About Me

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There are several types of mental health professionals, and you could find many different abbreviations at the end of a provider’s name. I hold a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in clinical psychology, which means that I was trained at the doctoral level to provide clinical services related to mental health. Earning this degree requires the completion of several years of coursework, a comprehensive examination, a research-based dissertation, and multiple clinical placements. The last of these placements is a rigorous pre-doctoral internship, which is clinical psychology's equivalent to residency. It typically takes five to seven years to complete these degree requirements depending on how a program is structured.

 

I was initially interested in becoming a medical doctor, and earned a bachelor’s degree with a pre-medical concentration from Georgetown University in Washington, DC. Soon after, I began serving as a volunteer on crisis hotlines in the DC area, and discovered my passion for mental health.

 

I then earned my doctorate from The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC, which offers a secular clinical psychology program that has been continuously accredited by the American Psychological Association since 1948. On the way to my degree, I trained in various clinical settings including college counseling centers and private practices.

 

After receiving my degree, I served as a post-doctoral psychology fellow at both the Canandaigua Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center and the University of Rochester Medical Center. Following my post-doctoral training, I worked as a psychologist at the Rochester VA Outpatient Clinic before starting my practice.

 

I am licensed as a psychologist in New York State. I am also credentialed as a Health Service Psychologist by the National Register.

 

In addition to my own clinical experience, I have trained and supervised other mental health providers, presented at national and international professional conferences, and published articles in peer-reviewed scientific journals. More details about my professional background can be found on my CV.

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