Mission
The Gardiner Center for Stress Management was created with the vision of becoming a resource for those in search of greater balance and perspective in their lives.
Our mission is to provide high-quality, short-term, evidence-based psychotherapy and stress management classes to the central Maine community.
Who We Are
John Agee, Ph.D.
has been a licensed psychologist since 2007. Dr. Agee earned his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology in 2006 from the University at Albany, SUNY, where he specialized in clinical and health psychology. After completing an APA-accreditied pre-doctoral internship at the Togus VA Medical Center, Dr. Agee then completed a post-doctoral residency at the VA, specializing in PTSD treatment and Integrated Primary Care/Mental Health.
Following residency, Dr. Agee served for 3 years as psychologist & team leader for the Primary Care-Mental Health Integration program at Togus VAMC. While at the VA, Dr. Agee also facilitated a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) class and other therapy groups.
In private practice since 2011, Dr. Agee provided psychological and neuropsychological assessment services at The Brain Clinic of Central Maine for five years until 2016. Dr. Agee founded the Gardiner Center for Stress Management in 2014, and has been practicing at GCSM full time starting in January, 2017. Dr. Agee's professional interests include behavior therapy, mindfulness-based therapies, and the integration of mental health and medicine. Outside of clinical work, Dr. Agee has authored and co-authored several scholarly publications related to health psychology and mindfulness-based therapy.
Ami Bass, LCSW
has been a licensed clinical social worker since 2012. Ami earned her master's degree in both macro and clinical social work from The Catholic University of America in a Washington, D.C. Upon graduating, she moved to Maine where she has worked in both medical practices and outpatient counseling settings. Ami was previously the integrated counselor at Augusta Family Medicine and Gardiner Family Medicine, where she provided short-term counseling and health coaching to patients as well as behavioral health consultation to the medical providers.
In 2015, Ami completed the 200-hour yoga teacher training at The Big White Barn yoga studio in Readfield, ME. She has taught yoga to adults at The Big White Barn, outdoors at the Gardiner Common, at Zardus Spa in Gardiner, at Downtown Yoga in Augusta, and has offered a yoga for kids series at the Kennebec Valley YMCA. Although she is not currently teaching yoga, Ami continues to find calm in her own yoga practice.
Ami has been in private practice at the Gardiner Center since 2017. She offers individual counseling, health coaching, and stress reduction. Professional interests include mindfulness-based therapies, mind-body work, and the integration of mental health and medicine.
James Pease, LCSW
is an Independently Licensed Clinical Social Worker who has been providing therapy for children, teens and families since 2013. Jim earned his Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of New Hampshire in 2004, and his Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of New England in 2008, where he specialized in family therapy and addiction services.
Since 2006 Jim has been employed at Casa, Inc., a non-profit organization based in Portland. During this time he has held positions of Direct Support Professional, Children’s Services Coordinator, then Lead Clinician providing clinical services to students in a school-based setting. Jim has experience providing therapy to children, adults and families. He has conducted comprehensive assessments, written individual treatment plans, and provided supervision to Behavioral Health Professionals providing direct support. Jim is trained to conduct Vineland Assessments, which are used to determine eligibility for MaineCare services for children. Professional interests include client-centered therapy, motivational interviewing, and cognitive behavioral therapy, as well as trauma and its many impacts.