I believe that people seeking psychological help have the right to know about the
professional background of the person to whom their care is entrusted.
Here are some details about my education and professional experiences:
Education: In 1985, I obtained my B.A. in
Psychology with Highest Honors
from Rutgers University (Cook College)
where I spent many hours conducting basic scientific research into the roots of aggression. My
undergraduate Honors Thesis, Early Exposures to Intermale Aggression Increases the
Adult Aggression of Male Rats, was published in 1988 (click here to see the abstract).
While at Rutgers, I had the
opportunity to participate in a number of other research projects, most notably developing
a laboratory technique for the General Foods Corporation
to determine whether
rats had recognized a specific flavor in what they had just tasted - this technique would
be used in subsequent investigations into the basic physiological mechanisms involved in
taste perception.
I left my home state of New Jersey in 1985 to begin graduate school at the
University of Iowa's Clinical Psychology Department.
There I continued my research activities exploring the
roots of aggression and dominance hierarchies, and en route to my M.A. (1988) and Ph.D.
(1992) I presented my research findings at several national and international
conferences (click here to see these abstracts).
However, my main interest was in becoming a clinical psychologist, and I spent
four years learning cognitive-behavioral and marital therapy techniques at the University of
Iowa's Carl E. Seashore Psychology Training Clinic.
Cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy would become the cornerstone of my clinical style.
I furthered my training at the Iowa City VA Hospital
which had a
particular emphasis in neuropsychology. I also honed my psychological testing skills
by working on two research projects: one involving deaf patients who had received
cochlear implants
(which amazingly restore some ability to hear!) and the other with diabetic patients taking
an experimental medication.
By far, my clinical internship at Philadelphia's
Temple University Hospital ('90-91)
provided the greatest wealth of learning. There I trained under a dozen psychologists
and psychiatrists, treating patients with all types
of mental health problems (including OCD, of course), and also people at the Hospital for
heart transplant, stroke, head injury, and chronic pain.
With such a variety of training, my clinical repertoire expanded to include other styles
of psychotherapy best described as insight-oriented.
Sandwiched right between my training and the start of my career, I spent a month chasing
monkeys through the volcanic jungle of the South Pacific island of
Bali! I went as a research
volunteer on a field project observing the monkeys' aggression. It was truly a
fantastic opportunity, combining my research interests with a month on a tropical
island.
Click on each picture to enlarge
Professional work: Back to the real world,
I returned to Iowa to finish my Ph.D., and began teaching several undergraduate
courses at both The University of Iowa and a local community college (in fact, I had taught
at both starting in 1989), eventually earning the title of
Visiting Assistant Professor.
Once I completed my Doctorate (1992), I became a
Clinical Supervisor training graduate
students to become psychologists while I continued teaching undergraduate courses.
Also at this time, I developed my own clinical
practice as a member of Cedar River Psychological Services
in Cedar Rapids, IA.
But the appeal of the East
Coast was too great, and I made the Philadelphia area my home in 1995. Beginning initially in a
group practice in Lansdale, PA, as a
Licensed Clinical Psychologist I developed a
practice treating patients with a wide variety
of mental health problems, including working with the elderly in nursing homes.
It was at this time that I committed my energies to developing my
expertise in OCD, creating the treatment program now
called Overcome OCD! This interest began very
innocently at first: As I began treating people with OCD, I realized that I needed to learn
the intensive treatment procedures involving "exposure" and "response prevention." I sought
additional training, and began taking on more OCD patients. The more I did this, the more
I became known in the area as an OCD specialist, and pretty soon I was working with
more and more people with OCD. And not only that, I found that I really enjoyed doing this type
of therapy because it is so gratifying
to help people get better so rapidly after they had been suffering for so long.
In 1997, I moved into my own private office in Fort Washington,
PA, which has allowed much greater flexibility and comfort.
At present, my practice enjoys a
balance among: Providing individual therapy for depression, anxiety, anger, stress management,
problems with self-esteem, and childhood trauma; Marital/Couples therapy; visits to area
nursing homes working with geriatrics; and of course, helping people
Overcome OCD!
Just for fun: Don't think that it's
"all work and no fun" for me - one of my passions is music,
and I find the time to play in two musical ensembles,
The Montgomery County Concert Band, a community band, and
The Audubon Jazz Explosion,
a 17-piece jazz big band. Check us out!!
Questions? Comments?
Click here to email me
