Meet Our Team

Meet the becoming behavioral health & wellness team

Dr. Dana Eason
Medical Director
DNP, APRN, PMHNP-BC

Shanell Woodley
Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner
MSN, APRN, PMHNP

Shucooly Beecham
Licensed Professional Counselor
MA, LPC

Autra Pointer
Licensed Professional Counselor
MA, LPC


Marilyn Ek- MFT
Family Nurse Practitioner
MSN, APRN, FNP-BC

Jowharah Blair
Army Veteran/Counselor

Karen Trammell
MA/Clinical Manager

For skilled psychiatric services, call our team today at 708-441-9240. We look forward to speaking with you soon.

Dana Eason DNP, PMHNP-BC has almost 20 years of experience in the field of Psychiatric Nursing and has been a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner since 2014. Her educational & career paths include some of the most prestigious universities in the country: Yale University (Healthcare Management), Cornell University (Plant Based Medicine), the University of Chicago (Intensive Care Nursing), the Neuroscience Education Institute (Master of Psychopharmacology) & Saint Xavier University (BSN). She graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Illinois- Chicago’s College of Nursing and was inducted into Sigma Theta Tau, the National Honor’s Society for Nursing. She achieved Board certification from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) as a Psychiatric & Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, specializing in treating clients across their lifespan in 2014. She’s a member of the Minnesota & Illinois chapters of the Advanced Psychiatric Nurse’s Association (APNA), a member of the Illinois & Minnesota Chambers of Commerce, and an activist for social change in the communities she serves.

“I’ve been in practice for almost a decade now. I’ve treated every type of patient, every diagnosis & at every level of care. I’m eager to put this wealth of knowledge to work for you! I focus mostly on treating adults now but will occasionally work with teens or couples, if need be. My “passion” is treating trauma…since it tends to weave its icy fingers into every other aspect of mental health. My philosophy is to “partner” with you, not to make decisions for you. My goal is to empower you with knowledge & foster autonomy by helping you to gain more confidence in your ability to make mental health decisions for yourself. My style of therapy is “conversational” & I’ll tailor your treatment plan to fit your specific symptoms. CBT works just fine in most situations. Other times, DBT, Motivational Interviewing, Radial Acceptance or EMDR are more appropriate. In my experience, nothing works better than combining both therapy & medication. I also have extensive training in Plant-based medicine (e.g. vitamins, supplements, herbs, “food as medicine”) for folks who would rather take a more natural approach. I’d like to meet you wherever your are in your healing journey, and help you to Become your Best Self!”.

Shanell Woodley, MSN comes from Long Island, New York, where she received her associate degree in nursing from Suffolk Community College. Afterwards, she attended Winston-Salem State University for her Bachelor’s degree in Nursing & attended the prestigious Duke University for her Master’s degree in Nursing Informatics, all of which she completed with distinction. She is presently pursuing a Post- Master’s Certificate in Psychiatric/Mental Health Advanced Practice Nursing at the University of South Alabama, motivated by her love and enthusiasm for working with persons with mental health difficulties.

She has been an RN for over 20 years and brings a wealth of expertise from a variety of treatment settings: medical-surgical, telemetry, pediatrics, brain injury, stoke, inpatient psychiatric, drug-detox,  group homes, and notably as Director of Nursing at a skilled nursing facility. In her current position as a Mental Health Response Nurse (MHRN) at a large hospital system in North Carolina, she is acknowledged as one of the clinical specialists and professional role models who encourages nursing excellence, controls the quality, safety, and experience of behavioral health patients, acts as a patient advocate and resource for the entire mental health care team.

Her objective as a PMHNP is to deliver evidence-based, compassionate psychiatric treatment to all of her patients. She wants to advocate for her patients by providing them with the necessary resources and assistance to achieve their objectives & promoting education for persons with mental illness. She desires to establish a friendly and comfortable treatment environment, design tailored treatment plans based on the specific requirements and objectives of each patient & build a relationship of trust between with patients.

In her downtime, Shanell likes spending time with her family, experimenting with new recipes, traveling, and creating cakes. “I am thrilled to join Becoming Behavioral Health & Wellness and honored to be a part of such an incredible team”.

Shucooly Beecham has been a Licensed Professional Counselor and National Certified Counselor since 2015. She achieved both her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology & Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health from Chicago State University, a historically Black college/university (HBCU). Shucooly’s approach to therapy is integrative and holistic. Her clinical specialties include: Anxiety and Panic, Anger/Stress Management, Depression & Mood Disorders. She utilizes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Interviewing & Interpersonal Psychotherapy to help patients cope & has committed herself to being a lifelong learner of other evidence-based therapeutic modalities. She believes that meeting clients where they are and applying techniques specific to client’s problem areas promotes positive behavior modification and thought processing resulting in effective therapy. She primarily treats adults, older adults & adolescents. She also has 20 years’ experience as a law enforcement officer specializing in juvenile supervision, safety, and redirection, which greatly informs her ability to relate to young people.

Shucooly was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois & proudly engages in activities that promote social justice. She enjoys spending time with her family traveling, watching movies, and playing games. Playing flag football and roller skating was a most enjoyable pastime of hers!

“I am so excited to help you reach your full potential!”- Shucooly Beecham

Autra Pointer is a Wife, Mother of 3, Grandmother of 5, friend, and most importantly a human being. She has earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Kentucky State University and a Master’s degree in Community Counseling from Governors State University. She has worked in various positions within the behavioral and Mental health field since 2001 including: in-home family therapist in Detroit Michigan and Lexington Kentucky; Case Manager at a home for pregnant teens, and nursing home psychiatric rehabilitation service coordinator in the Chicago southland area.  She has worked as an intensive outpatient therapist, crisis clinician and has managed the department of crisis services for University of Chicago Ingalls Memorial Hospital and Franciscan Health.  Her passion is in assessing patients who have mental health diagnoses, coordinating social services, and collaborating with healthcare professionals to ensure patients and families are linked to the appropriate levels of treatment. Autra enjoys helping people utilize and enhance the best knowledge, skills, and resources needed for overall behavioral health.  She is a certified crisis intervention (CPI) facilitator for Synergy Behavioral Health where she trains, educates, and assists staff on de-escalation techniques and nonviolent crisis intervention skills. Autra gives all the glory and honor to God for all of her accomplishments and being a servant in the field of behavioral health. Autra is very appreciative of the opportunity to share her knowledge of mental health. She works to reduce the stigma around seeking mental health services and hopes to help you obtain an overall sense of balance for yourself.

I have over 36 years of healthcare experience and 22 years of experience working with all ages in primarily outpatient settings. I feel comfortable working with a variety of health conditions, including HTN, DM, Hyperlipidemia and other acute and chronic medical conditions. Currently I provide primarty care via telehealth. I have found telehealth to be very effective and look forward to partnering with an organization to continue expanding access to care. 

Jowharah Blair is a military veteran with nearly 20 years of service from the Army and the Air Force.  While serving, she received formal training in Human Resources and Criminal Justice.  She also gained additional training and certifications which includes Suicide Intervention and Prevention, Sexual Assault Advocate, Mediation, Substance Abuse Awareness and Prevention, Resiliency, Human Rights Awareness, Unconscious Bias, Equal Opportunity, Physical Fitness, Public Speaking, Cultural Awareness and Evangelism.  Teamwork and organization are her strong suits. 

Jowharah’s Life Coaching journey began as an assigned mentor in her early years of serving in the armed forces.  A conversation with the ultimate creator solidified the journey and its purpose.  Continual training and education has kept her informed, vigilant to the craft, and able to assist a clients specific requirements.  She has serviced an array of clientele such as school staff, business owners, couples, single parents, college students, Public Speakers, and the newly divorced as a few.  She has also assisted those with many of the transition’s life has to offer, from adjusting to a new inability, to hospice, and even beyond.  With her food service training, as well received through military service, she has also assisted some in navigating meal preparation and proper nutrition. 

There are many slogans Jowharah may follow.  As a self-proclaimed optimist, she firmly believes there’s a silver lining with every dark cloud.  As an example of going above and beyond, she once acted as a client’s office administrator, to ensure success of the client’s business.  She believes a good coach is always on the sidelines, so she regularly attends clients’ functions and has even coordinated a few events.  She also believes there is a better view of everyday life, therefore she diligently seeks out resources beneficial to the client.

Jowharah is an enthusiastic learner who desires to increase her educational footing continuously.  She is a multi-cultural, adventure seeking, non-lactose pescatarian, who enjoys traveling, food, and experiences from across the globe, and being a Life Coach.  She remains focused, open minded, and with a sense of humor, even in the most tumultuous situations.  She is grateful to be a member of the Becoming-Well family and she looks forward to working with you!