Meet Our Staff
- Karie Wolfson, LCSW, CEAP – Director
- Chris Ochs, LCPC, CADC – Clinical Counselor
- Morris Mosley, MSW – Clinical Counselor
- Julie Peoples, M.S. Ed., MSW – Clinical Counselor
- Chris Murdock-Jordan, M.A. – Graduate Assistant Counselor
- Lyman Mower – Office Support Specialist
Karie Wolfson, LCSW, CEAP
Director
Karie Wolfson is an Illinois Licensed Clinical Social Worker who graduated from Southern Illinois University with a Bachelor of Science in Human Services (1979) and a Masters in Social Work (1982) from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Ms. Wolfson completed a two-year post graduate clinical training program in Gestalt Therapy from Gestalt Chicago. She is trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and other mind/body approaches to healing and growth. She is a Certified Employee Assistance Professional and completing her certification in Sensorimotor Psychotherapy.
Ms. Wolfson worked in various capacities within the educational system as a School Social Worker and in Behavioral Health Care settings including the psychiatry department at Christie Clinic. Her experience includes outpatient services as a therapist and private practitioner and as Clinical Director of a rural mental health center providing oversight of crisis, assessment and therapy services. Ms. Wolfson joined the University of Illinois in September 2001 as a counselor within the Faculty/Staff Assistance Program and now serves as the Director of the FSAP.
Ms. Wolfson is a single parent of two adult children. Her son graduated from the U of I and her daughter is completing her associate's degree.
Chris Ochs, LCPC CADC
Clinical Counselor
Christopher Ochs graduated from Eastern Illinois University with a Bachelor of Arts (1995) in Psychology and a Master of Science in Education (1996) with a focus on Community Counseling. Mr. Ochs is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (1999) and also a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (1998).
Mr. Ochs worked for five years in outpatient and inpatient facilities providing individual and group therapy to those struggling with alcohol and other drug related issues. He also worked for six years at the Mental Health Center of Champaign County providing therapy services to individuals and families with issues including depression, anxiety, anger management, child and adolescent behavioral concerns and other family issues. His experience also includes managing a private practice within the Champaign/Urbana community. Mr. Ochs joined the University of Illinois in June 2008 as a Clinical Counselor/Substance Abuse Specialist within the Faculty/Staff Assistance Program.
Mr. Ochs is available to present Substance Abuse education and training workshops for supervisors and workgroups upon request. In his role as the FSAP Substance Abuse Specialist, Mr. Ochs performs substance abuse and alcohol assessments with recommendations for treatment. Chris is also able to coordinate referrals for longer term therapy with outpatient and residential treatment programs.
Mr. Ochs has worked with employees and family members with a number of mental health concerns including depression, anxiety, grief/loss and work-related stress. He also enjoys working with couples.
Mr. Ochs is married and has an eleven-year-old son and a six-year-old daughter.
Morris Mosley, MSW
Clinical Counselor
Morris Mosley is a social worker who graduated from Quincy University (1977) with a Bachelor of Arts, and the University of Illinois (1987) with a Masters in Social Work- Child Welfare and Service to Families.
Mr. Mosley has extensive experience in behavioral health as therapist in residential treatment, Clinical Director for Cunningham Children's Home, and Program Coordinator for The New Choice Addictions and Recovery at The Pavilion Hospital. Mr. Mosley has also served as training consultant for the Urbana Police Department, The City of Urbana Human Rights Commission, and as a contractual counselor for the Mental Health Center. His experience includes work with families and groups, individuals and couples. Mr. Mosley joined the University of Illinois in 2011, as a clinical counselor for the Faculty/Staff Assistance Program.
Mr. Mosley is married with three children. His interests include sculpture and art as therapy.
Julie Peoples, M.S. Ed
Counselor
Julie Peoples is a graduate of the University of Illinois (2012) with a Master’s degree in Social Work and a concentration in Mental Health. She graduated from Illinois State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Education (1980) and from Eastern Illinois University with a Master’s degree in Education (2005). Ms. Peoples is certified to teach grades K-5 and also has her Illinois Administrator’s Certificate. She has been an educator in the public schools working closely with families in Champaign for over twenty years. During that time she was involved with modeling positive behavior interventions and supports in the classroom, leading peer mediation and cognitive coaching groups, and mentoring novice teachers. Immediately prior to joining FSAP as an intern in the summer of 2012, Julie was the Family Relations Graduate Assistant with Family and Graduate Housing where she gained valuable experience in crisis intervention and working with international families.
Ms. Peoples has worked with employees, retirees, and family members with a number of mental health concerns including depression, anxiety, grief/loss and work-related stress. She enjoys working with individuals and couples and is interested in working with family systems.
Ms. Peoples is married with three grown children who have given her several “grandpuppies.” She enjoys music (especially jazz), travelling, flower gardening, Illinois basketball, and spending time with her family and friends.
Chris Murdock-Jordan, M.A.
Graduate Assistant Counselor
Chris Murdock-Jordan is a fifth-year doctoral student in the Counseling Psychology program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Prior to undertaking doctoral studies, Chris obtained a Bachelor's degree with high honors from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia and a Master of Arts degree in Psychology from the Clinical-Community Psychology program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Chris has been providing mental health services for more than half a decade. In that time, Chris has helped children, adults, veterans, and families from a variety of racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds address mental health concerns like depression and anxiety, as well as concerns about identity, relationships, intimacy, family conflicts, parenting, academic achievement, career progress, bereavement, chronic illness, and coping with violent or traumatic past experiences. Chris’s clinical training includes providing comprehensive neuropsychological assessments at the Psychological Services Center, providing family therapy to families with at-risk teens, and providing diagnostic assessments and both long- and short-term individual therapy at the Mental Health Unit of the McKinley Student Health Center. Chris also co-leads a therapy group in the community, teaches an undergraduate course on career assessment and vocational development at the U of I, and serves on the university LGBT Ally Network Training Committee. Chris joined the Faculty/Staff Assistance Program in 2011.
Chris currently has two “dog-sons” who are treated far too much like people! Though born in the Quad Cities, Chris grew up in Texas and enjoys sports of all kinds, music (including jazz and country!), games, running, volunteering, and being outdoors.
Lyman Mower
Office Support Specialist
Lyman grew up in rural New Hampshire with three younger brothers and a handful of farm animals. Surrounded by the rugged White Mountains, he became an avid hiker and student of natural history at an early age. He eventually moved to California and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Religious Studies from the University of California, Berkeley (2005). After working as a student publication advisor at Cal for two years, Lyman did graduate work at Syracuse University, earning a Master of Arts degree (2009) in Religion.
After receiving his master’s degree, Lyman moved to the Midwest where he traded mountain climbing for marathons. In his free time, he enjoys running, cooking, gardening, language learning, and rooting for the Illini football team – except on the rare occasions they play his beloved Golden Bears.
Lyman is currently writing a book on the ethical thought of Henry David Thoreau. He joined the Faculty/Staff Assistance Program in 2012.