Angel Mayes, MSW, LCSW
Clinical Director
Angel joins the Red Oak Recovery family as the Clinical Director of Foothill at Red Oak Recovery. Angel’s clinical foundations are rooted in Reality Therapy, the Teaching Family Model, and she is certified in Family-Centered Therapy. Angel earned her Bachelor’s degree in Human Development and Family Studies from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro with a concentration in adolescent development and families at risk. She received her Masters of Social Work degree from a unique joint program through the University of North Carolina, North Carolina A&T, and the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland. Angel is also a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who is passionate about working with the adolescent population and clinical management.
When working with young people, Angel centers her work around personal values, accountability, integrity, and places a strong focus on the therapeutic relationship and alliance. Her strength-based approach has allowed her to effectively work with clients and families on their journey of healing and recovery. In her over 15 years of providing direct care and management of teams working with adolescents, Angel’s family systems background ensures that the entire family is part of the healing process to effectuate change in family systems and dynamics. Angel has prior experience working as a Clinical Director, Dean of Students, and Primary Therapist at well-known therapeutic boarding schools throughout the country. She has also worked in hospitals, public schools, intensive in-home placements, group homes, and community mental health clinics.
When she is not here on campus, Angel enjoys spending her time going on adventures with her two dogs, Brutus and Kreiger.
Matthew Beason, MA, LCMHCA, LCAS-A
Primary Therapist
Matthew has been involved with mental health and addiction recovery since 2012. He has worked in a wide variety of treatment settings, including wilderness therapy, wilderness therapy aftercare, a therapeutic boarding school, university, and residential. Matthew has enjoyed working with dual diagnosis, mental health and addiction recovery clients, and he believes that any person can make meaningful changes necessary to experience a purposeful and fulfilling life with the necessary support.
As a primary therapist, Matthew works directly with the clients in both group and individual sessions. Matthew brings a unique mix of authenticity, humor, and experience to his work. He is responsible for facilitating effective communication between clients and their families. He also believes that the psychotherapist should be engaged in their own self-discovery and growth and considers his time in wilderness therapy to be instrumental to his own development as a man and therapist.
Growing up, Matthew was curious about the way people interacted with their friends and families. Graduating from the University of North Carolina at Asheville, he studied Psychology and Spanish and continued his education with a Master of Arts from Appalachian State University with a focus in Addictions. Experiences of spirituality and community related to mental health and addiction recovery offered a natural fit for continued passion and learning for a lifetime. His advanced education is influenced by Gestalt Therapy through the Appalachian Gestalt Therapy Institute (AGTI) and is shaped by experiential family therapy through the work of Dr. Carl Whitaker.
Originating in California, Matthew has appreciated the beach and mountain biking and now cherishes the beauty of Western North Carolina. He enjoys exploring nature, practicing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, reading, and spending time with friends.
Chad Barron, MS, LMFT-A, LCAS-A
Parent Coach & Family Program Coordinator
Chad graduated in 2006 from Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas with a BA in Youth and Family Ministry. After serving as a youth minister in the Tampa Bay area for six years, Chad felt called to work more closely with families going through crisis and returned to Harding to pursue his MS in Marriage and Family Therapy.
As a clinician, Chad has worked in private practice, substance abuse counseling, and as an Intensive In-Home therapist. Chad has a passion for coming alongside adolescents and their families as they navigate the tumultuous transitions that accompany that life stage. Focusing on the relational aspects of the person as well as the inner-workings of the self, his goal is to find hope and healing wherever possible.
Chad grew up in a military family but grew up mostly in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. He has been married to his beautiful wife, Justine, since 2006 and has three amazing kids. He loves exploring the mountains of Western North Carolina with his family, finding the best “hole in the wall” restaurants in small towns, and playing guitar and piano.
Breana “Brë” Moser, LCMHC-A
Primary Therapist
Brë began her work in the mental health field in 2014 when she discovered her passion for working with at-risk youth and teenagers. After completing her undergraduate degree in Psychology, Brë moved south to pursue a Masters degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Clemson University. She worked with a wide range of age groups in private practice, residential treatment, and college counseling. Throughout her clinical experience, Brë most enjoyed working with young adults with substance use issues and received specialized training in this area.
Brë brings an extensive knowledge of the program and is trained in many experiential aspects including the high ropes challenge course, animal care taking, and other recovery-based activities on campus as she has over a year of experience directly working with clients as a recovery guide at Foothills.
Brë approaches clients and families with genuine compassion. With teenagers, she places an emphasis on the therapeutic relationship to create a safe environment in which individuals can truly express themselves. Using a holistic approach to therapy, Brë believes in supporting and encouraging in a collaborative effort that allows clients to reach their desired goals. She uses workings of Existential Therapy, Choice Therapy, and Solution-Focused Therapy to engage clients in a transformative process.
As a native of Columbus, OH, Brë is a huge Ohio State fan- Go Bucks! She is a former college ice hockey and lacrosse player and still enjoys participating in anything sports. She coaches Crossfit classes and completes as a weightlifting athlete in her spare time. Brë loves the outdoors and exploring new places with her fiancé, Josh.
Campbell Dean, MA, LCMHCA, LCAS-A
Primary Therapist
Reigning from Raleigh, NC, Campbell began his work with adolescents while in graduate school, supporting gifted, at-risk youth in an alternative academic setting. After completing his Master’s in Counseling from Appalachian State University, Campbell honed his therapeutic chops working in wilderness therapy with both adolescents and young adults. From there, he grew into a leadership role and became a clinical manager and primary therapist of a day treatment school in Western North Carolina, working with dually-diagnosed adolescents boys and girls. Most recently, Campbell worked as a clinician with adults and their families in a residential facility, where he learned the great value in integrating farm work and the outdoors as part of the recovery process.
As a primary therapist, Campbell brings an eclectic style inspired by Person-Centered Counseling, Gestalt therapy, Existentialism, and Non-Violent Communication. Campbell firmly believes that positive change is not possible without both internal and external conflict. He has confidence in the power and structure in residential settings, such as Foothills at Red Oak, to facilitate personal growth necessary for adolescents to accept the responsibility required to be initiated as healthy young adults. A large part of Campbell’s therapeutic philosophy revolves around helping clients uncover and unpack shame while learning to obtain basic needs in healthier ways. Campbell helps his clients utilize and develop their inner strengths, while also challenging unhelpful cognitive, behavioral, and social patterns.
When his mind is not at work, Campbell enjoys long hikes with his fiancée, playing drums, exercising, speed chess, and reading.
Tommy Cook, BS, CADC-I
Clinical Intern
Tommy completed his bachelor’s degree from Penn State University in 2013. After experiencing the healing power of adventure and camping while traveling the West Coast, he knew he wanted to work in the wilderness therapy realm. When he completed his travels, he flew to Western North Carolina and began working as a field guide at a well-known wilderness recovery program. While there, Tommy’s passion for wilderness therapy continued to grow as he witnessed many clients transform after their time in the program. Tommy also discovered the power of ceremony from co-facilitating several months of vision quests. Tommy gained experience in how to hold space for young adults in early recovery and different strategies to integrate recovery from addiction into wilderness therapy.
In 2016, Tommy began working at a therapeutic boarding school for boys, most of whom were transitioning out of wilderness treatment programs. His role was to take boys on backpacking trips on the weekend, co-facilitate rites of passage ceremonies and introducing them to Asheville’s 12 Step community. In 2018, it was clear to Tommy that he wanted to continue growing in the mental health field, so he began graduate school in Lenoir Rhyne’s Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program.
Now joining the Foothills team for his clinical internship, he is looking forward to putting his education, passion for wilderness, and personal experience into action. One of his favorite quotes to live by is, “life begins at the end of your comfort zone.” He feels that Foothills provides a perfect environment for this quote to come into fruition within the clients. He looks forward to supporting our clients in growing outside of their comfort zone and helping them become aware of their self-defeating thoughts.
In Asheville, Tommy is immersed both in the Twelve-Step and Buddhist-based recovery communities. His personal recovery plays a large part in his passion for wilderness therapy and his desire to help clients find clarity on their journey. In his free time, he enjoys nature photography, meditation, basketball, and exploring national forests around the country.
