In 1986, Anne Talbot, Psy.D., then a psychiatric nurse, opened a small private practice called Valley Psychotherapy. Three years later, Valley Psychotherapy grew into a joint venture known as Options in Mental Health, Inc., located at 115 Railway Street in Scottsbluff. 

Dr. Talbot, who went on to earn her Psy.D. in 1997, co-owned the practice with Dan Scharf, Ph.D.; Charles Howard, Ph.D; Matthew Hutt, Ph.D.; and Mark Hald, Ph.D., who joined the group in 1997, earned his Ph.D. in 1999 and became a partner in 2000. Several other clinicians were also associated with this venture, including Charlotte Ingram, LMHP, who joined in the late 1980s and remains with the practice today.

In 2000, Drs. Talbot, Hald and Hutt relocated the practice to 1110 Circle Drive in Scottsbluff, and officially formed their new venture, Options in Psychology, LLC. They stayed at that location until 2004. During that time, Dr. Hutt left the practice, and several other therapists joined it, including Georgia Nelson, LMHP, who remained with the practice until 2014.

Dr. Talbot and Dr. Hald moved the practice to its current location at 2622 Avenue C in Scottsbluff in 2004. At that time, several new therapists came on board, including Sara Klein, LMHP, and Terry Fisher, LMHP, who remained until 2009.

In 2011, Options began offering opportunities for therapists-in-training and pre-doctoral psychology interns. Carrie Howton, PhD, then an LMHP, joined in 2011 and completed a master’s-level internship. Katie Carrizales, Ph.D., completed her psychology internship and post-doc at Options, and remains with the practice on a part-time basis. In 2019, Options joined the High Plains Psychology Internship Consortium, and continues to offer various opportunities for psychology trainees through that program.

Over the years, many highly skilled therapists across western Nebraska have worked in association with Options, comprising the most comprehensive and distinguished provider of psychological, neuropsychological and mental health services in the region. Of its current roster of clinicians, in addition to Ms. Ingram, Lori Rodriquez-Fletcher, LCSW, and Nichelle Paz, LMHP, have been there the longest, joining in 2012 and 2014 respectively.

Today, Options in Psychology, LLC , is a continually growing, well-established collaboration between rigorously trained psychologists and talented contract therapists. While the practice has undergone various changes in name, location and personnel over the years, its commitment to serving the mental health needs of the people of the western Nebraska region is constant.