MAPS | Medical Pain Clinics

Ronald J. Berk, M.Eq., LP

Ron Berk, M.Eq., LP, completed his masters degree in guidance and counseling at Marquette University. He earned a Specialist Certificate at the University of Minnesota in Child Development and Special Education. He was a recipient of two National Science Foundation fellowships at the University of Minnesota and National Science Foundation funding to study non Euclidean geometry. He was a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Minnesota and a University of Minnesota faculty member and program director for ten years. Since then he has specialized in evaluating and treating over 3,000 chronic pain patients. He maintains certification in biofeedback and neurofeedback. He was a coauthor and researcher on the original documentation of the flexion relaxation response in the cervical spine published in Clinical Neurophysiology. His professional interests are the MMPI-2, minor traumatic brain injury, disability and biofeedback. He also enjoys downhill skiing, swimming, classical music and his extended family.  

Stacie Bigelow, MA, LAMFT, BCIA, CBIS

Deborah Fisher, Psy.D., LP

Dr. Fisher earned her doctorate in psychology in 1991 from the University of Northern Colorado. She completed her internship at Human Services of Washington County, Minnesota. Dr. Fisher earned her undergraduate degrees in nursing and sociology and masters’ degree in sociology with an emphasis on gerontology. Dr. Fisher has practiced in health and rehabilitation psychology, general adult, adolescent and child psychology as well as being a clinical administrator for Allina and Blue Cross behavioral health clinics. She enjoys teaching and has been on the administrative faculty at Argosy University and is currently on the faculty for Capella University. Earlier in her career, Dr. Fisher taught sociology and practiced as a RN in several areas of nursing such as intensive care, emergency department, surgery and mental health. She has now worked at MAPS Medical Pain Clinics since 2002 and has a special interest in pelvic pain. Dr. Fisher enjoys time with her husband, children and grand children, doing tae kwon do, yoga, gardening and participating in Toastmasters International.

Paul Heideman, Ph.D., LP

Dr. Heideman completed his graduate training in clinical psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.  He began specializing in health psychology during his internship at the Medical University of South Carolina.  A native Minnesotan, he and his family moved back to the Twin Cities where he completed residency training at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center before joining MAPS in September 2009.  When not working at MAPS, Dr. Heideman enjoys sports, fishing and working outdoors.   

Ben Lexau, Psy.D., LP

Dr. Lexau completed his masters degree in Cognitive and Biological psychology at the University of Minnesota and his doctoral degree in clinical psychology at the Minnesota School of Professional Psychology. He completed an internship in clinical psychology and health psychology at the VA Medical Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Dr. Lexau went on to complete a postdoctoral fellowship at the VA Medical Center with focused training on health psychology. Dr. Lexau has worked at the Allina medical clinic in Hastings, Minnesota and has worked at MAPS Medical Pain Clinics since 2002. Dr. Lexau treats individuals who cope with persistent pain and problems that can frequently occur with pain: depression, anxiety, relationship issues, and harmful health behaviors such as smoking or lack of exercise. In his free time, Dr. Lexau enjoys spending time with his wife and three active children. He enjoys playing guitar, running, reading mysteries and slowly restoring his old house.