CLINICAL TEAM

(click profile to view full bios)

• ROBERT HILLIKER, LCSW- S, LCDC

  CLINCIAL DIRECTOR
  ROBERT HILLIKER, LCSW- S, LCDC

  CLINCIAL DIRECTOR

  Robert is driven by a deep commitment to serve others, and is passionate about the subject of hope and despair in clinical treatment. His 17 years in the field of addiction and mental health encompass private practice, clinical supervision, the creation and management of clinical programming, the co-founding of The Lovett Center in 2014 and the co-founding of Ethos in 2018.

  Throughout his educational and professional careers, Robert has gained valuable experience and impactful recognitions. He earned his Master’s degree from the University of Houston’s Graduate College of Social Work, which went on to honor him as a 50 for 50 Alumni in 2019 for embodying the college’s social justice vision. Robert’s education includes a fellowship at the Center for Psychoanalytic Studies and a Postgraduate Social Work Fellowship at The Menninger Clinic, while his resume includes long standing leadership positions at The Daring Way, The Council on Alcohol and Drugs Houston and The Menninger Clinic. At the latter, he earned a Menninger Clinic Pillar Award for Integrity for his work in the Professionals in Crisis Program, an honor meant to recognize those who best exemplify Menninger’s core values: excellence, teamwork, hope, integrity and caring. The Houston Business Journal named Robert a 40 Under 40 Class of 2018 Honoree.

• CECI HUDSON TORN, LPC-A

  LEAD THERAPIST
  CECI HUDSON TORN, LPC-A

  LEAD THERAPIST

  An exemplary, long-spanning career in mental health and finance has put person-centered-care at the heart of Ceci’s work. She has gathered a wealth of experience at one of the nation’s largest residential summer camps, which provides her with a unique lens to approach treatment in a residential setting. Ceci received her master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health from Wake Forest University and is currently pursuing a doctorate in social work from The University of Southern California, with a focus on building behavioral health in adolescents and young adults. Since co-founding Ethos Behavioral Health Group in 2018, Ceci now spends her time providing clinical services and business leadership across all Ethos healing centers as a Licensed Mental Health Professional and Ethos’ Chief Operations Officer. She and her husband Chris are continuing to serve children and families with the launch of Camp OTX in the Texas Hill Country, all while raising 5 children of their own.

• CHAD LEMAIRE, MD, DFAPA

  PSYCHIATRIST
  CHAD LEMAIRE, MD, DFAPA

  PSYCHIATRIST

  Dr. Lemaire is a psychiatrist with over a decade of experience who is passionate about treating people with diverse needs in a compassionate and holistic way. He employs a biopsychosocial approach, incorporating existential and spiritual components as desired by the person seeking help. He believes in involving his patients in collaborative treatment decisions. The richness of working with people wanting to improve their lives is very rewarding and fulfilling to Dr. Lemaire. One of the many reasons Dr. Lemaire felt psychiatry was a calling is his belief that the shared human experience is such a large part of working with people who seek mental health care. He feels that making a deep connection with someone in a trusting environment has the power to heal. Dr. Lemaire strives to treat others as he would want his own loved ones to be treated.

  Before becoming a physician, Dr. Lemaire worked as a nurse. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Southwestern Louisiana, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude with Highest Honors and was Outstanding Graduate of the College of Nursing. While working as a pediatric nurse with a focus in oncology, he was inspired to go to medical school. He attended medical school at Baylor College of Medicine, where he graduated in 2006 with Highest Honors, ranked #1 in his class, and was given the Eugen Kahn Award for Excellence in Psychiatry. He then completed a psychiatry residency at the Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, where he was named Outstanding Resident of his graduating class.

  Dr. Lemaire has worked in various clinical and leadership roles. He has also done advocacy work around mental health and other issues that are important to him. Dr. Lemaire served as President of the Houston Psychiatric Society in 2017-18 and has served as a Board Member for the Network of Behavioral Health Providers and Doctors for Change, respectively. He has authored or co-authored over 40 peer reviewed journal articles in mental health, and he authored a book chapter on grief and resilience. Dr. Lemaire is a Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society, the Texas Society of Psychiatric Physicians, the Houston Psychiatric Society, the Texas Medical Association and the Harris County Medical Society.

• JP KENDRICK, LMSW

  STAFF THERAPIST
  JP KENDRICK, LMSW

  STAFF THERAPIST

  J.P. Kendrick is a Clinical Fellow at The Lovett Center and a Clinician at The Prairie Recovery Center. He works with individuals and couples in order to help them overcome difficulties and empower them to forge a path to recovery. J.P. specializes in working with professionals and other adults and uses an eclectic approach that includes psychodynamic therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, solution-focused therapy, Interpersonal therapy and humanistic/experiential therapy framed with empowerment theory, systems theory and person-centered theory.  Underpinning all of this is his core belief that all people can overcome things which seem insurmountable. He believes they already possess the raw materials to become the versions of themselves that they wish to be and that the path forward can be cleared in the therapeutic space.

  J.P. earned his master’s in social work from Baylor with honors and is a Licensed Master Social Worker. His clinical specialties include trauma, complex trauma, PTSD, depression, anxiety, anger, addiction and professional issues, as well as relationship issues.

  J.P. considers the therapeutic relationship sacred and is privileged to help his clients rediscover their power and worthiness by creating and holding a space that is safe and free of the barriers encountered in everyday life. He considers it a great honor to walk alongside other human beings while they become better, more reconciled and more complete versions of themselves.

• BENJAMIN CARNES, LCDC

  CLINICAL CASE MANAGER
  BENJAMIN CARNES, LCDC

  CLINICAL CASE MANAGER

  As Clinical Case Manager for Ethos’ The Prairie Recovery Center, Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor Benjamin Carnes wears many hats. Upon intake, Ben performs a comprehensive biopsychosocial assessment to understand clients’ unique challenges and strengths. As the patients progress through treatment, Ben works in conjunction with the client and the rest of the treatment team to develop and arrange an individualized treatment and aftercare plan. In between, he meets with clients regularly to ensure they are meeting their treatment objectives and getting what they need from their time at the Prairie. 

  With more than five years of experience in the field of mental health and addiction, Ben isn’t sure what he would be doing if he wasn’t working in recovery. He is grateful for the opportunity to help clients grow in their pursuit of their most authentic selves. He spent his early years in the field as a member of youth staff at Teen and Family Services and at the Palmer Drug Abuse Program as a counselor intern. Ben then transitioned to an outpatient counselor role at the Phoenix House of Texas and later, a residential counselor on the adolescent unit of Memorial Hermann’s Prevention and Recovery Center. 

  Ben is now pursuing his Bachelor’s degree in Social Work at the University of Houston-Downtown. He cites his friends, his family, and his wife as his biggest source of inspiration and support in life. For fun, he loves to play video games, play guitar and go fishing when he isn’t helping on the family farm in Caldwell, Texas.

   

• PAUL CALUSCOS, LMSW

  STAFF THERAPIST
  PAUL CALUSCOS, LMSW

  STAFF THERAPIST

  An alumni of the Ethos Behavioral Health Group internship program and the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work, Paul is a Licensed Master Social Worker who serves clients at Ethos’ The Lovett Center and The Prairie Recovery Center at both the inpatient and outpatient levels, in both group and individual therapy sessions. In his practice, where he specializes in substance use with co-occurring mental health issues, he employs a variety of therapy modalities including Psychodynamic Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR).  

  Paul works with his clients to help identify unconscious patterns and themes that may be affecting their daily lives and relationships and bring them to the conscious mind, helping them to heal and move forward—past any recurring thoughts and behaviors causing distress or holding them back—towards increased self-awareness and a deeper sense of purpose and meaning.  

  Years of experience working with communities affected by addiction and mental health issues sparked Paul’s passion and led him towards a career in behavioral health and substance use treatment. As a GLOBE Fellow with the Global Leaders of Behavioral Health and Education, Paul focused on promoting therapy in diverse communities; with the Alliance for Multicultural Community Services, he helped to establish mentoring and counseling programs for immigrant and refugee students in HISD schools; as a Peer Recovery Support Specialist at a local sober living organization, he collaborated with residents to establish wellness and recovery plans; and much more.  

  In his spare time, Paul especially enjoys networking with resource agencies in the local community, gathering tools to further help his clients and other individuals in-need. This can be financial, medical or even something as simple as transportation; one of the organizations he works with, Free Wheels Houston, donates bikes to diverse populations.   Finally, in addition to his role as a clinician, Paul also serves as a facilitator for all Ethos meetings of the worldwide SMART Recovery program, a no-cost, non-denominational community for all types of recovery that is based in CBT and REBT.  

• ALANA SMITH

  FAMILY THERAPIST/PRAIRIE FAMILY PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT
  ALANA SMITH

  FAMILY THERAPIST/PRAIRIE FAMILY PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT

  COMING SOON

• SHAWN SLOBE, LMSW

  STAFF THERAPIST & DISCHARGE PLANNING
  SHAWN SLOBE, LMSW

  STAFF THERAPIST & DISCHARGE PLANNING

  BIO COMING SOON

• MATT RUSSELL

  SPIRITUAL CARE
  MATT RUSSELL

  SPIRITUAL CARE

  BIO COMING SOON

• SUMMER STEELE

  RECOVERY SUPPORT SPECIALIST
  SUMMER STEELE

  RECOVERY SUPPORT SPECIALIST