Dr. Benson, first obtained a doctorate in biochemistry, then pursued his medical degree. As a family medicine physician, his knowledge of how behavioral/mental health influences chronic disease and substance use disorders, led him to pursue additional training in the specialty. His mentor, Dr. Julie Kmiec, addiction psychiatrist, has provided a wealth of knowledge on how to help patients maintain sobriety through available pharmacotherapies. Amongst his patients, he is known as a “doctor who truly cares” because he does so much more than just write prescriptions. Dr. Benson takes time to understand the patient as an individual, to better address the root causes of the illness.

Amanda, an expert listener, guides patients through self-discovery to identify situational and emotional triggers to harmful habits and explores healthy coping mechanisms to replace harmful ones. She also assists individuals process through grief and connects them to appropriate resources. Amanda completed her Master’s Degree in Social Work at Louisiana State University in May of 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic. She currently holds a Certified Social Work Certification from the Louisiana State Board of Social Work Examiners to provide provisional psychotherapeutic services in the state of Louisiana in 2020. She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in 2017, in Child and Family Studies with a minor in Psychology and concentrations of Family Life Cycles and Crisis Intervention throughout the lifespan. Amanda has over 15 years of experience, serving within varying capacities across mental health, community, school social work, child and family agency and nursing homes. A holistic approach guides her practice in the prevention, intervention of substance use disorders and supporting recovery with medication for addiction treatment.