Clinical Psychology
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Clinical Interests
My clinical work focuses primarily on children and adolescents with learning disabilities and pervasive developmental disorders. In 2003, I worked for Devereux, Santa Barbara with emotionally disturbed (ED) adolescent boys and autistic girls. I completed two years of practicum at the CSUN Child and Adolescent Assessment Clinic evaluating children with learning disabilities and provided formal recommendations for schools and parents. Since beginning the Ph.D. program at Alliant International University in San Diego, I have worked as a behavioral tutor for the Center for Autism, Research, Evaluation and Services (CARES) treating a range of pervasive developmental and autism spectrum disorders. I have received comprehensive instruction in behavioral interventions such as Discrete Trial and Pivotal Response Treatment, as well as utilizing the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) in nonverbal children. Last year I interned at Jary Barreto Crisis Center and learned valuable risk management and crisis intervention strategies. Currently, I am interning at Rady's Children Outpatient Psychiatry Department doing individual, family, group and play therapy.
Academic Interests
My teaching interests include Cognitive and Affective Bases of Behavior, Research Methodology and Biopsychology. I am currently a mentor at the Office of Student Disabilities at Alliant Internation University. I conduct comprehensive review sessions for the doctoral competency examinations in cognition, emotion and biological bases of behavior. I also provide tutoring in research methodology to students with learning disabilities. This semester I am a teaching assistant for PSY 6031 Research Methodology.
Research Interests
My research interests include Posttrumatic Stress Disorder, Psychometrics, Geronotology and Pervasive Developmental Disorders. In 2001, I worked as a research assistant in the neurocognition laboratory at the University of California, Santa Barbara. In 2004, I joined the Adult Behavioral Medicine Laboratory headed by Luciana Lagana, Ph.D. My thesis work "Preliminary Reliability and Validity of a PTSD Screener" provided psychometric data assessing a geronotological sample. I presented at The CSUN Research Symposium, Western Psychological Association and the American Psychological Association professional conferences. Since moving to San Diego, I administered neuropsychological assessments to children with ADHD at the Center for Autism, Research Evaluation and Services. I am currently a Research Associate for the Trauma Research Institute under the auspices of Constance Dalenberg, Ph.D. My dissertation is investigating cognitive impairment in the elderly as a risk factor for PTSD.