Experience

• St. John's University

  Student Therapist

  • Provided weekly individual short-term and long-term therapy to children, adolescents, and adults on an outpatient basis (cognitive behavioral orientation);
  • Provided “Alternative for Families:” A Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (AF-CBT) and Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) to children/adolescents and their families who are survivors of trauma, including child physical abuse, child sexual abuse, peer sexual assault, traumatic bereavement, domestic violence, and community violence;
  • Conducted evidence-based assessments with youth and caregivers and provide feedback;
  • Received training and weekly group supervision from a TF-CBT certified trainer; weekly supervision includes review of audio-recorded sessions;
  • Conducted unstructured and semi-structured intakes, including the Kiddie-Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia -Present and Lifetime Version (K-SADS-PL) and Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders- Patient Edition (SCID-I/P 2.0);
  • Conducted comprehensive psychological testing for children, adolescents, and adults;
  • Administered and interpreted intelligence, achievement, neuropsychological, projective, and personality tests, including the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-IV (WAIS-IV), Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-IV (WISC-IV), Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI-III), Wechsler Individual Achievement Test Second Edition (WIAT-III), Woodcock Johnson-III Test of Achievement (WJ-III), WRAT-IV, WRAML2, A Developmental Neuropsychological Assessment (NEPSY-II), Rorschach (Exner System), the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT), the Person-House-Tree Test, Kinetic Family Drawing; Administered and interpreted personality tests such as the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI), 16 Personality Factors (16PF) and the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI);

• Middlesex Hospital Out Patient Clinic

  Pre-Doctoral Psychology Intern

  • Provided weekly individual and family therapy to children and adolescents ages 5-21 in an outpatient setting (integrated cognitive behavioral and dialectical behavioral orientation);
  • Provided group therapy with focus on various cognitive behavioral and dialectical behavior coping skills such as interpersonal effectiveness and assertiveness;
  • Conducted assessments for clarification of client diagnosis, treatment recommendations, and recommendations for educational accommodations as needed, using a variety psychometric tests, interviews, and direct observation of behavior;
  o Administered and interpreted objective tests including the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-IV (WISC-IV), Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI-III), Woodcock Johnson-III Test of Achievement (WJ-III), Delis–Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS) The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2); Trauma; Eating Disorders Inventory -3 (EDI-3), Aggression Questionnaire (AQ), ASEBA Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL)
  o Administered semi-structured interviews such as the Borderline Personality Disorder Severity Index (BPDSI), and the Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia (K-SADS)
  o Administered and interpreted projective tests such as the Rorschach (Exner system), Thematic Apperception Test (TAT), and the Family Apperception Test (FAT)
  o Wrote integrated reports
  o Presented feedback to children, caregivers, and therapeutic team
  • Taught seminars on DBT skills and trauma focused intervention to clinicians and social workers;
  • Actively participated in the inter-disciplinary team;
  • Conducted assessments of clients’ needs and fit for outpatient therapy using structured interview and direct observation of behavior;
  • Wrote progress notes, intake reports, treatment plans, safety plans, and discharge summaries;
  • Participated in weekly individual supervision & didactic sessions focused on evidence-based practices for adults, and families;

• Choices Women Medical Center

  Director of Behavioral Health

  • Work with an interdisciplinary staff to provide clients with holistic wrap around care
  • Develop policies and protocols for Behavioral Health Department;
  • Provide in-services in order to help train support staff on client care and departmental policies;
  • Conduct interviews for prospective new psychologists;
  • Provide new-employee orientation/training
  • Provide clinical supervision to staff psychologists ;
  • Ensure staff understanding of and adhesion to polices and protocols in regards to treatment and documentation there of ;
  • Participate in continuous quality improvement (CQI) meetings ;
  • Meet with patient safety and AAAHC accreditation consultants and ensure that recommendations are implemented;
  • Meet with healthcare advisory and accounting consultants in order to ensure documentation and billing practices meet the most rigorous standards;
  • Develop and maintain excel database in order to track productivity, pt show rates and how pts found this program;
  • Conduct assessments for clarification of client diagnosis, treatment recommendations, and recommendations for educational accommodations as needed;
  • Conduct weekly individual and family therapy to adults, children and adolescents
  • Conduct group therapy with focus on various cognitive behavioral and dialectical behavior coping skills such as interpersonal effectiveness and assertiveness;
  • Conduct crisis intervention for clients as needed before during and after medical procedures;
  • Provide clients with supportive therapy prior to medical and surgical abortions;
  • Provide clients with education on medical and surgical abortions prior procedures and help client identify other options as requested;
  • Education clients on birth control options;
  • Develop new departmental initiatives;
  • Develop materials for marketing
  • Maintain accurate records of clinical work, treatment plans, consults, safety plans and discharge summaries;

• Psychology Extern

  Psychology Extern

  • Provided intensive individual therapy (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy—Enhanced for eating disorders CBT-E) to adolescents in a partial-hospitalization setting;
  • Provided family therapy influenced by the Maudsley Model family-based treatment for eating disorders;
  • Provided case management and psychoeducation on eating disorders to adolescents and caregivers;
  • Provided group therapy with a focus on cognitive behavioral and dialectical behavior coping skills;
  • Participated in inter-disciplinary team;
  • Conducted assessments of clients’ needs and fit for the partial hospitalization program using a structured interview and direct observation of behavior;
  • Wrote assessment reports regarding clients’ needs, abilities and areas of further development;
  • Participated in weekly individual and group supervision;
  • Attended weekly seminars focusing on family therapy and evidence-based practices;

• C.H.E. Behavioral Health Services

  Postdoctoral Psychologist

  • Conducted individual, family therapy, and group therapy in an inpatient rehabilitation and nursing home with adults who have physical disabilities and other co-morbid medical conditions and a wide variety of mental health diagnoses (integrated client centered and dialectical behavioral orientation);
  • Aided clients, families, and staff understand the impact of medical diagnoses on behavioral health and cognition;
  • Provided supportive end of life care to clients with terminal diagnoses;
  • Used de-escalation techniques in order to help staff manage disruptive/aggressive behavior during crises;
  • Assessed cognitive functioning for a variety of neurological conditions, including onset of dementia, post cerebrovascular accident (CVA), and long term mental illness using a variety psychometric tests, interviews, and direct observation of behavior;
  o Administered and interpret objective tests including the Saint Louis University Mental Status Examination for Detecting Mild Cognitive Impairment and Dementia (SLUMS); Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA); Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-IV (WAIS-IV), Brief Interview for mental status (BIMS); The Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE); Boston Naming Test;
  • Developed and lead new employee orientation on understanding cognitive impairments, effective communication, and techniques to reduce client agitation;
  • Provided consultation and help staff institute on environmental and behavioral interventions;
  • Maintained accurate records of clinical work, treatment plans, consults, safety plans and discharge summaries;
  • Participated in planning and consultation with facility administration;
  • Participated in weekly individual supervision;