About Us

Dr. Kyle Raque, PsyD is a self-described outdoors-man, who enjoys fishing, hiking, and camping during his time off. After obtaining his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Montana, Dr. Raque completed his graduate training at Spalding University, an APA acredited program located in Louisville, Kentucky. He later completed his APA accredited internship in Tucson, Arizona, prior to beginning his private practice in Murphy, North Carolina. Dr. Kyle had a busy practice in Murphy for several years, but he opted to relocate to Blue Ridge in 2007 in order to practice with his father. Dr. Kyle’s training is in general clinical psychology. However, he specializes in working with children, adolescents, and families. Dr. Kyle’s clinical orientation is best described as integrative, combining aspects of interpersonal, cognitive-behavioral, and existential theories. Dr. Kyle believes that the best treatment results from the establishment of a strong therapeutic alliance between the therapist and client coupled with the utilization of research-based techniques. Dr. Kyle Raque and his wife Beth Raque recently purchased a large 52-acre tract in nearby Mineral Bluff, GA, and are currently in the process of developing Three Creeks Wilderness Program. Dr. Raque serves on the Advisory Board for the Boys and Girls Club of North Georgia (Fannin), and he serves on the Board of Directors for the Georgia Psychological Association.

Terry has been a licensed professional counselor (LCP) with the state of Georgia since 2012. She attended Richmont Graduate University in Atlanta for her masters of marriage and family therapy with an emphasis in children and addictions. From 2010 to 2015, she worked in crisis units and with families involved with the Department of Children and Family Services. More recently, she graduated from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology with a Psy.D. During her doctoral studies, she studied forensic psychology and worked with inmates and persons involved in the legal system. She was also trained in trauma counseling (CPT). In between attaining her masters and doctoral degrees, Terry opened her own counseling office where she held sessions with men and women with anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, and depression, among other diagnoses. Currently, she is offering counseling for depression, anxiety, and trauma, and completing psychological testing for adults with suspected ADHD and memory problems.

Debby Lazarine, Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), received a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work from Dalton State College in May 2014 and a Master’s degree in Social Work in December 2016 from Southern Adventist University in Collegedale, TN. During that time, she interned and worked at Area Agency on Aging and Alzheimer’s Association gaining knowledge of dementia. She facilitated support groups for early-stage dementia; provided care consultations for families and people first diagnosed with dementia; and become a community educator for first responders, community organization groups such as Rotary Clubs, Churches, Lions Clubs, etc. and health care professionals.

Before relocating to South Georgia in 2018, she worked for Amedisys Hospice in Dalton, Georgia where she gained knowledge of the death and dying process working with families in preparation for the parting of their loved ones. She completed Georgia’s required hours to become a LCSW in September 2020 while working with the adolescents at Donalsonville Hospital Behavioral Health Unit. There, she gained first-hand knowledge of acute mental health crisis needs. She took additional college courses, extensive workshops, and clinical oversight offered by Brighter Tomorrow Consulting in Griffin, Georgia to become certified as a Play Therapist.

Debby has experience working with children, adolescents, and adults to overcome depression, anxiety, grief and loss, trauma, PTSD, and anxiety. She utilizes a wide range of therapeutic modalities such as CBT, DBT, Play Therapy, Restorative Storytelling, etc. to fit each individual. Her love for the geriatric population propelled her to offer psychotherapy in local nursing homes and assisted living facilities.  

Debby, native of Blue Ridge, is honored to have the opportunity to return with her family back to her hometown and continue providing mental health services to a community that has never been far from her heart.

Dr. Cliff Owl III is a member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and was born and raised in Western North Carolina. He graduated from Stanford University with his bachelor’s degree in psychology in 2013. After briefly working in Washington, D.C. for the United States Department of Agriculture, he returned to California to pursue a graduate degree in clinical psychology. He went on to complete both his master’s and doctorate degree in clinical psychology at the California School of Professional Psychology at Alliant International University in San Francisco, CA. During the final years of his doctoral program, from 2020 – 2022, he worked remotely as a contact tracer and case investigator for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians during the Covid-19 pandemic. Dr. Owl will begin his postdoctoral fellowship with Blue Ridge Psychological Services in August of 2022. Dr. Owl has experience working with individuals spanning a wide range in age, cultural background, education, gender identity, and sexual orientation. He has worked in both inpatient and outpatient settings as well as with incarcerated individuals. Dr. Owl has worked primarily with individuals experiencing difficulty managing anger, depression, anxiety, and trauma. From 2018-2019, Dr. Owl completed his doctoral internship at the Minnesota Sex Offender Program where he gained experience treating and providing psychological assessment to incarcerated individuals suffering from a wide variety of personality and paraphilic disorders. Dr. Owl’s approach to therapy is primarily psychodynamic and analytic in nature with a focus on Jungian concepts. 

Dr J. Frank Batkins, PhD, ABPP is a Georgia Licensed Psychologist and Nationally Board-Certified Couples and Family Psychologist with a sub-specialty in Children and Adolescents. In addition, he is a trained mediator.

Dr. Batkins graduated Magna Cum Laude from Old Dominion University, received his PhD from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, and completed his doctoral internship in Clinical Child Psychology at the APA site approved University of Alabama at Birmingham Center. He is a Fellow, Past President and previous National Evaluator for the American Board of professional Psychology-Couples and Family Psychology Specialty. Dr. Batkins completed a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Fellowship with Aaron T. Beck MD at his University of Pennsylvania institute as well as studied and consulted at the Atlanta Center for Cognitive Therapy. He is a past Treasurer, Board member and is a current member of the Georgia Psychological Association’s Division of Licensed Psychologists as well as a former expert reviewer for the Social Security Administration.

Dr. Batkins utilizes an integration of Family Systems based strategies with both Cognitive and Dialectical Behavior Therapies in addition to other evidence-based interventions from experts such as the Gottmans’ and Sue Johnson PhD. He specializes in helping individuals, families and couples who struggle with irritability, anger, hostility, anxiety, suicide ideation, depression and relationship difficulties. He has a sub-speciality in treating angry, oppositional children and adolescents including those who are often argumentative, non-compliant, defiant, and violent. Further, he helps youth who have experienced trauma in family related conflicts such as divorce, abuse, and neglect as well as parents who are overwhelmed and exhausted by their youth’s difficulties and other life stressors.

Dr. J. Frank Batkins has provided expert commentary for television and print media such as CNN, PBS, local radio, the AJC and Atlanta Magazine. He is committed to non-profit efforts within the community and to that end is a previous Board member of a local Homeless Shelter, a spiritual leader, Grief and Foster Group Facilitator, Church administrative committee member, consultant to a national organization and he donates 20 to 30 percent of his practice to pro bono work. As part of his volunteer efforts, Frank is Vice President of Behavioral Health and Wellness for Warrior 2 Citizen which assists Warfighters and their families to increase resilience, decrease divorce and prevent trauma related problems from occurring such as abuse, neglect and suicide.

Finally, Dr. Batkins is married and loves spending time with his wife, adult children and grandchildren. He credits the crucible of being a combat Marine as a major reason why he is committed to bringing peace to families. For his service in Combat, Frank, was awarded the Purple Heart, the Presidential Unit Citation (See attached), the Viet Nam Campaign Medal with four Stars, and the Republic of Viet Nam Gallantry Cross with Oak Leaf Cluster among other medals. Dr. Batkins considers it a privilege to practice his profession with those who entrust themselves and their families to his care. Semper Fi!

Hope Cross LAPC earned her masters degree in Clinical Psychology from Argosy University in 2008. She worked with adults and children in the city of Atlanta until leaving the field to become a full-time caregiver in 2011.  For 9 years she cared and advocated for a person with ALS and learned skills needed for caring for someone with an advanced terminal illness. During this time Hope became an artist as a way to manage the demands of being sole provider of care, and found a connection to art as a form of therapy.  In 2020 she moved to Blue Ridge, GA, and started her journey back into counseling. She is client centered and has the empathy to meet you where you are. She’s well versed in treating anxiety, caregiver fatigue, depression, anger management and grief.