Bay Area Pain & Wellness Center: About Us: About Our Team

About Our Team

	Peter A. Abaci, M.D. Dr. Abaci received his undergraduate education at UC San Diego, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude and was honored as his college's graduation speaker. From there, he attended medical school at the University of Southern California, where he also performed his anesthesia residency. During his last year of residency, he served as Chief Resident and participated in a senior elective in pain management. That experience sparked an interest that led him to UC San Francisco, where he completed his fellowship training in Pain Management. He is board certified in Pain Management and Anesthesia by the American Board of Anesthesia, and serves as a Qualified Medical Examiner. Dr. Abaci has been in private practice in the South Bay since completing his training in 1996. Since that time, he has served as one of the founders of the Bay Area Pain & Wellness Center and the Functional Restoration Program. He has a strong interest in interdisciplinary program development for the management of chronic diseases. Dr. Abaci created the Pathways approach to pain management, and he also devised a special procedure for treating deep muscle dysfunction around the spine. He is a voluntary clinical instructor at the Stanford Pain Clinic. Dr. Abaci is the author of Take Charge of Your Chronic Pain and you can follow his blog at: www.takechargeofyourchronicpain.com
	Risa Bernasconi, M.S.N., F.N.P. Risa Bernasconi was born in the San Francisco Bay Area and grew up in the Santa Cruz Mountains. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Latin American Studies from U.C. Berkeley, and studied for a year in Barcelona, Spain while a student at Berkeley. She is fluent in Spanish and has traveled extensively in Central and South America. Ms. Bernasconi also received a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Samuel Merritt College in Oakland. She spent her first year as a nurse at Highland Hospital (now Alameda County Medical Center). In 1999 she received a Master's of Science Degree in Nursing in the Family Nurse Practitioner program at Georgia Southern University in Statesboro. Before joining the Bay Area Pain & Wellness Center in September 2003, her area of practice was primary care, with a specialization in HIV and AIDS care.
	Leah Balowitz, Psy.D., Fellow Leah Balowitz received her doctorate in Clinical Psychology from The Wright Institute. She has trained in a variety of clinical settings including MillsCollege counseling center and CaliforniaPacificMedicalCenter in the psychiatric inpatient unit and outpatient clinic. She has an interest in adult development and the creative process in facilitating growth. This has led her to work with adults with chronic pain and moving through a grieving process towards health and wellness. At The Bay Area Pain and WellnessCenter, she teaches psycho-educational classes on chronic pain and ways to manage it, conducts psychological evaluations to determine a course of treatment, and works with individual adults to help them live a better quality life with chronic pain. She enjoys her work at the center and especially enjoys focusing on living a life of health and wellness.

	Shaylin Ebert, MFT-I Shaylin Ebert is a behavior specialist, therapist, and wellness teacher for the Bay Area Pain & Wellness Center. She earned her B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Religious Studies from North Central College in 2005, and subsequently her M.A. in Counseling Psychology from Santa Clara University in 2008. Deeply moved both personally and professionally by mind-body practices and their potential to spur profound healing, Shaylin makes it a point to integrate these practices into all that she does. Along with her ongoing personal practice of meditation and yoga, Shaylin has done extensive professional trainings in mindfulness meditation. She has trained with Jon Kabat-Zinn, PhD in his program on Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and done many residential meditation retreats. She has also done academic research with Dr. Shauna Shapiro, a leading researcher and teacher of minfulness meditation at Santa Clara University. Shaylin hopes to mindfully engage with clients and empower them to improve their own health and well-being.
	Sandy Frandsen, Certified Personal Trainer Sandy Frandsen is a Certified Personal Trainer at the Bay Area Pain and Wellness Center. Sandy was injured at her previous job in 1999. She underwent a L5-S1 level fusion in 2000. In 2001 Sandy was referred to Dr. John Massey, he suggested the Functional Restoration program. Sandy attended the program in 2002, and was taught to cope and manage her pain successfully. Sandy joined the Bay Area Pain and Wellness Center in 2004. Sandy started her career as Program Administrative Assistant and advocate to new patients. In 2006 Sandy became a Physical Therapy Aide. While serving as a Physical Therapy Aide, Sandy studied to become a Certified Personal Trainer. She received her Certification in early 2008. Sandy’s passion is helping others learn to manage their pain and get back to a good quality of life.
	Gregory Garavanian, Psy.D. Dr. Garavanian graduated from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, with a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology in 1991, and he earned a Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology in Alameda in 2000. He completed his Post-Doctoral Fellowship at Kaiser Permanente in San Rafael, where he was first introduced to the field of chronic pain and facilitated a group for chronic pain management. Dr. Garavanian’s career has largely been focused on integrating psychological services with medical care. Prior to his work at BAPWC he worked in medical clinics under a grant to bridge mental health services with primary medical care. In addition to his clinical work he was a supervising psychologist to other mental health professionals. In 2004 he joined the BAPWC team where he was trained as a health psychologist under Kimeron Hardin, Ph.D. The bulk of his work has been in the Functional Restoration Programs where he teaches classes and conducts evaluations. Dr. Garavanian has a particular interest in how pain affects the whole family, which led him to create an ongoing family education meeting for family members of patients in the functional restoration programs. Dr. Garavanian's personal interests don’t stray far from his professional life.He stays active with regular work outs and does his best to eat well. His other interests include traveling, languages, and music.
	Erin Hernandez, Certified Personal Trainer Erin Hernandez is a Personal Trainer for the Bay Area Pain & Wellness Center. She earned her Bachelors of Science in Kinesiology, Exercise Science from California State University, Fresno in 2008. She is a Certified Personal Trainer through the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). Erin has had a passion for physical therapy from a young age when she started as a patient after two knee reconstruction surgeries. In 2004, Erin started her career as a Personal Trainer in Clovis, CA. She thoroughly enjoyed helping people meet their fitness potential. In 2006, Erin returned to the Physical Therapy environment as an Exercise Therapist for orthopedic outpatient therapy, Inpatient, and geriatric. In her spare time, Erin spends time with her huge family and friends. She also loves taking hikes with her dog and challenging others to a game of Wii Fit.
	Christine Hirabayashi, MFT-I Christine Hirabayashi is a behavioral specialist and art therapist at the Bay Area Pain and Wellness Center. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Illustration from California State University Long Beach in 1998, and subsequently her Masters Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy and Art Therapy from Notre Damede Namur University in 2004. Christine started her career serving as an art instructor to children and teens at The Marvegos Fine Art School for five years. This is where she came to realize the therapeutic value of art and how creative expression can greatly impact a child’s self confidence and well being. As a MFT trainee, Christine served as a counselor at Hospice of the Valley in San Jose, where she worked with terminally ill patients and helped bereaved family members work through grief using talk and art therapy. Christine joined the Bay Area Pain and Wellness Center in 2004. Her passion for helping others express their emotions through art inspired her to develop the Expressive Arts for Health program. She facilitates art therapy groups for the Functional Restoration Program, conducts workshops, art therapy support groups, and works with patients individually. Her vision is to continue to find innovative ways to use expressive art as a way to strengthen and heal the mind, body, and spirit.

	Karlee Holden-Bianco Karlee Holden-Bianco is from Los Gatos, California.She graduated from UC Berkeley in 1997 and studied in Paris at the University, La Sorbonne.She is based in her hometown of Los Gatos but has lived and worked in Los Angeles, New York City, and London. Karlee has studied Vipassana meditation, which means “to see things as they really are”.It is one of India’s most ancient techniques of meditation.Vipassana meditation was rediscovered by Gotama Buddha more than 2,500 years ago and was taught by him as a universal remedy for universal ills. Karlee taught yoga classes at Los Gatos Athletic Club and Courtside Club for years.She comes from a family heavily involved in the healing arts and grew up studying the powers of consciousness through ancient teachings, psychology, and eastern philosophies.Her well rounded background and life experience gives her the ability to help people solve their problems and expand their awareness to discover inner happiness. She has been with BAPWC since 2006 and has her own private practice doing life coaching with her mom, Karen Holden.

	Michèle Jehenson, D.D.S. Dr. Jehenson is one of only 17 dentists in the entire San Francisco Bay Area who are board certified in orofacial pain (www.ABOP.net). After receiving a master's degree in linguistics from the University of Liege, Belgiumanda DDS degree from Columbia University,Dr. Jehensontrained in Orofacial Pain at UCLA under Dr. R.Merrill and Dr. S. Graff-Radford, who pioneered the field of Orofacial Pain.She joined Dr. C. McNeill at the UCSF Center for Orofacial Pain andremains on staff as an associate professor at the UCSF Dental School. She recently obtained a certification in medical acupunture from the Helms Institute and Stanford Medical School. Dr. Jehenson’s area of expertise is temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders, neuropathic pain in the head and neck as well as primary headaches. She also works with patients with mild and moderate sleep apnea who cannot tolerate C-pap or would prefer a custom intraoral appliance. Her philosophy in treatment is an evidence based interdisciplinary approach that includes not only medical and pharmacological treatment, but also adjunct therapies such as exercise, meditation, physical therapy, acupuncture, counseling and hypnosis; as needed. Tyson Landeza, M.D. Dr. Landeza finished his education in the Philippines. He obtained his bachelor’s degree at the University of Santo Tomas in Manila, majoring in Physical Therapy. Then he pursued his medical education at Lyceum-Northwestern in Dagupan City. After taking the Philippine Medical Board Examination in 1990, he migrated to the United States to join his family. He initially worked as a Registered Physical Therapist before getting accepted into PM&R residency training at the University of Arkansas for medical Sciences in Little Rock in 2003. He served as a co-Chief Resident during his senior year. After his residency training in 2007, he did an additional year of fellowship training in Spine & Interventional Pain Medicine in Santa Maria, CA. Dr. Landeza is Board Certified in Physical Medicine & Rahabilitation. He then worked for a private practice clinic in West Los Angeles, before joining the Bay Area Pain & Wellness Center November 2009. He is an avid sports fan, particularly professional basketball, football and tennis. He would love to travel someday with his family to learn different cultures and try different cuisine.
	Lucrecia Martinez, Certified Personal Trainer Lucrecia is a certified personal trainer. She grew up in El Paso, Texas and moved to California at the age of 12. Growing up, Lucrecia was very athletic and into many sports and fitness. In high school, she played a lead role in the varsity basketball team where she learned most about body and fitness. In 2002, she was offered a basketball scholarship to UC Davis and was to proceed at the end of high school. Toward the end of her basketball season she was injured and had to give up her scholarship due to her injury. On a new path but still very much into health and fitness, Lucrecia became a certified personal trainer. Always wanting to help others, she switched career pathways and later came across the medical field. In 2005, Lucrecia began working for the Bay Area Pain and Wellness center where she did mainly administrative work. In 2008 she was offered the position as a certified personal trainer and has worked rehabilitating patients in chronic pain ever since. Lucrecia hopes to help give a little life back to those who have lost so much by helping to improve their overall strength, flexibility and endurance.
	John E. Massey, M.D. Dr. Massey attended Santa Clara University where he completed a bachelor's degree in biology. He received his Medical Doctorate from Stanford University School of Medicine in 1991. During his medical school training, Dr. Massey received the McGraw-Hill award as the number one ranked medical student in his class. After medical school, Dr. Massey completed an internship in Internal Medicine at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center. His anesthesia residency was performed at Stanford University Medical Center. During his last year, Dr. Massey was Chief Resident at the Palo Alto Veterans Administration Hospital. While attending Stanford, Dr. Massey received a clinical competence award as one of the top residents in his class. Dr. Massey was asked to do a fellowship in pain management at Stanford. He completed this fellowship in 1996 and was hired as Attending Physician and Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Anesthesiology. Dr. Massey taught in the medical school and pain management clinic for the next two years prior to leaving Stanford to go into private practice. Dr. John Massey is double board certified in both Anesthesia and Pain Management. Born and raised in the Santa Clara Valley, Dr. Massey feels a strong commitment towards community service. It has always been his vision to create an exemplary community based pain center. In 1999, this dream was realized when he and Dr. Peter Abaci formed the Bay Area Pain & Wellness Center. Dr. Massey continues to teach as Adjunct Clinical Faculty through the Stanford University Pain Management Center. This, in addition to his continuing daily service through the Bay Area Pain and Wellness Center, encompasses his primary activities. Dr. Massey actively participates in the local medical communities through the Santa Clara County Medical Association while maintaining strong ties to the pain management community through memberships in the International Association for the Study of Pain and the American Board of Anesthesia. He is also a member of the American Medical Association.
	Matt Tarzon, Certified Personal Trainer Matt realized his true calling in 2005 and returned to school to earn a new bachelor’s degree in Sports and Health Sciences, with a concentration in Sports Medicine. He graduated with honors in 2007. During that time, he also earned a personal trainer certification through National Academy of Sports Medicine. The following year, Matt earned a Corrective Exercise Specialist certification, also through NASM. He has been working as a personal trainer since 2007. The majority of his clientele has been those recovering from injury. Matt has been involved with athletics all of his life. He started swimming at an early age, played soccer from grammar school through high school, football in high school and began playing rugby his senior year of high school. Rugby became a passion through his college years and he continued to play for 17 years. He has returned to swimming and competes in open water swim races each year and is known to enter the occasional triathlon. While swimming is his new passion, Matt continues to be involved with youth rugby, coaching the Seahawk Youth Rugby team each year. He also loves to coach kids in Little League and in AYSO soccer. He finds coaching very rewarding and fun. Matt is very happy to be with the Bay Area Pain and Wellness Center and is very excited to help people get back to a more normalized quality of life. Amanda Withrow, Ph.D., Fellow Dr. Withrow graduated from Cornell University with a bachelor’s degree in Educational Psychology, having written a thesis on Psychotherapy with HIV and Aids Patients and their families: A biopsychosocial approach. From the very beginning, she had a passion for collaborative approaches that treat the entire person. She went on to complete a Ph.D. in Clinical Health Psychology from Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology. While working with oncology patients and their families, she was introduced to issues faced by those experiencing chronic pain. She continued to pursue working with patients suffering from chronic pain while completing her post doctoral fellowship in primary care psychology with San Francisco General Hospital. Dr. Withrow is excited to have joined the BAPWC team in 2009.

Our center is committed to providing the highest level of patient service. From its inception, our clinicians have placed an emphasis on providing medical services that make sense from the patient's perspective.