Some Biographical Information:
- Over 30 years experience specializing in the treatment of anxiety disorders
- Has trained hundreds of therapists throughout the United States in the most current methods of treating anxiety, including as a faculty member of the International OCD Foundation's Behavior Therapy Training Institute (BTTI)
- Media coverage including a front page story in the Wall Street Journal , two cover stories in the Atlanta Weekly Magazine , a series of articles in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution , "Larry King Live" on CNN, and numerous radio and television interviews in Atlanta and nationally
- Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Emory University School of Medicine and Psychologist at two Atlanta psychiatric hospitals, prior to entering private practice
- Member of the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, International OCD Foundation, Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, Association for Contextual Behavioral Science, and American Psychological Association
- Licensed Psychologist, State of Georgia, No. 000318
- Ph.D., Clinical Psychology, Purdue University
My Personal Story:
Although my work in treating anxiety draws on behavioral science and evidence-based methods, my reasons for working in this area are decidedly more personal. Before I was a specialist in treating anxiety, I lived with lots of it. My understanding of the term "panic attack" stemmed more from personal experience than from reading textbooks. As a graduate student and a young professional, when I anticipated giving a speech or introducing myself to a group, I was likely to be overwhelmed by anxiety. My heart raced, my voice sounded thin and shaky, and I worried about how others would judge this sudden surge of anxiety. I wondered if I would ever be able to become the confident professional I desperately wanted to be. Would my apparent incompetence spread? Would I lose my job at the hospital? How would I pay the mortgage? I even wondered if I would end up standing on a street corner without a job holding a "will work for food" sign. Yes, it is called catastrophizing, and I smile as I think about it now, but I am not exaggerating the thoughts that got stuck in my head.
In those days, there were no anxiety disorders specialists, and I had to learn everything I could about recovery on my own. For example, I was determined to become the most skilled person in the Western hemisphere in the application of relaxation techniques. Unfortunately, that did not help a great deal, but that is too long a story to tell here. Suffice it to say that I learned a lot about anxiety and its variants. My personal encounters with anxiety greatly contributed to the very gratifying career that I have and to the privilege of participating in the journey of recovery with so many.
