For Maddisen Ellison-Lambert, PsyD, joining Valley Health brings her back to the region where her interest in psychology, rural health and serving Appalachian communities took shape.
Dr. Ellison-Lambert joins Valley Health’s behavioral health, providing care at the Valley Health Hurricane and Valley Health Harts health centers.
A Marshall University graduate, Dr. Ellison-Lambert earned all three of her degrees in psychology from the university, including a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a minor in Women’s Studies, a Master of Arts in Psychology and a Doctor of Clinical Psychology. Her doctoral research examined adverse childhood experiences, parenting styles, and the acceptance of parent-child interaction therapy among rural Appalachian parents.
Dr. Ellison-Lambert comes to Valley Health following a postdoctoral clinical fellowship with Harvard Medical School and Cambridge Health Alliance in Massachusetts. Working in the Primary Care Behavioral Health Integration Track, she provided behavioral health services within a family medicine setting, collaborating directly with medical providers to address both mental and physical health needs.
Much of Dr. Ellison-Lambert’s work has also centered on the needs of rural and underserved communities. During her training, she provided telehealth psychotherapy to patients in rural Arkansas and previously completed clinical training at community health centers in West Virginia and Ohio. Her research has explored issues including cardiovascular health beliefs in rural populations, treatment stigma and mental health help-seeking in rural Appalachia, and the experiences of Appalachian parents.
“Maddisen’s training in integrated behavioral health and her experience working with rural and underserved populations make her a strong addition to our team,” said Rebecca Denning, PsyD, ABPP, Valley Health Section Chief for Behavioral Health. “We know that mental and physical health are closely connected, and having behavioral health providers working alongside primary care teams allows us to care for the whole person. Maddisen brings that approach to her work, along with an understanding of the unique challenges patients in rural communities may face when seeking care. We’re excited to have her bring that experience home to West Virginia and to our patients in Hurricane and Harts.”
“I’m excited to return to West Virginia and have the opportunity to serve communities that mean a great deal to me,” Ellison-Lambert said. “My training has reinforced how important it is for behavioral health care to be accessible and connected to the rest of a patient’s health care. I’m looking forward to getting to know my patients and helping people address concerns that affect both their emotional and physical well-being.”
Dr. Ellison-Lambert lives in Huntington with her husband, Cody, and their dog, Mabel. Away from work, she enjoys spending time with her and her husband’s families in Wayne and Lincoln Counties, being outdoors in our beautiful state, and going to her favorite restaurants she missed while being away from the region!
Ellison will see patients at Valley Health Hurricane and Valley Health Harts.
Valley Health Hurricane is located at 3729 Teays Valley Road, Suite 100, Hurricane, WV 25526. Valley Health Harts is located at 22 Fleming Drive, Harts, WV 25524.
For more information about behavioral health services or to schedule an appointment call Valley Health -Hurricane at 304.760.6040 or Valley Health – Harts at 304.855.4595.