Families First Counseling & Psychiatry

Our Leadership Team

We are an Outpatient Mental Health Clinic (OMHC) started by experienced mental health professionals who together have over 40 years of experience working with children, adolescents, adults, and families. Our vision is to promote wellness and recovery in the treatment of mental illness, behavioral health problems, and emotional concerns.

Todd Christiansen, M.D.

Chief Executive Officer, Medical Director

Dr. Todd Christiansen formed Families First Counseling & Psychiatry in 2017.

Education
2003     Residency, University of Wisconsin, Madison
2000     M.D., Medical College of Wisconsin
1996     B.S., University of Wisconsin, Madison

Professional Affiliations
Active Member, American Psychiatric Association
Active Member, American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists

Tobi Dickstein

Chief Financial Officer and Co-Founder of Families First

“The opportunity to start Families First has been life changing”.

Tobi has over 25 years of experience in accounting, finance, and tax.  Tobi is dedicated to ensuring that Families First’s financial health supports its mission of delivering compassionate, high quality mental health care to our community.

Tobi oversees budgeting, financial planning, medical billing, and ensures that all financial decisions align with our commitment to accessible mental health services.

Prior to starting Families First, Tobi worked in public accounting, and then in the tax department for Marriott International. Tobi has a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Maryland.

Tobi is passionate about supporting initiatives that break down barriers to mental health care and promote financial sustainability in the healthcare sector.

Chandra A. Chester, MSW, LCSW-C

Vice President & Marketing Director

In co-founding Families First Counseling & Psychiatry, Chandra saw the opportunity to create an environment where clinicians could grow and be supported. She also thought it was important to foster learning through a robust internship program.

Throughout her career, Chandra was able to take stock in different work environments to determine the type of environment she wanted to create for those who were a part of FFCP. Chandra has been a driving force in marketing the agency since its inception.

Chandra is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who specializes in the treatment of trauma. She has a B.A. from Salisbury University in Psychology and an M.A. from the University of Maryland School of Social Work. Chandra has vast training in trauma and mind-body medicine. She has a certification in Traumatology from Intensive Trauma Training Inc. She also completed Level 1 and Level 2 Trauma Training through the Ferentz Institute of Advanced Psychotherapy Training & Education as well as Level 1 Internal Family Systems training through the Center for Self-Leadership. Chandra most recently completed Level 1 and Level 2 at the Center for Mind-Body Medicine.

Board Approved Supervisor
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Trauma Specialist

Felesha Johnson, MA, LCPC, CTP-C

Board Approved Clinical Supervisor; Director of Operations

Felesha has developed a unique ability to integrate her 10 years of experience in mental health counseling with her business acumen in operational efficiency, organizational structure, and systems optimization.

Felesha holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting from American University and a Master’s Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Regent University. She is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, a Board Approved Clinical Supervisor, and a Certified Trauma Practitioner-Clinical.  With over 15 years of experience as a senior leader at a Fortune 100 company, Felesha has successfully led large-scale initiatives that optimize business processes and enhance overall organizational performance. Felesha has developed a unique ability to integrate her 10 years of experience in mental health counseling with her business acumen in operational efficiency, organizational structure, and systems optimization. By merging these best practices with her deep commitment to mental health advocacy, Felesha has taken on the role of Director of Operations at Families First Counseling and Psychiatry to focus on improving organizational effectiveness and streamlining processes. Felesha’s mission is to deliver high-quality mental health services with the best possible support to clients, stakeholders and staff.

Jennifer Crippen, MA, MPA, CTRP-C

Director of Human Resources

With over a decade of experience in human resources, program management, and clinical counseling, Jennifer brings a unique combination of strategic leadership and compassionate care to her role.

A graduate of Trinity Washington University with a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Troy State University with a Master of Public Administration in Personnel Management, Jennifer leverages her dual expertise to drive meaningful outcomes.

An advocate for ethical leadership and passionate about aligning clinical excellence with organizational strategy, Jennifer is dedicated to optimizing operations, enhancing client engagement, and fostering innovative service delivery that supports the well-being of both employees and clients. Trauma Certified, Mental Health First Aider, and an active member of SHRM, Chesapeake Human Resources, and Community Behavioral Health, Jennifer embodies a commitment to excellence and collaboration in all aspects of her work.

Janine McCall, MDIV, MA, CTRP-C

Clinical Director

With over a decade of experience in social services and mental health, Janine has demonstrated expertise in providing compassionate care while leading programs and supervising multidisciplinary teams.

Janine holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, a Master of Divinity from Howard University, and a Master of Pastoral Counseling from Marymount University. She is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, an Approved Clinical Supervisor, and a Certified Trauma & Resilience Practitioner-Clinical. As the Clinical Director, Janine specializes in fostering trauma-informed practices, developing innovative treatment programs, and equipping clinicians with the tools to deliver high-quality care. Her leadership is guided by a commitment to creating safe spaces for healing and her core belief that “healed people heal people.”

Want to be part of the FFCP Maryland team?

Apply for a job now!

FFCP Maryland is actively hiring licensed Off-Site Therapists in Montgomery County, Prince George’s County, Baltimore County, Baltimore City, and Howard County. In addition, we have openings for Psychiatric Advanced Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants for Greenbelt and Baltimore.

Our Clinic

Families First Counseling & Psychiatry

FFCP Maryland has offices in Greenbelt, Baltimore City, Olney, and Columbia, Maryland.

FFCP Maryland – Prince George’s County Office

7474 Greenway Center Drive
Greenbelt, MD 20770
Suite 202
240-304-FFCP (3327)

FFCP Maryland – Baltimore City Office

800 N. Charles Street
Suite 450B
Baltimore, MD 21201
240-304-FFCP (3327)

FFCP Maryland – Montgomery County Office

17904 Georgia Avenue
Suite 200
Olney, MD 20832
240-304-FFCP (3327)

FFCP Maryland – Howard County Office

6410 Dobbin Road Suite F
Columbia, MD 21045
240-304-FFCP (3327)

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