MIRECC / CoE

The PSR Fellowship in the Durham VA Health Care System (VAHCS) is a clinical training program that focuses on the practice of psychosocial rehabilitation and the treatment of substance use disorders. Fellows complete rotations in three core clinics: the Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery Center (PRRC), Mental Health Intensive Case Management (MHICM), and the Substance Use Disorders (SUD) Clinic. The clinically-oriented program is intended for individuals seeking to become highly-trained clinicians, and often leaders, in helping health care systems emphasize functional capability, rehabilitation, and recovery. Diversity and cultural competence is considered integral to effective clinical work as well as the training experience more broadly; diversity is emphasized in various ways, including in didactics, clinical supervision, and the opportunity for a fellow to be paired with a diversity mentor. We are located in Durham, N.C., part of the Triangle region also including Raleigh and Chapel Hill. This is a vibrant, diverse, growing metropolitan region surrounded by natural beauty. The area boasts top-of-the-line music and theatre scenes, high-level sports, plentiful gardens, parks, and performance venues, as well as a thriving academic and research community (e.g., Duke, UNC-Chapel Hill, N.C. State, N.C. Central) with abundant employment opportunities.

The Fellowship Alums

Sarah Clark-Farnell

Fellowship Class of 2026 - 2027

Professional Interests:I am particularly interested in end-of-life, grief, and perinatal care.

Amber Marte, MSW, LCSWA

Fellowship Class of 2026 - 2027

Professional Interests:After completing her LCSW, Amber plans to pursue a Doctor of Social Work (DSW) with a research focus on the relationship between epigenetics and the development of SMI. Her long term vision is to build and lead a comprehensive mental health clinic with an emphasis of culturally responsive, affordable care for disenfranchised communities and people of color. This healing space integrates trauma informed practice, addiction treatment, and emerging research to address mental health disparities, empower underserved populations, and advance true equity in behavioral healthcare.

Alexys Weihl, MSW, LCSWA

Fellowship Class of 2026 - 2027

Professional Interests:My interests focus on developing and implementing recovery-oriented community interventions for individuals with serious mental illness (SMI) to reduce repeated psychiatric hospitalizations, incarceration, and homelessness. I am also interested in improving access to early intervention and evidence-based treatments for individuals experiencing first-episode psychosis to promote recovery and improve long-term outcomes.

Mary Milo Woodley, Ph.D.

Fellowship Class of 2026 - 2027

Professional Interests: My clinical interests center on the assessment and treatment of individuals experiencing serious mental illness (SMI) and substance use disorders (SUD). My training has focused on providing recovery-oriented, evidence-based treatment across the continuum of care, including state psychiatric hospitals, partial hospitalization programs (PHPs), and Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) teams. I am passionate about delivering comprehensive care within multidisciplinary teams. My clinical approach integrates cognitive behavioral and third wave modalities, such as dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), with psychosocial rehabilitative interventions.