Meet Our Staff
Erin Elfant-Rea, Ph.D. - Clinical Director
Dr. Erin Elfant-Rea is a licensed Clinical Psychologist who launched New Dawn Eating Disorders Recovery Center in 2005. She has extensive experience working with adults and adolescents with eating disorders in both inpatient and outpatient settings. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Colorado and her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Finch University of Health Sciences/The Chicago Medical School. Dr. Elfant-Rea has held positions treating eating disorders at The University of Chicago Hospital, Eating Disorders Recovery Center of Athens, GA, the Eating Disorders Program at the Medical College of Georgia, and Kaiser Permanente San Francisco. Her expertise includes treating co-occurring mood and anxiety spectrum disorders, trauma, and chronic pain conditions. Her treatment approach integrates well-established methods with the latest, empirically-supported techniques. Dr. Elfant-Rea is a member of the American Psychological Association and the Academy for Eating Disorders.
David Smith, M.D.
Dr. Smith is a Board Certified Psychiatrist with a Subspecialty Certification in Addiction. He has over 20 years of experience as a Medical Director for inpatient services at various centers including Sierra Vista Hospital and Charter Hospital. Dr. Smith is Staff Psychiatrist at U.C. Davis Department of Psychiatry and consultant to the Center for Behavioral Health Methadone Treatment Center in Sacramento. He was Director of the Dual Diagnosis Treatment Program in St. Thomas in Ontario Canada for 7 years and regularly lectures on the topic of dual diagnosis.
Lynne Martin, R.D. - Clinical Dietitian
Lynne Martin holds a BASc in Applied Nutrition and is licensed by the commission of Dietetic Registration (RD). Her experience in the field of eating disorders treatment began 17 years ago when she worked for several years at Toronto General Hospital’s Eating Disorder Program, a world-renowned inpatient facility. There she gained invaluable training integrating cognitive behavioral therapy with nutritional counseling in both individual and group settings. Lynne is a founding member of New Dawn Eating Disorder Recovery Center and played a central role in the development and implementation of the nutritional aspects of the program. She utilizes a non-dieting approach, helping her patients achieve healthy lifestyles at any size. She is a member of the American Dietetic Association.
Nicole Shiloff, Ph.D. - Staff Psychologist
Dr. Nicole Shiloff is a licensed clinical psychologist who received her doctorate degree from the University of Miami. After completing her Ph.D., she received additional training at Stanford University Medical Center where she worked primarily with adolescents and children with eating disorders and anxiety disorders. For the past ten years, Dr. Shiloff has specialized in working with adolescents and children; she has conducted individual, family and group therapy in both outpatient and inpatient settings. She has also had experience conducting mindfulness-based stress reduction groups for adults and providing individual therapy for patients with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Dr. Shiloff is currently the Director of The Shyness Clinic in Los Altos where she runs groups for adolescents and adults who struggle with shyness and social anxiety. Dr. Shiloff is a member of the American Psychological Association and the Academy for Eating Disorders.
Sabine Haake M.A., R.D. - Clinical Dietitian
Sabine Haake has been a Registered Dietitian for 14 years. She received her degree in Nutritional Science and Clinical Dietetics with specialized counseling training in disordered eating from U.C. Berkeley. At California Pacific Medical Center and in her private practice, she has helped individuals and families recover from all types of eating disorders. She lectures for numerous private and public entities, has appeared on the Marin County TV Channel 31 to discuss women’s health issues, and has published work-books and articles on topics ranging from improving body image to healthy weight management strategies. She is a member of the American Dietetics Association.
Anne Hahn-Smith, Ph.D. - Post-doctoral Clinical Psychology Fellow
Dr. Anne Hahn-Smith received her doctorate degree in Clinical Psychology from the University of New Mexico. She completed her residency at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. She has worked in a variety of outpatient and inpatient settings, conducting individual, family and group therapy with children, adolescents, and adults. Her research has focused on disordered eating, body image and self-esteem, and she has published papers in journals such as the International Journal of Eating Disorders. In the past five years she has worked as Project Coordinator on research grants related to childhood nutrition, developing and implementing nutrition policies to promote student health and wellness in California schools. Dr. Hahn-Smith is a member of the American Psychological Association, and the Academy for Eating Disorders.
Laura Scherling - Registered Dietician
Laura Scherling earned her B.S. in Nutritional Science, with an emphasis in dietetics, at the University of California, Berkeley. After earning her degree, Laura went on to complete training at Napa State Hospital, where she conducted nutritional assessment as well as individual counseling for patients suffering from a range of psychiatric disorders such as depression, schizophrenia, anxiety disorders, and other mental health issues. During her time at Napa State Hospital, Laura also gained extensive experience in treating acute and long-term medical conditions. After becoming a Registered Dietitian, Laura brought her background and training to New Dawn,
where she has recently completed an eight month internship in which she gained invaluable experience counseling patients suffering from anorexia, bulimia, and binge-eating disorder, in both individual and group settings. Laura is a member of the American Dietetics Association.
Amy Horn, M.A., L.M.F.T. - Group Psychotherapist
Amy Horn is a licensed Marriage & Family Therapist who received her master's degree from the College of Notre Dame in 1991. She is an experienced group psychotherapist and specializes in the areas of creative group process, art therapy, guided imagery, women's issues, and addiction. Amy has worked extensively with female adolescents and adults struggling with body image disturbance, identity issues, anxiety, depression, family stressors, codependency, and addiction. She is a member of the California Association of Marriage & Family Therapists.
Esther Stone, LCSW - Group Psychotherapist
Esther Stone is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who has extensive experience in individual, couples, family and group psychotherapy. A native of New York, she received her degree at Columbia University and practiced in both nonprofit and private sectors in New York. She later moved to Cincinnati, Ohio where she practiced at the Cincinnati Center for Psychoanalysis, and taught group psychotherapy. She was a faculty member at the University of Cincinnati, Department of Psychiatry. Recently, Esther Stone re-located to the Bay area and is currently a group facilitator at the Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Francisco. She is a Fellow of the American Group Psychotherapy Association and Co-Chair of their Annual Meeting. She is a regular presenter at national and international group therapy conferences.
Anita Acevedo, Certified Rolfer, MSW - Movement Therapist
Anita Acevedo is a Certified Rolfer who received her degree from the Rolf Institute in Boulder, Colorado in 1999. Her work as a Rolfer has taught her how the body’s health profoundly impacts all physiological and psychological processes. Her training in yoga and meditation deeply inform her movement therapy groups, as does her background in mental health. In 1992, Anita completed her Masters in Social Work from the Carver School of Social Work in Louisville, Kentucky. For many years, she provided psychotherapy to adolescents and adults in both inpatient and outpatient settings. Currently, when she is not conducting movement therapy groups at New Dawn, Anita can be found at her Rolfing private practice in Tiburon, CA.
New Dawn has a highly diverse and educated staff. The above listing is only a sample of the talented and caring people available to you when you come to New Dawn.
