Susan Heffelfinger, Ph.D.

Education

 

 

 

 

Undergraduate Education:

 

9/90-5/94       Augustana College, Rock Island, IL

                      Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, Magna cum laude

 

Graduate Education:

 

9/94-5/02      Finch University of Health Sciences/Chicago Medical School,

                     North Chicago, IL (University name now changed to Rosalind     

                     Franklin University of Medicine and Science)

                     APA-accredited program, Advisor: John E. Calamari, Ph.D.

                    

                     Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, awarded June 2002, Thesis title:  

                     Anxiety Sensitivity and Ventilator Weaning in Inpatients with

                     Ventilator Dependent Respiratory Failure

                   

                     Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology, awarded April 1999,

                     Thesis title: Cardiac Threat Schemas: Evaluation of Conceptual          

                     Implicit Memory

 

Postgraduate Training:  

 

8/00 - 8/01       Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center, Milwaukee, WI

                        APA-accredited Clinical Psychology Internship

                        Supervisor: James D. Hart, Ph.D.

Rotations in Primary Care, Neuropsychology, Multiple Sclerosis Clinic, Palliative Care, Childhood Abuse Group Treatment, and OCD Residential Center Treatment (off-station placement at Rogers Memorial Hospital in Oconomowoc, WI)

 

6/02 – 6/03       Anxiety and Agoraphobia Treatment Center, Northbrook, IL

2,000-hour Postdoctoral supervised clinical experience

                        Supervisor: Karen L. Cassiday, Ph.D.

 

            Academic Appointments:

 

    5/05-12/08       Faculty position: Assistant Professor, Menninger Department of

                            Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

 

    9/09-present      Voluntary faculty, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral

                             Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine

 

 

      Honors and Awards:

 

University Merit Fellowship Recipient, FUHS/CMS, 1996-1999

Phi Beta Kappa, Augustana College, 1994

Dean’s List, Augustana College, 1990-1994

Presidential Scholar Program, Augustana College, 1990-1994

Who’s Who Among Students at American Universities & Colleges

Omicron Delta Kappa, National Leadership and Honor Society

Mortar Board, National Senior Honor Society, 1994

Aristeia, Freshman Honor Society, 1991

Psi Chi, National Psychology Honor Society

The Geraldine Wallin Sickler Scholarship for Distinguished Achievement in Psychology, Augustana College, 1994

 

Professional Licenses:

 

Licensed Psychologist, State of Texas, 2004 (License #32422)

Licensed Clinical Psychologist, State of Illinois, 2004 (License #071-006675)

 

 

Work History

 

4/09-present  Licensed Psychologist, private practice, Houston, Texas; independent 

                     Contractor, Houston OCD Program, Houston, Texas.

 

5/05-12/08    Staff Psychologist, The Menninger Clinic OCD Treatment Program,

                     Houston, Texas. Supervisor: Throstur Bjorgvinsson, Ph.D.

 

11/03-4/05    Independent contractor/licensed psychologist, Psychology Service  

                    Corporation, Houston, Texas.

                   
3/04-8/04     Independent contractor/Cognitive behavior therapist, The Menninger  
                    Clinic OCD Treatment Center, Houston, Texas, Supervisor: Throstur 
                    Bjorgvinsson, Ph.D.

                     

8/01–6/03     Independent contractor/staff therapist (6/98- 7/00 and 8/01-6/02), 

6/98-7/00      Postdoctoral fellow/staff therapist (6/02-6/03), Anxiety and

                    Agoraphobia Treatment Center, Northbrook, IL,

                    Supervisor: Karen Cassiday, Ph.D.

                                

6/98-6/99      Clinical Psychology Extern, Center for Pain Control, Libertyville, IL                                                                                       Supervisor, Elizabeth Semenchuk, Ph.D.

 

1/98-7/99     Clinic Coordinator, Anxiety & OCD Treatment and Research Program,

                    Finch University of Health Sciences/The Chicago Medical School,

                    North Chicago, IL (Responsibilities: 50% research, 50% clinical,

                    administrative, and training). Research responsibilities included

                    maintaining extensive database of psychological data from past and

                    current clients (data collection and data entry).  Gathered repeated

                    measures on various self-report symptom questionnaires (i.e., ASI,

                    BDI, BAI, Y-BOCS, STAI, etc.). Involvement in several research

                    projects utilizing database and conference presentation preparation

                    activities.

 

5/97-5/98      Clinical Psychology Extern, Pediatric and Family Services Clinic, North

                     Chicago, IL, Supervisor, Chinni Chilamkurti, Ph.D.

 

11/97-6/98     Independent contractor/Behavior Therapist, Lake Bluff, IL                                                   

                     Supervisor, Anne Maxwell, Ph.D. Provided Lovaas behavior therapy in

                      home to 4-year-old child with Pervasive Developmental Disorder.

 

6/96-6/98      Clinical Psychology Extern, Anxiety & OCD Treatment and Research

1/95-7/95      Program, Supervisor, John Calamari, Ph.D.

                     

             

7/95 - 7/96     Clinical Psychology Extern, Cardiac Rehabilitation Program, Lutheran

                      General Hospital, Park Ridge, IL, Supervisor, Joseph Zander, Ph.D.

 

12/94 - 9/96    On-Call Counselor, Lake County Health Department, Waukegan, IL,      

                       Supervisor, Mr. Patrick Leary, M.S.

 

9/94-5/94       Research Assistant, Augustana College. Assisted with research on

                      prospective memory and cognition, including aspects of study

                      design, data collection, and conference presentation.

 

2/93 - 5/93     Psychology Counselor’s Aide, Humility of Mary Homeless Shelter,   
                      Davenport, IA

 

 

 

 

Research Information

National Scientific Participation: (include dates and titles)

 

Professional societies:

 

Association for the Advancement of Behavior Therapy

American Psychological Association

Anxiety Disorders Association of America

Obsessive Compulsive Foundation

Invited lectures, presentations, research seminars:

 

Bjorgvinsson, T., Boudouvas, C., Heffelfinger, S., & Powell, D. (2007, July). OCD and Families: Working within the Transition Zone.  Workshop conducted at the 13th Annual Obsessive Compulsive Foundation Conference, Houston, TX.

 

Bjorgvinsson, T., & Heffelfinger, S. (2007, November). Challenges in treating Adolescents with comorbid OCD and Asperger’s Syndrome. Paper (break-out session) presented at the annual Independent Education Consultant Association (IECA) Fall Conference, Hollywood, California.

 

Bjorgvinsson, T., & Heffelfinger, S. (2007, November). Family Accommodation of Symptoms in Severe Anxiety Disorders: Detangling anxiety symptoms from family interactions. Paper (break-out session) presented at the annual Independent Education Consultant Association (IECA) Fall Conference, Hollywood, California.

 

Bjorgvinsson, T., Wetterneck, C., Hart, J., Webb, S.A., Powell, D.M., Azzouz, R., Entricht, T.L., Chasson, G.S., Heffelfinger, S., Davidson, J.E., & Stanley, M.A. (2007, March). Treatment outcome for adolescent OCD in an inpatient setting. Poster presented at the 27th Annual Anxiety Disorders Association of America Conference, St. Louis, MO.

Bjorgvinsson, T., Wetterneck, C., Entricht, T.L., Hart, J., Heffelfinger, S., Chasson, G.S., Powell, D.M., Webb, S.A., & Stanley, M.A. (2007, March). The role of well being in OCD:  Is it the First Step in the Model for Chage? Poster presented at the 41st Annual Convention of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies Convention, Philadelphia, PA.

Calamari, J.E., Hale, L.R., Heffelfinger, S.K., Janeck, A.S., Taglione, P., & Schisler, R. (1998, March).  Anxiety sensitivity in children and their parents.  Poster presented at the 18th National Conference of the Anxiety Disorders Association of America, Boston, MA.

 

Calamari, J.E., Lau, J.J., Heffelfinger, S.K., Hale, L.R., Janeck, A.S., & Weertz, M. (1997, November).  Anxiety sensitivity in adolescents: A risk factor for panic attacks. In B. Rabian (Chair), Anxiety sensitivity in children: An evaluation of current research.  Symposium presented at the Association for the Advancement of Behavior Therapy 31st National Convention, Miami, Florida.

 

Calamari, J.E., Wiegartz, P.S., Janeck, A.S., & Heffelfinger, S.K. (1996, November). Anxiety sensitivity in obsessive-compulsive disorder. Poster presented at the Association for the Advancement of Behavior Therapy 30th National Convention, New York, NY.

 

Heffelfinger, S., Calamari, J.E., & Zander, J.R. (1999, November) Cardiac Threat Schemas: Evaluation of Conceptual Implicit Memory.  Poster presented at the Association for the Advancement of Behavior Therapy 33rd National Convention, Toronto, Canada.

 

Heffelfinger, S., Calamari, J.E., Workman, D.E., Lawm, G., Kelly, J., & Burns, J.B. (2002, March). Anxiety Sensitivity and Ventilator Weaning in Inpatients with Ventilator Dependent Respiratory Failure.  Poster presented at the Anxiety Disorders Association of America 22nd National Conference, Austin, TX.

Heffelfinger, S., Chasson, G.S., Haslam-Hopwood, G.T., Plamondon, M., & Bjorgvinsson, T. (2007, March).  Inter-rater agreement between Self- and
Clinician-Reports of the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale in Inpatients. Poster presented at the 27th Annual Anxiety Disorders Association of America Conference, St. Louis, MO.

Heffelfinger, S., Chasson, G.S., Powell, D.M., & Bjorgvinsson, T. (2007, March). Challenges in Treating Comorbid Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Pervasive Developmental Disorders. Paper presented at the 27th Annual Anxiety Disorders Association of America Conference, St. Louis, MO.

Janeck, A.S., Calamari, J.E., & Heffelfinger, S.K. (1998). Cognition and obsessive-compulsive disorder: Appraisals of and beliefs about intrusive thoughts.  Poster presented at the Association for the Advancement of Behavior Therapy 32nd National Convention, Washington, D.C.

 

Powell, D., Heffelfinger, S., & Bjorgvinsson, T. (2008, March). Engaging family members to facilitate treatment of OCD. Paper conducted at the 28th Annual Anxiety Disorders Association of America Conference, Savannah, GA.

Wetterneck, C., Hart, J., Heffelfinger, S., & Bjorgvinsson, T. (2007, March). Care for the Caregivers: Burnout and Stress in the Caregivers of Anxiety Sufferers.  Paper presented at the 27th Annual Anxiety Disorders Association of America Conference, St. Louis, MO.

Wuyek, L., Heffelfinger, S., & Daniel, J. (2008, March). Ethical Issues in Behavior Therapy. Paper conducted at the 28th Annual Anxiety Disorders Association of America Conference, Savannah, GA.

 

        Publications:

 

 

 

 

Bjorgvinsson, T., Hart, J., & Heffelfinger, S.  (2007). Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Update on Assessment and Treatment. Journal of Psychiatric Practice, 13(6), 362-372.

 

Bjorgvinsson, T., Wetterneck, C., Powell, D., Chasson, G., Webb, S., Hart, J., Heffelfinger, S., Azzouz, R., Entricht, T., Davidson, J., Stanley, M. (2008). Treatment Outcome for Adolescent Obsessive-Complusive Disorder in a Specialized Hospital Setting. Journal of Psychiatric Practice, 13(3), 137-145.

 

Heffelfinger, S., Calamari, J.E., Workman, D.E., Lawm, G.., & Kelly, J. (2006). Anxiety sensitivity and ventilator weaning: A preliminary analysis. Anxiety, Stress and Coping, 19(3), 211-226.

 

Calamari, J.E., Hale, L., Heffelfinger, S. K., Janeck, A.S., Lau, J.J., Weerts, M.A., Taglione, P.A., & Schisler, R.L. (2001). Relations between anxiety sensitivity and panic symptoms in nonreferred children and adolescents. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 32(3), 117-136.

 

Heffelfinger, S.K., Calamari, J.E., & Zander, J.R. (2000). Do Cardiac Patients Develop Disease-Specific Threat Schemas?:  Evaluation of Conceptual Implicit Memory.  International Journal of Rehabilitation and Health, 5, 1-15.

 

Janeck, A.S., Calamari, J.E., Riemann, B.R. & Heffelfinger, S.K.  (2003). Too much thinking about thinking?:  Meta-cognitive differences in obsessive-compulsive disorder.  Journal of Anxiety Disorders 17(2), 181-195.

 

 

In preparation:

 

Bjorgvinsson, T., Powell, D., Hart, J., Entricht, T., Wetterneck, C., Heffelfinger,S., and Stanley, M. (2009, in preparation).  Treatment outcome for Adults with severe OCD in a specialized hospital setting

 

 

 

III. Teaching Information

 

 

1/98 - 7/99 Clinic Coordinator, Anxiety & Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Treatment and Research Program, Finch University of Health Sciences/The Chicago Medical School, North Chicago, IL.  Responsibilities included training new student therapists in cognitive behavior therapy assessment and intervention strategies and co-facilitating weekly group supervision meetings.

 

6/02-6/03 Postdoctoral fellow/Cognitive Behavior Staff Therapist, Anxiety and Agoraphobia Treatment Center, Northbrook, IL. Co-supervised five student therapists in outpatient psychology clinic, including weekly group supervision and individual supervision as needed. Created clinical training lecture series on cognitive behavioral assessment and treatment issues and presented to clinic student staff.

 

 

Lectures: (include location, title of presentation, dates)

 

       Heffelfinger, S. (2009). Cognitive Therapy II Course. Co-teaching 10-week 

       cognitive therapy course at Baylor College of Medicine to their psychiatry residents 

       and social work interns.

 

Heffelfinger, S. (2006-2008). Bimonthly lecture at OCD Program Family Day Workshop. Reducing Family Accommodation.

 

Heffelfinger, S. & Sweat, L. (2008). ERP: Practical Tips.  Presentation to clinical staff at The Menninger Clinic OCD Treatment Program, Houston, TX.

 

Heffelfinger, S. (1998). Cognitive Behavioral Treatment for Anxiety Disorders.  Panel presentation at the annual Tri-State Psychology Conference, Augustana College, Rock Island, IL.

 

Heffelfinger, S. (1997). Getting Into Graduate School.  Colloquium presented at the annual Tri-state Psychology Conference, Augustana College, Rock Island, IL.

 

Heffelfinger, S. (2003). Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment of Panic Disorder:  Recent   Developments. Presentation to clinic staff at AATC, Northbrook, IL.

 

Heffelfinger, S. (2003). Ethical Issues in the Practice of Psychology. Presentation to clinic staff at AATC, Northbrook, IL.

 

Heffelfinger, S. (2003). Cognitive Therapy and Exposure Strategies for the Treatment of Religious/Scrupulosity OCD. Presentation to clinic staff at AATC, Northbrook, IL.

 

Heffelfinger, S. (2003). Professional Issues Lecture. Presented to clinic staff at AATC, Northbrook, IL.

 

Heffelfinger, S. (2002). Selective Mutism and Anxiety Disorders in the Classroom.  In-service presentation to school staff at Rogers Elementary School, Chicago, IL.

 

Heffelfinger, S. (2002). Careers in Psychology and Biology.  Panel presentation to

undergraduates and faculty at Augustana College, Rock Island, IL.

 

Heffelfinger, S. (2000, November and 2001, March). Case conference presentations at the PRIME Multi-disciplinary Conference, VA Medical Center, Milwaukee, WI.

 

Heffelfinger, S. (2001, April and August). Case presentations to Psychology Department, VA Medical Center, Milwaukee, WI.

 

Heffelfinger, S. (1998-2000). Presented at and participated in the monthly Cognitive Therapy Case Conference at RUSH University, Chicago, IL.

 

Heffelfinger, S. (1996). Coronary Heart Disease: The Mind-Body Connection.  Community lecture presented at the annual Heart Fair sponsored by the Division of Cardiology, Lutheran General Hospital, Park Ridge, IL.

 

Heffelfinger, S. (1996).  Effects on the family when a loved one has heart disease.  Presentation to the Mended Hearts Support Group, American Heart Association, Lutheran General Hospital, Park Ridge, IL.