MEET THE THERAPISTS
Katie Walker is the SCR Counseling Care Director and one of the therapists at Shepherd’s CanyonRetreat. Katie has been a Licensed Professional Counselor in Missouri and a National Certified Counselor since 1997. She received her Master's Degree from Regent University in Virginia Beach, VA, in 1994.
After a 6 1/2 year stint as a stay-at-home mom, she worked for 13 years serving clients with chronic and persistent mental illness, first in a mental health Clubhouse setting and then as a therapist at an Intensive Outpatient program.
Katie started her private practice in 2011 and currently serves adults struggling with ADHD, ministry burnout, and emotionally destructive relationships."
She and her husband, Kerry, have two grown children.
Katie has been with Shepherds Canyon Retreat since 2016.
Katie Walker, MA, LPC, NCC
Missouri
Phil has been a Lutheran pastor since 1981, and a Licensed Marriage and FamilyTherapist since 1999 (CA and WA). He received his B.A. from Seattle Pacific University(1977), his M.Div. from Wartburg Theological Seminary (1981) and his M.A. from Universityof San Francisco (1993), and has completed several years of doctoral studies in BiblicalCounseling. Phil has served on short-term missions in Albania, Kenya, Mexico, Poland,Russia, and Ukraine, and facilitated numerous workshops, conferences, and retreats, in the U.S.as well as Kenya and Ukraine. Phil is on the Clergy Rosters of the North America LutheranChurch. Phil is a husband (Carolyn), father, and grandfather.
Phil Lee
Washington
Rick Huls has been a Licensed Independent Mental Health Practitioner in Nebraska since 2009 and has been a licensed therapist in Nebraska since 1997. Rick received his B.A. in journalism from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1979 and was a sportswriter/news editor before earning his M.S. in community counseling from the University of Nebraska-Kearney in 1995. Rick has been in private practice for 15 years, facilitated domestic violence batterer's groups for more than 10 years and led men's ministry at his church for 10 years. He and his wife Barb have children and grandchildren living in California and Maine.
Rick Huls, LIMHP
Nebraska
Kathy Riesmeyer
Missouri
Kathy is a second career Licensed Professional Counselor in Missouri, graduating with honors in 2000 from Covenant Theological Seminary with a Master’s Degree in Counseling. Her counseling ministry began in 1999 during her internship at the Counseling and Resource Center at Concordia Seminary-St. Louis. She continued as a counselor after graduation, developed the Life Transitions Office in 2002 and served as Associate Director of the Counseling Center until its closing in 2009. Kathy opened her private practice in 2009 and served the St. Louis community until retiring in 2022. She brings deep respect, love and compassion to her work with Pastors, church workers and their spouses. Her family includes five generations of LCMS Pastors, teachers and church workers.
Kathy volunteers at her church and at a local retirement community. She and her husband, Matt, are blessed to be Aunt and Uncle to their siblings’ expanding families. Their joy is family which includes Gracie, who wiggled and barked her way into their hearts. Kathy is a voracious reader, loves hiking vacations, visiting historic sites and gardening. She also is a practitioner of silent, contemplative retreats, finding restoration, strength and comfort In Jesus through Scripture and prayer.
Daniel W. Puls is a licensed clinical psychologist and has been in practice for over 25 years. He prepared for church work in Christian education at Christ College Irvine (now Concordia University). He served in a Lutheran School in Japan for 3 years, then returned to California and taught 4 more years in a Lutheran elementary school in Southern California. Then in 1992 he began his graduate studies at Rosemead School of Psychology (Biola University). His doctoral training included a broad range of clinical practice experiences, and his academic work had an emphasis in marriage and family as well as multiple other modalities of treatment. He brings a strong understanding of church workers and systemic dynamics in churches and families as his father and two brothers are ordained pastors. He continues to be rostered (emeritus) in the LCMS as a Director of Family Life Ministry. Daniel and his wife continue to reside in Whittier, CA. Daniel and his wife raised one daughter who is now grown and married.
Daniel loves his work as a psychologist and especially loves to work on developing and speaking on spiritual and theological themes integrating them with psychological concepts. As well, he enjoys several hobbies of craftmanship in stained glass, woodworking and refurbishing his and his wife’s 1920’s Craftsman bungalow home in Whitter. They enjoy traveling and when possible, along with their beloved dogs.
Dr. Daniel Puls, PsyD
California
Judyann Gallego-Leonard is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) who brings a wealth of experience to the Shepherd's Canyon Retreat team. Besides her work as a therapist in private practice, she worked for several years on military bases as a counselor with the Department of Defense. She taught for years at a Christian university, worked in adoptions, foster care and in a psychiatric hospital. She's created and facilitated several marriage retreats and has been active as a Christian women's speaker. At the present time she is working as a critical incident specialist in Northern CA. Judyann is passionate about her volunteer work counseling missionaries around the world with both Thrive and Azmera Haven Retreats. She and her husband Mark also work internationally with pastors/missionaries through Life Impact Ministry and they are associates with a ministry organization called Paraclete. Judyann's "call", at this chapter of her life, is to compassionately come along side pastors, their spouses and ministry leaders, giving them hope and a safe place to work on their woundedness and marital issues. It's been said that Judyann has a great "play ethic" which she joyfully shares with her husband, four married children and ten grandchildren.
Judyann Gallego-Leonard, LCSW
California
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John Rathje is currently in private practice in Ann Arbor, MI with extensive experience and training in trauma recovery, EMDR, Gottman Couples Therapy, nature therapy, and more, serving individuals and couples with a variety of presenting concerns, including the religious trauma of those who have been hurt or had struggles with their faith and their faith-based organizations, especially church professionals, having gone through his own ministry burnout and difficulties in his 38 years of church work. John has mainly served as in Michigan and Missouri in the church and as a therapist, in a variety of roles from Dean of Students at Concordia University (CUAA), to mission pastor, college professor, director of youth and discipleship, elementary and secondary teacher, Army Captain, barista, and more. John has earned: teaching degree (B.A.) from Saginaw Valley State University; LCMS Teacher's Diploma from Concordia University, Ann Arbor; M.A. in Counseling from Michigan State University; and M.Div. from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, MO. A husband to his best friend (Kristin), father of four world-changing adults, and grandfather of two princesses. He cherishes time with family and friends, and enjoys reading, gardening and hiking.
John Rathje
MA, MDiv, LPC, NCC, C-DBT, CCTP
Michigan
Anne Muir, LMFT
Oregon
Anne Muir has been a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) for over 40 years. She did her graduate studies at Fuller Theological Seminary (FTS) in Pasadena, California. She has worked with individuals with trauma, depression, anxiety and relationship concerns in private practice as well as being on Deschutes County Crisis Team, Critical Incident Response Teams, and has served in many churches with group and retreat facilitation. Anne has a passion to minister to ministers as they/we often lack a safe place to address our woundedness, and she believes we ALL need growth and healing. She counts it a privilege to join others on their healing journey. She has counseled at several international retreats for women in global ministries.
She has been married almost 45 years to Randy, who also trained at FTS in counseling. He retired from his second career: twenty years teaching middle schoolers at a Christian School in Sisters, Oregon. They have three adult children and two grandchildren, all living in Oregon. Anne enjoys creating (having been made in our Creator’s image) and this occurs in the kitchen, garden and with arts & crafts. She recently closed her private practice and began face painting which is a great outlet and inlet for joy.
Anne has walked with the Lord for decades and seeks to live her life under the authority of Scripture and in the power of the Holy Spirit. She delights in assisting others gain a more intimate relationship with Jesus.
Toby Gallego
Oregon
Toby is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Oregon. Toby is also an ordained minister. He has served in pastoral ministry for 22 years in various churches in California, Washington, and Oregon. Toby received his B.A in philosophy from California State University in philosophy. He has a Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Bushnell University. He also has a Master’s degree from Western Seminary. Toby specializes in couples counseling, men’s issues, and trauma. Toby especially has a heart for religious trauma, having gone through ministry burnout in his pastoral work. Toby is an adjunct professor in psychology and counseling at various Christian Universities. Toby has led mission trips to Japan and Mexico and volunteers at his church through leading small groups. Toby and his wife Vanessa have four adult children. Toby is an avid sports fan who loves playing tennis and pickleball during his free time.