About Us
College is a unique time and one parent’s experience was the inspiration to develop a unique program specially designed for college students.
Our Vision
We have created a college student-specific IOP program by therapists who understand college students’ unique needs and who understand university systems.
By working with campus mental health professionals and administrators, Capstone College helps students design personalized IOP programs that consider college schedules and special support programs during summer and semester breaks.
Dr. Kelly Simonson started her career as a psychologist working in college counseling centers, specializing in treating patients with eating disorders, sexual trauma and the LGBTQ+ population. She quickly found that college students facing these issues often required additional assistance earning a degree and navigating the administrative process if they needed to withdraw from school. Through Dr. Simonson’s work with two eating disorder intensive outpatient programs (IOPs), she realized the need to improve college students’ care, especially in college towns with fewer resources.
In 2022, Brad Guest approached Dr. Simonson with ideas about eating disorder treatment in Georgia and the lack of adequate resources for his daughter. As a business consultant focused on health care companies, Brad had a vital vision of what that treatment could look like. From there, the two created an IOP program in Athens, Georgia and beyond.
Our Staff
Kelly Simonson, Ph.D., Co-Founder
Brad Guest, Co-Founder
As a consultant to the healthcare industry for over 30 years, Brad helps clients solve business problems. His work has included both physical and mental health providers. When his daughter developed an eating disorder as a teenager, his focus on mental health field became personal. Her diagnosis issue was difficult to address as resources are scarce. This difficulty increased once she entered college. Because of that, we created Capstone…to help kids like my daughter. So they can get help and stay in school.
In 2022, Brad Guest began speaking with Dr. Simonson about better ways to serve college students with eating disorders and other mental health needs. As a business consultant focused on healthcare companies, Brad had a vision of what treatment could look like. From there, the two created an outpatient delivery model including individual and IOP programs in Athens, Georgia.
