CHOICES IN HEALING AND RECOVERY INC.

Staff

Eryca Kasse, LICSW
Founder & Executive Director

Eryca Kasse is a licensed independent clinical social worker (LICSW) in Washington, DC with a background in co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders. She received her BSW from George Mason University in 1998 and worked post bachelors with youth in high-risk situations (runaway, homeless, LGBTQ & court involved). She received her MSW from Howard University in 2010 where she completed field placements with women returning home from prison & jail and adults living with chronic mental health & substance use disorders experiencing homelessness. Her post-graduate work has focused on adults living with co-occurring mental health & substance use disorders at community mental health centers, substance use disorder treatment programs, hospitals and emergency rooms; providing diagnostic assessments, individual & group therapy and crisis intervention. In 2016 she founded her consulting practice CHOICES, providing clinical supervision and CEU trainings for providers and workshops for people in recovery, focused on trauma informed behavioral health care. In Fall 2021, CHOICES in Healing & Recovery was approved as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and has expanded services to provide trauma informed peer support groups & facilitator trainings. Eryca currently lives in NE, DC with her tortie cat, and enjoys drumming, swimming and spending time with family.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Michelle Hurrell, BA, CPRS
Secretary

Michelle Hurrell, a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist, has a background in teaching (BA in English Education) and training (former group facilitator at PRS, Inc and W.R.A.P. facilitator). Michelle is a management leader at Recovery Program Solutions of Virginia (RPSV), a peer run non-profit organization that hires those recovering from mental illness, substance use, food insecurity or homelessness to help those who are in various stages of recovery. RPSV runs four wellness centers that focus on providing emotional support groups, along with one center that provides participants access to laundry and showers. All the centers provide shelter during the day along with meals and snacks. RPSV also provides emotional support when the day centers close by offering Zoom "One on Ones " in the late afternoon and evening. Michelle's blurb under her high school picture was, “My goal is to somehow make a difference.” She uses this as her motivation mantra personally, in employment and in her work as Secretary of the Board of CHOICES.

Michelle Bowser, CPRS
President

Michelle Bowser studied Psychology at Northern Virginia Community College, is a former Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) and has been a Peer Support Specialist in Virginia since 2018, becoming certified as a CPRS in 2023. Her Peer Specialist experience includes Recovery Program Solutions Virginia (RPSV) as lead trainer of the peer warm line, creator and facilitator of Wellness Recovery Action Plan and APPR peer support groups. While at RPSV she was trained as a CHOICES Peer Facilitator, actively involved in CHOICES first partner site at RPSV to host a virtual CHOICES Trauma Informed 12 Steps Peer Support Group. She is now an active CHOICES volunteer Peer Facilitator with our Monday virtual group. Her passion for and commitment to the mission of CHOICES is personified in her community outreach skills, and has helped the CHOICES community grow immensely. She identifies as recovering from lived experiences of trauma and substance use. Areas of focus for service important to her include: domestic violence, substance use and harm reduction, advocacy and action planning. Her first action step was hope. She loves to help support others that may experience similar situations or emotions and offer this same hope without any judgements.

Katherine Shepard, Phd
Treasurer

Katherine Shepard earned a Doctorate of Philosophy in School Psychology from the University of Texas at Austin. Her dissertation examined the neuropsychological profile of children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Katherine completed her predoctoral internship at the Lewisville Independent School District, where she conducted psychoeducational evaluations as well as provided individual and family therapy. Following her predoctoral internship, Katherine completed a postdoctoral fellowship in private practice where she continued to develop her clinical skills. In addition to her clinical work, Katherine has an interest in research and has published on a variety of topics, including parent education, ADHD, and empirical based practice. Katherine has a strong commitment to supporting not-for-profit organizations. Specifically, she currently focuses on assisting not-for-profits in obtaining grants necessary to fulfill their mission.

Abdul Kargbo, LMSW, CAC II

Abdul Kargbo is a licensed master social worker (LMSW) and certified addictions counselor (CAC II) with a profound commitment to public service. Extensive experience with marginalized communities including returning citizens, homeless populations, undocumented migrants, and persons diagnosed with mental illness, substance use disorders, and HIV. Expertise in inpatient and outpatient settings, behavioral health services, infectious disease case management, and vocational counseling. Outstanding technical skills with clinical workflow design, record management, database development and maintenance. Substantial experience training clinical and administrative staff. Abdul lives in South Carolina with his partner and enjoys doing crossword puzzles.

Volunteer Team

PEER FACILITATORS
Cat Sargentich
Beverly Holstein
Michelle Bowser
Bill G.

WEBSITE ADMINISTRATOR
Luis Castellon

In Memoriam
Jesse Luna, Website Administrator Emeretis