Progress Notes: Keeping Tabs on the Practice of Psychology

Self-care is on more people’s minds as they seek ways to lower their stress levels and improve mental health.  In this episode, a psychologist and self-care expert shares why practitioners need to make it a priority as well.

A reproductive psychologist discusses her experience practicing at the intersection of health, technology and culture.

Two media-savvy psychologists explain how you can make an impact beyond your office.  

In this episode of Progress Notes, psychologists share their tips on how to close your solo or group practice the right way.

Dr. Athena Robinson, chief clinical officer at Woebot Labs, talks about the value that practicing psychologists add to the tech industry.

In this episode of Progress Notes, a psychologist discusses her unique role in training veterans to work as peer support specialists at Veterans Affairs.

PSYPACT will reduce barriers to practice, expand access to care, and advance telepsychology—but more states need to join the compact.

Raquel Halfond, PhD, is the Director of Clinical Practice Guidelines for the American Psychological Association, overseeing all the day-to-day activities of the initiative. She is also a clinical psychologist. Dr. Halfond received her doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Virginia Commonwealth University. She completed her APA approved clinical internship at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and was a postdoctoral fellow at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center.

Hollie Raynor, PhD, RD, LDN, is a Professor in the Department of Nutrition and the Interim Assistant Dean of Research in the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences at the University of Tennessee. She holds a MS in Public Health Nutrition and a PhD in Clinical Psychology, and is a registered dietitian and a licensed psychologist. She conducts research in lifestyle interventions for pediatric and adult weight management and has published over 125 peer-reviewed articles.

Patty Nece, JD, advocates for the eradication of weight bias, sound obesity treatments, and insurance coverage for those treatments. She encourages change by sharing her personal experiences with life-long severe obesity.  She serves on the Obesity Action Coalition's Board of Directors and is a Commissioner on The Lancet Commission on Obesity.

Bruce Bobbitt, PhD, has been licensed for independent practice in the state of Minnesota for the past 33 years and has practiced in community mental health, pediatric health psychology at the University of Minnesota and in private practice. For the past 23 years he worked at Optum/UnitedHealth Group in various roles all related to clinical program development and quality management and improvement, leaving that organization in 2016. For the final 10 years there he was vice president, then senior vice president for behavioral quality management and improvement. During this same period Bobbitt was active in professional psychology. He was a member of the Governing Council of the Minnesota Psychological Association (MPA) for 16 years and is currently the president-elect of MPA. He was on APA Council of Representatives from 1990 through 1995 and is currently on the on the APAPO-sponsored Oversight Committee for the development of a Qualified Clinical Data Registry being led by Carol Goodheart. Bobbitt was a Heiser Award recipient in 1994 was elected Fellow of Div. 29 (Society for the Advancement of Psychotherapy) this year. Bobbitt is a graduate of Cornell and received his PhD in child psychology from the Institute of Child Development at the University of Minnesota.

Carol Goodheart, PhD, is an independently practicing psychologist in Princeton, N.J., and a former APA president. During her term as APA president in 2010, one of her presidential initiatives was the development of PracticeOUTCOMES: Measures for Psychologists (a relational measurement database). In 2015, Goodheart served as an expert panel member invited to explore and advise the Practice Directorate/Practice Organization on the establishment of a QCDR. Her leadership involvement in APA/APAPO efforts on behalf of psychology includes many areas relevant to the evolving nature of healthcare practice over time, e.g. author of the 2014 A Primer for ICD-10-CM Users: Psychological and Behavioral Conditions, chair of the association's 2005 Presidential Task Force on Evidence-Based Practice, co-chair of the 2009 APA Presidential Task Force and Summit on the Future of Psychology Practice. In 2012, she received the American Psychological Foundation Gold Medal Award for Life Achievement in the Practice of Psychology.

Nina Shiffrin, PhD, is a licensed psychologist. Dr. Shiffrin earned her doctorate in clinical psychology from Yale University. At Yale she received her certification in Kazdin Parent Management Training (KPMT), an evidence-based treatment for children with behavior problems, under the supervision of Dr. Alan Kazdin. Dr. Shiffrin completed her predoctoral internship at Temple University under the supervision of Dr. Philip Kendall, where she gained experience providing the Coping Cat treatment, a cognitive-behavioral therapy program for children and adolescents with anxiety disorders. Dr. Shiffrin has experience treating children, adolescents, and adults with a range of clinical presentations including behavioral difficulties, mood and anxiety disorders, and difficulties regulating emotions.

Karen Kietzman, PsyD, is a licensed clinical psychologist in Billings, Montana.  She earned her masters and her doctorate in clinical psychology from Biola University at Rosemead School of Psychology in Southern California. She began her solo private practice in Southern California.  Dr. Kietzman grew up in Montana. She and her family moved back to Montana in 1994 and continued her solo private practice in Billings. Dr. Kietzman believes in treating the whole person. She incorporates mental, physical, and spiritual health in her evaluation and treatment.   

Stacey Larson, PhD, works for the Edith Norse Rodgers Veteran’s Hospital in Bedford, MA.  Prior to working for the VA, Stacey worked for the American Psychological Association’s Practice Directorate on issues pertaining to HIPAA privacy and security, health information technology, as well as various other legal, regulatory and ethical issues.

Alan Nessman, JD, is the Senior Special Counsel in the Office of Legal & Regulatory Affairs (LRA) for the APA Practice Organization. He is LRA’s lead attorney on HIPAA & patient privacy, and parity & insurance issues. Alan worked on the Practice Organization’s original 2003 and 2005 HIPAA compliance products, and worked with LRA’s team that developed the content for the new comprehensive compliance product: HIPAASmart. 

Alan joined APA in 2000 after 15 years as a law firm litigator. He received his JD with honors from George Washington University in 1984, and his BA with honors from the University of Chicago in 1981.

Amy Heard, PhD, is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist with a solo practice in Vienna, VA, where she is co-located with other allied health professionals.  She completed her PhD at Auburn University in 2000, and her training included Practica in Rehabilitation Medicine at HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital, Internship in Health Psychology at Rush Presbyterian St. Luke’s Medical Center, and a Postdoctoral Fellowship in Reproductive and Sexual Medicine at the University of Washington Medical Center.  She currently works with individuals and couples, many of whom face major health challenges, including chronic pain, pelvic pain, and neurological disorders.  Dr. Heard uses ACT, mindfulness, CBT and EFT frameworks to provide skills, techniques, education and insight in order to help her clients heal and thrive.  

John Robinson, EdD, MPH, ABPP, ABCHP, is a retired licensed clinical psychologist and Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry and Surgery at Howard University College of Medicine. Dr. Robinson is a pioneer and one of the proverbial “grandparents” of the field of transplant psychology and clinical health psychology in the U.S. He was the first African-American psychologist in the U.S. Air Force and the U.S Navy, and was one of the first transplant psychologists in the U.S.

Dr. Robinson has written widely on health psychology topics, with reference to diversity in the provision of services and career advancement. APA has recognized Dr. Robinson with the Stanley Sue Award for Distinguished Contributions to Diversity, and the Association of Psychologists in Academic Health Centers awarded him the Joseph Matarazzo Award for distinguished service and contributions to clinical health psychology, their highest honor bestowed to him from a very competitive field of nominees. He was also awarded the Nate Perry Award from the Society of Health Psychology (APA Division 38).

Dr. Robinson is board-certified in both clinical and clinical health psychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP), but in addition has served as president of both boards.

Dr. Robinson received his bachelor’s degree in human physiology and biochemistry and a master’s degree in counseling psychology from the University of Texas at Austin. He received his doctorate in counseling psychology from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. He completed his masters of public health at Harvard University.

Hrant Jamgochian, JD, LL.M., is the chief executive officer of Dialysis Patient Citizens. Formerly the Director of Health Policy for the United Way Worldwide, Jamgochian has extensive expertise in formulating and advancing effective health care policies at the national and state levels. Hrant previously served as Director of Congressional and State Relations for the American Pharmacists Association and as Director of Field and State Operations for the American Psychological Association, where he spearheaded a number of successful national advocacy initiatives and grassroots campaigns. He also previously worked at the Armenian Assembly of America, where he led the organization's membership, grassroots and public relations activities.

Jamgochian received his Juris Doctor (JD) degree from Catholic University Columbus School of Law as well as his Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Global Health Law from the Georgetown University Law Center. He looks forward to applying his extensive public policy experience to help elevate the voices of dialysis patients with policy makers.

Nancy Scott, is from Newark, Delaware, and is a registered nurse and an ordained minister. Scott was an in-center hemodialysis patient since her kidney disease diagnosis in 2004 until she received a kidney transplant in the Spring 2012. She has been involved with Dialysis Patient Citizens as a Patient Ambassador, Secretary of the Board of Directors, Vice President of the Board, and currently serves as the President of the Board of Directors for DPC Education Center.

Beyond her DPC involvement, Scott serves as a patient representative of the Advisory Board at ESRD Network 4 and is a chairperson at Henrietta Johnson Medical Center for the Clinical Evaluation Committee. Scott established a support group to encourage better communication between clinic staff and patients, and has traveled to Washington, D.C., to meet with lawmakers. Before joining the Board in 2007, Scott was honored to receive the DPC Hero Award.

Christopher L. Hunter, PhD, ABPP, graduated from the University of Memphis with his PhD in clinical psychology with a specialization in behavioral medicine. He is board certified in clinical health psychology and works for the Defense Health Agency as the Department of Defense (DoD) Program Manager for Behavioral Health in Primary Care.

As the DoD lead for the last nine years, he has worked to develop policy, secure funding, and oversee the rollout of primary care behavioral health services for Military Health System enrollees. He has extensive experience developing integrated primary care behavioral health services as well as training individuals to work in primary care settings treating common mental health conditions (e.g., depression), health behavior problems (e.g. tobacco use, obesity) and chronic medical conditions (e.g., diabetes, chronic pain).

He is also a coauthor on the 2016 book, Integrating Behavioral Health Into the Medical Home: A Rapid Implementation Guide and a coeditor on the 2014 Handbook of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings: Evidence-Based Assessment and Intervention.

Jeffrey L. Goodie, PhD, ABPP, is a board certified clinical health psychologist and an associate professor in the department of Medical and Clinical Psychology and the department of Family Medicine at the Uniformed Services University (USU) in Bethesda, MD. He serves as the Director of Clinical Training of the Clinical Psychology program at USU.

Dr. Goodie earned his PhD from West Virginia University and completed his residency and a post-doctoral fellowship in clinical health psychology at Wilford Hall Medical Center at Lackland Air Force Base.

Dr. Goodie has served as an internal behavioral health consultant in family medicine, internal medicine, and OB/GYN clinics. He has trained psychology and social work residents and providers how to provide behavioral health interventions in integrated primary care settings. He is a Fellow of APA and the Society of Behavioral Medicine.

Rosemary Szczechowski, PsyD, is a licensed psychologist and behavioral health consultant for Christiana Care Health System in Newark, DE. She earned her PsyD in Clinical Psychology from Immaculata University in 1999. Dr. Szczechowski has worked with children, adolescents and adults in a variety of settings, including schools, residential treatment programs, outpatient clinics, skilled nursing and rehabilitation centers, and hospitals. Dr. Szczechowski works with clients experiencing a variety of issues including anxiety, depression, trauma exposure, and school/academic problems. She also works with clients struggling with health issues, including diabetes, hypertension, and obesity.

Policymaker, clinical and community psychologist, healthcare innovator, Arthur C. Evans Jr., PhD, is the new CEO of the American Psychological Association (APA) and just completed twelve years as Commissioner of Philadelphia’s Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Service (DBHIDS). The transformation of the Philadelphia service system has improved outcomes for people and saved millions of dollars that the city has reinvested in other community-based services.

Dr. Evans brought a new approach to his agency’s system of serving a wide range of individuals with complex needs. The transformation of the $1 billion Philadelphia system into a recovery-oriented, outcomes-focused system of care has leaned heavily on public health strategies that contribute to better population health. In addition, he has emphasized data-driven approaches to improve system performance.

Dr. Evans has been recognized nationally for his work in behavioral healthcare policy and the transformation of service delivery systems. In 2015 he was recognized by the White House as an "Advocate for Action" by the Office of National Drug Control Policy. In 2013 he received the American Medical Association’s top government service award in health care, the Dr. Nathan Davis Award for Outstanding Government Service. Dr. Evans is also regarded as a strong mental health advocate and was recognized by Faces and Voices of Recovery with the Lisa Mojer-Torres Award.

His future at the APA will continue his lifelong commitment to serving people who are underserved and ensuring that effective, high-quality healthcare is accessible to all.

Eugene Farber, PhD, is a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences in the Emory University School of Medicine. For over 25 years, Dr. Farber has conducted clinical activities, teaching/training and research focusing on the psychological aspects of HIV. Among his professional interests is the integration of behavioral health services in HIV primary care settings.

Fayth Parks, PhD, is an associate professor of counseling and licensed psychologist in the department of Leadership, Technology and Human Development at Georgia Southern University. She focuses on rural HIV-related phenomena within healthcare contexts and the social environment when contrasted with urban frames of reference. Dr. Parks serves as 2017 chair of APA’s Ad Hoc Committee on Psychology and AIDS (COPA).  Twitter: @faythparks

Leah E. Squires, PhD, is a clinical psychologist at the Washington, D.C., VA Medical Center (DCVAMC). She provides integrated HIV mental health services, as well as consultation for the care of individuals with HCV. She is coordinator of the National Liver Disease/ HIV Psychology Fellowship Program for the HIV, Hepatitis and Related Conditions Program of the VA Clinical Public Health/Office of Public Health. Dr. Squires’ postdoctoral training was supported by the Minority Fellowship Program of the American Psychological Association. She completed internship at the DCVAMC and attained her doctoral degree from Boston University. 

Kathleen Ashton, PhD, ABPP, FACHP  
Dr. Ashton is a board certified clinical health psychologist at the Cleveland Clinic, where she works in an integrated team at the Breast Center. Her clinical and research interests include psychosocial aspects of breast cancer and hereditary risk of breast cancer. Dr. Ashton serves on the APA Practice Organization Committee for the Advancement of Professional Practice. Twitter: @stress_doc 

Lindsey Buckman, PsyD  
Dr. Buckman is a psychologist in private practice in Phoenix, Ariz. She is a faculty associate at Arizona State University. Dr. Buckman serves as the vice chair for the Committee for the Advancement of Professional Practice, president-elect of Div. 31, and the Diversity member at large for Div. 42. Twitter: @drBinPHX

Vaile Wright, PhD  
Dr. Wright is director of Research and Special Projects in the Practice Directorate and a member of APA’s Stress in America team. As part of the Practice Research and Policy department, she focuses on the development and implementation of programs and policies related to expanding opportunities for professional psychology. She received her PhD in counseling psychology from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign in 2007, and is licensed in the District of Columbia. Twitter: @drvailewright

Deborah C. Baker, JD, is the director of Legal & Regulatory Policy in the Office of Legal & Regulatory Affairs of the American Psychological Association's Practice Directorate. Since joining APA in 2004, she has worked with state psychological associations, APA leadership and members, and regulatory bodies on a variety of issues involving scope of practice/licensure, testing, telehealth, prescriptive authority, HIPAA compliance as well as other legal and regulatory issues. Ms. Baker works with APA governance groups, such as the Committee for the Advancement of Professional Practice and the Board of Professional Affairs on legal/regulatory issues affecting professional practice. She has also provided support to several APA task forces, including the joint APA-ASPPB-APAIT Task Force on Telepsychology, which developed the APA Guidelines on the Practice of Telepsychology as well as task forces established to review and revise APA policies on prescriptive authority and designation of psychopharmacology training programs. She represents APA Practice in several outside organizations, including the Coalition for Patients' Rights and the American Telemedicine Association. She has made numerous presentations at the APA Annual Convention, state psychological association meetings and conferences as well as outside organizations on the issues of telehealth and scope of practice issues. 

Susan Farber, PhD, has run a private practice in Boise, Idaho since 1983. She specializes in individual therapy work with children, adolescents and adults. She’s also assisted in the development of various conferences on topics such as autism, epilepsy and behavioral aspects of neurologic disorders. Dr. Farber has served as president of the Idaho Psychological Association and chair of IPA’s Continuing Education Committee. She is currently co-chair of IPA’s Advocacy Committee, taking the lead on prescriptive authority legislative initiatives for the last four years. Dr. Farber was also appointed to the advisory board on prescriptive authority issues serving the Idaho Board of Psychologist Examiners. In 2017, Dr. Farber won the Karl F. Heiser APA Presidential Award for Advocacy. The award honors psychologists who are at the forefront of advocating for the profession. 

Dr. Farber received her undergraduate degree in English from the University of Chicago in 1967 and her doctorate in clinical psychology from Columbia University in 1973. Before returning to Idaho, her home state, she ran a private practice in New York and taught clinical psychology at New York University. 

Steven D. Hollon, PhD, is the Gertrude Conaway Vanderbilt Professor of Psychology at Vanderbilt University. His research focuses on the nature and treatment of depression with a particular emphasis on the enduring effects of psychosocial treatments. He is the past president of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies and the Society for a Science of Clinical Psychology and the recipient of awards for both Distinguished Scientific and Professional Contributions to Clinical Psychology from the Society of Clinical Psychology. He chaired the steering committee advising the American Psychological Association on the generation of clinical practice guidelines. 

Marlin Hoover, PhD, is a licensed psychologist in Illinois and New Mexico. He is also the clinical director, founder and owner of Hoover and Associates, a group practice comprised of highly qualified, licensed mental health professionals. Dr. Hoover is board certified in clinical psychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology, and in medical psychology by the American Board of Medical Psychology. Dr. Hoover is a fellow of the Academy of Clinical Psychology and a fellow of the Academy of Medical Psychology. 

Currently, he is an instructor of doctoral clinical psychologists, who are studying to obtain prescription privileges through the New Mexico State University/Southwestern Institute for the Advancement of Psychotherapy Cooperative and through Fairleigh Dickinson University. He has prescription privileges in New Mexico, where he works two days per week. He is a member of the faculty of the Southern New Mexico Family Medicine Residency at Memorial Medical Center in Las Cruces. Additionally, he sees patients for psychotherapy and medication at the Center Through the Looking Glass. 

While starting a private practice in the Chicago area in 1985, he was a faculty member at Saint Xavier University for 20 years, and chair of the department of psychology of Saint Xavier University at Chicago. Dr. Hoover has done research and publications on the relationship between personality and heart disease, training of psychologists and validation of personality tests. 

He earned a PhD in behavioral sciences from the University of Chicago and a postdoctoral master’s in clinical psychopharmacology from Fairleigh Dickinson University.

Lynn F. Bufka, PhD, joined the American Psychological Association in 2002 and is currently the associate executive director of Practice Research and Policy. Previously, she was associate director of clinical training and an assistant research professor at Boston University. 

Joan Cook, PhD, is an associate professor in the Yale School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry. She has nearly 100 publications in the areas of traumatic stress, geriatric mental health and dissemination fields. Dr. Cook has worked clinically with a range of trauma survivors. She has also served as the principal investigator on six federal grants, was a member of the APA Guideline Development Panel for PTSD and was the 2016 President of APA’s Division of Trauma Psychology. 

Howard Kurtzman, PhD, joined the American Psychological Association in 2007 and is currently the acting executive director of the APA Science Directorate. Previously, he was a program director at the National Institute of Mental Health and was on the faculty of the psychology department at Cornell University.

Robin Henderson, PsyD, is a licensed psychologist and chief of behavioral health services at Providence Medical Group in Oregon. Dr. Henderson is responsible for the strategic direction, operations and integration of behavioral health services across Providence’s network of hospitals and clinics. Before joining Providence, Dr. Henderson worked in the St. Charles Health System for 14 years, most recently as chief behavioral health officer and vice president for strategic integration. Henderson earned her masters and doctoral degrees in clinical psychology at George Fox University in Newberg, Oregon.

Christopher Rigling, PhD, is currently working in his solo psychotherapy practice in Greenwich, Connecticut, as well as teaching as an adjunct faculty at Long Island University, and serving as President of the Connecticut Psychological Association. He will be moving and beginning a new practice in Chicago later this year. In his consultation practice, C. Sloan Consulting, he provides executive development consultation, coaching, psychotherapy, and marketing research consultation. Dr. Rigling has consulted to a variety of Fortune 1000 companies, as well as non-profit organizations. In his free time, Dr. Rigling cooks, writes and enjoys life as much as possible. 

Caroline Bergner, JD, is the Advocacy and Policy Fellow in the education directorate at the American Psychological Association. She works jointly between APA’s education and practice directorates on Medicaid issues.

Sarah Beckmann, PsyD, is a licensed clinical psychologist working as a behavioral health consultant within a rural Federally Qualified Health Center in Washington State. She completed her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology at the school of Professional Psychology at Forest Institute in 2014 and is current pursing her clinical psychopharmacology postdoctoral MS Degree through California School of Professional Psychology. 

Dustin Hammers, PhD, ABPP is an assistant professor of neurology and clinical neuropsychologist at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, Utah. He completes clinical neuropsychological evaluations for patients directly in his office in Salt Lake City, but also for patients in Jackson, Wyoming using telepsychology technology. 

Emily Selby-Nelson, PsyD, is a licensed clinical psychologist working as the lead/director of Behavioral Health for Cabin Creek Health Systems, a federally qualified health center that provides fully integrated primary care services to communities in rural West Virginia. Dr. Selby-Nelson strives to improve access to quality integrated behavioral health care through direct clinical service, advocacy, teaching, research and administrative and professional association leadership. Please email Dr. Selby-Nelson for more.

Julie Yurie Takishima-Lacasa, PhD, is research specialist at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. In her clinical practice she specializes in providing integrated behavioral health services in rural primary care settings. As a generalist, she treats a broad range of mental health problems and disorders across the developmental spectrum, with an emphasis on working closely with medical providers to address behavioral factors in chronic illness care, physical symptoms associated with stress, and health behavior change. Her program of research focuses on addressing disparities in the accessibility and utilization of effective, culturally informed behavioral health services for at-risk, rural communities of Hawai‘i.