Tim Mullins, Therapist
Prior to beginning his current doctoral studies in psychology, Tim received a BS in computer
science magna cum laude from Strayer University and an MA in counseling psychology from
Prescott College. He is completing his doctoral studies in clinical psychology at Cal Southern
University with a dissertation on the transformative power of wilderness therapy. In 2005, he
completed yoga teacher training in Montana and offered free community classes. In a
nonprofessional capacity, He has worked with incarcerated offenders in bridging the gap
programs in New York, Wisconsin, and Montana and with the Federal Probation office in
Montana as a mentor for parolees. Tim has over twenty-five years of sobriety in personal
recovery.
Using an Integral Psychology approach, Tim uses different methods to help clients address their
specific issues. He works with trauma using Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing
(EMDR) and Brainspotting, substance use with Motivational Interviewing, nature-based therapy,
12-step, and mindfulness recovery methods. Tim uses existential and depth psychology to work
with hidden influences and the subconscious. Integral Psychology is a theoretical framework that
involves the whole person, including the neurological or physiological basis for disorders, the
unique influences of the personal history, family systems, cultural influences, and the values of
the clients.
Ilka Workman, Music/Humanities/Language Teacher
Ilka earned her Bachelor of Arts in Secondary Education for English and German at Northern Arizona University. She has been a teacher for almost 15 years and has taken on many different subjects throughout the years including Art, ESL (English as a Second Language), World History, Music, Government, and several more.
Ilka has always enjoyed bringing knowledge of different cultures to her classrooms. She believes in the philosophy that “The key to community is the acceptance, in fact the celebration of individual and cultural differences. It is also the key to world peace” (M. Scott Peck)
Ilka was born and raised in Germany by her German mother and American father. During that time she was educated as a tourist agent.
She is currently acting as the Interim Business Office Manager, as well as teaching.
Yevonne Merlin, MA Mathematics Teacher
Yevonne has spent the last 17 years teaching high school mathematics, from pre-algebra to calculus at private college preparatory high schools and community colleges.
She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Mathematics Education from Northern Arizona University with a minor in physical science and a Master’s Degree in TESOL Education from Grand Canyon University. Yevonne loves all things math and science related!
Prior to her teaching career, Yevonne worked as a bank operations manager and has owned and operated several small businesses. She enjoys accounting, scheduling, managing and helping people find solutions to their problems.
Yevonne loves working with children of all ages. She loves their enthusiasm for life and hearing how they view the world. When teaching, she tries to share with them that it is okay to make mistakes, it is a necessary part of the learning process. One of her favorite quotes is “We learn more from our failures than we do from our successes.” – Samuel Smiles.
In her spare time, Yevonne enjoys spending time with her husband and their four grown sons and their families. She enjoys being outdoors, walking, hiking or running. Two of her lifetime goals are to 1) run a marathon and 2) prepare every dish in her favorite cookbook!
Sarah Kirwan, English/History Teacher
Ms. Kirwan is a native of Gilbert, Arizona. She started riding horses at age 8, competed in hunter/jumper schooling shows locally, and was given her first horse, Megan, (a Thoroughbred) at age sixteen. Since she always enjoyed reading and writing, she decided after two years at Mesa Community College to pursue a degree in English Literature at Arizona State University in the hopes of becoming a teacher. She made the Dean’s list in 2008 while taking several courses on teaching English.
While in college, she was a habilitation and respite provider for children with autism. This work was very close to her heart because she grew up with a brother with autism.
In 2010, she graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in English Literature from ASU and began teaching first at a credit recovery school for at-risk youth and then at the renowned charter school BASIS Phoenix.
Over the course of five years teaching sixth grade, she refined her craft and gained very valuable experience teaching gifted children a rigorous curriculum. She was an active member of the school community by putting on the annual talent show in collaboration with the music department, hosting multiple after-school tutoring hours, and sending out weekly newsletters to parents.
When Ms. Kirwan saw a teaching opportunity at a therapeutic boarding school with a horsemanship program in beautiful Rimrock, AZ, she jumped at the opportunity. She loves supporting the girls in their education and personal lives and is so glad to be a part of the Sedona Sky Academy family.
Bethany Becker, Academic Director
Bethany has earned her Bachelor of Science in Social Work and her Bachelor of Art in Spanish at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota.
Bethany has been teaching for 11 years. At SSA, she teaches Spanish and Health. Bethany enjoys witnessing the moment when students understand a concept that they have been struggling with and seeing the growth and change in our students.
Bethany believes that learning does not just take place in the classroom. In class, Bethany uses a variety of supplemental resources; movies, field trips, Internet, and smart board activities.
In her free time Bethany enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, scrap-booking, painting, running, hiking, reading, and baking.
Bethany likes to quote � Ralph Waldo Emerson- “When you do a thing, do it with all your might. Put your whole soul into it. Stamp it with your own personality. Be active, be energetic and faithful, and you will accomplish your object.”
Kathleen McCabe, Science Teacher
Kathleen is passionate about Science and the Arts. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Education and a Master’s in Education Leadership both from Northern Arizona University. She is certified to teach high school Science and English and teaches a variety of other courses including sewing, business, ceramics and agriculture.
Ms. McCabe has been teaching for 26 years and feels it is important to build a relationship with a student and then provide experiential learning opportunities that connect to their personal lives. She believes it is more important for students to be able to research and find valid information than it is to memorize facts. This will enable them to make important life decisions based on self-acquired knowledge.
She asks them to, “Rise above low expectations and do difficult things.” In her free time, Kathleen loves to cook, ride her horses, grow her own vegetables, kayak, dance and quilt. She feels it is very important to stay active and eat quality food.
About
Sedona Sky Academy is a top-tier residential treatment center and boarding school that provides evidence-based therapeutic programming and nationally recognized, data driven academics for girls struggling with anxiety, trauma, and depression.