MEET THE THERAPISTS
LCSW Jill Dodge is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who has been a therapist for over 40 years. Throughout her career she has worked in a variety of settings, including a Mental Health clinic and Psychiatric Hospital. Currently she has a private practice in San Diego. Jill also serves on the Counseling Staff at Shepherds Canyon Retreat. Jill has a heart for missionaries and church professionals, having led multiple retreats and trainings both nationally and internationally on various topics such as Forgiveness, Burnout, Anxiety, Boundaries, Prayer Therapy and Personality Disorders. Over the years, Jill has written several articles for the LWML magazine and served on Lutheran Family Life and Caring Ministry Committees at the local and national level. Jill has a particular interest in the topic of Burnout and is excited to share with you ways to prevent and treat Burnout. Jill and her husband, Glenn attend Christ Lutheran Church in La Mesa. They have 3 grown children and 3 teenage grandsons.
Jill Dodge, LCSW
San Diego, CA
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
Grand Island, NE
Katie Walker 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."
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She and her husband, Kerry, have two grown children.
Katie has been with Shepherds Canyon Retreat since 2016.
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​Katie Walker, LPC, NCC​
Washington, MO
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Rev., John Rathje
Ann Arbor, MI
Rev. John Rathje is currently in private practice as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC since 1992) in Ann Arbor, MI with extensive experience and certification in serving clients with their spirituality, including the religious trauma of those who have been hurt or had struggles with their faith and their faith-based organizations, especially church professionals. John has mainly served in Michigan and Missouri in a variety of roles from Dean of Students at Concordia University (CUAA), to mission pastor and college professor, to 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, walking and a good cup of tea!
Daniel W. Puls is a licensed clinical psychologist and has been in practice for over 20 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 before beginning doctoral studies in psychology at Rosemead School of Psychology (Biola University). His emphasis was in marriage and family systems and he has a broad range of training. 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 in the LCMS as a Director of Family Life Ministry. Daniel and his wife continue to reside in Whittier, CA and have a daughter attending University in Oregon.
Dr. Dan Puls, PsyD
Whittier, CA
Blenda Keylon, LIMHP, LCSW
St. Paul, NE
Blenda Keylon received her BS in Psychology (1990) and MA in Sociology (1993) from Southern Illinois University of Edwardsville and MSW with a Family Therapy Specialization (1993) from St. Louis, MO. She has worked in Private Practice as a Licensed Clinical Therapist and Licensed Independent Mental Health Practitioner most of her career. Blenda is a member of the American Association of Christian Counselors and a trained Ambassador of Reconciliation. She was married to a pastor (Glen) where they served churches in Iowa and Nebraska until he retired and died a year later. They are the proud parents of 5 children and have 17 grandchildren. Blenda has been a charter member of SCR since the first retreat in 2009.
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
Sacramento, CA
Phil Lee is the SCR Counseling Care Director and one of the therapists at Shepherd’s Canyon
Retreat. Phil has been a Lutheran pastor since 1981, and a Licensed Marriage and Family
Therapist 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 University
of San Francisco (1993), and has completed several years of doctoral studies in Biblical
Counseling. 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 Lutheran
Church. Phil is a husband (Carolyn), father, and grandfather.