Professionals Who Care

MENTAL HEALTH THERAPISTS FOR FIRST RESPONDERS

911 Wellness Clinicians.

911 Wellness offers Northern Illinois’ First Responder community the best mental health clinicians in the business. Our team has vast experience and endless compassion, helping individuals, couples, groups, and teams find answers to mental health challenges.

Dr. Liza M. Franklin, Psy.D, MA, JD

CLINICAL DIRECTOR | FOUNDER

Dr. Liza Franklin is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist in Illinois and Michigan who has been dedicated to first responders for both of her careers. As a psychologist resident, Dr. Franklin has focused on trauma-informed care for depression, anxiety, moral injury, and posttraumatic stress disorder. Her approach to therapy is integrative. She uses aspects of cognitive behavioral therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, psychodynamic therapy, dialectal behavioral therapy, and mindfulness to help clients improve their lives and relationships. She is certified in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, an evidence-based treatment for symptoms that result from trauma and has been trained in Emotion-Focused Couples Therapy. For the 21 years prior to starting her doctoral studies at Rutgers, Dr. Franklin was a lawyer in the City of Chicago Department of Law’s Federal Civil Rights Division (FCRL). She represented the City and Chicago Police Officers in intentional misconduct lawsuits. From 2010 to 2018, Dr. Franklin led FRCL and reviewed every intentional misconduct lawsuit filed against Chicago Police Officers. It was that experience that led her to explore the ways poor officer mental health impacts injuries on duty, disability claims, and negative conduct that results in lawsuits and citizen complaints. At 911 Wellness Group, Dr. Franklin leads a team of mental health professionals who are dedicating their careers to the first responder and military communities. She is combining her legal risk management experience with her experience in psychology to offer a service that is not offered elsewhere – helping first responder agencies pay for services by applying for and using grants. As part of her dissertation, a survey of Chicago Police Officers related to traumatic experiences and the prevalence of depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder, Dr. Franklin created a survey instrument that first responder agencies could use to collect data that could be used to obtain federal and state grants. She would use that expertise to help agencies better understand the challenges their members face, craft services that respond to those needs, and pay for those services without negatively impacting their budgets. Dr. Franklin earned her doctorate at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey. She has worked with adults, including veterans and first responders, at the Chicago Police Department’s Employee Assistance Program, the World Trade Center Health Program in New Jersey, the Anxiety Disorders Clinic at Rutgers, the VA Western New York Health Care in Buffalo, NY, and the First Responders Wellness Center. Prior to starting her doctorate, she earned her master’s in counseling, specializing in forensic psychology at Adler University. She earned her JD at the University of Chicago Law School.

Dr. Michael Davison, Psy.D., M.L.S, MA

CLINICAL SUPERVISOR

Dr. Mike Davison is a licensed clinical psychologist with extensive expertise in forensic and public safety psychology. Since 1996, he has been teaching at the graduate level in Forensic and Public Safety Psychology while maintaining an active clinical and consulting practice that integrates academic theory with practical application. Dr. Davison has conducted comprehensive forensic evaluations for civil, family, and criminal court cases, addressing issues such as violence risk, competency, custody, and treatment needs. He has provided expert testimony in state and federal courts and consulted with police, fire, probation, and corrections departments, offering operational support and specialized expertise in public safety psychology. His work includes complex evaluations addressing issues such as violence and risk assessment, competency, custody, and treatment needs. He has also provided expert testimony on numerous occasions in both state and federal courts, offering critical insights to aid judicial decision-making. Additionally, he has served as a consultant to area police departments, fire departments, probation departments and corrections professionals. offering his expertise in public safety psychology and operational support. His clinical services extend to first responders and their families, focusing on occupational stress, trauma, and resilience.

Dr. Davison’s career includes leadership roles in High Education and the Department of Corrections. Since 1996, he has operated a community-based sex offender treatment program, reflecting his dedication to evidence-based practices in offender rehabilitation. His professional interests include risk assessment, trauma, CBT, couples therapy, public safety psychology, and substance abuse treatment. Dr. Davison holds a BA in Criminology from Northern Illinois University, an MA in Counseling and Human Services from Roosevelt University, a Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology from The Adler School of Professional Psychology, and a Master of Legal Studies (M.L.S.) from The Santa Barbara and Ventura Colleges of Law, uniquely equipping him to navigate the intersections of psychology, criminology, and law.

Dr. Davison is a clinical supervisor for the 911 Wellness Group and currently not taking on any new clients.

Danielle Mains, LPC, MS

CLINICIAN

Danielle Mains is a licensed professional counselor and holds a Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, specializing in crisis and trauma from Walden University. She believes in individuals’ inherent resiliency and capacity for growth and healing.

Danielle prides herself in empowering clients to overcome obstacles, cultivate self-awareness, and live fulfilling lives aligned with their own values. As a spouse of an Army veteran and medically retired firefighter/paramedic, she brings a unique perspective to her counseling practice, which has been shaped by witnessing the challenges faced by first responders, veterans, and their families, both on the job and at home. These experiences have fueled her passion for mental health advocacy and led her to pursue a career in counseling.

Danielle provides individual counseling through a trauma-focused CBT lens, emphasizing the connection between thoughts, emotions, and behaviors while using EMDR to help clients harness their brains’ natural healing powers to heal trauma. She works collaboratively with clients who struggle with trauma, anxiety, depression, compassion fatigue, burnout, codependency, ADHD, and PTSD.

Dr. Sara Khan, Psychologist Resident

ASSESSMENT SPECIALIST

Dr. Sara Khan is currently a psychologist resident. She graduated with a Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) in clinical forensic psychology from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, Los Angeles Campus. Her clinical experience consists of working with underserved populations, specifically at-risk youth and incarcerated adults. She began her training with children in after-school programs in South-Central Los Angeles and completed her pre-doctoral internship at forensic psychological private practice in Orange, California. During her pre-doctoral internship, she provided risk assessments, psychological, and neuropsychological assessments. In addition, she provided individual, family, and cognitive behavioral group therapy.

She then continued her training and completed her post-doctoral residency at a private practice in Chicago, Illinois conducting psychotherapy and assessments for children, teens, and adults. She took a special interest in working with first responders, providing diagnostic clarifications through comprehensive assessments and treatment recommendations. In addition, Dr. Khan is well versed in provided school-based evaluations for IEP/504 plans.

Throughout Dr. Khan’s training, she has gained valuable experience in working with various populations in working with diverse populations, as this has shaped her therapeutic approach. Dr. Khan’s therapeutic training includes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).

Ashley Smith

CLINICIAN

Ashley Smith is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a master’s degree in social work from the University of Illinois at Chicago, specializing in Mental Health. She is also a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC) with over a decade of experience supporting individuals and couples, through life’s most difficult and meaningful moments — including struggles with anxiety, depression, addiction and recovery, relationship challenges, codependency, and major life transitions.

Ashley is a compassionate and dedicated to walking alongside individuals as they navigate life’s challenges and transitions. She strives in creating a welcoming, supportive, and nonjudgmental space where clients can feel truly seen and heard. She believes in the resilience and inner strength each person carries, even when it feels out of reach. Her work centers on guiding people to reconnect with their authentic selves, uncover their confidence, and embrace meaningful growth and healing.

In her work with couples, she helps partners better understand the patterns that keep them feeling disconnected, while fostering safer, more emotionally secure conversations. Her emotionally attuned approach invites couples to learn how to strengthen trust, improve communication, rebuild intimacy, and move from conflict and distance toward deeper connection and partnership.

Ashley’s therapeutic approach is integrative, weaving together evidence-based practices to support clients in restoring a sense of safety, agency, and empowerment in their lives. Above all, she believes in the healing power of genuine connection, understanding, and compassionate care.

VA Experience
I’ve spent part of my career working alongside veterans and their families as they faced some of life’s toughest challenges — from homelessness and mental health struggles to complex life transitions. During that time, I provided crisis support, led therapy groups, and collaborated closely with interdisciplinary teams and community partners to help connect people with vital resources like housing, food, and mental health services. I was privileged to support residential programs through care planning, program coordination, and house management, always aiming to create a safe, supportive space for those navigating difficult seasons. It was truly an honor to work beside individuals who have dedicated their lives and careers in service to our country.