Founded in 2012, and launched in the spring of 2013, Open Path Psychotherapy Collective is a nationwide network of mental health professionals dedicated to providing in-office mental health care—at a steeply reduced rate—to individuals, couples, children, and families in need. Since our founding, Open Path has matched more than 10,000 clients across the country to affordable psychotherapeutic care. Additionally, Open Path has had over 21,000 students sign on to take one of our affordable online wellness classes.

Mission and vision
In partnership with licensed mental health clinicians in private practice throughout the fifty states, Open Path Psychotherapy Collective provides middle and lower-income level individuals, couples, families, and children with access to affordable psychotherapy and mental health education services. While affordable psychotherapy for all remains the ideal, our nonprofit organization is dedicated to leveling the current mental health playing field by reaching the growing number of Americans who earn too much to qualify for subsidized psychotherapeutic services and too little to pay for private psychotherapy.

Meet our team
Paul FugelsangFounder, Executive Director

Paul has worked in the mental health field since 1996 with a focus on projects committed to improving mental health services for lower income individuals and families. Before beginning his own private psychotherapy practice, he spent five years as counselor and supervisor at Esperanza, NY, a community-based agency designed to implement procedural reform throughout the juvenile justice system in New York City. Paul counts among his interests yoga, the study of plant medicine, and long baseball catches with his son in the park. A graduate of Naropa University’s Contemplative Psychotherapy program, Paul operates Open Path Psychotherapy Collective and maintains a private practice in Asheville, NC. www.paulfugelsang.com Contact Paul via email.

Lisa IsenhartProgram Director

As Program Director, Lisa Isenhart is responsible for overseeing the coordination and administration of Open Path’s affordable psychotherapy and mental health education programming. She received her BA in International Studies from Kenyon College, and earned her MA in Anthropology from Washington University in St. Louis. After researching social movements and the politics of change during her graduate studies, Lisa decided to actively participate in bringing about a more just and healthier society through work in the field of nonprofit advocacy. She brings a decade of nonprofit experience to her role with Open Path, and is excited to expand Open Path’s programs to reach a greater number of people in need each year. Contact Lisa via email.

Bethany CoomesMembership Associate/Open Path & Being Seen

Bethany received her BA in Psychology from the University of North Carolina at Asheville. She started off as an intern with Open Path in November 2015, and from there discovered that she wanted a career in the nonprofit world. After moving to Frederick, MD, she spent four months interning at the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. Currently, Bethany is enrolled in a masters degree program at Regis University in Nonprofit Management. Bethany is excited to continue being a part of Open Path and looks forward to helping others access affordable mental health care.

Rafael MartinezClinician Consultant

Rafael Martinez, MA, LPCA is a psychotherapist and life coach. He received his Masters degree in Somatic Counseling Psychology from Naropa University in 2013 and has been a Certified Life Coach through Leadership that Works, since 2007. Rafael has worked in a variety of settings, including non-profit mental health clinics, schools, juvenile detention facilities, and community centers. He has worked in NYC as a family advocate and peer coach and most recently served as a bilingual counselor for middle/high school students in East Oakland, CA.

Dana Daniel-EdgertonClinician Consultant

Dana Daniel-Edgerton is a Licensed Professional Counseling-Intern, under the clinical supervision of Louis Laves-Webb, LCSW, LPC-S. Dana is an Austin, Texas native; she received her Masters of Arts in Counseling from St. Edwards’s University, and a Bachelor’s of Arts in Psychology from Texas State University. Dana was one Open Path’s first clinicians. Open Path Collective has allowed her to provide affordable therapy at reduced rates. For more about Dana, please visit: www.louislaves-webb.com/dana-daniel-edgerton/

Elaine BleakneyDigital Editor

Elaine Bleakney is a writer and editor with a deep interest in psychotherapy and mental health. She has worked on marketing and publishing initiatives for Penland School of Crafts, the Academy of American Poets, and other nonprofits. Her first book, For Another Writing Back, was published by the independent press Sidebrow Books in 2014 and her writings have appeared in many literary journals. She is a graduate of the M.F.A. program at the University of California, Irvine, and received her B.A. from Kenyon College in Ohio. Elaine writes and edits Open Path’s blog. Contact Elaine via email.

Benjamin RosatiDesign, Development

Ben Rosati began his career in 2008 as a flash website designer for the entertainment industry. He attended The School of Visual Arts in New York City with a focus on Digital Media, before landing a position at Ignition Interactive, a small LA based agency, where he serviced clients such as Lionsgate, E! Entertainment, and Sony Pictures. After leaving Ignition, Ben continued his journey as he contributed inhouse for several studios where he perfected his craft and built a repertoire of clientele. In 2013 Ben connected with Paul Fugelsang and began design and development on Open Path. Over the years Ben has collaborated on projects which have won several industry awards including Awwwards, Webby, FWA, and Communication Arts. Contact Ben via email.

Daniel Wendler, MAAdwords Account Specialist

Daniel earned his marketing stripes managing seven-figure AdWords accounts for big businesses but left the marketing world behind to pursue his real passion — a career as a therapist. Today, when he’s not working with clients or working on his dissertation, he combines his marketing background with his mental health training to help his fellow therapists succeed online. He is honored to be a part of the Open Path team and contribute to its mission of bringing affordable therapy to everyone. Connect with him at MarketingForTherapists.org or DanielWendler.com

Sam ReisOpen Path Intern

Sam Reis is a Junior at Appalachian State University. She is pursuing her BA in Psychology with a double minor in Criminal Justice and Leadership Studies. Sam is heavily involved in the Psychology Department as an undergraduate research assistant, working alongside professors and graduate students in studies focusing on risk-taking behaviors, judgment and decision making, and wishful thinking. She is also very involved and passionate about social justice and service work, specifically through her involvement with the Alternative Service Experience programs on campus. Her goals are to pursue a Master’s of Social Work and work with children/adolescents in the clinical environment.

Board of Directors
Yael Goldman BaldwinBoard President

Yael Goldman Baldwin is a psychologist and the chair and associate professor of psychology at Mars Hill University in Asheville, North Carolina. She obtained her M.A. at the University of Chicago and her Ph.D. in clinical psychology at Duquesne University. She is a member of the Associated Psychoanalytic Workgroups. Her publications have appeared in the ‘Lacanian Compass’, the ‘International Lacanian Review’, ‘Methods: A Journal for Human Science’, and ‘Theory and Psychology’.

Sonal Shah Taylor

Sonal Shah Taylor graduated from Indiana University with a B.A. in Biology and History in 2000. She graduated from AUC School of Medicine in 2004 and completed her internal medicine residency at New York Hospital of Queens in 2007. She is a diplomate of the American Board of Integrative Holistic Medicine. Sonal is a certified functional medicine provider. She was involved in the earthquake relief effort in Haiti in 2010 and has continued work in Haiti with Rise 2 Shine. Sonal has worked for the Indian Health Services on the Navajo reservation and has an ongoing interest in nonprofit and relief work. She is deeply committed to health equity and death and dying work. She has been a Hospitalist for the last 10 years and began working at Mission Hospital in Asheville in 2011.

Eric ZickermanBoard Treasurer

Eric Zickerman graduated from Northern Arizona University with a Bachelors of Science degree in exercise science, and received his medical degree from Midwestern University, Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine in Glendale Arizona in 2005. After finishing school, Eric did his medical residency in Emergency Medicine at Louisiana State University. During his residency Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, where he worked during and immediately following the storm. Immediately following his time in New Orleans, Eric went into private practice at West Jefferson Medical Center, in Marrero, Louisiana. In April of 2013, Eric began working in the Emergency Department at Mission Memorial Hospital.

Aditi-Sethi Brown

Aditi Sethi-Brown is a hospice and palliative medicine and family physician who currently works at the CarePartners/Mission Solace Center, an inpatient Hospice facility in Asheville, NC. She received a B.A. in Religious Studies and Medical Humanities from Davidson College in 2002, and an M.D from the Medical College of Georgia in 2008. She completed her post-graduate training with MAHEC in Asheville, NC, in 2012.

Katherine FisherBoard Secretary

Katherine Fisher is a 2003 graduate of the University of North Carolina School of Law at Chapel Hill. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, also from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, which she received in 1992. Building on her professional history of service to underserved communities, Katie began her family law practice at Western North Carolina’s highly regarded private legal aid firm, Pisgah Legal Services, and quickly became a managing attorney. There, Katie dedicated her practice to representing low income victims of domestic violence. Building on that experience in private practice since 2009, Katie has focused her attention on exclusively on family law cases and post-divorce estate planning.

Brent Beam

Brent Beam is a licensed psychologist and owner of Beam Counseling & Coaching, a private psychotherapy practice in Asheville, NC. Brent graduated from the University of North Carolina and earned his M.A. and Ph.D. in counseling psychology from Southern Illinois University. His clinical and consultant experience spans university counseling centers, healthcare and EAP settings, and wilderness therapy. A member of the Society for the Psychological Study of Men and Masculinity, Brent specializes in strengthening men’s well-being. To learn more, visit BeamCounseling.com.

Course Creators and Consultants
  • Paul Fugelsang, MA, LPC.

    Paul Fugelsang is the executive director of Open Path Psychotherapy Collective. He received a masters in psychology from Naropa University.

  • Dr. Karen Rippy, PhD, LMFT

    Dr. Karen Rippy received her Ph.D. in Psychology from Sierra and Claremont Graduate University. She maintains a private practice in Mission Viejo, CA.

  • Rebecca Gangl, MA, LPC

    Rebecca is a licensed professional counselor and certified addictions counselor. She holds a master’s degree in Transpersonal Counseling from Naropa University.

  • Reeta Wolfsohn, CMSW

    Reeta Wolfsohn is founder of Financial Social Work (FSW) and the Financial Therapy Network. Her work focuses on financial wellbeing.

  • Eva Ebert

    Eva Ebert is in the MA program for experimental psychology at Appalachian State University. Eva is researching anxiety and its influence on risky behaviors.

  • Dr. Rustan Adcock, MD

    Dr. Rustan Adcock graduated from Duke University and then Dartmouth Medical School in 2003. He is a partner and physician with The Family Health Centers in Asheville, NC.

  • Dr. Yael Baldwin, PhD

    Dr. Yael Baldwin is a psychologist and Chair of Psychology at Mars Hill University, NC. She received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Duquesne University.

  • Dr. Eric Zickerman, MD

    Dr. Eric Zickerman received his medical degree from Midwestern University, Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine in Glendale, AZ in 2005.