> ![](media/image1.png){width="1.125in"
> height="1.4166666666666667in"}**Psychology Internship Program**

**Salisbury, NC Hefner VA Medical Center**\
Chief Psychologist, Director of Training

1601 Brenner Avenue

Salisbury, NC 28144

*(704) 638-9000 ext. 3022**\
**<http://www.salisbury.va.gov/>*

**MATCH Number: 175611**

**Applications Due: November 15, 2008**

## Accreditation Status

The predoctoral internship at the **Salisbury, NC Hefner 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 2013.

## Application & Selection Procedures 

**ELIGIBILITY**

A candidate for the W. G. (Bill) Hefner VA Medical Center Psychology
Internship Program must be a U.S. citizen enrolled in an APA-approved
clinical or counseling psychology program. The Hefner VAMC abides by all
APA guidelines and requirements.

***APA can be contacted at:***

> ***American Psychological Association***
>
> 750 First Street, NE
>
> Washington, DC, 20002-4242.
>
> \(202\) 336¬5979 or (202) 336-5500.

In order for an applicant to be eligible for acceptance, his or her
graduate program must be APA accredited at the time of application. To
be considered for acceptance, a candidate must be approved by his or her
Director of Training as ready for internship and preferably will have
only minor dissertation requirements remaining. At least 500 hours of
direct clinical experience and 500 hours of indirect practicum
experience are required. Highly regarded candidates will have supervised
experience with clinical interviewing, objective psychological
assessment, and brief and long-term psychotherapy with a number of
populations. Minority applicants and those with interests and expertise
in minority issues are encouraged to apply.

***Interested individuals who meet eligibility criteria should submit
the following application materials:***

-   A cover letter indicating intent to apply to the internship program
    and internship training interests

-   APPIC Application for Psychology Internship (AAPI)

-   Curriculum Vita

-   Official graduate transcript(s)

-   Three letters of reference

A word processor file for the AAPI is available through the APPIC web
site at http://www.appic.org/.

**Our APPIC Match number is 175611**.

All application materials should be collected by the applicant and
forwarded in ONE PACKAGE. Copies of transcripts and letters of reference
should be enclosed in sealed envelopes with the appropriate stamp or
signature over each seal.

***Send all application materials no later than November 15, 2008 to:***

> W.G. (Bill) Hefner VA Medical Center
>
> Psychology Department (11M-2)
>
> 1601 Brenner Ave Salisbury, NC 28144
>
> Attn: Director of Training, Psychology

**INTERVIEWS**

Written application materials will be reviewed upon receipt, and top
candidates will be invited for personal interviews to take place in
January. Intern applicants will be advised by December 15, 2008, as to
their interview status. Please be sure to indicate a daytime telephone
number in your application materials so you can be reached to schedule
an interview. The Psychology Department telephone number is (704)
638-9000 ext. 3022. Inquiries may also be made via e-mail to the
Training Director at:

Ryan.DeHaas2@med.va.gov

**SELECTION**

The Hefner VA Psychology Internship Program complies with all APPIC
guidelines in the recruitment and selection of interns and participates
in the computer match program. The program agrees to abide by the APPIC
policy that no person at this training program will solicit, accept, or
use any ranking-related information from any intern applicant. A
complete copy of APPIC policies can be found at the APPIC website at
http:// www.appic.org/. Those accepted will be contacted by mail
regarding rotation assignments and will begin the internship program on
August 17, 2009.

Thank you for your interest in our program! We look forward to hearing
from you.

***Psychology Setting***

The W.G. (Bill) Hefner Veterans Affairs Medical Center (Hefner VAMC) in
Salisbury, North Carolina, offers a year long, full-time funded APA
accredited pre-doctoral Psychology Internship Program. The program is
open to U.S. citizens who are pursuing a doctoral degree in clinical or
counseling psychology at an APA-approved academic institution. The
primary goal of the internship program is to prepare such graduate
students for entry-level generalist practice in professional psychology.

The Hefner VAMC has Extended Care, Psychiatry, and Medicine. The
hospital provides inpatient and outpatient medical and psychiatric care.
Additionally, there are 35 beds in the Substance Abuse Residential
Rehabilitation Treatment Program and 20 beds in the Specialized
Inpatient Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Unit. The Hefner VAMC has had an
academic affiliation with Wake Forest University of Medicine since 1995.
In 2006, the medical center also affiliated with the Edward Via College
of Osteopathic Medicine (at Virginia Tech University). The Hefner VAMC
has outpatient clinics in Salisbury, Winston-Salem, and Charlotte. A new
Hickory Clinic is scheduled to open in June 2008. A new and vastly
expanded Charlotte Clinic is scheduled to open in August 2008.
Additional outpatient clinics are planned for Greensboro (2010), and
Gastonia (2014). Since 2000, the number of total patients seen by the
medical center has increased from 31, 515 to 60,683 (a 92% increase).
The number of visits in that time frame increased from 185,400 to
407,495 (a 119%) increase. National statistics consistently rank the
Hefner VA Medical Center\'s growth rate in the top five in the nation.

The Hefner VAMC Mental Health and Behavioral Sciences consist of 22
doctoral level psychologists, one doctoral level part-time research
psychologist, one master\'s level psychology staff member who does
primarily research, one master\'s level technician (psychometrician),
and one secretarial support staff. Six new psychologists have been hired
within the past year and four more are in the process of being hired.
There is also a Post-Doctoral Fellow for 2008-2009 (beginning in early
September 2008) in medical informatics.

The psychology staff has varied clinical expertise and a strong
commitment to training.

## Training Model and Program Philosophy

The Pre-Doctoral Psychology Internship Program at the Hefner VA Medical
Center is committed to providing comprehensive generalist training to
qualified interns from APA-approved clinical and counseling psychology
graduate programs. The training occurs in an intellectually challenging
and professionally nurturing environment. The Hefner VA Medical Center
is affiliated with Wake Forest School of Medicine and the Edward Via
College of Osteopathic Medicine (at Virginia Tech University).

The philosophy of our internship program is that comprehensive
generalist skills form the foundation for competent, independent,
professional psychology practitioners. Developing these skills is
accomplished through didactic and clinical experiences emphasizing the
practitioner-scholar approach. This generalist emphasis does not
preclude developing a focus area. Specialized clinical opportunities are
available for interested interns. Opportunities for clinical research
are also available at our facility or through Wake Forest University
School of Medicine.

As practitioner-scholars, interns will be expected to develop a
theoretical framework for their clinical work and to demonstrate
competence in utilizing empirically supported psychological
interventions. They are expected to demonstrate knowledge of empirical
support for the psychological interventions they employ. Core
competencies for the internship year include: ethical/professional
behavior consistent with APA guidelines; theoretical/conceptual skills
including understanding foundations of interventions and psychological
assessment; psychological interventions; consultation and team treatment
participation; and in some cases research/ program evaluation or
teaching/supervision. Interns will be evaluated on the core
competencies.

## Program Goals & Objectives

The philosophy of our internship program is that comprehensive
generalist skills form the foundation for competent, independent
professional functioning. The goal of our program is to provide the high
quality clinical and didactic experiences necessary for transforming
doctoral level interns into competent, scientifically grounded
practicing psychologists. We believe that the following objectives of
our training program will prepare our interns to meet this challenge:

-   Ability to consistently demonstrate knowledge of and behavior
    consistent with APA ethical guidelines.

-   Development of a professional identity including one\'s own
    conceptual framework and the ability to apply the
    practitioner-scholar model within that perspective.

-   Ability to utilize hypothesis testing in assessment, diagnosis and
    treatment.

-   Ability to administer and interpret psychological tests using a
    variety of instruments and techniques, and to write accurate,
    comprehensive, and clinically appropriate psychological reports of
    the results.

-   Ability to formulate appropriate treatment plans and apply different
    treatment modalities (individual, group, family) based on relevant
    empirical and theoretical literature.

-   Ability to actively participate on an interdisciplinary team, using
    one\'s training in psychology to facilitate team functioning and in
    order to contribute to patient care.

-   Ability to provide psychological consultation to other
    professionals.

-   Competence in utilizing empirically supported psychological
    interventions and demonstrate knowledge of empirical support for
    psychological intervention procedures employed.

-   Demonstrate the ability to adapt interventions to the needs of
    special populations or culturally diverse patients.

-   Knowledge of the limits of one\'s competence and the ability to
    request assistance when needed, including through active utilization
    of clinical supervision.

-   Ability to view supervision as an opportunity to expand awareness
    and to enrich professional development.

-   Ability to understand the impact of one\'s self on the conduct of
    therapy within the theoretical perspective being utilized.

Our training staff is strongly committed to the program. All training
staff serve as potential supervisors, mentors, instructors of didactics,
and colleagues on multidisciplinary treatment teams. Staff are available
for supervision to meet any intern's ongoing training needs.

## Program Structure

The Hefner VAMC Pre-doctoral internship year is designed to be
sequential, cumulative, and graded in complexity. As the year
progresses, there will be increasing expectations for the interns\'
performance in the core competencies as they develop knowledge,
experience, and expertise. Developing a professional identity and
confidence are important parts of preparing for independent professional
practice. Ongoing supervision typically tapers throughout the year as
the intern\'s progressive and cumulative training leads toward
independent practice. Upon successful completion of the program, the
intern will be able to effectively function as an independent
professional psychologist in today\'s healthcare environment.

**Structure:** Interns will complete a minimum of three rotations during
the year. For specific training needs, the number of rotations can be
increased with the use of mini-rotations (typically 3 months long). This
must be mutually agreed upon by intern and supervisor. Contemporary
mental health practice emphasizes outpatient mental health services.
Each intern will complete a 12-month, 50% time rotation providing
outpatient care and consultation. This outpatient rotation will provide
the opportunity to follow several patients in therapy throughout the
year, as well as provide ample opportunity to develop skills in
psychological assessment, short-term and longer term individual and
group psychotherapy treatment, opportunities to develop and
co-facilitate or lead psycho-educational groups or classes, and to
provide clinical consultation with various populations.

Inpatient psychiatric units represent a critical part of the continuum
of care in mental health treatment. Psychologists must be familiar with
the unique challenges of working in this setting and opportunities to
affect a positive outcome. Therefore, a second rotation (6 month, 50%
time) will be required on one of the inpatient units: Acute psychiatry,
Substance Abuse Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program (SARRTP),
or Specialized Inpatient PTSD Unit (SIPU). The third rotation may be
selected according to the intern\'s interests and training needs. In all
settings, full participation in the interdisciplinary team process, as
an ongoing member or as a consultant, will be an integral part of
training.

**Caseload and Assessment Requirement:** Each intern will be expected to
carry a minimum of three long-term psychotherapy cases throughout the
year, in addition to the rotation caseload (typically 6-9 individual
psychotherapy cases). Interns will become proficient at conceptualizing
cases within different theoretical frameworks of psychopathology,
planning interventions accordingly, testing therapeutic hypotheses, and
evaluating outcomes. Interns will also acquire advanced skills and
knowledge in assessment, including through a weekly scheduled consult,
and by using a wide variety of psychometric instruments and
psychological assessment techniques. To meet this goal, interns will
complete a minimum of 10 full battery psychological assessments during
the year utilizing a combination of measures of personality, cognition,
and/or psychopathology as clinically indicated.

**Supervision:** Nineteen psychologists form the core faculty and
supervisory staff of the internship program (see section on Training
Faculty). Interns will be assigned an outpatient supervisor for the
first six months of their 12-month outpatient rotation. Another faculty
member will serve as their outpatient supervisor for the second six
months. Supervisors will mentor the intern via modeling (teaching and
supervising the skills and professional demeanor appropriate to that
particular setting). Supervisors will assist the intern in establishing
a caseload, adjusting to work in the clinical arena, and acquiring the
types of experiences necessary for that particular individual to grow in
the role of psychologist. These supervisors will ensure that the
intern\'s rotation objectives are met and will write midterm and final
evaluations of intern performance, incorporating the feedback of any
psychologists who provide additional supervision.

Interns will receive four to six hours of formal supervision per week
including up to two hours of small group supervision. Consistent with a
mentoring approach, individual supervision will typically be more
frequent and will also be available as needed on an informal basis. Live
observations rooms, audiotapes, and videotapes are available and may be
used in the supervision process.

## Training Experiences 

**INPATIENT ROTATIONS**

***Acute Psychiatry***

One inpatient psychiatric unit (totaling 21 beds) provides short-term
inpatient treatment for a variety of mental health problems (e.g.,
severe depression, relapsing psychotic disorders, acute PTSD episodes,
detoxification of substance abuse disorders, and severe adjustment
disorders, among others). The primary treatment goal is stabilization
and discharge into continuing outpatient care or transfer to more
specialized inpatient care as needed. They accept direct admissions,
transfers from other units within the hospital, and transfers from other
regional hospitals that are unable to provide necessary psychiatric
treatment required by the veteran.

This setting provides the intern with a broad range of clinical
experiences within the domain of short-term, inpatient treatment.
Interns attend interdisciplinary treatment team meetings and provide
consultation to the team as needed. Primary time commitment for the
intern will involve providing psychological evaluations (e.g.,
diagnostic, cognitive screening, competency, etc.) and group therapies
specific for the Acute wards. Other activities will include weekly
participation in Initial Psychiatric Evaluations with an attending
psychiatrist, providing short-term/problem-focused psychotherapy for
select patient, and as time allows, the opportunity to co-lead a variety
of off-ward group therapies. In addition, the intern may continue to
provide ongoing psychotherapy to some patients who are discharged from
acute psychiatry, in collaboration with their outpatient rotation
supervisor.

***Chronic Psychiatry***

There is a 20-bed unit for patients requiring longer-term psychiatric
hospitalization. The patient population on this unit includes persons
with severe and persistent mental illnesses; those with a history of
treatment noncompliance, co-morbid substance abuse with frequent
relapses/rehospitalizations; patients with severe psychiatric and
behavioral problems that interfere with community placement; and
patients with more favorable prognoses needing additional stabilization
and treatment.

***Specialized Inpatient PTSD Unit (SIPU)***

The SIPU offers a 20-bed, 6 week, specialized inpatient program for the
treatment of male and female veterans with symptoms of PTSD. The
multidisciplinary team is comprised of staff from psychology,
psychiatry, social work, nursing, medicine, and support services. The
program goal is to help the veteran come to terms with traumatic
experiences and find new and more adaptive ways to cope and function.
The intern will participate in a variety of clinical experiences during
this rotation. He or she will co-facilitate an intensive trauma process
group several times per week, provide psycho-educational group or
classes, and participate in therapeutic community meetings. The intern
will also go on a trip to Washington, DC to visit several war memorials
with patients and staff. Additionally, the intern will participate in
weekly interdisciplinary staff meetings. The intern will gain
specialized training in clinical interviewing and psychological
evaluation utilizing specialized PTSD assessment protocols. Additional
opportunities are available according to intern training needs and time
considerations.

***Substance Abuse Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program
(SARRTP)***

SARRTP is a 35-bed residential treatment unit for substance dependent
veterans. The interdisciplinary team is comprised of staff from
psychology, psychiatry, social work, nursing, substance abuse
counseling, vocational rehabilitation, and support services. The program
follows a combined therapy, education, twelve-step, and aftercare
approach to treatment. The SARRTP program utilizes cognitive-behavioral
relapse prevention techniques, motivational interviewing, and other
empirically based interventions for primary substance abuse and dually
diagnosed patients. The average length of stay is 35 days but may vary
based on the individual\'s clinical needs.

Patients must complete 90 days of after-care treatment following
completion of SARRTP and may be followed as outpatients at Hefner VAMC,
including in the Intensive Outpatient Substance Abuse Treatment program.
An intern rotating through SARRTP will be involved in participation in
the multidisciplinary team process, individual and group psychotherapy,
psychological assessments of patients, and participation in
psychoeducational programming. Interns may also have the opportunity to
participate in program development and inservice training.

**OUTPATIENT ROTATION**

***Mental Health Clinic:***

Within the Mental Health Outpatient clinic, psychology primarily
provides services in the following areas: assessment, psychotherapy
(individual and group), health psychology, and geropsychology,. Thus,
patients have access to a broad range of specialized services to meet
their needs. Continuity of care is maintained as patients shift between
inpatient and outpatient status. Interns have opportunities to treat the
same patients in both an inpatient and follow-up outpatient settings.

A full range of evaluation services are available. These services
include neuropsychological evaluation, personality assessment,
intelligence testing, competency evaluation, and compensation and
pension evaluations.

A full range of psychotherapeutic services are available to both
inpatients and outpatients. Individual, marital, group, and family
therapies are available, based on clinical indications. Current therapy
groups include: Coping with Illness group, Depression Support group,
Combat-related PTSD therapy group, Interpersonal-Therapy group, Solution
Focused group, Self-Esteem group, Social Skills group, Dual Diagnosis
group, Life Skills for Female Military Sexual Trauma group, Dialectical
Behavioral Therapy (DBT) group for both men and women, Interpersonal
group psychotherapy, and Anger Management group.

The goal of the internship is for each intern to have a highly varied
caseload, not only in terms of population and psychopathology, but also
in terms of the psychological knowledge and skills required to meet the
patient\'s needs.

***Marital/Family Therapy Rotation***: As part of the outpatient therapy
rotation, each intern will participate in marital/ family therapy. Each
intern will be a co-therapist with a staff psychologist for one or two
marital/family therapy cases throughout the internship year. The therapy
sessions will be observed by other psychology and mental health staff
and students as part of the training process. Feedback will be provided
to the therapists by the observation team and provided to the
couple/families by the therapists. Interns will have the opportunity to
be a co-therapist or observer for a variety of cases. Supervision and
recommended readings on marital and family therapy will be provided.

***Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Clinical Team (PCT):*** PCT is an
outpatient clinic devoted to the treatment of veterans presenting with
symptoms of PTSD. The clinic offers a full range of services including
medication management by psychiatrists, as well as group, individual,
and marital therapies. This unique clinic will allow the intern to
develop specialized skills in the area of PTSD and its related
disorders. The intern will be active in providing individual and marital
psychotherapy and co¬leading an ongoing therapy group. In addition, the
intern will have the opportunity to develop specialized interviewing
skills in the area of PTSD and other anxiety disorders. The PCT
psychologist, intern, and other multidisciplinary team members will
interact on a daily basis . Consultations from other disciplines are
sought as needed and referrals to other programs (both inside and
outside the medical center) occurs frequently. Referrals of OEF/OIF
veterans from the OEF/OIF speciality program at Hefner VAMC may be part
of the PCT rotation.

***FUSION (Fully United Services Integrating Outpatient Needs)
Program:*** FUSION is a new VA program with the goal of increasing
access to and utilization of mental health services by primary care
patients. FUSION rotation interns will work in primary care settings
collaborating with primary care medical professionals to provide full
health care. Among the many and varied opportunities afforded by the
FUSION rotation are: brief assessment, co-facilitation of small groups
and classes, consultation with primary care medical providers, team
meetings, crisis intervention, brief individual therapy, and
introduction to selected readings in the Health Psychology and
Behavioral Medicine professional literature. VA Primary Care clinics
treat male and female adult patients with a wide range of co-occuring
physical and mental health concerns. The FUSION team consists of a
Master of Social Work, Physician's Assistant, and a supervising Clinical
Psychologist. FUSION rotation interns will be encouraged to create and
implement their own groups and classes, under the supervision of Dr.
Farrar, Staff Psychologist.

**SPECIAL ELECTIVE ROTATIONS**

***Geropsychology and Home Based Primary Care***

Geropsychology training opportunities in both treatment and assessment
are available through the outpatient rotation as well as inpatient
settings throughout the medical center. Interns interested in this
rotation would be asked to complete this rotation in their second sixth
months and expect to work with some independence along with active
consultation and cooperation across clinical disciplines. This rotation
will focus upon assessment and treatment modalities for dementia
syndromes. In the outpatient clinic, higher functioning outpatients
provide an opportunity to work with elderly veterans experiencing a
range of mental health problems. The Home Based Primary Care program
provides interns with the opportunity of providing elderly and disabled
veterans with psychological services at their homes. This unique
opportunity will allow students to function as part of an
interdisciplianry tearm and make in-home visits with the Home Based
Primary Care staff psychologist.

***Neuropsychology Rotation***

The Neuropsychology Rotation is an elective rotation offered during the
second half of the internship year. This rotation can be either
half-time (20 hours per week) or quarter-time (10 hours per week), and
supervision is provided by a board-certified clinical neuropsychologist
(ABPP-CN). This rotation is designed for the intern who has had prior
practica and coursework in clinical neuropsychology. In this rotation,
interns can expect exposure to a plethora of testing instruments,
including numerous computerized instruments. Cases include a wide range
of CNS disorders, and patients range from newly discharged OEF/OIF
veterans to elderly WWII veterans. Initially interns work closely with
the supervisor but are intended to function at a much more independent
level by the end of the rotation. The neuropsychology service functions
primarily as a consult service, although participation in treatment
planning is also possible. At a minimum, interns administer and score
instruments, interpret test data, write reports, and provide feedback
sessions. Ample opportunity exists to interface with other neuroscience
disciplines (psychiatry, neurology, pathology, pharmacology, radiology).

As part of a Neuropsychology Rotation (in either the first or second six
months of the internship year) interns may participate in a rotation
under Dr. Butler\'s (Staff Neuropsychologist) supervision in the FACT
(Functional Adaptation and Cognitive re-Training) program.

The FACT program is a new, innovative program for veterans who have
incurred a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) or concussion with chronic
cognitive symptoms. A team approach is used consisting of a
neuropsychologist, psychiatrist, pharmacist, social worker, vocational
rehabilitation specialist, and program assistant. A veteran will
initially undergo assessments by each discipline. The CANTABeclipse, a
computerized 22 subtests neuropsychological battery, can be one
component of the evaluation. Veterans then participate in a 6-week group
(2 days/wk, 3 hrs/day, maximum 7 members per group) consisting of
interventions, education, and individual therapy. Cognitive
rehabilitation will be dually focused. One focus is providing
instruction on compensatory/adaptive techniques that reduce the impact
of a deficit on daily, work, or academic lives. A second focus is use of
cognitive rehabilitation software. A subfocus is use of neurofeedback
for improving attention and biofeedback for reducing anxiety.

Interns will become familiar with the mTBI literature, participate in
conducting neuropsychological assessments, running groups, working
individually with the veterans, and mastering rehabilitation software.
Creativity in forming new interventions and compensatory techniques is
encouraged.

**RESEARCH**

The internship year is primarily devoted to the development of clinical
skills. However, opportunities for research are also available.
Recently, a Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Centers
(MIRREC) grant was awarded to VISN 6. The Hefner VAMC is a key
participating hospital in this center. The Associate Chief of Staff for
Mental Health and Behavioral Sciences, Dr. Robin Hurley, is the
Co-director for Education of the VISN 6 MIRECC along with Dr. Katherine
Taber, a MIRECC health research scientist. The Hefner VAMC offers the
interns opportunities to participate in research including medical
informatics projects and in post-deployment traumatic brain injury
research. The Hefner VA Medical Center\'s MIRECCC station has recently
added a part-time doctoral level psychologist and a full-time psychology
technician for research. Collaboration between Hefner VAMC, other
VAMC\'s in VISN 6, and Wake Forest University together offer a wide
breadth of research projects and educational opportunities.

**DIDACTICS**

Interns will spend an average of 4 hours per week in seminars and
didactic activities. Didactic offerings are scheduled from 10:00 AM --
Noon and 1:00 -- 2:00 PM on Fridays. All seminars and didactic
activities will support the program\'s efforts to produce
practitioner-scholars capable of translating theory, knowledge, and
scientific inquiry into practice. Didactic offerings will incorporate
the application of an empirical knowledge base to case formulation,
treatment planning, and treatment implementation.

**Seminars**

All psychology interns will attend a Core Psychology Seminar Series
forming the heart of the internship\'s didactic program. The seminar
series, offered on Fridays from 10:00 AM to Noon and 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM,
will be taught by doctoral-level psychology staff, supplemented
occasionally by other relevant disciplines (e.g., pharmacy, psychiatry).
Initial seminars will focus on psychology-specific content such as
assessment, clinical conceptualization, and treatment of psychopathology
frequently encountered within the veteran population. Interns will be
able to select other topics based on their interests and identified
needs.

Additional training needs will be addressed through the Professional
Issues Seminar, offered by psychology staff on the 2nd and 4th Fridays
of the month from 10:00 AM to12: 00 PM and 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM. The
series will provide a supportive forum for the review and exploration of
issues relevant to the professional and ethical practice of psychology.
Among the topics to be highlighted are interprofessional team
functioning, models of consultation, boundary issues, cultural
diversity, use of the relationship within psychotherapy, legal and
ethical issues in the delivery of psychological services, recognition of
one\'s personal and professional limitations, and career development.

Interns will be exposed to varying approaches to the conceptualization
and treatment of a broad range of presenting psychological disorders
through attendance at regular Journal Clubs and Case Conferences. These
are presented by psychology staff (including interns) on the first
Friday of every month from 10:00 AM to 12: 00 PM and 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM.

Interns also may participate in a Clinical Hypnosis Seminar. This
optional seminar is offered during the second part of the Internship
Year and is open to all interested trainees (limit of 5 participants -
Psychology Interns have preference). The seminar meets 90 minutes a week
for approximately 20 sessions. Participants are exposed to the history,
theory, phenomena, and controversies of contemporary hypnotic practice.
Various inductions and the uses of clinical hypnosis are learned through
didactic, observational, small group experiential, and clinical
practice. Patients are selected appropriate to participant skill level
and interests. Supervision and instruction is provided by Dr. Frank E.
Gantz, Staff Psychologist, an American Society of Clinical Hypnosis
(ASCH) Approved Consultant and counts towards the clinical consultation
requirement for ASCH certification.

In addition to the above, interns will attend an ongoing series of
Continuing Education Workshops, organized by the Northwest Area Health
Education Center (NW AHEC) of Wake Forest University\'s School of
Medicine . The workshops are presented by visiting mental health
professionals from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM on the third Friday of every
month. These seminars cover topics specifically requested by Mental
Health and Behavioral Sciences staff. There are also monthly scheduled
Psychiatry Grand Rounds from Wake Forest University which are available
and broadcasted via V-Tel equipment in the outpatient mental health
clinic. There are also monthly Psychiatry Journal clubs which faculty
and trainees may attend. Lastly, monthly lectures, from the Mental
Illness Research, Education and Clinical Centers (MIRREC) program, based
on a MIRREC grant awarded to VISN 6 are presented by speakers from
Hefner VAMC and from other VAMC\'s via V-Tel. These MIRREC lectures
address post-deployment/ re-adjustement issues and treatment for OEF/OIF
veterans including on topics such as PTSD, medical informatics projects,
and post-deployment traumatic brain injury (including mTBI) research.

## Requirements for Completion

Interns complete a 2,080 hour internship year. Interns are evaluated
quarterly and on an ongoing basis by their supervisors to ensure that
they are demonstrating an acceptable level of performance on the core
competencies of the internship including: Ethical/Professional Behavior,
Theoretical/Conceptual Skills, Psychological Assessment, Psychological
Interventions, Consultation/Team Treatment, and Teaching/Supervision (as
appliable) and Research/Program Evaluation (as applicable).

Interns will complete a minimum of three rotations during the year. For
specific training needs, the number of rotations can be increased with
the use of mini-rotations (typically 3 months long). This must be
mutually agreed upon by intern and supervisor. Contemporary mental
health practice emphasizes outpatient mental health services. Each
intern will complete a 12-month, 50% time rotation providing outpatient
care and consultation. This will provide the opportunity to follow
several patients in therapy throughout the year, as well as provide
ample opportunity to develop skills in assessment, short-term treatment,
and consultation with various populations.

Inpatient psychiatric units represent a critical part of the continuum
of care in mental health treatment. Psychologists must be familiar with
the unique challenges of working in this setting and opportunities to
affect a positive outcome. Therefore, a second rotation (6 month, 50%
time) will be required on one of the inpatient units: Acute Psychiatry,
Substance Abuse Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program (SARRTP),
or Specialized Inpatient PTSD Unit (SIPU). The third rotation may be
selected according to the trainee\'s interests and training needs. In
all settings, full participation in the interdisciplinary team process
as an ongoing member or as a consultant will be an integral part of
training.

Caseload and Assessment Requirement: Each intern will be expected to
carry a minimum of three long-term therapy cases throughout the year, in
addition to the rotation caseload. Interns will become proficient at
conceptualizing cases within different theoretical frameworks of
psychopathology, planning interventions accordingly, testing therapeutic
hypotheses, and evaluating outcomes. Interns will also acquire advanced
skills and knowledge in assessment using a wide variety of instruments
and techniques. To meet this goal, interns will complete a minimum of 10
full battery psychological assessments during the year utilizing a
combination of measures of personality, cognition, and/or
psychopathology as clinically indicated.

## Facility and Training Resources

Abundant resources exist to support intern training at the Hefner VAMC.
Comfortable office space and individual access to the Computerized
Patient Record System as well as intranet and internet services are
provided. The Psychological Testing Center includes computerized
assessment packages, statistical software, PC-based assessment and
interpretive programs, and a wide assortment of state-of-the-art
psychological and neuropsychological testing equipment.

The Research and Education Service Line (R & E) is a vital resource for
the medical center. The Learning Resource Center (LRC) maintains over
3,100 books and provides access to a wide variety of health care related
periodicals, including a wide array of psychology and mental health
journals. In addition, the LRC maintains 595 audiocassettes, 1,396
videocassettes, and other audiovisual resources. R & E provides live
satellite programs daily via closed circuit monitors throughout the
medical center, making access extremely convenient. Programs are also
videotaped for those unable to attend. LRC also provides Internet access
for searches of professional literature as well as traditional
interlibrary loan programs, classrooms with state of the art audiovisual
training aids, and computer labs. In addition, VISN 6 provides an
award-winning internet medical reference site that includes over 650
digital textbooks, Pubmed access, medical dictionaries, and many other
resources.

## Administrative Policies and Procedures

The stipend for the year is \$22,898. No unfunded or part-time positions
are available. At the time of this publication, funding is available for
four interns. The Hefner VAMC Psychology Internship program has
established due process procedures for the training program (these are
detailed in our Psychology Training Program, MH & BS Service Line
Memorandum 11M-2-00-6). Our program does not require self-disclosure as
part of the training year application process or training year
activities. We will collect no personal information about you when you
visit our website.

Interns receive 10 federal holidays, up to 5 days of administrative
leave for continuing education/ conference attendance, and 15 days of
leave for illness, vacation, or personal time. The VA has recently added
health insurance as a benefit for VA interns. Borrowing privileges and
extensive use of computerized library search services are available from
the VAMC and Wake Forest Libraries.

Living quarters are available on the medical center grounds for interns
who are interested in low cost accommodations. The unit reserved for
long stay temporary housing has three single bedrooms, two baths, and
community living, dining, laundry, and kitchen facilities. Current cost
is \$12.37 per day and includes all utilities, cable TV, and HVAC.
Further information is available on request. Available slots are limited
so application for these quarters must be completed as early as
possible.

## Training Staff

***Cheri R. Anthony, Ph.D.***

Supervisory Psychologist

Adjunct Assistant Professor of Psychology, University of North Carolina-
Charlotte

> Geropsychology and Marital/Family Therapy Rotation
>
> Doctoral Degree: Clinical Psychology, University of Southern
> California, 1989
>
> Predoctoral Internship: Hutchings Psychiatric Center, Syracuse, New
> York
>
> Clinical and Specialized Professional Interests: Geropsychology,
> dementia caregiver issues, dementia assessment, interdisciplinary team
> functioning, PTSD, caregiver stress/burden

***Ryan A. DeHaas, Ph.D.***

Director of Training in Psychology

Staff Psychologist

Adjunct Assistant Professor of Psychology, University of North Carolina-
Charlotte

> SARRTP and Outpatient Rotation
>
> Doctoral Degree: Clinical Psychology, Finch University of Health
> Sciences/The Chicago Medical School (currently named Rosalind Franklin
> University of Medicine and Science), 2001
>
> Predoctoral Internship: Clement J. Zablocki VAMC, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
>
> Postdoctoral Fellowship: Psychosocial Fellowship, Clement J. Zablocki
> VAMC, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
>
> Clinical and Specialized Professional Interests: Assessment and
> Treatment of Primary Substance Abuse and Dual-Diagnosis, Health
> Psychology and Behavioral Medicine, Anxiety Sensitivity and Substance
> Abuse, Dual Diagnosis, Psychological Adjustment to Acute and Chronic
> Medical Conditions.

***Patricia P. Ansbro, Psy.D.***

Staff Psychologist

> Marital/Family Therapy and Outpatient rotation.
>
> Doctoral Degree: Clinical Psychology, Baylor University, 1991
>
> Predoctoral Internship: Northport VAMC
>
> Clinical and Specialized Professional Interests: Crisis intervention,
> interpersonal psychotherapy, interdisciplinary team functioning,
> effect of day treatment programs

***Thomas Ansbro, Psy.D.***

Staff Psychologist

> Outpatient Rotation/Compensation and Pension Clinic
>
> Doctoral Degree: Clinical Psychology, Baylor University, 1991.
>
> Predoctoral Internship: Northport VAMC
>
> Clinical and Specialized Professional Interests: Individual and Group
> Interpersonal Psychotherapy, Personality Assessment (MMPI-2 and
> Rorschach).

***Richard Brisbin, Ph.D.***

Staff Psychologist

> Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Clinic Team (PCT) and Outpatient
> rotation
>
> Doctoral Degree: Clinical Psychology, Southern Illinois University at
> Carbondale, 1980
>
> Predoctoral Internship: Western Missouri Mental Health Center, Kansas
> City, MO
>
> Clinical and Specialized Professional Interests: Cognitive behavioral
> therapy, PTSD

***David L. Butler, Ph.D.***

Staff Neuropsychologist

> FACT (Functional Adaptation and Cognitive re-Training) Program
>
> Doctoral Degree: Clinical Psychology, Virginia Tech University, 1982.
>
> Predoctoral Internship: Gulfport-Biloxi VAMC.
>
> Clinical and Specialized Professional Interests: Adult and Pediatric
> Neuropsychology, Health/Medical Psychology; Psychopharmacology,
> Couples Therapy.

***Merry Kathleen Farrar, Psy.D.***

Staff Psychologist

> FUSION (Fully United Services Integrating Outpatient Needs) Program
>
> Doctoral Degree: Clinical Psychology, Pacific University School of
> Professional Psychology, 1992.
>
> Predoctoral Internship: Dallas VAMC
>
> Clinical and Specialized Professional Interests: Integrative medicine;
> Behavioral Medicine; PTSD, Group Psychotherapy, Couples Therapy.

***Jo Ellen Gaffney, Ph.D.***

Staff Psychologist

> Military Sexual Trauma treatment team and Outpatient rotation.
>
> Doctoral Degree: Clinical Psychology, University of Mississippi, 1990
>
> Predoctoral Internship: Biloxi VAMC
>
> Clinical and Specialized Professional Interests: Assessment and
> treatment of Post-traumatic stress disorder, staff issues (burnout
> prevention, therapeutic boundaries, stress management), family issues
> in the treatment of PTSD, clinical outcome in the treatment of PTSD

***Frank E. Gantz, III, Psy.D. ABPP-Cl***

Staff Psychologist

Board Certified in Clinical Psychology

Approved Consultant in Clinical Hypnosis

Adjunct Assistant Professor of Psychology, University of North Carolina-
Charlotte

> Outpatient rotation
>
> Doctoral Degree: Clinical Psychology, University of Denver School of
> Professional Psychology, 1989
>
> Predoctoral Internship: Palo Alto VAMC
>
> Postdoctoral Training: Geropsychology, Stanford University School of
> Medicine & Palo Alto VAMC
>
> Clinical and Specialized Professional Interests: Hypnosis, short-term
> psychotherapy, solution-focused therapy, cognitive therapy,
> geropsychology, PTSD, MMPI-2 profiles in elderly veterans

***Kathy H. Hedrick, Ph.D.***

Staff Psychologist

> Winston-Salem Outpatient Clinic
>
> Doctoral Degree: Clinical Psychology, University of Southern
> Mississippi, 2001
>
> Predoctoral Internship: University of Alabama at Birmingham Psychology
> Training consortium.
>
> Clinical and Specialized Professional Interests: Assessment and
> treatment of PTSD; Spouse and caregiver stress and burdens in the
> treatment of PTSD; Group and individual psychotherapy; Cognitive
> Behavioral and process orientations; Forensic Psychology.

***Kristin L. Humphrey, Ph.D.***

Staff Psychologist

> Outpatient Rotation/ Charlotte Outpatient Clinic
>
> Doctoral Degree: Counseling Psychology, Michigan State University,
> 2007.
>
> Predoctoral Internship: W.G. Hefner VA Medical Center, Salisbury, N.C.
>
> Clinical and Specialized Professional Interests: Substance abuse, dual
> diagnosis, psychological/neuropsychological assessment, individual and
> group psychotherapy (solution¬focused therapy, cognitive-behavioral
> therapy, interpersonal therapy, and motivational interviewing).
>
> Research Interests: Substance abuse treatment and the biopsychosocial
> model, vascular cognitive impairment (VCI).

***Susan Hurt, J.D., Ph.D.***

Research Psychologist

> Doctoral Degree: Clinical Psychology, University of Virginia, 2002
>
> Juris Doctor Degree: Cornell Law School, 1986.
>
> Predoctoral Internship: W.G. Hefner VA Medical Center, Salisbury, N.C.
>
> Clinical Interests: Psychological assessment, individual and family
> psychotherapy Forensic Interests: Civil and criminal competencies,
> child custody, sexual abuse victimization and perpetration
>
> Consultation: Pre-employment screening for law enforcement,
> disability, social services abuse and neglect evaluations Teaching
> interests: Statistics, research design, ethics, writing, mental and
> law.

***Seth S. Labovitz, Ph.D., CGP***

Staff Psychologist

Certified Group Psychotherapist (American Group Psychotherapy
Assovciation)

> Outpatient and Specialized Inpatient PTSD Unit (SIPU) rotation.
>
> Doctoral Degree: Clinical Psychology, Ohio State University, 1992
>
> Predoctoral Internship: Cincinnati VAMC
>
> Clinical and Specialized Professional Interests: Individual and group
> psychotherapy, treatment of severely and persistently mentally ill,
> assessment of PTSD, Humanistic/existential psychotherapy, assessment
> of malingered PTSD, stereotyping of the mentally ill

***Theodore L. Moretz, Ph.D.***

Staff Psychologist

> Specialized Inpatient PTSD Unit (SIPU) rotation
>
> Doctoral degree: Counseling psychology, Indiana State University,
> 1996.
>
> Predoctoral Internship: VAMC, Danville, IL.
>
> Clinical and Specialized Professional Interests: Psychological
> assessment (detection of malingering and predicting dangerousness),
> Forensic Psychology, Treatment of trauma, Treatment outcome research.

***Harry L. Piersma, Ph.D., ABPP-Cl***

Staff Psychologist

Board Certified in Clinical Psychology

> Specialized Inpatient PTSD Unit (SIPU) rotation.
>
> Doctoral Degree: Clinical Psychology, Purdue University, 1974.
>
> Predoctoral Internship: University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center.
>
> Clinical Interests: Individual and group psychotherapy, Assessment and
> treatment of personality disorders, PTSD, and anxiety disorders.
>
> Research Interests: Clinical outcomes research, Use of the MCMI-III in
> both clinical and research settings, Assessment and induction of
> patient motivation for psychotherapy.

***J. David Spriggs, Psy.D.***

Staff Psychologist

> Home Based Primary Care staff psychologist
>
> Doctoral Degree: Clinical Psychology, Wheaton College, 2001
>
> Predoctoral Internship: W.G. Hefner VA Medical Center, Salisbury, N.C.
>
> Clinical and Specialized Professional Interests: Geropsychology,
> religious issues in psychotherapy, marital therapy, cognitive therapy,
> person of the therapist, treatment of anxiety and stress, treatment of
> depression.

***Christopher G. Watson, Ph.D.***

Staff Psychologist

> Outpatient rotation.
>
> Doctoral Degree: Clinical Psychology, Purdue University, 1993
>
> Predoctoral Internship: Broughton State Hospital, Morganton, NC
>
> Clinical and Specialized Professional Interests: Individual and group
> psychotherapy, marital therapy, family systems theory,
> cognitive-behavioral strategies, stress management, time management,
> assertiveness training

***Stephen K. Wiley, Ph.D.***

Staff Psychologist

> Acute Psychiatry Inpatient and Outpatient Rotation.
>
> Doctoral Degree: Clinical Psychology, University of North Texas, 1989
>
> Predoctoral Internship: Syracuse VAMC
>
> Clinical and Specialized Professional Interests: Individual
> psychotherapy, psychological assessment, and behavioral medicine

***Ruth E. Yoash-Gantz, Psy.D., ABPP/CN***

Staff Neuropsychologist

Board Certified in Clinical Neuropsychology

Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Wake Forest
School of Medicine.

> Assessment rotation.
>
> Doctoral Program: Clinical Psychology, University of Denver School of
> Professional Psychology, 1989
>
> Predoctoral Internship: Palo Alto VAMC
>
> Postdoctoral Training: Neuropsychology, Stanford University School of
> Medicine & Palo Alto VAMC
>
> Clinical Interests: Neuropsychology, differential diagnosis of
> dementia syndromes, neuropsychological toxicology and
> chemical/biological warfare, models of neuropsychological assessment,
> professional issues in neuropsychology
>
> Research Interests: Neuropsychological aspects of Persian Gulf War
> Syndrome; mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in PET imaging

## Trainees

**2008-2009:**

Pepperdine University; Marshall University; Illinois Institute of
Technology; Argosy University-Atlanta

**2007-2008:**

The Wright Institute; Indiana University of Pennsylvania

**2006-2007:**

Michigan State University; Nova Southeastern University

**2005-2006:**

Rosemead School of Psychology; American School of Professional
Psychology at Argosy University/Washington, DC

**2004-2005:**

The University of Virginia; Georgia School of Professional
Psychology/Argosy University

**2003-2004:**

The University of South Carolina; Nova Southeastern University

**2002-2003:**

Nova Southeastern University; Illinois School of Professional
Psychology/Argosy University

**2001-2002:**

The University of Virginia & Cornell Law School; Massachusetts School of
Professional Psychology

**2000-2001:**

The University of Connecticut; Wheaton College

## Local Information

The Hefner VA Medical Center is located in Salisbury, North Carolina.
Salisbury is nestled in the rolling hills of the Central Piedmont region
and is a small city of approximately 28,000 with significant historical
and natural attractions. The larger metropolitan areas of Charlotte,
Winston-Salem, and Greensboro are all within a 45-minute drive. Beach
and mountain resort areas are easy weekend trips with lakes and many
fine golf courses in close proximity. The area is rated fifth in the
country in terms of economic growth and is expected to continue leading
the nation well into the next decade. The pleasant climate and
relatively affordable cost of living make the area a popular re-location
or retirement area.

While providing all the attractions of a small town, Salisbury also
offers many big city amenities including a symphony, an art gallery,
local live theater, historic museums, and opportunities for dining and
entertainment. The nearby metropolitan areas offer many additional
cultural opportunities including theater, opera, regional fairs and
festivals, and professional sports. For sports enthusiasts, Charlotte is
home to the Carolina Panthers NFL team and Charlotte Bobcats NBA team.
Kannapolis, NC is home to the Chicago White Sox Single A minor league
team, the Intimidatators, and nearby Rock Hill, SC is home to the White
Sox AAA team, the Charlotte Knights. Many well known collegiate teams,
including UNC-Chapel Hill and Duke, are also found in the Carolinas.
Concord, NC is home to Lowes Motor Speedway where two major NASCAR races
are held yearly. Concord also has a historical downtown area and Concord
Mills a popular outlet shopping mall which attracts vistors from
throughout the southeast.

Salisbury is easily accessible from Interstate 85. Air travel is
convenient through either of two major airports (the Charlotte-Douglas
International Airport or the Piedmont Triad Airport). Amtrak train
service and bus lines are also available.