Alexandra Perloe CV, September 2014, 1

Alexandra Perloe, M.A.

EDUCATION______

2010-presentGeorge Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia (Ph.D. expected May 2016)

APA-Accredited Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program

M.A. in clinical psychology awarded May 2012

Advisor: Christianne Esposito-Smythers, Ph.D.

Second-year research project: “ConcurrentTrajectories of Change in Adolescent and Maternal Depression in the TORDIA study”

Doctoral coursework completed May 2014; GPA: 4.0

2002-2006Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts

B.A., Summa Cum Laude, Highest Honors in Psychology, May 2006.

Major: Psychology. Minor: Spanish Language and Literature

Honors thesis: “Attention and Memory for Emotional Content as the End of

College Approaches: An application of socioemotional selectivity theory.”

Honors thesis advisor: Derek Isaacowitz, Ph.D.

GPA: 3.96 (Psychology: 4.0)

AWARDS AND HONORS______

2006Elliot Aronson Prize for Excellence in Psychological Research, Brandeis Univ.

2006Highest Honors in Psychology, Brandeis University

2006 Phi Beta Kappa Society

2006Psi Chi Psychology Honor Society, Brandeis University

2002-2006Dean’s List all semesters, Brandeis University, 2002 – 2006.

2002-2006Justice Louis Brandeis merit scholarship ($108,000: full-tuition for four years)

2002-2006National Merit Scholar, $1,000 scholarship annually

2002Salutatorian, Harriton High School, Rosemont, PA

CLINICAL EXPERIENCE______

Children’s National Medical Center, Delaney Eating Disorders Clinic7/2014 – present

Psychology Extern, 16 hours per week

Supervisor: Darlene Atkins, Ph.D.

  • Deliver individual therapy for adolescents and college students who are struggling with disordered eating. Address eating- and body-image-related distress as well as co-occurring depression, anxiety, interpersonal distress, and more.
  • Participate in interdisciplinary team meetings with adolescent physician, registered dietician, and psychologists.
  • Conduct comprehensive 3-session evaluations for all new clients.
  • Conduct family meetings to help parents be involved in treatment.

Catholic University of America, Counseling Center8/2013 – 5/2014

Psychology Extern, 18 hours per week

Supervisors: Monroe Rayburn, Ph.D., Karen Miller, L.C.S.W., Dorothy Van Dam, L.C.S.W.

  • Clinical caseload of 7 individual therapy clients and 1 weekly intake session.
  • Deliveredtherapy from an integrated theoretical orientation; utilized cognitive-behavioral therapy, acceptance-based approaches (e.g., ACT, DBT) and interpersonal approaches as fitting for each client.
  • Acted as a process observer for weekly “Flourishing Group,” a positive-psychology based therapy group. Wrote weekly group note and read aloud at start of next week’s session.
  • Participated in weekly group supervision, case conference and individual supervision. Presented therapy cases with video to peers and supervisors four times/semester.
  • Participated in weekly didactic seminar. Topics ranged from cultural sensitivity, campus outreach, the therapeutic relationship, disability support services, and suicide risk assessment.
  • Trained in CAMS (Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality) to assess and intervene with suicidal clients.

Advanced Practicum8/2012 – 8/2013

George Mason University Center for Psychological Services

Graduate Student Psychotherapist, ~12 hours per week

Supervisors: Jeffrey Pollard, Ph.D., Robyn Mehlenbeck, Ph.D., Sarah Fischer, Ph.D.

  • Participated in weekly didactic seminar, group supervision, and individual supervision.
  • Delivered individual and family therapy to adolescents and adults presenting with a range of concerns, including mood and anxiety disorders, self-injurious behaviors, intimate partner violence, identity development, marital and other interpersonal discord, adjustment to chronic medical illness, body image and eating concerns, substance abuse, and professional and academic stress.
  • Integrated and individualized evidence-based treatment to optimize care.
  • Co-ran Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) group for generalized anxiety.

Project ACTIVE, George Mason University9/2012 to 6/2013

Study Psychotherapist, ~2.5 hours per week

Supervisors: Christianne Esposito-Smythers, Ph.D. & Robyn Mehlenbeck, Ph.D.

  • Deliveredindividual therapy to adolescents who had clinical depression and wereoverweight or obese in the context of a treatment development research study.
  • Treatment protocol was designed to concurrently address symptoms of depression and other emotional/motivational barriers to healthy eating and exercise.

Youth and Family Practicum8/2011 – 8/2012

George Mason University Center for Psychological Services

Graduate Student Psychotherapist, ~ 8 hours per week

Supervisors: Christianne Esposito-Smythers, Ph.D. & Christine Golden-Williams, Ph.D.

  • Delivered therapy to children, adolescents and families presenting with mood and anxiety disorders, family conflict, ADHD, trauma-related symptoms, substance abuse, suicidality, and non-suicidal self-injury, among other issues.
  • Participated in weekly didactic seminar and group supervision and individual supervision/consultation as needed.
  • Conducted family therapy sessions as needed.
  • Liaisoned with families, schools and other members of client’s broader environment to understand social context and intervene on a systems level.

Adult CBT Practicum8/2011 – 8/2012

George Mason University Center for Psychological Services

Graduate Student Psychotherapist, ~ 8 hours per week

Supervisors: Keith Renshaw, Ph.D. & Joanna Marino, Ph.D.

  • Delivered therapy to college- to middle-age adults presenting with variedpresenting problems(e.g., panic disorder, generalized anxiety, social anxiety, substance abuse, depression).
  • Participated in weekly didactic seminar and group supervision.
  • Operated from a cognitive-behavioral conceptualization with flexible delivery of evidence-based treatment. Therapy included cognitive restructuring, as well as in vivo, imaginal and interoceptive exposure, among other components.
  • Co-ran social anxiety group with CBT framework.

Primary Care Behavioral Health5/2011 – 8/2011

Washington D.C. Veterans Affairs Medical Center

Behavioral Health Extern, 8 hours per week

Supervisors: Parin Zaveri, Ph.D., Tracela White, Ph.D., Melanie Paci, Psy.D.

  • Conducted diagnostic interviews as part of mental health triage at busy Veteran’s Affairs hospital. Made appropriate referrals to mental health services in the V.A.
  • Wrote diagnostic reports, including treatment recommendations, with one-hour turnaround.
  • Collaborated with psychologist to lead three groups for veterans with severe mental illness: Grief and Loss; Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Navigated at-times contentious group dynamics, helped guide productive discussion, facilitated skills acquisition and application.

Fairfax County Adult Detention Center

GMU Human Emotions Research Lab6/2011 – 6/2012

Motivational interviewer

Supervisor: June Tangney, Ph.D.

  • Guided jail inmates through a motivational interview exploring their values, post-release goals, and their motivation to change, as part of a longitudinal study funded by National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) about inmates’ post-release adjustment.

George Mason Center for Psychological Services6/2011 - present

Psychodiagnostic Evaluator

Supervisors: Angela Boone, Ph.D., Robyn Mehlenbeck, Ph.D., Jerome Short, Ph.D.

  • Administer comprehensive assessment batteries of cognitive and socioemotional assessments to children, adolescents, and adults.
  • Integrate results of assessments and interviews into comprehensive reports.
  • Meet with client or parents to explain assessment results and recommendations

Cognitive Assessment Program, George Mason University1/2011 - present

Psychoeducational Evaluator

Supervisor: Dawna Thompson, Ph.D.

  • Provide assessments of cognitive functioning for children ages 6-12
  • Integrate results of assessments and interviews into report
  • Conduct feedback session with clients’ parents to explain results and recommendations.

Project SHAPE, George Mason University8/2010 – 5/2014

Workshop facilitator

Supervisors: Christianne Esposito-Smythers, Ph.D., Adam Walsh, Ph.D., Wendy Hadley, Ph.D.

  • Helped lead two-day workshop with adolescents and parents, delivering psychoeducation and guiding communication exercises geared toward preventing suicide, substance abuse and HIV/STIs.
  • Responded to urgent clinical situations (e.g. suicidal ideation, physical or sexual abuse).
  • Conducted individualized booster sessions with parent-teen pairs after one month.

Adolescent Acute Residential Treatment Program

McLean HospitalFull-time staff: 8/2008-6/2010 Clinical educator specialist

Supervisors: Cynthia Kaplan, Ph.D., Jim Holsomback, M. Ed.

  • Promoted after one year into leadership position; trained new staff, spearheaded improvements in content and structure of therapeutic groups.
  • Managed a classroom of adolescents in a short-term residential psychiatric program; taught individualized Dialectical Behavioral Therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy skills to help teensmanage symptoms of depression, anxiety, PTSD, substance use disorders, and more. Also incorporatedexpressive writing exercises.
  • Planned and led therapeutic didactic and process-oriented therapeutic groups.
  • Coached adolescents throughclinical crises by instructing their use of coping skills.
  • Guided adolescents through proactive post-discharge crisis planning.
  • Developed and implemented broader treatment goals as part of interdisciplinary team (comprised of psychologists, psychiatrists and social workers), through attendance at clinical rounds and daily discussions.
  • Wrote a proposal, supported by research, for the program’s first campaign to follow up with patients via post-treatment postcards.
  • Created a workbook for parents and teenagers that oriented families to treatment at McLean and to the core concepts of DBT; workbook is still used by program staff.

Inpatient Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital1/2008 – 8/2008

Volunteer

Supervisor: Kathy Clair-Hayes, L.C.S.W.

  • Engaged patients in an adult psychiatric inpatient unit – most of whom had comorbid medical issues –by arranging activities and initiating conversation. Helped patients feel supported and comfortable.

Camp New Connections, McLean Hospital7/2008 – 8/2008

Counselor

Supervisor: Jacintha McLaughlin, Ph.D.

  • Co-taught a classroom of elementary school boys with Asperger's Disorder at this six-week summer camp, emphasizing behavioral treatment to improve social awareness and interactions.
  • Tracked improved social interactions over the course of the summer.

EXPERIENCE DELIVERING SUPERVISION______

Introduction to Helping Skills and Motivational Interviewing, GMU9/2013 – 12/2013

Peer supervisor

  • Supervised first-year Ph.D. students in clinical interviews and motivational interviews.
  • Watched video of entire session side-by-side with students; stopped tape to discuss and provide feedback throughout.
  • Provided written feedback and evaluation in several core competencies.
  • Participated in “supervision of supervision” seminar and individual meetings led by June Tangney, Ph.D.

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE______

Adolescent Mental Health Promotion lab, George Mason University8/2010 –5/2014

Graduate Research Assistant

Supervisor: Christianne Esposito-Smythers, Ph.D.

  • Helped facilitate group psychoeducational and therapeutic workshops with ethnically diverse adolescents and parents, as part of an NIH-funded randomized controlled clinical trial (Project SHAPE). Led activities addressing suicide prevention, substance abuse prevention, STI/HIV prevention and family communication.
  • Conducted assessments, including structured diagnostic interviews, for study participants.
  • Actively contributed to recruitment and retainment of participants.
  • Conducted phone interviews to screen adolescents for substance dependence.
  • Trained undergraduate students in data entry, assessments, and other research tasks.

Eating Disorders Clinical & Research Program

Massachusetts General Hospital Full-time: 11/2007 – 7/2008; part-time: 7/2008 - 8/2010

Research Assistant

Supervisor: Anne E. Becker, M.D., Ph.D.

  • Examined the psychological effects of rapid social change, in populations ranging from adolescent girls in Fiji to minority youth in Boston, as theyrelate to eating disorders, depression, suicide, and risk behaviors.
  • Performed quantitative and qualitative data analysis using SPSS, Nvivo and Excel. Analyses included logistic regression models, psychometric evaluation of assessments, and iterative qualitative coding of interviews.
  • Conducted systematic literature reviews that led to proposed DSM V revisions for eating disorders.
  • Helped write and edit 6 peer-reviewed articles and a chapter that were published.
  • Co-led focus group of ethnically diverse college women discussing culture and its connection to body image and eating.

Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders, Boston University2/2009 - 6/2010

Research Assistant

Supervisor: Courtney Weiner, M.A. (now Ph.D.)

  • Assisteda Ph.D.candidate in interpreting and reporting data collected during intensive CBT treatment study for adolescents with panic disorder.
  • Examined attentional bias (using Emotional Stroop task) to panic-threat words before and after treatment; found bias before treatment and diminished bias after treatment.
  • Helped prepare empirical paper published in 2012.

Brandeis University, Department of Psychology5/2005 – 5/2006

Senior honors student

Supervisor: Derek Isaacowitz, Ph.D.

  • Received department award for best senior thesis project in 2006.
  • Designed and implemented original study of attention and memory for emotionally charged newspaper headlines, testing application of socioemotional selectivity theory.
  • Recorded data with an eye-tracking device, which measured participants’ fixations (and thus attention) to headlines.
  • Successfully applied for and obtained Dean’s Office funding and IRB approval.

Tel Aviv University, Department of Psychology, Child Clinical Program 6/2004 – 8/2004

Research Assistant

Supervisor: Michelle Slone, Ph.D.

  • Studied effects of political violence on children, especially of terrorism in Israel.
  • Wrote literature review on secondary traumatic stress; this work created the foundation for a study of emergency room doctors responding to terrorist attack victims.
  • Co-wrote grant proposal for joint U.S.-Israeli high school dropout prevention program, focusing on ways to build resilience in students.

UNIVERSITY-LEVEL TEACHING EXPERIENCE ______

George Mason University8/2011 – 5/2014

Instructor

Therapeutic Communication Skills (Fall 2011, Spring 2013)

Abnormal Psychology (Fall 2012, Spring 2014)

Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood (Fall 2013)

  • Prepared and delivered course content (lectures and interactive exercises)to undergraduates.
  • Facilitateddiscussions and exercises to practice and generalize counseling skills.
  • Evaluatedstudents’ application of therapeutic skills in videotaped role-plays.
  • Evaluated students’ written work on exams and other assignments

COMMUNITY CONSULTING EXPERIENCE ______

Grafton Integrated Health Network11/2011– 6/2012

Treatment outcomes consultant

Supervisor: Christianne Esposito-Smythers, Ph.D.

  • Compiled a comprehensive battery of assessment measures to be used in a program evaluation for an adolescent short-term residential program.
  • Reviewed literature and helped select optimal assessments across 20 content areas, including primary symptom domains, emotion regulation, distress tolerance, mindfulness, coping skills, self-esteem, cognitive distortions, attributional style, family conflict/communication, trauma exposure,perceived social supportand therapeutic alliance.

PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS ______

Perloe, A., Pollard, J. W. (submitted for review). University Counseling Centers’ Role in Campus Threat Assessment and Management. Submitted to Journal of Threat Assessment and Management.

Perloe, A., Esposito-Smythers, C., Curby, T. W., & Renshaw, K. D. (2014). Concurrent Trajectories of Change in Adolescent and Maternal Depressive Symptoms in the TORDIA Study. Journal of Youth and Adolescence,43, 612-628.

Weiner C., Perloe A., Pincus D., Whitton S. (2012). Attentional Bias in Adolescents with Panic Disorder: Changes over an 8-day Intensive Treatment Program.Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy, 40, 193-204.

Becker, A.E., Perloe A, Richards, L., Roberts, A.L., Bainivualiku, A., Khan, N., Navara, K., Gilman, S.E., Aalbersberg, B. & Striegel-Moore, R.H. (in press). Prevalence and Socio-demographic Correlates of Cigarette Smoking, Alcohol Use, and Unsafe Sexual Behavior among Ethnic Fijian Secondary Schoolgirls. Fiji Medical Journal.

Becker, A.E., Roberts, A.L. Perloe, A., Bainivualiku, A., Richards, L., Gilman, S.E. & Striegel-Moore, R.H. (2010). Reliability of a Country-Specific Adaptation of the Global School-based Student Health Survey for Adolescent Girls in Fiji.Ethnicity and Health, 15, 181-197.

Becker, A.E., Arrindell, A.H.Perloe, A., Fay, K. Striegel-Moore, R.H. (2010). A Qualitative Study of Perceived Social Barriers to Care for Eating Disorders: Perspectives from Ethnically Diverse Health Care Consumers. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 43, 633-647.

Becker, A.E., Eddy, K.T. & Perloe, A. (2009). Considerations for Clarifying Phrasing for AN Criteria A and DSM Text Guiding Clinical Interpretation of Cognitive Signs and Symptoms in AN and BN. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 42,611-619.

Becker, A.E., Bainivualiku, A., Khan, N., Aalbersberg, B., Geraghty, P., Gilman, S.E., Roberts, A.L., Navara K, Richards, L., Perloe, A., Beresin, G., Striegel-Moore, R.H. & Murphy, J. (2009). Execution and feasibility of a school-based behavioral health risk study in an ethnic Fijian adolescent female study population in Fiji: The Healthy Fiji Study. Fiji Medical Journal, 28, 18-34.

BOOK CHATERS ______

Esposito-Smythers, C., Perloe, A., Machell, K., & Rallis, B. (in press). Suicidal and Non-Suicidal Self-Harm Behaviors. In Kaminer, Y., Ed., Adolescent Substance Use Disorders and Co-Occurring Disorders. Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Publishers.

Perloe, A., Hernandez-Cervantes, Q., Esposito-Smythers, C., Spirito, A. (in press). Adolescent suicide: prevention and intervention efforts. In van Dulmen, Swahn, & Bossarte, Eds., Developmental and public health perspectives on suicide prevention: an integrated approach. Kent, OH: Kent State University Press.

Becker, A.E., Perloe, A., Nyquist, L., Kaplan, L.M (2008). Complementary and Alternative Therapy for Weight Management. In D. Mischoulon & J. F. Rosenbaum (Eds.),Natural Medications for Psychiatric Disorders: Considering the Alternatives(pp. 245-280). Baltimore, MD: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

INVITED PRESENTATIONS ______

“Non-suicidal self-injury in adolescents.” Presentation to be given at Children’s National Medical Center, Department of Adolescent Medicine, Washington, D.C., March 2015.

“An Introduction to Motivational Interviewing.” Presentation given to clinicians and residential counselors at the Alternative House (a youth crisis shelter), Vienna, VA. June 2012.

CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS ______

Esposito-Smythers, C., Hadley, W., Brown, L.K., Curby, T., Short, J., Weismoore, J., Miller, A., Schaefer, K., MacNeil, L., & Perloe, A. (2014, June). Alcohol, suicide, and HIV prevention for teens in mental health treatment: Preliminary results of a clinical trial. In C. Esposito-Smythers (Chair), Socially based brief interventions for adolescents and emerging adults: outcomes and mechanisms of change. Symposium conducted at the annual meeting of the Research Society on Alcoholism, Seattle, WA.

Perloe, A., Kleiman, E., Liu, R. T. (Nov. 2013). Meaning in life is a buffer between depression and suicidal ideation. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Association of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapy, Nashville, TN.

Perloe, A., Esposito-Smythers, C., Curby, T. & Renshaw, K. (Nov. 2013). Concurrent Trajectories of Change in Adolescent and Maternal Depression in the TORDIA study. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Association of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapy, Nashville, TN.

Perloe, A., Weismoore, J.T., Esposito-Smythers, C.L. (Nov. 2012).Examining self-esteem and optimism as moderators of the effect of negative life events on suicidal ideation and non-suicidal self-injury. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Association of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapy, National Harbor, MD.

Perloe, A., Weismoore, J.T., Esposito-Smythers, C.L. (April 2012). Examining forgiveness as a moderator between negative life events, suicidal ideation and non-suicidal self-injury. Poster presented at the 45th Annual Conference of the American Association of Suicidology, Baltimore, MD.

Perloe, A., Esposito-Smythers, C., MacNeil, L., Schaefer, K. & Erb, S. (Nov. 2011). Correlates of lethality of suicide attempts among hospitalized adolescents. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Association of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapy, Toronto, ON.