OCD Project, and has been a recurrent guest on The Oprah Winfrey Show.

Viana Turcios-Cotto, PhD, is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist, with subspecialties in child and adolescent psychology and health psychology. She currently maintains a private practice in West Hartford of highly diverse clients from early childhood through the elderly years. Dr. Turcios-Cotto also consults and presents on implementing trauma-informed practices in schools and mental health settings, as well as cultural competency in clinical work.

Kelvin Young, RSS is a certified Sound Healer, Recovery Support Specialist and Owner of Kelvin Young, LLC. Kelvin is a co-founder of Toivo, a DMHAS funded, peer-run holistic healing center in Hartford, CT. He also has been inducted into the CT Hall of Change in September, 2020 which is designed to recognize formerly incarcerated men and women who have made substantial contributions to CT communities since their release. Kelvin was also featured in a powerful documentary on trauma, addiction and recovery called “Uprooting Addiction” and is the author of “Finding Freedom Behind Bars: A Journey Of Self-Discovery & Healing” where he shares his story of addiction, incarceration and 3 keys that have helped him move forward without turning back to self-destructive ways of coping or simply giving up. Today, he publicly speaks on addiction recovery, peer support and healing to people from all walks of life. Kelvin also facilitates private and group sound healing sessions at different locations throughout the United States. He is passionate about holding space for people to heal and is known for his warm, loving, and down-to-earth way of connecting with people.