I create an environment conducive to making and maintaining positive changes more quickly than might otherwise be expected in therapy. Toward that end, my style is active and directive, with significant time and energy devoted to learning new skills that can be practiced outside of therapy. Reasoning things out with someone else is another key benefit of psychotherapy, so I also reserve time for reflection and gaining perspective, too. I offer a warm, supportive, compassionate, and nurturing environment in therapy while encouraging personal responsibility in patients. I deeply respects the courage it takes to change and am genuinely concerned about the people I serve. Great care is taken for developing and maintaining a strong therapeutic relationship, which is the number one predictor of positive treatment outcomes. I approach psychotherapy with energy and enthusiasm. This work is my passion – it feeds my soul.

As a research clinical psychologist, I am an expert consultant to Columbia University, an Ivy League school in New York City where I am co-authoring the Structured Clinical Interview for the DSM-5-TR. For the past 20 years, I have also worked as a research clinical psychologist and consultant for RTI International, a research institute in Durham, NC. In this capacity, I have worked for the federal government’s Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA), Department of Defense (DoD), Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), and the National Institute of Health (NIH), to name a few.

The two primary assessment tools I have trained and supervised clinicians and clinical interviewers to use are the Structured Clinical Interview for the DSM-5 (SCID-5), of which I am a co-author, and the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS-5). I also have expertise training and supervising clinicians to use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART), and Internal Family Systems (IFS).

Money is often a barrier to seeking mental healthcare, so I also see some patients or conduct psychological assessments for them free of charge when they don’t have insurance or a way to pay for it. I am also a member of the Unstoppable French Broads, which is designed to raise money for local charity organizations. I also hold professional and community service positions for local, national, and international organizations. I am also honored to be the recipient of numerous awards for outstanding contributions to psychology and for my service work in professional and public communities.