Meet the Wellness Counselors

About Our Staff

Debra Disney, MSEd, LCPC
University of Illinois College of Medicine Peoria
Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Medicine
Director of the Center for Wellbeing

Deb Disney, a native of Central Illinois, returned to Peoria in 2006 after 21 years living in St. Louis, Chicago, Spain, and Southern Illinois. She earned a clinical master’s degree in counseling from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale.

She has additional certifications in Mind-Body Bridging, Cognitively-Based Compassion Training, and Cultivating Emotional Balance. Her passion is combining the best of western psychology with the wisdom of contemplative practices to help people build resilience in the face of life’s challenges. After working for 20 years in hospice care, oncology, and nursing education, she joined the UICOMP Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine in 2018. Deb’s interests include hiking, yoga, reading, and the creative process of art.

Michele Holman, MSW, LCSW, CT
University of Illinois College of Medicine Peoria
Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Medicine
Center for Wellbeing, Clinical Associate

Michele spent the majority of her childhood and adolescence growing up abroad within the Indo-Pacific region of the globe. These collective experiences of travel and living abroad within very diverse environments and cultures certainly honed her lens as a clinician especially as it relates to empathy, cultural humility and her avid interest in evidence based contemplative practices.

She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) who earned a Master’s of Social Work degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana – Champaign in 2001 with an emphasis in health care and program development. She brings over 20 years of experience in providing clinical counseling support services across diverse community, educational and healthcare populations within an array of organizations. Michele also has additional certification in Thanatology (CT), a specialized focus within grief and bereavement from the Association for Death Education and Counseling specific to her years of serving pediatric and adult patients and their families who were navigating chronic, terminal and/or catastrophic injury.

She is passionate about direct clinical care and program development specific to the arenas of wellness, resilience, and preventative supports especially as it relates to healthcare, other professionals and academic students in various high stress impact zones. She values clinical opportunities to meet clients where they are within life’s challenges and assist them with self-knowledge and personal growth with practical and compassionate solutions to enhance their quality of life.

Michele’s interest’s include time spent at her pottery wheel, yoga, reading, cooking, traveling, camping and spending time with her family, friends and rescued canines.

Rachel Buchheit, MA, LCPC, NCC, CT
University of Illinois College of Medicine Peoria
Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Medicine
Center for Wellbeing, Clinical Associate

Rachel Buchheit is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC), National Certified Counselor (NCC), and Certified in Thanatology, a concentration area of death, dying, and bereavement. Born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, Rachel completed her undergraduate education at the Missouri University of Science & Technology in the Ozark region of Rolla, Missouri, earning a BA degree in Psychology and Secondary Teaching Certification.

Rachel completed her MA degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Bradley University in 2012. Inspired by the opportunity to advance the field of Pediatric Palliative Care, Rachel dedicated the first ten years of her post-graduate career fully immersed in providing counseling services to patients and families affected by chronic and life limiting conditions in a critical care setting at the Children’s Hospital of Illinois. Her work at CHOI was deeply meaningful and served as a commanding catalyst in her desire to lead as an agent of change within the rapidly evolving landscape of healthcare.

Her expertise in providing comprehensive bereavement and trauma informed care paired with her experience in program design and academic roots, opened a door of opportunity to intersect her passion for direct clinical care and vision to elevate the development, implementation and execution of advanced communication and innovative wellness curriculum for medical professionals across the spectrum of care.

Rachel joined the UICOMP Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine as a clinical associate in 2021. She strives to meet individuals where they’re at and utilizes evidence-based interventions that are grounded in mutual respect, compassion and practicality.

In her free time, Rachel enjoys floating and fishing scenic waterways by canoe with her husband, Dennis. She is a dedicated equestrian with her equine partner, Henry, and appreciates any opportunity to be at the barn, swim, travel, listen to music and spend quality time with friends and family.