> ![](media/image1.png){width="1.125in"
> height="1.6979166666666667in"}**Psychology Internship Program**
>
> **Memphis VA Medical Center**\
> Psychology Training Program
>
> Psychology Section (116A4)
>
> 1030 Jefferson Avenue
>
> Memphis, Tennessee 38104
>
> (90l) 523-8990, extension 5779***\
> **<http://www.memphis.va.gov/>*

**MATCH Numbers:**

**155811 - GENERAL INTERNSHIP**

**155812 - NEUROPSYCHOLOGY**

**Applications due: November 7, 2008**

## Accreditation Status

The predoctoral internship at the **Memphis VA Medical Center** is fully
accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of the American
Psychological Association.

The next site visit will be during the academic year **2014**.

## Application & Selection Procedures 

**REQUIREMENTS FOR PROGRAM ENTRY**

The program actively recruits students from diverse ethnic and cultural
groups. Physically challenged applicants are also strongly encouraged to
apply.

***The minimum requirements for entry into the training program are as
follows:***

1.  Applicants must be U. S. citizens.

2.  At the time of application, applicants must be enrolled in doctoral
    training in an APA-accredited clinical or counseling psychology
    program.

3.  Applicants must have completed a minimum of 600 hours of supervised
    practicum experience (direct and indirect) by the time the
    application is submitted.

4.  Applicants must have passed all comprehensive examinations required
    by their graduate program by the application deadline.

5.  Applicants are required to have completed their dissertation
    proposal by the ranking deadline.

**APPLICATION PROCEDURES**

All applications must be received by ***November 7, 2008.***

***All completed applications must include:***

1.  A cover letter indicating a) individuals who will be sending letters
    of recommendation; b) a listing of the rotations in which the
    applicant is interested in receiving training; and c) when
    applicable, indication of intention to apply to the Neuropsychology
    Specialty Track (Note: This information is requested in accordance
    with APPIC Match Policy 3d. This information will be used for the
    scheduling of interviews only.);

2.  A current APPIC Application for Psychology Internship (AAPI);

3.  An up-to-date curriculum vitae;

4.  Undergraduate and graduate school transcripts;

5.  A completed APPIC Academic Program\'s Verification of Internship
    Eligibility and Readiness form; and

6.  Three letters of recommendation from psychologists. Please note that
    letters from other professionals who have supervised the
    applicant\'s work may be sent in addition to these three letters.

*Some applicants find it more convenient to send all application
materials in one packet so that receipt of the materials can be easily
verified. If letters of recommendation are enclosed in the packet,
please have the writer sign across the envelope seal.*

Interviews will be arranged for selected applicants. Invitations to
interview will be issued by Monday, December 15 and on-site visits will
be scheduled for Friday, January 9; Monday, January 12; Friday, January
23; or Monday, January 26. Thursday, January 15 will be set aside for
telephone interviews for applicants who do not wish to travel to the
internship site. The final evaluation of internship applications and
supporting documents will take place when interviews have been
completed.

Offers of acceptance will be made in agreement with the guidelines
developed by the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship
Centers (APPIC). The APPIC Match Policies: 2007-2008 are available on
the APPIC website (http://www.appic.org/). Applicants must obtain an
Applicant Agreement from the National Matching Service
(http://www.natmatch.com/psychint) and register for the match in order
to be eligible to match to our program. This internship site agrees to
abide by the APPIC Policy that no person at this training facility will
solicit, accept, or use any ranking-related information from any intern
applicant. We will offer appropriate guidance to all applicants during
the application process. We strongly suggest that you apply to this
program only if it ranks highly in terms of your personal and
professional priorities.

Prior to beginning the internship year, it will be necessary for
applicants selected for the internship training program to complete an
Optional Application for Federal Employment (OF 612) and a Declaration
for Federal Employment (OF 306). During the training year, interns are
responsible for adhering to the policies and procedures of the
Psychology Training Program and the Psychology Section. Also, many of
the laws, rules, and guidelines that apply to federal employees are also
applicable to trainees in federal training positions. For example,
interns may be subject to random drug screening. A copy of the policies
and procedures of this training program will be made available to intern
applicants at the time of their interview and is given to each intern
during orientation at the beginning of the training year.

All correspondence and application materials should be sent to:

> ***Karen Clark, Ph.D., Director of Training***
>
> Psychology Training Program
>
> Psychology Section (116A4)
>
> VA Medical Center
>
> 1030 Jefferson Avenue
>
> Memphis, TN 38104
>
> (90l) 523-8990, extension 5779

***Psychology Setting***

The Psychology Section of the Memphis VAMC Mental Health Service is
committed to excellence in service, training, and research. The staff is
heterogeneous in terms of educational and theoretical backgrounds, which
makes possible a wide range of orientations for instruction,
observation, role modeling, and professional development. Professional
psychologists at the Memphis VAMC function as clinicians, delivering
care as independent practitioners within the range of their clinical
privileges; as researchers, exploring clinically and theoretically
relevant areas; and as administrators, heading the Psychology Section
and its various programs throughout the Medical Center. The Psychology
Section staff contributes to the larger community by donation of
personal and professional services to community groups, participation in
university activities, and consultation/private practice outside the
Medical Center. Our psychologists have held, and currently hold elected
and appointed leadership positions in local, state, and national
professional associations and groups. Most serve as examiners for the
oral examinations of the State Licensing Board.

**PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION**

> ***Karen A. Clark, Ph.D.***
>
> Director, Psychology Training Program
>
> ***Brad L. Roper, Ph.D., ABPP***
>
> Associate Director, Psychology Training Program

The Director of Training is responsible for the coordination, oversight,
and day-to-day operation of the Psychology Training Program. An
administrative Training Committee, chaired by the Director of Training,
periodically reviews all aspects of the training program and when
necessary recommends changes in procedures and policy. A Supervisory
Subcommittee of the Training Committee, chaired by the Director of
Training, is made up of all current supervisors. It meets monthly to
monitor the progress of interns on each rotation. This committee
attempts to assure continuity of training among various rotations and
training settings, and it is responsible for all routine training
activities. Final decisions regarding the Psychology Training Program
are the responsibility of the Chief of the Psychology Section.

## The VAMC Psychology Training Program closely coordinates its training activities with those of the University of Tennessee Professional Psychology Internship Consortium. The Director of the VAMC Psychology Training Program is a member of the UT Consortium Administrative/Training Committee.

## 

## Training Model and Program Philosophy

The philosophy of the Internship Training Program mirrors the mission of
the Memphis VAMC in the context of the internship's role as a primary
source of experiential training in professional psychology practice. The
model of the training program is practitioner-scholar, drawing on the
ideas of Hoshmand and Polkinghorne (1992) and Stricker and Trierweiler
(1995) regarding the integration of nomothetic psychological science
with the inherently ideographic nature of practice. The program is also
developmental, initially involving comprehensive orientation, close
supervision, and early coverage of core practice issues and gradually
transitioning into more autonomous practice, where supervision and
didactics address more specific and advanced aspects of practice. Our
program maintains a generalist focus, fostering general competence over
specialization. The program is built around the following four goals and
associated competencies:

## Program Goals & Objectives

**Goal #1: Develop intermediate to advanced general professional
competencies in professional psychology in a healthcare setting.**

Associated Competencies:

-   Knowledge and application of ethical principles.

-   Productive use of supervision and consultation.

-   Professional and appropriate interaction with treatment teams,
    peers, and supervisors.

-   Responsible performance of key patient care tasks.

-   Management of personal and professional stressors such that
    professional functioning is maintained.

-   Maintenance of good rapport with patients.

-   Ability to engage in scholarly inquiry in carrying out rotation
    duties.

**Goal #2: Develop competencies in psychological assessment in a
healthcare setting.**

Associated Competencies:

-   Knowledge and skills in clinical interviewing and contingency
    planning.

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-   Knowledge and skills in test administration.

-   Knowledge and skills in clinical interpretation of interview and
    test data.

-   Ability to communicate assessment findings and recommendations in
    written format.

**Goal #3: Achieve competencies in psychotherapeutic interventions**

Associated Competencies:

-   Ability to conceptual cases that draws upon theoretical and research
    knowledge.

-   Ability to develop appropriate therapeutic treatment goals in
    collaboration with patients.

-   Ability to present interventions that are well-timed, effective, and
    consistent with empirically supported treatments.

-   Ability to understand and productively use countertransference.

-   Competence in skills specific to group therapy settings.

**Goal #4: Competency in professional consultation**

Associated Competency:

-   Ability to engage in direct service/intervention via collaboration
    with healthcare providers in other disciplines.

##  

## Program Structure

The Psychology Training Program at the Memphis VAMC currently offers
training to seven predoctoral interns in the areas of medical
psychology, psychiatry-based programs, and neuropsychology. Training
opportunities in psychiatry-based programs include inpatient and
outpatient psychiatry, PTSD, family therapy, chemical dependency,
psychological assessment, emergency room consultation, and group and
individual psychotherapy. Opportunities for training in medical
psychology are in the areas of cardiac and thoracic surgery and
cardiopulmonary rehabilitation, pain management and biofeedback,
hematology/oncology, geriatrics, nephrology, primary care medicine (in
two CBOCs and the Women\'s Clinic), palliative care, and spinal cord
injury. The Memphis VAMC offers a specialty track in neuropsychology
designed to meet INS/APA Division 40 and Houston Conference guidelines
for specialty training in clinical neuropsychology at the internship
level. The neuropsychology specialty track involves one major rotation
and two minor rotations in neuropsychology, with additional didactic
opportunities such as attending neuroradiology rounds and neuropathology
rounds (\"brain-cutting\") and observation of neurosurgical procedures.

In addition to predoctoral training, the program offers six postdoctoral
fellowship positions with emphasis areas in: Neuropsychology (2),
Medical/Health Psychology (2), PTSD (1), and Returning
Veterans/Polytrauma (1). All six of the positions are open to the
program's predoctoral interns and to applicants from outside the Memphis
VAMC program.

In addition to being independently accredited by APA, the Memphis VAMC
Mental Health Service, Psychology Section, is also a member of the
University of Tennessee Professional Psychology Internship (UT)
Consortium, which is also fully accredited by APA. Training sites
available through membership in the UT Consortium offer interns
opportunities to receive training experiences that are not usually
readily available in VA internships. Among these are opportunities to
work with children, adolescents, and women; to receive forensics
training; and to work in an established sexual offender program. The UT
Consortium jointly sponsors the Cultural Diversity Seminar and the
Comprehensive Seminar Series for psychology interns. Interns serve as
members of the governing committees of both the VAMC Training Program
and the training program of the UT Consortium.

Interns selected to participate in the Memphis VAMC's Psychology
Training Program are encouraged to choose and develop training
experiences that are consistent with their academic preparation and
their professional interests and goals. Feedback is obtained from
relevant sources to increase the likelihood that training choices will
be based on valid interests, skills, levels of competency, and needs.
The program maintains contact with each intern\'s academic program as
necessary to insure all experiences are tailored to the intern\'s
strengths and needs. It assumes all intern applicants will possess a
good foundation in the theoretical and practical knowledge of
psychological principles and clinical skills. It is believed such basic
knowledge and skills will be further developed to the limits one can
expect of a student during the internship year. Opportunities to observe
and experience a variety of supervisory and clinical models are
considered an essential internship experience at the Memphis VAMC. As
the interns progress in the program and their professional skills and
duties develop and expand, they assume greater responsibility in the
clinical setting and for those patients with whom they are involved.
However, it should be noted that individual supervision tailored for the
interns' level of training and experience and based upon a premise of
collegiality, continues throughout the internship. Group supervision is
also available, in addition to the individual supervision, on specified
rotations.

Interns' training experiences consist of three rotation periods of
approximately 17 weeks each. During each 17-week period, interns
typically have a major rotation (up to 24 hours per week) and a minor
rotation (up to 12 hours per week). Additionally, there are times set
aside for seminars, staff meetings, and other selected learning
experiences.

Upon successful completion of the yearlong internship, all interns will
receive a certificate that indicates they have completed an internship
in \"Professional Psychology.\" In addition, a final letter of
evaluation will be sent to each intern\'s respective academic program
indicating he/she has successfully completed the predoctoral internship
as partial fulfillment of the requirements for a doctoral degree in
clinical or counseling psychology. The letter will further detail each
intern\'s experiences in the internship training program and provide an
overall summary evaluation.

**FUNDING/LEAVE**

VA-funded psychology interns are paid a full-time stipend of \$22,898,
and payments are every two weeks for a full year. Training stipends are
taxable (See IRS Ruling 82-57). The Memphis VAMC does not offer
part-time or unfunded intern training positions. The official internship
year will begin on August 18, 2008 and end on August 17, 2009.

***References***

*Hannay, H.J. (1998). Proceedings of the Houston Conference on specialty
education and training in clinical neuropsychology. Archives of Clinical
Neuropsychology, 13, 157-249.*

*Hoshmand, L.T. & Polkinghorne, D.E. (1992). Redefining the
science-practice relationship and professional training, American
Psychologist, 47, 55-66.*

*Stricker, G., Trierweiler, S.J. (1995). The local clinical scientist: A
bridge between science and practice. American Psychologist, 50,
995-1002.*

## Training Experiences 

**MEDICAL PSYCHOLOGY ROTATIONS**

**Hematology/Oncology**

***General Description:*** The Psychology Section of the Mental Health
Service provides services to patients being evaluated or treated for
cancer on the various inpatient units of the VA Medical Center, through
the outpatient Hematology-Oncology Clinic and through Radiation Oncology
Service. Patients may be seen at any stage of the disease process: At
the time of the initial diagnosis and workup, at the time of initial and
subsequent treatments, during management of associated conditions and
complications, and through the later stages of the disease process and
terminal care. The Hematology-Oncology inpatient and outpatient programs
and the program in Radiation Oncology draw upon a multidisciplinary team
to provide services as needed to patients. The team includes
professionals from medicine and surgery, nursing, social work, dietary,
clinical pharmacy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and
chaplaincy, as well as psychology. This training experience is available
as a minor rotation only.

***Training Opportunities:***

1.  Providing individual and family support for a range of problems
    including emotional reactions at the time of initial diagnosis,
    assisting patients and family in formulating questions for their
    medical caregivers, dealing with anxiety generated by treatment
    delays or complications, dealing with body image issues, assisting
    with compliance issues, and coping with terminal illness;

2.  Providing more focused interventions, such as relaxation training;

3.  Performing interview assessments of patients' mental status, as well
    as on-going monitoring of mental status and affective condition;

4.  Providing staff consultations including assisting the treatment team
    in understanding the psychological implications of severe physical
    illness on individuals' behavior, allowing staff to share their
    thoughts and feelings about working with seriously ill patients and
    patients in the process of dying; and

5.  Attending continuing education activities including weekly team
    meetings on the Medicine Service, weekly Tumor Board
    diagnostic/treatment conferences, UT College of Medicine Grand
    Rounds lectures, local teleconferences, and weekly
    reading/discussion with the supervisor on cancer-related topics.

**Cardiothoracic Surgery/Cardiac Rehabilitation**

***General Description:*** The Psychology Section provides direct
patient care and consultative services to veterans being treated for
various cardiac and pulmonary conditions in inpatient medical units of
the VA Medical Center, through the Cardiothoracic Surgery outpatient
clinic, and through the Multidiscipline Thoracic Oncology outpatient
clinic. Psychological services are provided as needed to pre-op and
post-op heart and lung surgery patients, patients undergoing evaluation
and treatment following a heart attack or other acute cardiac event, and
patients with chronic cardiac and pulmonary problems. Please note,
training opportunities are dependent on the nature of patient referrals
received during the rotation. This training experience is offered as a
minor rotation or as an add-on.

***Training Opportunities:***

1.  Performing interview assessments and ongoing monitoring of mental
    status, affective status, understanding of medical
    condition/regimen, compliance issues, and lifestyle risk factors;

2.  Providing therapeutic and educative interventions to patients,
    caregivers, and families to address a range of issues such as the
    emotional impact of acute/chronic illness, dependence issues,
    terminal illness, self-image changes, family role changes, treatment
    compliance, healthy lifestyle modifications, and facilitation of
    communication with the health care team;

3.  Providing focused interventions such as stress management,
    relaxation training and smoking cessation;

4.  Learning about medical conditions and their relationship to
    psychological factors;

5.  Providing staff consultative services to assist the treatment team
    in patients' treatment and discharge planning as well as to provide
    support to staff as they work with seriously and chronically ill
    patients; and

6.  Participating in training activities such as local teleconferences
    and lectures as available, readings, and observing other team
    members\' clinical work.

**Chronic Pain Management Program**

***General Description:*** This program provides consultative services
to a heterogeneous population of medical and psychiatric patients on an
inpatient and outpatient basis. Each patient is assessed for the most
appropriate treatment strategies and follow-up services. The program
provides pain management interventions emphasizing non-medication-based
treatments such as biofeedback and hypnosis. Training in biofeedback
takes place in the Biofeedback/Applied Psychophysiology Clinic. All
training, including hypnosis, relaxation techniques, and stress
management interventions, is taught didactically to augment patient
contact experiences. This minor rotation involves close supervision so
that the intern will have confidence in his/her ability to evaluate,
select, and treat patients presenting with a wide variety of chronic
pain symptoms.

***Training Opportunities:***

1.  Participating in the assessment, evaluation, and selection of
    patients for treatment of chronic pain of various etiologies;

2.  Preparing patients for the selected intervention or consultation by
    appropriate medical or psychiatric service as needed;

3.  Providing the necessary psychological treatment interventions that
    are most efficacious in targeted symptom management; and

4.  Performing patient follow-up to determine the effectiveness of
    treatment over time.

**Geriatrics/Rehabilitative Medicine**

***General Description:*** The Psychology Section of the Mental Health
Service provides direct and/or consultative services to the Intermediate
Care/Geriatric Evaluation and Management Unit (a 15-bed inpatient
geriatric medical unit) and to the Geriatric and Extended Care (GEC)
Team (an interdisciplinary team that provides consultative reviews of
patients placed on intermediate care status throughout the Medical
Center) of the Geriatrics Section, Medicine Service. A range of acute,
rehabilitative, and palliative care services for medically ill elderly
adults are provided through these programs. The model of care is
interdisciplinary, with strong involvement from medicine, psychology,
nursing, clinical pharmacy, dietary, and social work. When appropriate,
patients are also referred for rehabilitative services such as speech
therapy and physical therapy. This training experience is offered to
interns only as a major rotation.

***Training Opportunities:***

1.  Participating in interdisciplinary team conferences and weekly
    patient care planning meetings, unit bed rounds, and didactic
    training experiences;

2.  Performing screenings and diagnostic evaluations of psychological
    functioning of medically ill elders on an inpatient basis, including
    cognitive and affective status;

3.  Providing therapeutic interventions and education to patients,
    families, and caregivers;

4.  Developing behavioral and environmental interventions to assist
    patients and caregivers;

5.  Providing staff consultation to the interdisciplinary medical team
    regarding psychological factors involved in the patients' overall
    care and enhancement of team functioning;

6.  Developing differential psychological diagnostic skills in an
    inpatient medical setting, including an understanding of how medical
    illness and/or treatment complicate determination of psychological
    diagnoses;

7.  Learning how to identify and manage the ethical and legal dilemmas
    facing the psychologist practicing in a medical setting;

8.  Developing a knowledge base regarding medical conditions, medication
    usage (including drug interactions and side effects), other
    medical/surgical interventions, and associated terminology; and

9.  Learning to work within an interdisciplinary team structure to
    provide psychological care to elderly medical patients.

**Ambulatory Care**

***General Description:*** The Memphis VAMC maintains two Community
Based Outpatient Clinics within a few miles of the main campus
(approximately a 15-minute drive) which provide training opportunities
in primary care medicine. The \"North\" Clinic is located in the
Raleigh-Barlett area and the \"South\" Clinic in the Southaven area of
Memphis. The role of psychologists in the provision of primary medical
care has greatly expanded in recent years. Research and clinical
experience have supported the value of psychological evaluation and
intervention in preventing, reducing, and/or, in some cases eliminating
the negative impact of chronic and acute illness as well as physical
impairment. This rotation offers psychology interns the opportunity to
receive specialized training and experience in the provision of direct
clinical services to outpatients in interdisciplinary primary medical
care settings. It also offers the opportunity for training in the Shared
Medical Appointments model of medical care with a particular focus on
the returning combat veterans who are moving from active duty medical
care to VA medical care. This element includes education regarding
issues pertinent to veterans returning from combat zones including
symptoms of anxiety and depression, alcohol abuse, family adjustment
issues, and PTSD. This training experience is offered as a major
rotation or a minor rotation. Additionally, the smoking cessation
training can be offered as a separate experience throughout the year.

Options at the North Clinic training site include a minor rotation in
Chronic Pain Coping, with experiences in individual and three weekly
group intervention programs. Pain management training may also be
incorporated into the major ambulatory care rotation offered in this
setting

***Training Opportunities:***

1.  Performing screenings of psychological functioning and mental
    status;

2.  Developing differential psychological diagnostic skills in a primary
    medical care setting including an understanding of how medical
    illness may complicate the process of making psychological
    diagnoses;

3.  Providing therapeutic interventions in the medical ambulatory care
    setting including supportive counseling regarding issues such as
    grief and loss of independence; brief psychotherapy; more focused
    interventions, such as relaxation training and smoking cessation;
    facilitating communication between patient and medical staff;
    working with families and/or caregivers to facilitate implementation
    of interventions in the home environment; and managing noncompliance
    with the medical treatment regimen;

4.  Providing staff consultation to the interdisciplinary medical team
    regarding psychological factors involved in the patients' overall
    care and enhancement of team functioning;

5.  Providing group and individual pain management interventions;

6.  Acquiring information about the interaction among medical illnesses,
    medications and other medical interventions, and behavioral,
    emotional, and cognitive factors;

7.  Learning about the ethical and legal dilemmas facing the
    psychologist practicing in a medical setting;

8.  Attending team conferences and other training activities;

9.  Providing preventive medicine services to veterans;

10. Learning to function as the "Behaviorist" in the Shared Medical
    Appointments model of medical care; and

11. Working with recently returned combat veterans in the Operation
    Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom Programs and gaining
    experience with the impact of extended combat on the psychological
    adjustment and functioning of these individuals.

**Spinal Cord Injury Service**

***General Description:*** The SCI Unit is comprised of two inpatient
units with a total of 60 beds, an outpatient medical clinic, and a
comprehensive rehabilitation clinic. The SCI Unit offers rehabilitation
to patients with new spinal cord injuries and offers primary and acute
care for existing SCI patients. The rehabilitation program is accredited
by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF).
Additionally, a wellness program is available to outpatients who have
completed rehabilitation but would like to pursue additional
health-related goals. The multidisciplinary staff of the SCIS includes
physicians, nurses, skin care specialists, psychologists, respiratory
therapists, nutritionists, and social workers. The rehabilitation staff
is comprised of kinesiotherapists, physical therapists, occupational
therapists, and recreation therapists.

The services provided by psychologists play an important role in the
care of SCI patients. Psychologists are an integral part of the
treatment teams, attending all patient rounds, discharge planning
meetings, and family conferences. Psychologists takes part in the
development and execution of the treatment plan for each patient.
Psychologists are consulted for bedside assessments regarding mood and
anxiety disorders, changes in mental status, cognitive impairment,
capacity issues, and substance abuse. Psychotherapy services are offered
to both inpatients and outpatients. Psychoeducational groups and process
groups are offered on a regular basis. Psychologists are also
responsible for developing staff inservice opportunities regarding a
variety of topics including stress management, managing difficult
patients, and team building. Due to the aging population of the
veterans, psychologists routinely offer services for both staff and
patients on grief and end-of-life issues.

Interns may select from two emphasis areas during their SCI rotation.
One emphasizes training experiences with patients with \"older\" spinal
cord injuries, as well as patients admitted for annual examinations and
those who are ventilator dependent. The other emphasizes experiences
with patients who have sustained the critical spinal cord injury within
the past several weeks. Both emphasis areas include experiences with
general medical admissions (acute and chronic conditions) and outpatient
services and involve group work as well as individual contacts.

***Training Opportunities:***

1.  Familiarization with spinal cord injury variables including the
    level of injury and degree of completeness, predicted degree of
    disability, predicted level of independence, and medical
    complications such as impairment in bladder and bowel function, skin
    breakdown, and infections;

2.  Learning about the medical issues related to spinal cord injury and
    catastrophic disability;

3.  Learning about the relationship between medical and
    psychological/psychiatric conditions. Specifically, the intern will
    learn about the psychological manifestations of medical illnesses
    such as delirium sepsis and medication intoxication, and the
    \"medical mimics\" of depression and anxiety;

4.  Participating in all areas of psychological service.
    Responsibilities include answering medical psychology consults,
    conducting capacity evaluations, conducting annual screenings,
    seeing patients for individual and/or group therapy, assisting with
    staff development programs, and attending treatment team meetings.
    The intern will also learn about treatment modalities for chronic
    pain and smoking cessation; and

5.  Working closely with both newly injured and aging SCI patients as
    they progress through the stages of adjustment and life-stage
    development. This may include working with patients undergoing
    rehabilitation from a recent injury or patients adjusting to the
    aging process and associated problems (e.g., health issues, chronic
    illness, end-of-life issues). The intern may have the opportunity to
    confront issues of death and dying with one or more patients.

**Biofeedback/Applied Psychophysiology**

***General Description:*** The training approach emphasizes the
effective application of psychophysiology principles. The successful
employment of the techniques requires understanding of relaxation,
response shaping, generalization, characteristics of the autonomic
nervous system, and disease modalities responsive to applied
psychophysiological interventions. Personal creativity and interest in
the development of novel applications will be stressed. The
Biofeedback/Applied Psychophysiology Clinic utilizes J&J I-330-C2
equipment.

Training in this minor rotation is a two-part experience. The first is
didactic and is designed for the intern unfamiliar with the concepts of
autonomic self-regulation. A primary overview of the theory and
application of the techniques through discussion and use of requisite
readings is provided. The second experience is the evaluation,
selection, and treatment of patients demonstrating a wide variety of
presenting symptoms with the intern being given increasing
responsibility for using self-regulatory training. For interns who have
already developed preliminary knowledge of the application of
psychophysiological principles/biofeedback, supervision of individual
cases and treatment planning will be emphasized.

***Training Opportunities:***

1.  Participating in the assessment, evaluation, and selection of
    patients for biofeedback/applied psychophysiology;

2.  Preparing selected patients for treatment using thermal, myographic,
    electrodermal and/or EEG recordings;

3.  Assisting in selection and application of all necessary treatment
    modalities that may be required for alleviation of symptoms; and

4.  Documenting the effectiveness of treatment procedures through
    patient follow-up.

**Palliative Care Consultation Team (PCCT)**

***General Description:*** The PCCT is an interprofessional team that
provides palliative care services on a consultative basis to patients
who are in the advanced stages of a life-threatening illness and to
their families. The goal of the palliative care team is to provide the
best quality of life through the relief of suffering, pain and symptom
management, psychosocial support, and respect for autonomy and the
appropriate role of family and legal surrogates. The core team includes
a physician, chaplain, social worker, nurse practitioner, and
psychologist. Sensitivity to personal, cultural and religious values,
beliefs, and practices is emphasized.

***Training Opportunities:***

1.  Completing comprehensive palliative care evaluations/interviews;

2.  Performing cognitive and mood screenings, mental status exams, and
    competency evaluations;

3.  Providing therapeutic interventions and education to patients,
    families, and caregivers, including provision of supportive
    counseling, brief grief counseling, and bereavement contacts;

4.  Developing a knowledge base regarding medical conditions, medication
    usage (including drug interactions and side effects), other
    medical/surgical interventions, and associated terminology;

5.  Gaining familiarity with psychological, social, cultural, and
    spiritual issues related to end-of-life care;

6.  Assisting patients and families in the transition to hospice status;

7.  Providing staff consultation to the interprofessional medical team
    regarding psychological factors involved in the patients' overall
    care and enhancement of team functioning;

8.  Learning to identify and manage the ethical and legal dilemmas
    facing the

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1.  psychologist and other clinicians practicing in a medical setting;

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9.  Assisting with ongoing development of program structure and
    function;

10. Evaluating/tracking aspects of PCCT program functioning;

11. Assisting with development of materials/strategies for enhancing
    education of non-team staff regarding end-of-life care;

12. Learning to work within an interprofessional team structure to
    provide care for palliative care patients and their families; and

13. Participating in interprofessional team conferences and weekly
    patient care planning meetings and didactic training experiences.

**Women's Clinic**

***General Description:*** The Women's Health Clinic provides primary
care services to all female veterans treated at the VA Medical Center.
Our female veterans present with a range of often-complex psychological
and physical health concerns. Psychology's role in this clinic,
therefore, is truly an integrative one as the psychologist works
collaboratively with the primary care providers to enhance treatment of
the full spectrum of medical and psychological problems presented by
clinic patients. Body image issues, chronic pain syndromes, childhood
and/or military sexual trauma, depression, anxiety disorders, compliance
issues, and eating disorders are presenting problems common to this
population. Much like the Ambulatory Care rotation, interns are afforded
experience in providing a range of direct clinical services in a primary
medical care setting. Interns will gain a greater appreciation for the
impact of interacting physical and psychosocial factors on women's
health. This training experience is offered as a major or minor
rotation.

***Training Opportunities:***

1.  Performing psychological, cognitive, and/or behavioral medicine
    screenings;

2.  Performing in-depth assessments as needed;

3.  Consulting with clinic staff regarding differential diagnosis,
    treatment planning, and compliance issues;

4.  Providing therapeutic interventions to individuals, couples,
    families, and/or groups, often aimed at coping with medical illness;

5.  Developing and/or participating in educational groups regarding
    women's health issues;

6.  Working with clinic staff to develop programs aimed at enhancing
    women's overall health; and

7.  Attending clinic conferences, meetings, and other training
    opportunities.

**Off-Site Medical Psychology Rotation:**

***Note:*** This rotation is available through a reciprocal agreement
with the APA-accredited University of Tennessee Professional Psychology
Internship Consortium.

**Medical Consult/Liaison, Regional Medical Center at Memphis (The
MED)**

*(Supervisor: Robert Kores, Ph.D.)*

**[General Description:]{.underline}** The MED is a medical-surgical
hospital that includes a class-one trauma center, a regional burn unit,
and an OB/GYN service. Patients referred to the C/L service are those
experiencing cognitive, emotional, or behavioral difficulties in
conjunction with, or as a result of, their medical illnesses or surgical
conditions. Interns learn the principles of consultation, assessment,
and supportive patient care. Major disorders encountered include
delirium, dementia, mania and depression, schizophrenia, somatoform
disorders, and alcohol and other substance abuse. Interns gain knowledge
of psychopharmacology, including medication usage, drug interactions,
and side effects.

**NEUROPSYCHOLOGY ROTATIONS**

**Neuropsychology Division, Memphis VAMC**

***General Description:*** The Neuropsychology Program provides
psychological services related to clinical problems specifically
pertaining to brain-behavior relationships. The Neuropsychology Program
provides consultation to other sections of the Mental Health Service
(e.g., Inpatient Psychiatry, Chemical Dependency, Mental Health Clinic,
PTSD Care Team), Inpatient Medicine, Ambulatory Care, Neurology,
Neurosurgery, Spinal Cord Injury Service, Vocational Rehabilitation, the
Women's Clinic, and other clinics and units of the Medical Center.
Within Spinal Cord Injury Service, Neuropsychology performs routine
screening on patients admitted to our CARF-accredited rehabilitation
beds. Clinical presentations of patients referred to Neuropsychology are
quite varied and include dementias (e.g., Alzheimer\'s disease, vascular
dementia, Parkinson\'s-plus syndromes, Lewy-body dementia,
frontotemporal dementia); focal cortical syndromes from cerebrovascular
accident, tumor, or other causes; traumatic brain injury; epilepsy;
cerebral infections, and psychiatric disorders such as major depression,
bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, other anxiety
disorders, somatoform disorders, and various psychotic disorders. Many
of the patients seen also have chronic health problems such as cardiac
or pulmonary conditions that impact cognitive abilities.

Interns gain experience in the administration and interpretation of
neuropsychological evaluations and consultation with referring health
care professionals from multiple units and clinics. Interns also perform
brief neurocognitive evaluations of more severely impaired patients. An
important factor in obtaining competence in neuropsychological
assessment is exposure to the behavioral presentations of a wide range
of neurological, psychiatric, and other medical conditions. Interns
learn both basic and advanced aspects of diagnosing disorders of higher
brain functions, analysis of the interactions among cognitive
impairments and psychiatric and physical illnesses, and the practical
implications of patients' impairments on their functional abilities.
Changes in mood or personality are often present in neurological
diseases. Therefore, personality assessment plays an important role in
the services provided by neuropsychology. Using a variety of objective
personality assessment techniques (most typically the MMPI-2),
neuropsychology assists in the differential diagnosis of psychogenic and
neurogenic disorders, assesses the effects of brain damage on premorbid
personality, and assesses the emotional stress resulting from
debilitating neurological disease. Likewise, the measurement of effort
is important in establishing the validity of neurocognitive measures. As
such, careful behavioral observations as well as the administration of
formal symptom validity measures are an important part of many
neurocognitive assessments. Emphasis is placed on the integration of all
data sources (i.e., testing, patient interview and qualitative
behavioral observations, the report of family members, and extant
records including other neurodiagnostic studies) in order to reach
diagnostic impressions and practical implications.

Through involvement in Neuroradiology Rounds and other rounds, interns
routinely consult and interact with medical staff and residents in
neurology, neuroradiology and neurosurgery. Interns provide detailed
feedback to referral sources and, whenever possible, to patients and
family members, sometimes in an outpatient meeting and sometimes in the
midst of a family meeting with inpatient treatment teams. When
indicated, interns may provide short-term cognitive rehabilitation to
assist patients with optimal recovery from stroke or brain injury.
Interns may take either a major or minor rotation.

***Training Opportunities:***

1.  Administering and interpreting a variety of neuropsychological tests
    in order to learn an eclectic approach to assessment, based upon a
    flexible battery approach;

2.  Becoming familiar with both clinical and behavioral neurology via
    didactics and assessment of acute and chronic focal neurological
    presentations;

3.  Gaining exposure to various sources of neuropsychological normative
    data;

4.  Writing neuropsychological reports, including specific
    recommendations for patient care, rehabilitation, and discharge
    planning;

5.  Participating in feedback of results to patients and their families;

6.  Observing the cutting of pathological brain specimens;

7.  Attending Neurology Grand Rounds and Neurology Bed Rounds;

8.  Gaining exposure to neurodiagnostic images such as CT and MRI scans;

9.  Participating in a weekly Neuropsychology Seminar;

10. Participating in rehabilitative procedures, such as cognitive
    retraining; and

11. Attending a group Neuropsychology Case Conference and Rounds.

**Off-Site Neuropsychology Rotations:**

***Note:*** These rotations are available through a reciprocal agreement
with the APA-accredited University of Tennessee Professional Psychology
Internship Consortium.

**Center for Pediatric Neuropsychology**

***General Description:*** This rotation offers pediatric
neuropsychological assessment and consultation in inpatient and
outpatient settings. Interns conduct brief neurobehavioral evaluations
and comprehensive neuropsychological assessments of children and
adolescents with a wide range of developmental disorders and
neurological and other medical conditions. Interns also consult with
family members and teachers to aid in developing specialized remediation
programs, employing patients' strengths to help overcome their
weaknesses. Additionally, interns help advocate for parents and children
to insure that the child is receiving the services he or she should be
receiving by law. Common conditions assessed include traumatic brain
injury, neurofibromatosis, renal disease, congenital heart disease,
attention deficit disorders, learning disabilities, seizure disorders,
pseudo seizures, hypoxic episodes, and spina bifida.

**Semmes-Murphey Neurologic and Spine Institute**

***General Description:*** This rotation involves outpatient
neuropsychological assessment and consultation with adult, child, and
adolescent patients. Neuropsychologist Keith Atkins, Ph.D., ABPP
primarily sees adults and neuropsychologist Susan McChesney, Ph.D., ABPP
primarily sees children and adolescents. Patients present with a range
of neurological, developmental, and psychiatric disorders. Interns
perform comprehensive neuropsychological evaluations and provide
consultation to referring practitioners. Interns may also perform
specialized pre- and post-surgical neuropsychological evaluations of
patients with medically intractable epilepsy. They may take part in
independent neuropsychological evaluations for forensic or disability
purposes, chronic pain evaluations, and fitness-for-duty evaluations of
commercial airline pilots. They may also observe administration of Wada
examinations and take part in interdisciplinary review of epilepsy
cases.

**PSYCHIATRY-BASED ROTATIONS**

**Psychology Assessment Clinic**

***General Description:*** The Psychology Assessment Clinic receives
consult requests from providers throughout the hospital in order to
assist with diagnostic clarification and treatment planning. Interns
will strengthen skills in test administration and interpretation, case
conceptualization, report writing, differential diagnosis, treatment
planning, triage, and case presentation. Trainees will learn to
integrate diverse data such that a biopsychosocial approach to
evaluation is truly accomplished. In so doing, interns will broaden
conceptualization skills by considering the implications of acute and
chronic medical conditions and medications on overall psychological,
social, and cognitive functioning. In addition to personality assessment
and psychiatric screening, trainees will have the opportunity to gain
exposure to neurocognitive assessment. This is a particularly important
experience for those not completing a neuropsychology rotation.
Extensive supervision is provided on each case. This rotation is offered
as a minor only.

***Training Opportunities:***

1.  Conducting thorough clinical interviews with patients and
    collaterals;

2.  Administering and interpreting a variety of assessment instruments;

3.  Performing mental status examinations;

4.  Writing comprehensive reports that succinctly answer the referral
    questions;

5.  Providing useful recommendations for enhanced patient care;

6.  Learning to utilize personality assessment to inform psychotherapy;

7.  Providing feedback to patients, families, and providers; and

8.  Attending and presenting cases at a weekly assessment case
    conference.

**Chemical Dependency Center**

***General Description:*** The Chemical Dependency Center consists of a
variety of inpatient and outpatient programs including a detoxification
center. While having a strong emphasis on the Twelve-Step Recovery
Program (Alcoholics Anonymous), individual treatment plans are developed
for each patient. Dual diagnosis is common among these patients and is
addressed in a holistic approach to recovery. The most common secondary
diagnoses are posttraumatic stress disorder, major depressive disorder,
schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder. Also common are Axis II personality
disorders. A major emphasis in intern training is to understand the
criteria for level of treatment. This training experience is available
as a major or minor rotation.

***Training Opportunities:***

1.  Conducting intake assessments of patients presenting for admission
    to inpatient treatment;

2.  Participating in detoxification rounds;

3.  Participating in educational classes using films and lecture;

4.  Participating in treatment planning and discharge planning;

5.  Providing individual psychotherapy; and

6.  Coleading group psychotherapy sessions.

**General Inpatient Psychiatry**

***General Description:*** This rotation provides a supervised working
experience on a 20-bed general psychiatric admissions unit. The
inpatient unit provides acute treatment for patients with a wide range
of psychiatric symptoms. The treatment model is that of the
multidisciplinary team approach within a therapeutic community. The
overall treatment goal is to design a program, which will address the
psychological, behavioral, physical, and social problems presented by
the patient. The intern participates in patient evaluation, treatment
planning, intervention, and follow-up. Supervision is provided by the
psychologist, however, the psychiatrist, nursing personnel, and social
worker are available for consultation. Emphasis is placed on interaction
and personal involvement with staff and patients. This training
experience is available as a major rotation.

***Training Opportunities:***

1.  Attending/participating in regular team activities, such as
    treatment team meetings and administrative meetings;

2.  Serving as primary or cotherapist in ongoing short-term groups and
    individual psychotherapy,

3.  Charting of patient progress via notes/reports; and

4.  Participating in both the development and implementation of
    psychoeducational groups designed to address patients\' needs (e.g.,
    depression management, assertiveness training, social skills, and
    family support).

**Mental Health Clinic**

***General Description:*** The Mental Health Clinic (MHC) is an
interdisciplinary ambulatory mental health care delivery program with
functions comparable to a community mental health center. Services
offered include individual psychotherapy, group psychotherapy,
pharmacotherapy, family therapy, and marital therapy. An additional
function of the MHC is to screen applicants for psychiatric
hospitalization or refer patients for services elsewhere as indicated. A
specialized team within the MHC, the Admission Intervention Team (AIT),
works with chronic psychiatric patients to help them function more
effectively on an outpatient basis.

Interns doing psychotherapy or working with the AIT are integrated as
members of a closely-knit interdisciplinary team, and although intern
supervision is primarily the responsibility of one of the team
psychologists, other professionals on the team are also available for
consultation. This rotation is available as either a major or a minor
rotation.

***Training Opportunities:***

1.  Providing services to patients with a variety of disorders,
    including military and non-military trauma, acute stress reactions,
    panic/agoraphobia, grief reactions, adjustment to illness, severe
    character disorders, domestic violence, and mood disorders;

2.  Coleading both psychoeduational (e.g., DBT) and process-oriented
    groups in the group therapy program;

3.  Performing psychotherapy intakes and emergency psychiatric
    screenings.

4.  Performing psychological evaluations to assist in treatment
    planning;

5.  Observing and participating in couples therapy and family therapy.
    Our hospital-wide family therapist works closely with the
    psychotherapy staff, and interns may request supervision from her or
    may work directly with her as cotherapist;

6.  Working with the Admission Intervention Team, which specializes in
    treatment of chronic psychiatric patients;

7.  Participating in specified program develop and/or program evaluation
    projects;

8.  Participating in the weekly Individual Psychotherapy Seminar; and

9.  Working closely with psychiatrists and psychopharmacologists who
    provide management of patients\' psychotropic medications, interns
    have the opportunity to increase their psychopharmacology knowledge
    base.

**Family Therapy Program**

***General Description:*** The Family Therapy Program receives referrals
from all areas of the hospital. The referral problems include marital
and family conflicts, sexual dysfunction, family disruptions due to
physical or mental disorders, and family violence. The program is
staffed by a social worker with extensive experience in the treatment of
couples and families. This training experience is available as a minor
rotation during the first two rotations of the training year or as an
add-on throughout the year.

***Training Opportunities:***

1.  Participating in weekly group supervision sessions (in addition to
    individual supervision) in which case discussions, didactic
    material, and videotapes of past and present family therapy cases
    are utilized;

2.  Serving as cotherapist with the supervisor or another intern in
    family psychotherapy sessions;

3.  Serving as the sole therapist in the treatment of selected families;

4.  Serving as a cotherapist in a 24-week Domestic Violence Group for
    court-mandated batterers; and

5.  Conducting assessments for admission to the Domestic Violence
    Program.

**Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Clinical Team and Residential
Program**

***General Description:*** The PTSD rotation affords the opportunity to
work in both the outpatient and residential PTSD treatment programs. The
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Clinical Team (PCT) is a specialized
assessment, consultation, and treatment program designed to address
psychological trauma (i.e., combat trauma, military sexual trauma) in
veterans of all eras in an outpatient setting. The PTSD Residential
Program (PRP) is a 6-week, 10-bed intensive group-oriented
rehabilitation program housed in the community. The PRP addresses the
needs of PTSD-diagnosed veterans with a high level of impairment for
whom outpatient treatment is not sufficient. Patients experiencing PTSD
often present with comorbid depression, substance abuse, and other
anxiety disorders, and both treatment programs provide a comprehensive
approach. Both programs offer group and individual PTSD treatment within
the context of a multidisciplinary treatment team. This rotation allows
the intern to develop skills in the assessment and treatment of
military-related psychological trauma within a continuity of care. This
training experience is available as either a major or minor rotation.
Finally, PCT can provide long-term psychotherapy cases for trainees
interested in working with PTSD-diagnosed veterans over the course of
the year.

***Training Opportunities:***

1.  Conducting individual psychotherapy, including prolonged exposure
    therapy;

2.  Facilitating and co-facilitating group psychotherapy (e.g., PTSD
    Education Group, Process Group, Stress Management Group, Anger
    Management Group, Sleep Therapy Group);

3.  Developing and implementing specialized treatment (e.g., grief
    resolution, treatment of nightmares, and anger management);

4.  Participating in multidisciplinary treatment and discharge planning
    meetings;

5.  Providing long-term individual psychotherapy, incorporating a
    Jungian approach;

6.  Conducting comprehensive psychodiagnostic interview-based
    assessment; and

7.  Possible participation in research projects and program development.

**Emergency Department/Consultation**

***General Description:*** This rotation provides psychology interns
clinical experience in the emergency medical setting. The intern will
learn to function as a consultant to the attending physician on duty
(AOD) regarding the mental health issues of patients seen on an
emergency basis. The focus of the rotation will be on the development of
clinical interviewing skills and differential diagnosis in emergency
settings. The rotation is offered on the evening shift (4pm to 11pm) in
the VAMC Emergency Room. However, the experience can be tailored to some
extent to the intern\'s schedule and clinical experience. This training
experience is available as a minor rotation or add-on.

***Training Opportunities:***

1.  Developing clinical interviewing skills for emergency settings;

2.  Strengthening diagnostic skills/knowledge base;

3.  Participating in the psychiatric commitment process;

4.  Strengthening knowledge base regarding pertinent legal issues;

5.  Learning self-protection strategies when evaluating/managing
    patients who are threatening and/or perpetrating harm to self or
    others; and

6.  Developing appropriate treatment plans for this patient population.

**Off-Site Psychiatry-Based Rotation:**

***(Note:*** This rotation is available through a reciprocal agreement
with the APA-accredited University of Tennessee Professional Psychology
Internship Consortium. Additional psychiatry-based rotations are also
available to VA interns through this agreement. Pease refer to the UT
Consortium Brochure for a complete listing of these rotations.)

**Community Emergency Services**

***General Description:*** This add-on offers the intern an opportunity
to participate in a variety of programs that demonstrate the excellent
interface between professional psychology and police and fire services
in the community of Memphis.

The first component involves working with the Memphis Police
Department's nationally and internationally recognized Crisis
Intervention Team (CIT) that responds to mental health emergencies in
the city of Memphis. The Memphis Police Department provides CIT training
for select officers from Memphis as well as from other jurisdictions
around the country. Psychologists provide various components of CIT
training to police officers. Opportunities for the intern include
instructional roles in CIT training as well as the option of
participating in "ride-along" experiences with Memphis Police Officers.
The "ride-along" provides the intern the experience of spending a shift
with a CIT Officer in the squad car responding to both CIT and regular
police calls.

The second component of this add-on is participation in Critical
Incident Services (CIS) for the Memphis Police Department, Memphis Fire
Department, and TN Task Force 1 Urban Search and Rescue (TNTF1 USAR), as
well as other community and business organizations. Members of the CIS
team are all psychologists who work with trained peers to provide
critical incident stress debriefing to individuals and groups who have
experienced a psychological crisis or traumatic situation where there
exists the potential for adverse mental health consequences. Members of
the team have been involved in providing debriefing for local and
national crises such as the Oklahoma City bombing attack and the
September 11 attacks. In providing services, the team uses the best of
several models of crisis intervention. The intern will be able to
participate in selected debriefing experiences with both police and fire
personnel. The intern may participate in peer training experiences for
selected police and fire services personnel. Finally, the intern has the
option of participating in "ride-along" experiences with Memphis Fire
Department personnel aboard fire suppression vehicles as well as
ambulances.

***Training Opportunities:***

1.  Gaining insight into the role of police officers in deescalating
    mental illness crisis events by exposure to the Memphis CIT Model
    that emphasizes jail diversion as opposed to criminalization of
    mentally ill persons;

2.  Becoming familiar with the skills most useful for police officers\'
    interventions with mentally ill persons and participating in
    didactic and experiential training events for Memphis CIT officers
    as well as officers from other jurisdictions;

3.  Joining Memphis CIT officers for ride-along experience(s) that will
    provide exposure to interventions with mentally ill persons as well
    as to the range of other police actions;

4.  Participating in police officer, firefighter, and paramedic
    debriefings thereby gaining exposure to the unique stressors these
    professionals regularly experience; and

5.  Participating in ride-along experience(s) with Memphis Fire
    Department personnel to gain insight into the complexity of tasks
    involved in fire suppression and responding to medical emergencies.

**Forensic Services Program, Midtown Mental Health Center (MMHC)**

***General Description:*** MMHC is the community mental health center
that serves the downtown and midtown areas of the city. It is a private,
not-for-profit agency. The Forensic Services Program is a service of
MMHC and provides mental health evaluations of defendants facing
criminal charges ranging from minor misdemeanor to capital murder. The
team consists of five forensic psychologists and a certified social
worker. Evaluations typically focus on defendant\'s competency to stand
trial and mental condition at the time of the alleged offense. Interns
may be involved in all aspects of the evaluation, including interview,
mental status examination, psychological testing, hospital follow-up
services, consultation with defense and prosecuting attorneys, and
courtroom testimony. This rotation is usually available as a major or
minor.

**SEMINARS**

**A. Comprehensive Seminar Series** - This series offers weekly
presentations on a variety of psychology-related topics, including
ethics, mental status assessment, psychopharmacology, chemical
dependency, and licensure preparation. It is coordinated in alternate
years by the VAMC Psychology Training Program and the UT Consortium.
Attendance is required for all interns. (Coordinators: Brad Roper,
Ph.D., ABPP and Melissa Hoffman, Ph.D.)

**B. Family Therapy Seminar** - This seminar focuses on enhancing
interns\' skills in treating family problems systemically. A combination
of didactic instruction and experiential learning approaches is used.
Participants are encouraged to share videotapes of their clinical work.
It is held weekly throughout the year. Attendance is required for
interns who are seeing family therapy cases and is optional for other
interns. (Instructor: Betty Shadish, LCSW )

**C. Cultural Diversity Seminar** - This seminar explores the cultural
diversity of pertinent populations and attempts to raise the awareness
of the impact of culture on the client/therapist relationship. It meets
weekly for 8 weeks over the course of the training year, and attendance
is required for all interns. (Coordinator: Karen A. Clark, Ph.D.)

**D. Neuropsychology Seminar** -This weekly seminar covers foundations
of neuropsychology, including neuroanatomy, neuropathology, and
behavioral neurology. Attendance is required for interns with a rotation
in neuropsychology and is open to other interns. (Instructors: Brad
Roper, Ph.D., ABPP-CN and Ellen Crouse, Ph.D.)

**E. Psychotherapy Seminar** - This seminar focuses on enhancing
interns' psychotherapy skills and covers a wide spectrum of issues and
perspectives in individual and group psychotherapy practice. The impact
of the therapeutic alliance on the therapist as well as the patient is
examined. Participants are encouraged to share videotapes of their
clinical work in the seminar setting. It is held weekly throughout the
year, and attendance is required for all interns. (Instructors: Anne
Ayres, Ph.D. and Nancy Keesee, Ph.D.)

**F. Medical Psychology Seminar** - This seminar covers special topics
in medical psychology, emphasizing the interplay among aspects of
physical illness, medical treatment, and affective, behavioral, and
cognitive functioning. It is held weekly throughout the year, and
attendance is required for all interns. (Coordinator: Jennifer L.
Jacobson, Ph.D.)

**G. Psychological Assessment Seminar** - This seminar will enhance
interns' ability to integrate a broad range of data in order to make an
often difficult differential diagnosis with cogent treatment
recommendations. Understanding the impact of medical illness and
pharmacotherapy on psychological and cognitive functioning will be
emphasized, as well as MMPI-2 interpretation. It is held weekly through
December, and attendance is required for all interns (unless specified
prerequisites are met). (Instructor: Jennifer L. Jacobson, Psy.D.)

## Requirements for Completion

1.  The internship requires successful completion of a full year of
    training, consisting of a minimum of 2,080 employment hours to be
    completed in no less than one calendar year (including earned sick
    and annual leave and federal holidays).

2.  A minimum of five sixths (i.e., 1733 hours) of the training hours
    must take place in rotations offered at the VA Medical Center. The
    remaining hours may be spent in a combination of non-VA training
    experiences (i.e., UT Consortium agencies or dissertation hours), as
    approved.

3.  Interns must successfully complete three four-month rotations
    comprised of a combination of approved major, minor, and add-on
    experiences in different training settings. Rotation assignments
    will be determined based on the training goals of the individual
    intern and their previous experiences. While completing each major
    rotation, interns will be involved in one or more minor rotations.
    \"Add-on\" rotations, which are brief training experiences of only a
    few hours per week, are also available.

In addition to these general requirements:

1.  Interns must successfully complete a comprehensive psychological
    evaluation work sample during the first rotation of the training
    year.

2.  Interns must successfully participate in the Comprehensive Seminar
    Series, the Psychotherapy Seminar, the Cultural Diversity Seminar,
    the Medical Psychology Seminar, and the Psychological Assessment
    Seminar. Additional seminar attendance may be required for specified
    rotations and training experiences.

3.  Interns are required to carry outpatient psychotherapy cases and one
    outpatient group throughout the year. The number of individual cases
    will be determined based on the intern's past experience and
    training goals.

4.  Interns are required to make a case presentation to the Psychology
    Section staff during the second or third rotation.

## Facility and Training Resources

A number of resources are available to interns at the Memphis VAMC.
Interns are provided individual offices equipped with networked personal
computers. The PC's provide easy access to patients' computerized
medical records, e-mail, and the internet, in addition to facilitating
report and note writing. Library facilities include the Medical
Center\'s professional library, the library of the University of
Tennessee\'s Health Science Center, and the University of Memphis'
library, as well as a number of online resources. Assistance with
literature retrieval is provided through the Medical Center\'s
professional library and the UT library.

## Administrative Policies and Procedures

Interns are granted five days of authorized absence (i.e., time allowed
for attending or presenting at conferences and for dissertation defense,
if approved).

In evaluating interns\' performance and progress, applicable statutes
and policies concerning due process and fair treatment are followed. Our
privacy policy is clear: we will collect no personal information about
you when you visit our website.

## Training Staff

***BRIAN V. ABBOTT, Ph.D.***

Texas A&M University, 2005

Licensed Psychologist, Tennessee (Clinical)

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Mississippi

(Mental Health Clinic, Admissions Intervention Team)

Dr. Abbott joined the psychology staff to provide outpatient
psychological services to veterans in the Mental Health Clinic, treating
a broad array of psychopathology using individual, couple, family, and
group psychotherapy. Dr. Abbott also works with the Admissions
Intervention Team, which provides intensive case management for patients
suffering from chronic and severe mental illness. His theoretical
orientation is eclectic, incorporating aspects of psychodynamic,
cognitive-behavioral, and systems theory. When away from the office, Dr.
Abbott enjoys spending time with his wife and four children.

***MARLA E. AYERS, Ph.D.***

University of Memphis, 1990

Licensed Psychologist, Tennessee (Clinical)

(Cardiac and Thoracic Surgery, Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation,
Nephrology, Liver Clinic)

Dr. Ayers provides psychological services to inpatients and outpatients
from several medical and surgical areas including Cardiothoracic
Surgery, Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation, Cardiology, Nephrology, and
Liver Clinic. Two main emphases of her work with medical patients are 1)
helping patients in adjusting to and coping with medical disorders and
medical treatment regimens and 2) assisting in lifestyle modifications
directed toward prevention of future health problems. Her theoretical
orientation generally may be described as eclectic with some focus on
cognitive-behavioral approaches. In her free time she enjoys music,
flower gardening, amateur photography, and the outdoors. Dr. Ayers holds
a faculty appointment in the Department of Psychiatry at the University
of Tennessee, Memphis.

***ANNE AYRES, Ph.D.***

Georgia State University, 1992

Licensed Psychologist, Tennessee and Mississippi (Counseling)

(Mental Health Clinic)

Dr. Ayres provides individual, family, and group therapy through the
Outpatient Psychotherapy Clinic in the Mental Health Clinic. She works
with patients experiencing a wide variety of problems, including
depression, PTSD, panic and anxiety disorders, and eating disorders. She
coleads mindfulness-based stress reduction/relaxation groups, as well as
interpersonal effectiveness, emotion regulation and other DBT groups.
Dr. Ayres has narrative constructivist leanings, but is also very
interested in developing her understanding of Jungian approaches to
therapy. Her outside interests include meditation, singing, yoga, church
activities, and being a mother to her eleven-year-old daughter, Katie,
and her three-year-old poodle, Sophie. She holds a faculty appointment
in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Tennessee, Memphis
and is an approved supervisor in the American Association for Marriage
and Family Therapy.

***KAREN A. CLARK, Ph.D.***

University of Mississippi, 1991

Licensed Psychologist, Tennessee (Clinical)

(Director of Training, Psychology Training Program; Director, Palliative
Care/Hospice Consultation Team)

Dr. Clark\'s primary professional interests are medical/health
psychology, end-of-life care, medical ethics, and program development.
She directs the Palliative Care Consultation Team and provides clinical
services to palliative care patients. She is committed to an integrated
biopsychosocial approach to the provision of healthcare, particularly
for individuals who are coping with end-of-life issues. She has served
as the Director of the Psychology Training Program for the past 15 years
and holds a faculty appointment in the Department of Psychiatry at the
University of Tennessee, Memphis. She is a member of the America
Geriatrics Society (AGS), Society of Behavioral Medicine, APA, AVAPL,
and MAPA. In addition to her professional duties, Dr. Clark and her
husband are the proud, though fatigued, parents of Sally (age 12) and
Gray (age 7). In her free time, she enjoys watching old Seinfeld
episodes, traveling whenever possible, involvement in various civic
groups and book clubs (Her favorite novels this year were Devil in the
White City and The Historian), and exercising her tendencies as a
videophile. (Currently, her favorite dramas are Momento and Apocalypse
Now and favorite comedies are Best in Show and Anchorman: The Legend of
Ron Burgundy.)

***ELLEN M. CROUSE, Ph.D.***

University of Montana, 2005

(Neuropsychology)

Dr. Crouse joined the psychology staff in August 2007 following a
one-year clinical internship and two-year postdoctoral fellowship in
neuropsychology and neuroimaging at Dartmouth Medical School. She
provides neuropsychological assessment and consultation for a broad
array of patients in the VAMC setting, as well as supervising interns
and postdoctoral fellows on case conceptualization and report writing.
Due to a strong interest in teaching and research, she is also involved
in neuropsychology seminars and research studies. Dr. Crouse approaches
neuropsychological evaluation with an eye toward the specific referral
question but also with consideration of other factors that may be
influencing cognitive performance. As such, she tends to use a flexible
battery approach tailored to the individual client's presentation.
Research and clinical interests include changes in the brain across the
lifespan, the interaction between emotions and cognition, and the
effects of trauma on cognitive processes. In addition, as a
neuropsychologist with previous training and work experience as a
women's health RN, she is very interested in biological and medical
treatment factors that have an impact on cognitive functioning. Due in
large part to her training in graduate school in Dialectical Behavior
Therapy, Dr. Crouse tends to view clients' problems from the perspective
of failures in regulatory processes (e.g., dysregulation of attention,
emotional dysregulation). Specific populations of interest include
individuals with traumatic brain injuries, older adults, people with
PTSD, and women experiencing changes in cognitive function due to a
variety of emotional, biological, and environmental factors.

***NATHANIEL GRIFFIN, Ph.D., ABMPP***

State University of New York at Stony Brook, 1980

Licensed Psychologist, Tennessee and Wisconsin (Clinical)

(Spinal Cord Injury Service; Director, Chronic Pain Management Program
and Biofeedback/Applied Psychophysiology Clinic)

Dr. Griffin is currently providing medical psychological services to
patients on the Spinal Cord Injury Service, in the Chronic Pain
Management Program, and in the Biofeedback/Applied Psychophysiology
Clinic. His theoretical orientation may be described as
cognitive-behavioral and eclectic. Dr. Griffin\'s major professional
interests include treating a heterogeneous population of patients with
such psychotherapeutic interventions as behavior therapy, sex therapy,
hypnobehavioral therapy, biofeedback, and teaching multicultural
diversity issues within a medical psychology paradigm. He is currently
Chair of the Medical Center's AIDS Task Force and the Committee for
Handicapped Employees. He also lectures nationally and internationally
on the topic of \"Chronic Pain Management Stratergies.\" Dr. Griffin's
claim to fame is his Mastery of Covert Thinking. He enjoys reading,
music, and sampling gourmet foods. He is a member of APA (Divisions 12
and 20) and is a Fellow and Diplomate of the American Board of Medical
Psychotherapists and Psychodiagnosticians. Dr. Griffin has an academic
appointment in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of
Tennessee, Memphis.

***LYNNE HENNESSEY, M.S.***

Mississippi State University, 1982

Licensed Senior Psychological Examiner, Tennessee

(Psychology Technician)

Ms. Hennessey completed her Master's degree in clinical psychology and
worked for the Memphis City Schools prior to joining the VAMC Memphis in
October 2003. She has been a licensed Psychological Examiner in
Tennessee since 1985. She is primarily involved in the administration of
neuropsychological evaluations for both inpatient and outpatient
populations. She also assists in providing training with various
psychometric instruments. Other professional interests include women's
issues and trauma. Her interests outside of psychology include
traveling; spending time with family, friends, and the four-legged
children; reading; and, most recently, knitting.

***SAMUEL A. HOLCOMBE, Psy.D.***

Illinois School of Professional Psychology - Chicago, 2002

Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Tennessee

(Inpatient Psychiatry)

Dr. Holcombe has a background in correctional psychology. Previous work
environments include Cook County Jail in Chicago and the Federal Prison
System. Professional interests include personality disorders, wellness
psychology, and trauma exposure.

***NORMAN I. ITKOWITZ, Psy.D.***

Antioch New England Graduate School, 2000

Licensed Psychologist, Louisiana and Tennessee (Clinical)

(Ambulatory Care Medicine)

Dr. Itkowitz joined our staff from the New Orleans VA Medical Center
following Hurricane Katrina and is providing services at the South
Clinic Community Based Outpatient Clinic. He completed his internship in
Health Psychology at the West Haven VA Medical Center with specialties
in Chronic Pain and Cardiology and completed two years of post-doctoral
work in PTSD at the New Orleans VA Medical Center. Dr. Itkowitz provides
individual, family, and group therapy. His theoretical orientation is
primarily cognitive behavioral, but he enjoys working in other
modalities as well. In his personal life, Dr. Itkowitz spends the
majority of life tending to his wife and two children (Bryan, age 10 and
Gabriel, age 6). He is active in the local orthodox Jewish community,
loves music, and can often be found on Beale Street on Saturday night.
Dr Itkowitz is a member of the APA, SBM, and ISTSS.

***JENNIFER L. JACOBSON, Psy.D.***

Spalding University, 2002

Licensed Psychologist, Tennessee (Clinical)

(Mental Health Clinic, Psychological Assessment, Women's Clinic)

Dr. Jacobson joined the Psychology Section in September of 2003 after
completing her internship and postdoctoral fellowship at the Memphis
VAMC. A medical psychologist by interest and training, she provides
integrated behavioral medicine and traditional psychological services
within the Mental Health Clinic and Women's Clinic. Additional
professional interests include geriatric medical psychology, integrated
primary care, assessment, and program development. Dr. Jacobson's
theoretical orientation is best described as cognitive-existential as
she assumes a meaning-centered approach to her work. An admitted
star-gazer (of the entertainment rather than the celestial type), she
enjoys a variety of music, theatre, and movies. Traveling, amateur
photography, and spending time with her family are also among her
favorite pastimes.

***NANCY J. KEESEE, Ph.D.***

University of Memphis, 2001

Licensed Psychologist, Tennessee (Counseling)

(Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Clinical Team, PTSD Residential Program)

Dr. Keesee is particularly interested in issues surrounding loss and
grief and offers workshops on these topics. Her research has focused on
predictors of normal and traumatic grief in the lives of bereaved
parents. She is in training as a candidate with the Inter-Regional
Society of Jungian Analysts and approaches her work from a depth
psychological perspective. She provides psychological services to
veterans diagnosed with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder including
evaluations for PTSD, individual psychotherapy, and a five-part group
treatment for PTSD. In addition, she coleads the Psychotherapy Seminar.

***THOMAS M. KIRCHBERG, Ph.D., ABPP***

University of Memphis, l992

Licensed Psychologist, Tennessee (Counseling)

(Chief, Psychology Section)

Dr. Kirchberg received his Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from the
University of Memphis where he was introduced to the psychology of
personal constructs and the wider universe of constructivism. Dr.
Kirchberg is Board Certified in Clinical Psychology. He has an ongoing
interest in analytical psychology. He holds a faculty appointment in the
Department of Psychiatry, University of Tennessee, Memphis. Dr.
Kirchberg is a trainer for the Memphis Police Department's nationally
and internationally recognized Crisis Intervention Team (CIT). CIT
officers are trained to intervene in situations involving mentally ill
persons where there is a possibility for violence. CIT training is
provided several times annually to both Memphis Police Officers and
officers from other jurisdictions. Dr. Kirchberg works with other
community psychologists to provide critical incident stress debriefing
for the Memphis Police and Fire Departments.

***MUSHALA, PAUL, Ph.D.***

Virginia Commonwealth University

Licensed Psychologist, Tennessee (Clinical)

(Emergency Department)

Dr. Mushala has over twenty years of ER experience as a consultant for
mental health issues. He is also the past Clinical Director for the
Substance Abuse Program and was responsible for the development and
implementation of the Outpatient and Detoxification Programs.

***RANDOLPH G. POTTS, Ph.D.***

DePaul University, 1994

Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Tennessee and Connecticut

(Primary Care/Health Psychology)

Dr. Potts completed his internship with the UT Psychology Internship
Consortium, and was introduced to psychooncology during a major rotation
at the Memphis VA Medical Center. He completed a post-doctoral
fellowship in psychooncology at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center,
and has been a core faculty member at the University of Hartford and
Holy Cross College. Dr. Potts has publications in journals such as the
Journal of Psychosocial Oncology and the American Journal of Community
Psychology, and texts including the Clinical Handbook of Health
Psychology. His theoretical orientation integrates concepts from
cognitive behavioral as well as existential/humanistic psychology. Dr.
Potts is a member of the APA, the American Psychosocial Oncology
Society, and the Association of Black Psychologists.

***BRAD L. ROPER, Ph.D., ABPP-CN***

University of Minnesota, 1992

Licensed Psychologist, Tennessee (Clinical)

(Director, Neuropsychology Program; Associate Director of Training,

Psychology Training Program; Director, Neuropsychology Fellowship,
VA/UT)

Dr. Roper is a board certified clinical neuropsychologist and Director
of the Neuropsychology Program in Mental Health Service. He employs a
flexible-battery or "hypothesis-testing" approach to neuropsychological
assessment. His professional interests include theories of brain
function (especially involving the frontal lobes), evolutionary
psychology, consciousness studies, and the common territories among
neuroscience, epistemology, and ethics. In addition to the
Neuropsychology Seminar, he offers courses to UT neurology and
psychiatry residents. Dr. Roper is active in national organizations,
including the Association for Internship Training in Clinical
Neuropsychology (AITCN; Past President, Webmaster, Membership Chair),
the Association of Postdoctoral Programs in Clinical Neuropsychology
(APPCN; Vice President, Board of Directors), and the Association of
Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC; Newsletter
Associate Editor for Neuropsychology). He is currently a commissioner
within the Commission on Accreditation (CoA) of the American
Psychological Association. He also serves as the AITCN representative to
the Clinical Neuropsychology Synarchy and the APPCN liaison to both
APPIC and AITCN. He is a member of the American Psychological
Association (Division 40 -- Clinical Neuropsychology and Division 12 --
Clinical Psychology), the International Neuropsychological Society, the
American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology, and the Association of VA
Psychology Leaders. Dr. Roper has regularly published and presented at
national and international conferences since 1991. Research interests
include neuropsychological screening instruments, computerized testing,
and personality assessment. Dr. Roper also serves as an ad hoc reviewer
for psychology, neuropsychology, and medical journals. He has supervised
psychology graduate students on dissertation projects. At the University
of Tennessee, Memphis, he holds academic appointments in the Department
of Psychiatry, Department of Neurology, and the College of Nursing. As
an unrepentant technocrat, he tries to keep up with PC's, PDA's, and AI.
He enjoys amateur astronomy, travel, hiking, net-surfing, and being a
dad. As an irredeemable Episcopalian and unenlightened meditator, he
also enjoys various spiritual activities. He is active in singing (high
average), sports (low average), and minor home repairs (borderline
impaired).

***TIFFANY C. SANFORD-MARTENS, Ph.D.***

University of Missouri-Columbia, 2003

Licensed Psychologist, New York (Counseling)

(Spinal Cord Injury Service)

Dr. Sanford-Martens completed her internship at the Milwaukee VA Medical
Center and her postdoctoral fellowship with the University at Albany
Counseling Center. She joined the VA Medical Center at Memphis in August
2007 as a full-time psychologist on the Spinal Cord Injury Unit. In her
current position, she provides psychological interventions to patients
and their family members on the SCI unit. Prior to joining the VA in
Memphis, Dr. Sanford-Martens worked in a private group practice in the
Albany, NY area providing therapy to adults, adolescents, and couples.
She also worked as a consulting psychologist at a local nursing home and
served as an adjunct professor at Sage Graduate School in Albany, NY.
Her professional interests include health psychology, adjustment to
chronic pain and illness, psychotherapy, and geropsychology. She has
published in the area of eating disorders, multiculturalism and spinal
cord injury. She is a member of Division 17 (Counseling Psychology) and
APA and has recently joined the Memphis Area Psychological Association.
Outside interests include watching college sports, going to concerts,
reading, traveling, and spending time with family and friends.

***BETTY DUKE SHADISH, LCSW***

University of Illinois - Champaign-Urbana, l97l

Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Tennessee

(Director, Family Therapy Program)

Ms. Shadish has directed the Family Therapy Program since l977. Prior to
this, she worked in Illinois in both inpatient and outpatient facilities
providing individual, marital, and family therapy utilizing a
behavioral/cognitive approach. Although she worked with all ages, she
had a special interest in, and spent a good deal of clinical time with,
the adolescent population. In her present position, she provides direct
services to families and couples and supervises psychology interns in
their systemic work. A major focus of her work in the past 20 years has
been in developing new strategies of impacting people who traditionally
would have been dismissed as difficult and unmotivated. Her orientation
is based on systems theory, and she has expertise in both compliant and
defiant interventions. She is a clinical member of AAMFT, is an AAMFT
approved supervisor, and is an AASECT Certified Sex Therapist. Her other
interests are running, tai chi, and tennis.

***KARIN E. THOMPSON, Ph.D.***

University of Southern Mississippi, 1989

Licensed Psychologist, Louisiana (Clinical)

(Director, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Clinical Team)

Prior to joining the staff of the VA Medical Center at Memphis in June,
2006, Dr. Thompson served for the last ten years as the director of the
PTSD Program at New Orleans VA Medical Center, one of the largest PTSD
programs in the country. She developed the PTSD Program in New Orleans
in 1989 and worked there full-time, with an appointment at Tulane
University School of Medicine, until her recent relocation to Memphis.
Now, Dr. Thompson lends her expertise to our program in her position as
director of the Memphis VAMC\'s PTSD Clinical Team. Her professional
interests include cognitive-behavioral treatments of anxiety disorders,
psychological assessment, program development, treatment of sleep
disturbance and nightmares, motivation enhancement, and posttraumatic
growth. Her research interests include treatment outcome, response style
in veterans with PTSD, nightmare treatment, and motivation enhancement.

***BRIDGET M. TRUMAN, Ph.D.***

University of Memphis 1996

Licensed psychologist in Tennessee (Counseling)

(Spinal Cord Injury Service)

Dr. Bridget Truman completed her internship at the Wichita Collaborative
Psychology Internship Program at the University of Kansas - School of
Medicine in Wichita in 1996 and then her postdoctoral fellowship with
the University of Tennessee in 1997 with a focus on psychiatric
emergencies, after which she remained on staff as an attending
psychologist at the Regional Medical Center psychiatric emergency room
until 2003. Prior to joining the staff of the VA Medical Center at
Memphis in January of 2006,

Dr. Truman was the associate director of the student counseling center
at Rhodes College. In addition, she has worked for the past 10 years
with local law enforcement and emergency personnel providing critical
incident stress debriefings with a program now housed under the
criminology department at The University of Memphis.

Dr. Truman provides psychological services to veterans and their
families on the SCI unit. Her areas of professional interest include
health/medical psychology, crisis intervention, critical incident stress
debriefings, women\'s issues, couples therapy and eating disorders. She
served as West Tennessee Vice President with the Tennessee Psychological
Association and was president of Memphis Area Psychological Association.
Her outside interests include hiking, gardening, quilting, and reading.

***JOHN WEAVER, Ph.D.***

University of Memphis, 1997

Licensed Psychologist, Tennessee (Counseling)

(Chemical Dependency Center)

Dr. Weaver joined the staff in July 2004. He previously worked as a
psychologist and Drug Abuse Programs Coordinator with the Federal Bureau
of Prisons. During his previous tenure he gained extensive experience in
the areas of crisis management and hostage negotiations. His
professional interests include chemical dependency, personality
disorders, and the practice of group psychotherapy. Dr. Weaver's
approach is best described as cognitive-behavioral. He is an Air Force
veteran and served as an outpatient mental health technician. Outside
interests include his family, church, weightlifting, and listening to
music.

***JEFFREY A. WEST, Ph.D.***

University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 1988

Licensed Psychologist, Louisiana (Clinical)

(Ambulatory Care Medicine, Chronic Pain Management)

Prior to joining the staff of the VA Medical Center at Memphis in June,
2006, Dr. West served for over twenty years at the New Orleans VA
Medical Center. His positions included Acting Chief, Psychology Service
and Assistant Director, Mental Health Service Line; and during the past
ten years he served as Unit Director, Behavioral Medicine, overseeing
all behavioral medicine and neuropsychological consultation as well as
Homeless Veterans and Community Resource Special Programs. In addition,
he was the designated Chief Psychologist for the Medical Center and
Psychology Training Programs. Dr. West was also active as a founding
member of the VISN 16 Mental Health Product Line Advisory Committee and
continued to serve as Chair of the PTSD Workgroup for that body until
relocating outside the network in 2006. He was coauthor of the
successful proposal that established the nationally-funded VISN 16
Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (MIRECC) in
1999, and he served as Anchor Site Coordinator in New Orleans for the
initial five years of MIRECC operation., with appointment at Tulane
University School of Medicine. He was cofounder of the Comprehensive
Pain Evaluation Team (CPET) at the VA Medical Center, New Orleans; this
program achieved distinction as a recognized Best Practice Program by
JCAHO in 2005. Currently, Dr. West serves as staff psychologist with
major assignment in mental health consultation at the Memphis VAMC\'s
North Clinic. He has helped to expand existing offerings in chronic pain
management and coping as well as opioid pain medication education for
veterans throughout the VA Medical Center, Memphis network. His
professional interests include general behavioral medicine consultation,
pain management and coping, postraumatic stress disorder including
interactions with medical symptomatology, interdisciplinary program
development, and training. He has published in the areas of pain
perception, pain coping, cardiovascular risk factors, PTSD, personality
disorders, and substance use.

***JOHN WHIRLEY, Ph.D.***

The University of Texas at Austin, 1981

Licensed Psychologist, Tennessee (Clinical)

(Ambulatory Care Medicine, OEF/OIF)

Dr. Whirley joined the psychology staff in 2003, returning to the public
sector after many years in private practice. His professional experience
is varied, and includes behavioral medicine, forensic psychology,
inpatient and outpatient assessment and psychotherapy, emergency-room
psychology, mental health management, and community education. In
earlier incarnations he taught high school, fought in Vietnam, and
worked in vocational rehabilitation. In the Memphis community he has
worked for many years with families grieving the loss of a child and has
consulted with organizations providing support to grieving people. He
has experience in criminal and civil forensic work. At the VAMC, Dr.
Whirley worked in the Spinal Cord Injury Service for two years. More
recently he has been part of the team working directly with veterans
returning from Afghanistan and Iraq (OEF/OIF). He is the chair of the
medical center Disruptive Behavior Committee, which is responsible for
coordinating the violence prevention efforts of the medical center.
Outside interests include family, church, physical activity,
photography, singing, computers, traveling, and bird watching. Dr.
Whirley is an adjunct faculty member at the University of Tennessee,
Memphis, and holds membership in the Tennessee Psychological Association
and APA.

## Trainees

**RECENT INTERNSHIP and FELLOWSHIP CLASSES**

**Current Class**

**Predoctoral Interns**

Brittany Allen, Clinical Psychology, St. Louis University

Jennifer Daly, Counseling Psychology, Colorado State University

Danette Garces-Webb, Clinical Psychology, University of Memphis

Alan McGuire, Clinical Psychology, Indiana University---Purdue
University Indianapolis

**Postdoctoral Fellows**

Josh Caron, Ph.D., Clinical Psychology, University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Carin Eubanks, Ph.D., Clinical Psychology, University of Southern
Mississippi

Ze\'ev Frankel, Ph.D., Clinical Psychology, University of Memphis

Caroline Upchurch, Ph.D., Clinical Psychology, University of Utah

Lee Kearns, Psy.D., Clinical Psychology, George Fox University

**Completed in 2007**

**Predoctoral Interns**

Kelley Beck, Clinical Psychology, University of North Texas

Ze\'ev Frankel, Clinical Psychology, University of Memphis

Karen Hubbard, Clinical Psychology, University of Alabama

**Postdoctoral Fellows**

Josh Caron, Ph.D., Clinical Psychology, University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Teresa Cook, Psy.D., Clinical Psychology, Baylor University

Sheryl Ebert, Ph.D., Clinical Psychology, University of Alabama at
Birmingham

Amy Hershberger, Ph.D., Counseling Psychology, Texas Tech University

Lee Kearns, Psy.D., Clinical Psychology, George Fox University

**Completed in 2006**

**Predoctoral Interns**

Sheryl Ebert, Clinical Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham

John Salsman, Clinical Psychology, University of Kentucky

Michael Sharland, Clinical Psychology, St. Louis University

**Postdoctoral Fellows**

Bruce Jasper, Ph.D., Clinical Psychology, Brigham Young University

Christina Mesmer, Ph.D., Counseling Psychology, SUNY at Buffalo

**Completed in 2005**

**Predoctoral Interns**

Janice Pazar, Counseling Psychology, University of Memphis

Richard Saunders, Clinical Psychology, University of Kansas

Wendy Van Voorst, Clinical Psychology, Central Michigan University

**Postdoctoral Fellows**

Christopher Bassin, Psy.D., Clinical Psychology, Florida Institute of
Technology

Sarah Richie, Ph.D., Clinical Psychology, University of Mississippi

**Completed in 2004**

**Predoctoral Interns**

Brian Abbott, Clinical Psychology, Texas A&M University

Asra Khan, Clinical Psychology, Illinois School of Professional
Psychology

Karin McCoy, Clinical Psychology, University of Florida

Sarah Richie, Clinical Psychology, University of Mississippi

**Postdoctoral Fellows**

Autumn Keefer-Ward, Ph.D., Counseling Psychology, Indiana State
University

Courtney Dirksen, Ph.D., Clinical Psychology, Boston University

**Completed in 2003**

**Predoctoral Interns**

Billy J. Boyd, Clinical Psychology, Oklahoma State University

Dona E. Crager, Clinical Psychology, University of Kentucky

Karen L. Grantz, Clinical Psychology, Spalding University

**Postdoctoral Fellows**

Jennifer L. Jacobson, Psy.D., Clinical Psychology, Spalding University

Michelle Zak, Ph.D., Clinical Psychology, University of Kentucky

**Completed in 2002**

**Predoctoral Interns**

Jennifer L. Jacobson, Clinical Psychology, Spalding University

Wendy A. McGowan, Clinical Psychology, Pacific Graduate School of
Psychology

Laura E. Robinson, Clinical Psychology, University of Nebraska

**Postdoctoral Fellows**

MaryLee Jennings-Pikey, Psy.D., Clinical Psychology, Wheaton College
Graduate School

Kimberly Marshman, Ph.D., Counseling Psychology, Florida State
University

***Local Information***

**ABOUT MEMPHIS**

Memphis is a relatively large city located high on the river bluffs
overlooking the legendary Mississippi River. The city was established in
1819 and named Memphis after the Egyptian City of the same name located
on the Nile River. The name Memphis means \"place of good abode.\"

-   An unhurried city of 670,000 people, located in the Midsouth where
    warm weather predominates.

-   A city of affordable housing in a variety of interesting
    neighborhoods, convenient to shopping areas, restaurants, and
    entertainment.

-   A music city known for rock, country, blues, jazz, bluegrass, local
    opera and symphony, and performing artists such as W. C. Handy,
    Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, B.B. King, Jerry Lee Lewis, Charlie
    Rich, Muddy Waters, Charley McClain, Kay Starr, Isaac Hayes, Cybill
    Shephard, George Hamilton, Marguerite Piazza, and Rick Dees - to
    name a few. The Smithsonian\'s Memphis Rock \'n Soul Museum is a
    wonderful introduction to the music of this city and region, along
    with the newer Museum of American Soul Music at Soulsville USA.

-   A sports city, home of the Memphis Grizzlies NBA basketball team and
    the FedEx Forum, University of Memphis Tiger basketball team,
    Memphis River Kings professional hockey, Memphis Redbirds (AAA)
    baseball at the beautiful Autozone Park, the Liberty Bowl, the U. S.
    Men\'s Indoor National Tennis Championships, and the Stanford - St.
    Jude Golf Classic. Fishing, boating, golfing, and tennis are popular
    Memphis sporting activities. There are a number of lakes in the
    surrounding area, and public and private golf courses and tennis
    centers are numerous.

-   A higher education city with Christian Brothers University,
    LeMoyne-Owen College, Memphis College of Arts, University of
    Memphis, Rhodes College, Southwest Tennessee Community College, and
    University of Tennessee Health Science Center (\"The Medical
    School\").

-   A health care city with 17 major medical facilities including
    regional centers for organ transplants and cancer research, regional
    rehabilitation centers, a regional prenatal care center, St. Jude
    Children's Research Hospital, and the Health Science Center of the
    University of Tennessee (Memphis) which houses the Colleges of
    Medicine, Pharmacy, Nursing, and Allied Health Sciences.

-   A city of seasonal carnivals, fairs and music fests such as the
    Memphis in May International Festival with the Sunset Symphony and
    World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest, Fourth of July
    Fireworks over the River, Great River Carnival, Cooper-Young
    Festival, Beale Street Music Festival, Pink Palace Crafts Fair,
    Mid-South Fair, Elvis International Tribute Week, National Blues
    Award Show, Duck's Unlimited Great Outdoors Festival, New Year\'s
    Eve on Beale Street, and numerous concerts, ballet, and theater
    performances throughout the year.

-   A city with hundreds of restaurants serving exquisite international
    cuisine as well as local delicacies, especially barbecue and
    catfish. . . (in addition to the usual fast-food fare).

-   A city that offers a stroll down Beale Street; a scenic carriage
    ride along Riverside Drive; a paddleboat down the Mississippi River;
    a day in the sun at Tom Lee Park; a memorable tour of Elvis
    Presley\'s Graceland; a trolley ride through downtown Memphis; and
    visits to the famous Peabody Hotel, Mud Island Park, South Main
    Historic District, FedEx Forum, Memphis Zoo, Brooks Museum of Art,
    and Dixon Garden and Galleries.

-   And a city that is the home of the Memphis Veterans Affairs Medical
    Center Psychology Internship Training Program.