Experience

Provided psychological and counseling services to multicultural populations across a full range of development, presenting issues and severity through various treatment modalities (including individual, group, consultation, psychoeducation, testing, assessment, interdisciplinary treatment planning, and telephone counseling). Highlights include:

• Individuals with severe emotional and behavioral disorders and autism spectrum disorders, early childhood through adulthood 
• Families and parents with severe systemic challenges 
• Adult clinical populations in a state and a city hospital as well as in outpatient therapy practice 
• Addictions and substance abuse in treatment program and across settings, and dual-diagnosis 
• Psychiatric consultation and liaison services to medical, surgical, and pediatric hospital units 
• College student populations in three universities 

Personal and professional commitment to multiculturalism and its advocacy: grew up with multicultural American families overseas and maintain ongoing cross-cultural personal and professional relationships; extensive personal experience of assimilation into foreign cultures and living cross-culturally; worked with women’s issues personally (e.g., member of NOW, performances in the Vagina Monologues), clinically (e.g., personal empowerment, rape/domestic abuse/trauma, self-image, and eating disorders), and in research (e.g., HIV prevention for at-risk groups, “imposter phenomenon,” learned helplessness).

Diversity in populations treated includes: lifespan, sexuality, culture (i.e., multi-ethnically, urban, rural), socioeconomic status as well as psychological, intellectual, and neurological development and function.

Received extensive education and training in multiculturalism: advanced masters and doctoral-level coursework; seminars; workshops; and individual and group supervision.

Provided psychoeducation, advocacy and supervision of multiculturalism and diversity to clients and trainees: infused cross- and multicultural competence issues throughout supervision sessions, group instructions, and therapy sessions; led psychoeducational groups focused on tolerance issues, including “Tunnel of Oppression” and anger management.

Received extensive training in supervision (completed year-long supervision apprenticeship and coursework, conducted research on process and effectiveness of supervision and trainee learning).

Hired, supervised and instructed master’s level counselors and bachelor level telephone counselors, designing and administering weekly individual and group supervision sessions; ongoing evaluations; and annual/biannual training seminars. Provided ongoing supervision of treatment plan implementations to Therapeutic Support Staff and Community Inclusion/Support personnel across domains of home/school/work/community for minors and adults receiving behavioral health services.

Constructed and implemented a psychological counseling program for students with severe emotional and behavioral disorders (elementary through high school) in a private school for special education. Directed paraprofessional counseling services in a major metropolitan area. 

Conducted full and focal batteries, including personality and cognitive functioning; mental status exams; and intake assessments. Wrote testing reports and provided feedback to testing clients. 

Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA

Ph. D., Counseling Psychology, January 2007

University of South Florida, Tampa, FL

B. A., Psychology and English, May 1997

Cum Laude and with Psychology Honors

Also attended:

Otto-Friedrich Universität Bamberg (1989-1992)

Magister in English