Doors Open - Providers
In 2014, DIA Administration and the I-Perform group began working with Carle partners to extend the mental health and sport psychology services available to our student-athletes. Since the fall of 2014, Carle Mental Health Providers have been able to see student-athletes in DIA facilities making care convenient and efficient for student athletes. This mental health/mental health team includes a psychologist, two psychiatrists and three counselors/social workers. Doors Open will continue to grow and evolve its services and availability to optimally serve and support its student-athletes.
James Warren Jr.
James serves as the Program Manager for Mental Health and Sports Performance for the University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics.
James is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 20 years of experience providing mental health services in the Champaign area after receiving his Bachelor's Degree in Psychology and his Master's Degree in Social Work from the U of I. James has experience working with issues including depression, anxiety, stress management, emotional management, substance abuse, identifying and working toward personal, academic, and professional goals; family, romantic, peer, coworker, and other relationship issues; suicidal ideation, self-harm issues, traumatic experiences, adjustment issues, racial and cultural issues, domestic violence victimization, domestic violence perpetration, schizophrenia, sexual abuse victimization, sexual abuse perpetration, and more.
James utilizes a range of therapeutic modalities and primarily focuses on building on clients' strengths and helping them understand how their thinking and setting goals can positively impact their circumstances. James works to impart a sense of hope in others and is willing to walk alongside of people to help them through whatever challenges they're facing. James also recognizes the importance of having a sense of humor and using laughter to help in both positive and stressful situations.
KaWanna Brooks
KaWanna Brooks, MSW, serves as a part time Mental Health Counselor for the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. Joining the Doors Open team in the fall of 2024.
KaWanna a former Fighting Illini athlete, received both her Bachelor of Science in Community Health and Master of Social Work from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Through her education and work experience, she has worked with individuals managing depression, anxiety, life transitions, trauma, mood disorders, athletic performance, and relationship issues.
KaWanna uses a holistic approach in therapy, pulling from a mindfulness perspective focusing on the integration of mind, body, and spirit connections. She utilizes Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Motivational Interviewing (MI), Solution Focused Therapy, Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy, and Client-Centered modalities.
KaWanna's purpose is to help clients gain clarity and peace while working through their unique situations. Her primary goal is to meet you where you are and join you on your journey in healing to harvest joy, improve your mood, develop relationships, and embrace self-love.
Dr. Becky Cook
Becky earned her bachelor's degree in nutrition from Purdue University. During her undergraduate studies, she completed a dietetics internship at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. From there, she earned a master's degree in counseling from Indiana University at South Bend. Prior to receiving her Ph.D., she worked in an eating disorder program at Memorial Hospital in South Bend, Ind., for 10 years. Becky went on to earn her doctorate in counseling psychology from the University of Memphis. She also completed a psychology internship at Purdue University.
Cook worked at the University of Dayton Counseling Center for 17 years before her retirement on July 31, 2019. During her tenure, she served in various positions, including staff psychologist, assistant director, associate director, and director. In October 2019, Cook was hired back to Dayton by the athletic department in an embedded psychologist position.
Her time in the Flyers' athletic department included working with student-athletes individually on mental health issues/concerns and sport psychology/performance-enhancement strategies. Cook worked with various teams on the mental aspects of their sports and served as a mental health consultant to the athletic administration, coaches, athletic training staff, and academic support staff.
Cook ultimately worked with the Dayton women's basketball program for 13 seasons, spanning her time in the counseling center and on the athletic department staff. She helped develop and provide the team with sport psychology/performance-enhancing techniques, team-building activities, and a leadership skill-building seminar. Additionally, she provided individual sessions for the student-athletes to work on personal issues that affected their performance.
In May of 2023, Cook officially retired (again) from the University of Dayton. In June of 2023, she joined the Illinois women's basketball staff as a sport/performance psychologist.
Chez Bennett
Bio TBD
Vanessa Pro
Bio TBD
Jeremy Smith
Bio TBD
Dr. James Whisenand
Dr. James Whisenand joined Carle Psychiatry & Psychology Department in 1990. He is a member of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.
Dr. Whisenand has his MD from St. Louis University of Medicine in 1986. He received his BA Degree from University of California at Santa Barbara in 1982.
Dr. Whisenand completed his medical training in Adult Psychiatry at the Oregon Health Sciences University in 1986-1987.
Dr. Whisenand has special interests Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Eating Disorders
