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The professional staff of
Solutions has many years of specialized training and
experience in child, adolescent and adult
psychology. We specialize in the
assessment and treatment of behavioral,
emotional and learning disorders in
children, adolescents and adults. |
Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder,
Aspergers Syndrome and Anxious
and Depressed children and
adolescents. Over the course of
the past 22 years, Dr. Freilich
has developed an array of
techniques and strategies for
working with children and
families who have previously been
identified as resistant to
standard forms of treatment.
Dr. Freilich received her
doctoral training at Georgia
State University where she
received extensive training in
the assessment and treatment of
many childhood disorders, Her
residency at Crestwood Children's
Hospital in Rochester, NY
provided her with hands-on
assessment and treatment of
children and families.
Currently, Dr. Freilich has
focused much of her attention to
the treatment of Learning
Differences, as well as to
differential diagnosis of
children with Bipolar,
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity
Disorder, Anxiety disorders,
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and
Depression. |
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Ms. McClain graduated Cum Laude from
Lenoir-Rhyne College in Hickory and
obtained her Master of Arts in Clinical
Psychology from Radford University, in
Radford, Virginia. Her specialized area
of expertise is in the assessment and
diagnosis of children’s learning
difficulties.
She is a past Executive Board member and
Treasurer of the N.C. Branch of the
International Dyslexia Association, and |
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recipient of the 2008
Dr. Lucia Rooney Karnes
Award for Excellence
for service to this organization. Additionally,
she has been trained in the neurodevelopmental
assessment of children and conducts
comprehensive assessments of children focused on
the identification
of children’s strengths, which
are then used to overcome identified learning,
emotional, social and developmental weaknesses.
Ms. McClain also developed and conducts an
effective social skills training group, “FriendBuilders”,
which is appropriate for children from ages 4 to
12. Adjustment issues such as divorce, grief, as
well as ADHD, developmental disorders,
depression and anxiety are also areas of
expertise for Ms. McClain. She has received
advanced training and supervision in conducting
Forensic Evaluations of individuals and
families, and also treats children and families
during and after high-conflict divorces. She is
a member of the Catawba Valley Association of
Counselors & Therapists, The North Carolina
Psychological Association and the American
Psychological Association.

Ms. Anne
Hendrix MA, NCC, LPC is a Licensed Professional
Counselor who has practiced in Hickory since 1984.
Ms. Hendrix holds an undergraduate degree with a
double major in Psychology and Sociology and a Masters
Degree in Mental Health Counseling from Appalachian
State University.
Ms Hendrix is licensed by the state of NC. She has
been certified by the National Board for Certified
Counselors since 1987. Ms Hendrix has been a member
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of Catawba Valley Area Counselors and Therapists (CVACT)
since 1985, having served as Treasurer and has
participated on various committees.
Ms. Hendrix has experience
practicing in both a hospital-based setting as well as
in private practice. She has always worked with
children, adolescents and adults. She has experience
facilitating couples therapy, family therapy and
group therapy. Since 2002 she has been
practicing with the additional benefit of her
therapy dog named “Schaefer”. He is a German Shepherd who, it seems, “just knows what
to do” as they work together to assist children and
adults to reach their treatment goals. Ms. Hendrix’s
areas of expertise include Eating Disorders, Anxiety
Disorders (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders, Phobias,
Separation Anxiety Disorder, Panic, Selective Mutism), depression, and
empowering survivors of abuse. Ms. Hendrix offers a
wide range of evening hours for the convenience of
Solutions’ clients. |
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Mrs. Dianne Sanford is a Licensed
Professional Counselor who has practiced
counseling in Hickory, NC, since 1990.
Prior to that, Mrs. Sanford has provided
counseling services for twelve years in
various environments, including foster
homes, group homes, and day treatment
programs for children, adolescents, and
geriatric populations. She holds an
undergraduate degree from Kent State |
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University in Ohio, and a
Masters Degree in Community Mental
Health Counseling from Northeastern
University in Massachusetts. Mrs.
Sanford is married to a local minister
and has three young adult children. Now
and over the last ten years, she has
been a church volunteer, with the
children and youth, in various
functions.
Clinically, she enjoys
counseling adults, adolescents, and
children, through therapies including
individual, family, and couples, and
play-therapy with children. Her areas of
expertise include: Bereavement,
parenting, and co-parenting matters,
children of divorce and/or remarriage,
injured workers, victims and survivors
of abuse, and spirituality issues. In
addition, Mrs. Sanford works with
clients dealing with Attention Deficit
Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD),
depression, anxiety, and Bipolar
disorders. She has many years of
experience working on a multi
disciplinary treatment team. She is, and
has been, an active member of Catawba
Valley Area Counselors and Therapists (CVACT) since 1990.
Currently, she is on the CVACT Board of
Directors, as the Program Chairperson.
In addition, Mrs. Sanford has been
certified by the National Board for
Certified Counselors since 1991. |
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Mr. Ferguson is a Licensed
Psychological Associate. A
local resident, he graduated
salutatorian from West Caldwell
High School in Lenoir, North
Carolina in 2000 and attended
Wake Forest University in
Winston Salem, North Carolina
where he obtained a Bachelor of
Science degree in Psychology,
and then a Master of Arts in
Clinical Psychology from
Appalachian State
University in Boone, North
Carolina. |
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Mr. Ferguson’s experience includes working
with adolescents with behavioral and legal
issues as well as receiving supervised
training in a diagnostic psychology clinic
working with college students and children
experiencing learning difficulties,
attentional impairment, and other
emotional/behavioral difficulties; a college
counseling center specializing in the
treatment of adjustment difficulties; and a
community mental health agency specializing
in the psychological assessment and
treatment of children, adolescents, and
families. In addition, Mr. Ferguson has
obtained post-graduate specialized training
in forensic applications of psychology as
well as play therapy and diagnosis and
treatment of autism spectrum disorders.
Mr. Ferguson’s professional interests
include comprehensive psychological
assessment and differential diagnosis of
various disorders, including autism spectrum
disorders, Dyslexia,
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder,
and other emotional and behavioral
disorders, as well as psychological
treatment relevant to these disorders. Mr.
Ferguson’s clinical expertise includes
treatment of anxiety, depression, and ADHD
primarily in children and adolescents. He
is a member of Catawba Valley Area
Counselors and Therapists (CVACT) and the
North Carolina Psychological Association. |
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Dr. Phil Icard is a licensed
psychologist specializing in pediatric
neuropsychology and developmental
disabilities. As a child and adolescent
neuropsychologist, Dr. Icard provides
comprehensive assessment, consultation,
and treatment for childhood conditions
with neurological involvement. Dr.
Icard has experience working with both
congenital and acquired disorders,
including Autism Spectrum |
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Disorders, Attention-Deficit/
Hyperactivity Disorder, Intellectual
Disability, Learning Disorders,
Psychiatric Illness, chronic kidney
disease, and Traumatic Brain Injury. He
is particularly interested in the areas
of recovery after Traumatic Brain
Injury, coping with chronic illness, and
complex learning disorders.
Dr. Icard received his Bachelors,
Masters, and Doctoral degrees from the
University of North Carolina at Chapel
Hill. While at UNC, he also completed a
postdoctoral fellowship in pediatric
neuropsychology and developmental
disabilities at the Clinical Center for
the Study of Development and Learning.
As both a clinician and researcher, Dr.
Icard has written peer-reviewed journal
articles and a book chapter focusing on
pediatric chronic illness. He has
participated in research examining the
neurological impact of pediatric chronic
kidney disease and substance-use on
brain development. He is a member of
the American Psychological Association,
the North Carolina Psychological
Association, and the National Academy of
Neuropsychology. A lifelong North
Carolinian, Dr. Icard graduated from
Alexander Central High School in
Taylorsville, North Carolina. |
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is owned & operated by |
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Michelle A. McClain, MS,
LPA & Elyse F. Freilich, Ph.D., LP
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