Meet the Staff

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Robert Cabaniss Jr.

Robert W. Cabaniss, Jr. is the founder and executive director of Williamsville Wellness. As a person who “was lucky enough to find recovery” for his own gambling addiction, he has dedicated his talents, resources and energy to bring together the best elements of treatment to be found under one roof.

A graduate of the University of Virginia’s McIntire School of Commerce, Cabaniss began a career in real estate followed by becoming involved in the wholesale beverage industry. Demonstrating his entrepreneurial spirit, he introduced a new retail concept to Richmond by opening a store named “Bacchus and Beef,” where wine, cheese, beef and other high-end products were sold.

After several more years in the wholesale beverage industry, Cabaniss entered the world of micro-brewing beer; and, on the premises where the beer was made, also opened the Main Street Beer Company restaurant, another very popular and successful venture. Cabaniss sold the restaurant in 2006.

“I am proud and humbled to be able to provide a place like Williamsville Wellness,” said Cabaniss. “It’s a special place where individuals will find simply the best treatment available to begin to recover from their gambling addition,” he added.

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Sherman Master, M.D.

Born in Massachusetts, Dr. Master is a graduate of the University of Virginia and earned his medical degree from the Medical College of Virginia. He interned at Emory University in Internal Medicine and completed his residency in Psychiatry also at Medical College of Virginia.

Dr. Master presently specializes in adult psychiatry and substance abuse medicine. He was recently the medical director of Tucker Pavillion at Chippenham Medical Center from 1990 to 2007. Prior to that, Dr. Master was medical director of Virginia Monitoring, Inc.

He is a clinical professor of Psychiatry at MCV and past president of the Richmond Psychiatric Society. He is listed in Best Doctors of America.

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Catherine Luckey, L.C.S.W.

Catherine Luckey is a licensed clinical social worker for Williamsville Wellness.  Catherine provides one-to-one psychotherapy to help patients know and to understand the underlying feelings and thoughts that contribute to addictive behaviors. Catherine helps clients to recognize dysfunctional defenses and to be willing to relinquish them in order to make healthier choices and to reach personal goals.

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John Gruszkos, Ph.D.,

John Gruszkos is a licensed clinical psychologist for Williamsville Wellness. His areas of specialization include adolescent and adult male development, compulsive and addictive behavior and personality assessment.

With broad experience in variety of clinical populations in inpatient, residential and outpatient facilities in both private and
Publicly-funded settings, Dr. Gruszkos also spent several years as clinical director of a behavioral healthcare insurance provider.

Dr. Gruszkos’ education includes earning his bachelors degree in Psychology from The University at Albany, his master’s degree in Counseling at Syracuse University, and his doctorate in Counseling Psychology from Virginia Commonwealth University.

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John Lynch

John Lynch is an established clinical psychologist and specializes in Anger Management counseling at Williamsville Wellness.  He has been in private practice in Richmond since 1991 and his clients have included leaders in corporate, commercial and governmental agencies. In addition to anxiety and depression, his specialty areas include men’s issues, stress and conflict management, couples therapy/relationship issues, and trauma recovery. 

John has published books on men’s issues and conflict management (The Pain Behind the Mask: Overcoming Masculine Depression and When Anger Scares You). John has developed a series of audiotapes to assist people with surgery recovery, sleep disorders, and anxiety.  His expertise in these areas has drawn local and national media attention. 

John works with individuals in group therapy at Williamsville Wellness.  In addition to his private practice, he also provides P.T.S.D. services to our returning combat veterans at McGuire Veteran Administration Medical Center.

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John D. Boyd, Ph.D., LLC

Dr. Boyd comes to Williamsville with a rewarding academic and clinical career. A Ph.D., from Ohio State University, he has served as a Tenured Professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of Virginia. He is licensed by Virginia’s board of Psychology to offer services in Clinical Psychology, Clinical Hypnosis and Forensic Psychology.

Clinical hypnosis reaches the electrical and chemical processes in all three divisions of the brain, producing constructive, therapeutic activity within and between the three parts. Hypnotically induced changes at the limbic and primitive brain levels are unconscious, but may be represented through sensory, imagery, and phenomenological experience in the conscious, cortical domain.

John has training in psychodynamics, cognitive-behavioral therapy, affective oriented treatment, and existential/humanistic techniques. “I call my approach personalistic”… an integration of methods to serve your unique characteristics and reach your personal goals.

Hypnotherapy is a unique approach to easing the compulsion to gambling. Williamsville Wellness strives to make abstinence easy and or possible so we can delve into the underlying problems to get you on the road to recovery. We are glad to have Dr. Boyd and his considerable knowledge and experience to be a part of the continued success of Williamsville Wellness.

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Dr. Sandra Rasmussen counseled gambling patients and their families at four agencies prior to coming to Williamsville Wellness.  She received her PhD  in clinical psychology and public practice from Harvard.  She is a Certified Addiction Specialist (CAS) in alcohol, other drugs, and gambling, a licensed mental health counselor (LMHC), and a registered nurse (RN).  She is a member of the International Association of Marriage and Family Counselors. 

Dr. Rasmussen directed a large comprehensive addiction treatment center in Massachusetts where she developed a Gambling Treatment Program.  She served on the Board of Directors of the Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling where she taught, supervised, and help prepare counselors for certification in gambling treatment.
Her book Addiction Treatment:  Theory and Practice won the AJN Distinguished Book Award of 2001. She received the Virginia Public Health Association Recognition Award 2004 for “outstanding leadership, commitment and support to the public health of Virginia.”

Dr. Rasmussen teaches in graduate programs for counseling, psychology, and public health. She serves on the Editorial Boards of The Journal of Social Change and the Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences.  Sandra volunteers as a Parish Nurse for St. Paul Lutheran Church in Mechanicsville.  She has one daughter and two grandsons.

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Bonnie J. E. Smith-May MA, ATR-BC

Bonnie Smith-May earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, Magna Cum Laude, from the Maryland Institute College of Art, and a Master of Arts degree from the George Washington University with a double major in family art therapy and art therapy with children. She continued her studies under Joan Kellogg, a pioneer in the field of art therapy who developed the MARI© Card Test, a unique diagnostic tool. Bonnie is a Board-certified art therapist.

Bonnie’s clinical experience spans over 30 years, and she has the unique distinction of having treated compulsive gamblers longer than any other art therapist in the world, having served them since 1987 in individual, group and family therapy sessions.
She routinely presents workshops and lectures.

She has held numerous offices in professional associations, including Founding Member of the Board of Directors Association of Teachers of Mandala Assessment, President of the Maryland Art Therapy Association, and member of the Potomac and the American Art Therapy Associations. Other activities include Deaf-Blind and ADHD organizations.

Bonnie is passionate about helping compulsive gamblers and their families through art therapy. “You think you can’t draw? By the end of the first session you will be able to understand how the symbolic language of art helps to unlock buried feelings and the hidden reasons for your addiction.”

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Joel Elston

Joel is a great asset to Williamsville Wellness joining our program as a Peer Counselor and a Personal Trainer.  This year he is completing his B.S. in Holistic Nutritional Health from Clayton College Natural Health in Alabama.  His life and testimonial as a Pastoral Counselor and recovery from Gambling Addiction for over 12 years - makes him a value like no other to our program at Williamsville Wellness. 

As a personal trainer, recovering gambler and public speaker, his goal is to share his experience and expertise so he can help others to recover.  He has spent the last decade dedicating his life to others as he continues to help them and himself through the recovery of gambling addiction.  Joel is also a competitive power lifter, a proud father of two and is active in finding adoptive homes for special needs children. 

Joel comes to us from Tampa, Florida where he was a Residential Service Director for Hillsborough Association for Rehabilitation Centers.  As our residents soon find out, Joel has been described by those who have worked with him as: “one of the most conscientious, hardworking, dedicated guy, very good counselor with the highest integrity…he is an optimistic soul…one of the finest human beings on earth.”

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Momikai Wiemer

Momikai is a licensed massage therapist with the International Massage Association and the Virginia Board of Nursing.  She is a wonderful addition to the Massage Therapy field since graduating from the Virginia School of Massage in 2000.
Momikai has found her calling in helping others with her specialized techniques in Relaxation, Swedish, Deep Tissue, Trigger Point, Sports and a variety of other types of specialized massages.

She wants to help you increase your awareness of your body, along with alleviating pain within the muscles. She uses her healing touch to match your individual needs.  Through therapeutic massage she tries to restore a balance in the body while providing a safe, relaxing environment. 

Originally from Hawaii, Momikai has lived in Richmond for the past 20 years.  She continues to be a valuable asset to Williamsville Wellness working one on one to help you relax and recover.  She values conscious living and learning with all aspects of her life while experiencing what life has to offer. “To know who one is, one must be aware of what they feel.” –Ashley Montgu

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Meagan Bennett

Meagan brings her 15 years of administrative and health background career to Williamsville Wellness with her newly obtained education to our administrative support.  She hopes to be a valuable tool to Williamsville Wellness and is excited about the world class care the program offers to those in need of help.
Meagan is graduating this year with a B.A. in Leadership Studies from the University of Richmond.  She also has a summa cum laude A.S. in Business Administration from J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College. 

During the last five years of going through school, Meagan has worked with various non-profit organizations and has found a calling to work in an environment that helps others. She has helped in development, process improvement, strategic leadership planning. Meagan is also involved with an organization that has helped her with her education called The Special Operations Warrior Foundation. 

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Sarah Lambert

Sarah is a licensed realtor in the Commonwealth of Virginia. She is currently working towards a degree in Business from J. Sergeant Reynolds Community College. While working as a Credit Analyst, she developed a tracking program which led to an overall reduction in analyst errors and a higher profit margin. She has proven ability in coordinating events, affecting sales, marketing, and training.

Sarah contributes daily in our program as an active support to our staff and clients.  She takes pride in working at Williamsville Wellness and does all that she can to assist you during your stay with us so that you can concentrate on yourself your recovery.