Profile

I am currently a third-year Psy.D. student at the Adler School of Professional Psychology with a concentration in Primary Care Psychology. I am planning on completing a Master’s degree in counseling within the next year, and have received substantial education in clinical hypnosis. My theoretical orientation is primarily psychodynamic, with consideration for existential, psychophysiological, and transpersonal issues.

My current focus is on developing proficiency in empirically supported psychodynamic interventions such as mentalization based treatment (MBT), transference focused psychotherapy (TFP), and attachment-based psychotherapy, as well as hypnotic interventions for addictions, somatic disorders, trauma, and characterological disorders.

Education

The Adler School of Professional Psychology, Chicago, IL
Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology with a concentration in Primary Care Psychology
Currently enrolled as a third-year doctoral student.

The Illinois School of Professional Psychology/Argosy University, Chicago, IL
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology (48 hours in major), 2006
Graduated with honors and a 3.96 institutional GPA

Miami Dade College, Miami, FL
Associate of Arts in Psychology (12 hours in major), 2004
Graduated with honors and a 3.87 institutional GPA.

Training

Diamond Headache Clinic Inpatient Unit, Chicago, IL
Completed a one-year diagnostic practicum during which I provided comprehensive clinical assessment and psychological testing services for inpatient chronic headache pain sufferers. This population has high rates of psychological comorbidity and substance abuse. With the help of Dr. Lawrence Cull’s outstanding psychoanalytically oriented supervision, I learned to understand this unique and complex group from an integrative psychodynamic perspective. I also provided psychoeducational and short-term group therapy services to the patients through weekly CBT, relaxation, and mindfulness meditation group sessions.

The AIDS Foundation of Chicago, Chicago, IL
As part of a six-month community psychology practicum, I compiled extensive research on the relationship between methamphetamine use and the spread of sexually transmitted diseases within the gay community, and helped to translate this knowledge into practical community outreach efforts. I was also involved in ongoing efforts to support the development of rectal microbicides, and to improve legislative support for HIV prevention and treatment programs.

Professional Affiliations

• Chicago Society of Clinical Hypnosis
• Society of Psychological Hypnosis
• Illinois Psychological Association

Professional Activities

Organizational Consulting

• Designed and conducted a market research study for a Chicago optometry boutique considering expansion, in order to understand the expectations of their discerning clientele and to explore the ways in which those expectations were or were not being met by local competitors. Information gathered was used to recommend staff training procedures, equipment purchases, and procedural best practices.

Professional Development Activities

Chicago Society of Clinical Hypnosis

• D. Corydon Hammond, Ph.D., James Kowal, Ph.D. “Hypnosis and Neurofeedback.” July 19, 2008.
• Richard P. Kluft, M.D. “Uses of Clinical Hypnosis in the Treatment of Dissociative Symptomatology.” June 21, 2008.
• Daniel Brown, Ph.D. “Uses of Hypnosis in the Treatment of Psychological Trauma:
  New Perspectives Based on Attachment Theory.” May 30, 2008.
• Marc Oster, Ph.D., Ed Frischholz, Ph.D., and Steve Kahn, Ph.D. “The Future of Professional Hypnosis.” January 26, 2008.

Chicago Adlerian Society

• Al Milliren, Ed.D., N.C.C., “Recollections: Yesterday’s, Today’s, and Tomorrow’s.” September 10, 2006.

The Adler School “Common Hour” Lecture Series

• Michael Rooney, Psy.D., “Executive Coaching.” July 12, 2007.
• Janna A. Henning, Psy.D., LPC, CT, “Burnout, Compassion Fatigue, and Vicarious Traumatization: Recognition, Prevention, and Treatment.” January 18, 2007.
• Ian Wickramasekera II, Olasupo Laosebikan, Neil Bockian, Mary Schneider, Erik Mansager, “Case Conceptualization from Multiple Perspectives.” October 19, 2006.

School Activities

Adler Student Association Student Wellness Committee Co-Chair
The Adler School of Professional Psychology, 2007
As co-chair of this Adler Student Association committee and the author of its charter, I am working to improve psychological conditions for Adler students by improving the lines of communication with administration, increasing the availability of health services, and initiating student support and process groups.

Student-Led Adlerian Discussion Group
The Adler School of Professional Psychology, 2006-2007
As a regular participant in this Adler Student Association-sponsored bi-weekly discussion group, I deepened my understandings of Adlerian concepts and clinical issues while increasing my connection to the school community. Discussion topics have included early recollections, lifestyle analysis, social interest, and Adlerian approaches to psychotic disorders.

Conflict Resolution Workshop Assistant
Miami Dade College, November 18, 2004
Serving as a workshop assistant for Dr. David Warren’s “Cooperative Conflict Resolution” seminar, I participated in a public role-playing demonstration, and then led role-playing activities for workshop participants.

English & Communications Department Student Assistant
Miami-Dade College, Summer/Fall 2004
Working on-campus as assistant to the Director of the newly-created Communications Arts Center, I aided in the planning and production of curriculum materials, designed a computerized student login and appointment-tracking system for the center, and provided direct aid to students working toward improving their public speaking and personal communication skills.

Education Department Service Learner
Miami-Dade College, Summer 2004
While enrolled in a course in educational philosophy, I entered into a service-learning contract with an arts-magnet high school. I observed and interacted with 24 hours of high school arts classes—an experience that had a major emotional impact on me and taught me a great deal about the dynamics of educational interaction.

MDC Wolfson Campus Debate Team President and Captain of Policy Debate
Miami-Dade College, Fall 2004
As a founding member of the Wolfson Debate Team and acting Captain of Policy Debate, I was primarily responsible for constructing and researching the argument that went on to win our first Sunshine Debate Cooperative policy debate tournament. My partner and I won first place in the tournament, winning the final round of the tournament against the far more experienced and better funded University of Miami team. I was later elected President of the Debate Team, in which capacity I helped facilitate a Presidential Debate Watch event in the school’s Communication Arts Center, as well as a series of open public discussions of energy policy by the school’s outdoor café—an event which earned a sizable grant for the team.

Metromorphosis Literary Magazine Senior Poetry Editor
Miami-Dade College, Fall 2004
Under the guidance of our advisor—South Florida poetry luminary Michael Hettich—and working in conjunction with two other poetry editors and our entire staff of magazine editors, I helped shape the magazine into something vibrant and contemporary by working to establish a design ethic that would guide the magazine’s formation, and by helping to ensure that work was selected for publication based on quality, freshness, and variety.

Work Experience

Public Relations Coordinator, ActiveCampaign Inc., Chicago, IL
2005-Present
Responsible for engaging public interest through regular company newsletters, promotions, and press release campaigns, I also supervise the creation and management of product documentation and sales materials as well as managing relationships with individual clients of this small, thriving software company.

Election-Year Canvass Organizer, America Coming Together, Miami, FL
Summer 2004
In this position I developed maps and strategies for a part of the largest door-to-door canvassing effort in American history. I also communicated directly with people of widely varying ideologies to engage the public in critical thinking about election-year issues.

Information Technology Professional
1997-2004
I worked in Information Technology in a number of different capacities: as client-side and server-side computer programmer, database analyst, human interface designer, internet marketing specialist, software trainer, technical support, manager, and director.

Distinctions

• Achieved President’s or Dean’s List every semester of my baccalaureate studies, at both Argosy University and DePaul University, while working full-time as a PR Coordinator. Achieved Dean’s List every full-time semester I attended at Miami Dade College, and earned a GPA of 4.0 for each of my final 33 consecutive semester hours.
• Designed and completed three separate programs of for-credit independent study as part of my undergraduate work, involving: Dr. Ira Progoff’s Intensive Journal analytical method (Spring 2006), Existential Counseling and Psychotherapy (Summer 2006), and Positive Psychology in Practice (Summer 2006).

Special Skills

• Clinical hypnosis & hypnotic assessment
• Fully trained in administration of the Phenomenology of Consciousness Inventory - Hypnotic Assessment Procedure (PCI-HAP) and the Harvard Group Scale
• Relaxation & mindfulness meditation training
• Trained in psychodynamic interpretation of standard assessment tools including the WAIS-III, BHI-2, MMPI-2, Rorschach, TAT
• Trained in the administration and interpretation of the Lifestyle Inventory