Professionals & Staff

Dr. John Barkenbus, Psychiatrist

Dr. Barkenbus grew up in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. He obtained his college degree in psychology at Indiana University in Bloomington and his medical degree from Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis. He completed his residency training in Psychiatry at University of North Carolina Hospitals in Chapel Hill, NC. During his residency, Dr. Barkenbus spent time training in the UNC Neurology Department's clinics for Memory Disorders, Movement Disorders, and Epilepsy. After residency, Dr. Barkenbus spent a year at Dorothea Dix State Hospital attending to patients with Psychotic Disorders. While there, he worked daily with psychiatry residents and medical students as an adjunct clinical professor. Dr Barkenbus's clinical interests include cases which fall within the Neurology/Psychiatry interface such as Autism, Traumatic Brain Injury and Stroke, Tourette, Dementia and Mild Cognitive Impairment, Parkinson, Epilepsy, and Schizophrenia. Dr Barkenbus lives in Charlotte with his wife, Sarah, and their German Shepherd Dog, Zeus.

Susan Merrill, Physicians Assistant

Sue Merrill is a physician assistant with twenty years experience in medicine, currently seeing adults and children with mood and behavioral disorder. She has been with NC Neuropsychiatry since August 2005 and previously worked in Charlotte at the Behavioral Health Center. In addition to her experience in psychiatry, she has worked in women's health, internal medicine, family medicine, endocrinology and geriatrics. She received her Physicians Assistants degree from Trevecca Nazarene College in Nashville, TN in 1986.

Carol Rodgers, Nurse Practitioner

Carol Rodgers is a certified nurse practitioner with a background in behavioral medicine and dementia care. Her past experience also includes internal medicine and full family practice. Her nursing degrees are from Clemson University in 1992 for her undergraduate and - after serving in the US Army as a RN - completed her Masters degree (Primary Care with a Family Practice focus) at University of Alabama at Birmingham in 1998. Her main interests include mood disorders, neurologic disorders and dementia care and management.

David Lynn, PhD Clinical Psychologist

Dr. Lynn received his undergraduate degree in psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He earned his MA degree in psychology from Ball State University and his doctorate in clinical psychology from Indiana State University.

Dr. Lynn has spent much of his post doctoral career working in community mental health centers in Indiana working primarily with chronically mentally ill persons. While working in community mental health, Dr. Lynn divided his time between therapy with clients and aiding other clinicians in their diagnosing of clients with the use of psychological testing. In the following years, Dr. Lynn had a successful private practice.

Dr. Lynn’s specialty areas include anxiety disorders, mood disorders, work and home stress, life adjustment, grief therapy, family therapy and psychological testing.

Treatment modalities include cognitive, behavioral, psychodynamic and hypnotherapy. Dr. Lynn focuses heavily on giving clients practical information that they can leave the office and use that day to help them on the road to feeling better.

Support Staff

Patty Morford, CMA

Patty is a native of Charlotte, NC and a graduate of Central Piedmont Community College. She has an associates degree and is a Certified Medical Assistant. She has lived in the Charlotte area all of her life. Patty has been with NC Neuropsychiatry since it’s inception in Charlotte in 1999. She has played many important roles, from office manager to drug study coordinator. She is currently responsible for all clinical duties, assisting providers with testing, drug study, and patient care. She currently lives in Belmont with her 2 sons.