Licensed Psychologist State of Arizona #3540
Address
OFFICE: 11001 N. 7th Street, #1183
Phoenix, AZ 85020
PHONE: (602) 262-2222
FAX: (602) 262-2223
HOME: (480) 246-7332
Education
December 2000 Doctor of Philosophy, Psychology
Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
Doctoral Dissertation: Cognitive response set, secondary gain, and progress in outpatient physical therapy. Septemb
er 1993 Comprehensive Examination Topic: Malingering of Medical Disorders
August 1991 Master of Arts, Psychology
Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
Master's Thesis: Development of a scale for predicting
flare activity in rheumatoid arthritis patients. December 1987 Bachelor of Science, cm laude
Major: Psychology
Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
May 1973 Associate Arts Degree
Major: Nursing
Glendale Community College, Glendale, Arizona
Awards
May 1989 Adult Aging and Development Award for Outstanding Contribution by a Graduate Student to the Field of Gerontology. Topic: Epidemiology of alcoholism in the older adult. Professional Employment History
Psychology
August 2010- Contracted with Veterans’ Administration to provide
disability evaluations and individual psychotherapy for Veterans. Work with Give-an-Hour Project to provide free psychotherapy for Veterans with PTSD, Major Depressive Disorder and other mental health issues. April 2008- Practice remains focused on the needs of medical and
Present surgical patients: psychological evaluation and
recommendations for pre-spinal implant, intrathecal
pump, pre-chemotherapy, and bariatric surgery
patients; adjustment issues for the terminally ill patient
and, or family; CBT for chronic pain patients. Schema
Focused Cognitive Therapy for patients with Bipolar
Disorder and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and other long-standing issues. November 2002 Licensed Psychologist in private practice. Specialized in
To April 2008 preoperative psychological evaluations for bariatric
surgery patients. (1) Conducted support groups for
bariatric surgery patients. (2) Designed and taught preoperative education classes for patients. (3) Inserviced nursing on bariatric floor. (4) Member of Bariatric Staff Committee. (5) Provided graduate seminars at Arizona State University in Clinical Psychology Program focusing on the psychologist and their in a multidisciplinary bariatric surgery program. (6) Program CEU course for Arizona Chapter of AORN on Psychology and the Bariatric Surgery Patient. March 2001- Postdoctoral Clinical Psychology Resident, supervised by
November 2002 John Merkel, Ph.D., Christopher J. Nicholls, PhD., and
Catherine S. O’Connell, PhD. Specializing in preoperative
psychological evaluation of bariatric surgery patients. December 2000- Sought Postdoctoral position during the three month
March 2001 period after graduation. December 2000 Doctoral Degree in Psychology conferred at Arizona
State University
Nursing
September 1973 Licensure: Registered Nurse
State of Arizona, Arizona State Board of Nursing
July 1973 - Staff nurse, Labor and Delivery Department
January 1975 Doctors Hospital, Phoenix, Arizona
January 1975 - Staff nurse, Recovery Room
March 1975 Doctors Hospital, Phoenix, Arizona
March 1975 - Staff nurse, Operating Room
August 1976 Doctors Hospital, Phoenix, Arizona
July 1991 - Staff nurse, Operating Room
May 1997 Columbia Medical Center, Phoenix, Arizona
September 1997- Telephone triage nurse, Access Health, Phoenix,
April 1999 Arizona
August 1999- Staff nurse, Operating Room, Banner Samaritan
August 2000 Regional Medical Center, Phoenix, Arizona
Supervised Clinical Experience
Employment:
May 30, 2001- Postdoctoral Clinical Psychology Resident:
Continued preoperative
November 18 psychological screening for bariatric surgery patients at
2002 St. Luke’s Medical Center. Participation during Preoperative Teaching Day for bariatric surgery patients at St. Facilitated postoperative support groups at St. Supervised by Catherine S. O’Connell, Ph.D. February 2001- Postdoctoral Clinical Psychology Resident: (1) Social Security Disability
May 29, 2001 Assessments for Organicity, Learning Disability (2) Provision of supervised services for patients in Weight Management Program at St. Luke’s Medical Center including preoperative psychological screening, management of regular groups for surgical patients at St. Supervised by Christopher Nicholls, Ph.D. September 1996 Pre-Doctoral Intern: Phoenix Psychology Internship Consortium.
- Dec. 1997 Rotation #1: Neuropsychology Department, Carl T. Hayden Veterans Administration Medical Center. Rotation #2: Neuropsychology Department, Samaritan Rehabilitation Institute. Primary goals: Continue to develop advanced skills in Medical Psychology. Develop and practice skills in Neuropsychological Assessment and Interpretation. Increase exposure to the Geriatric Patient. Gain further experience working in a multidisciplinary setting. June 1995- Resident Therapist: Clinical Psychology Center, Arizona
August 1996 State University, Tempe, Arizona. Primary goals: Provide services to clinic clientele; extend clinic associations with other service providers, both on and off campus, in the four areas described below:
Good Samaritan Hospital Academic Medicine Outpatient Clinic, Phoenix, Arizona: Responsibilities: (1) Accepted referrals from residents and faculty of both Academic Medicine Clinic and Women's Center for cognitive-behavioral therapy with medical patients from oncology, AIDS, internal medicine, orthopedic, and rheumatology rotations for issues related to chronic pain, prescription medication tolerance, self-image, coping with disease and the dying process. Therapy with ESRD, metastatic CA, AIDS, and cardiovascular patients. Made psychiatric referrals as necessary. (2) Interacted with director of outpatient clinic, residents and faculty to facilitate a multidisciplinary team approach to patient care. (3) Invited speaker: Presentation to Clinic nursing staff: "Cognitive-behavioral therapy and its applications in the outpatient clinic setting". (4) Invited speaker: Presentation to Clinic residents and faculty: "Treatment adherence". (5) Initiated contact between clinic and other Clinical Psychology program graduate students for the formation of an outpatient chronic pain group. (6) Invited speaker: "Chronic pain and a history of sexual abuse in the female patient". July 1992- Masters Level Psychologist Trainee: Orthopedic Surgery
August 1996 Affiliates, Ltd., Phoenix, Arizona. Responsibilities: (1) Brief and long-term cognitive-behavioral therapy with individual adults and couples, average client load of 8-12 clients per week; (2) Management of issues related to chronic pain and-or disability using relaxation therapy, guided imagery; (3) Psychoeducational therapy directed at behaviors relevant for orthopedic patients (smoking, weight management, medication use); (4) Psychological assessment as necessary for evaluation and treatment of chronic pain and surgical patients; (5) Long-term therapy with both male and female survivors of childhood abuse, including physical, sexual, and emotional abuse; (6) Long-term therapy with suicidal patients; (7) Provision of emotional support for office staff as necessary; (8) Consultation with physicians as necessary. Supervision: 1 hour every two weeks
Clinical Supervisor: Catherine O'Connell, Ph.D. June 1991- Psychology Extern: Burn Unit, Maricopa Medical Center,
July 1992 Phoenix, Arizona. Responsibilities: (1) Assessment, individual and family psychotherapy with patients and family of Burn Unit patients; (2) Multidisciplinary consultation with Burn Unit staff (residents, nurses, occupational therapists, physical therapists, pharmacists and social workers); (3) Attendance at Burn Unit Chart Rounds; (4) Presentations to Burn Unit Committee: [a] Burns and Sexuality; [b] Informed Consent and Workman's Compensation Laws in the State of Arizona; (5) Psychotherapy with hospitalized oncology patients (both child and adult); (6) Follow-up marital therapy with parents of severely burned child; (7) Follow-up individual therapy with mother of severely burned child; (8) Consultation with pain patient on surgical unit (evaluation of appropriateness of pain reaction to dressing changes; (9) Burn Unit projects: [a] Donation to unit of whiteboards and markers for intubated patients (to facilitate communication); [b] Donation of audio and video tapes for children and adults, both for entertainment and relaxation therapy; [c] Worked with Volunteer Services to provide dolls suitable for play therapy with burned children; (10) Referral recommendations to Child Protective Services as needed; (11) Referral of community services: [a] aided patient's significant other in arranging wedding with burn victim; [b] obtained services of chaplain for dying abandoned infant; assisted nursing staff with grieving process. Supervision: 1 hour per week. Clinical Supervisor: Christopher J. Nicholls, Ph.D. Practica:
