Counseling and Psychological Services
Staff
The CAPS and LNEC staff together consists of 10 psychologists, 3 clinical social workers, a master’s level professional counselor, and 4 part-time psychiatrists. The staff is highly invested in the training of interns and is committed to providing high quality supervision. In addition to psychology interns, CAPS trains advanced psychology graduate students, social work interns, and psychiatric residents. This diverse group of staff and trainees allows for fertile cross-disciplinary exchange of perspectives.
CAPS
Amy Alson, M.D. received her B.A. from Duke University, her M.D. from St. George's University School of Medicine, and completed residency training in Internal Medicine & Psychiatry at the University of Virginia. She puts her dual training to use with a focus on the treatment of students with eating disorders and other conditions at the interface between general medicine and psychiatry. In addition to caring for UVA students and teaching UVA residents and medical students, she devotes time and energy to the Charlottesville Free Clinic, where she has developed comprehensive mental healthcare services, created a practicum opportunity for UVA psychology graduate students, and provides care to the working uninsured of our community.
William H. Anderson, Jr., Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist at CAPS, and an associate professor on the general faculty of the University. Since coming to UVA in 1981, he has been involved in the graduate training of counselors and clinical psychologists. Current interests include humanistic, cognitive behavioral and other empirically supported therapies. Much of his clinical work focuses on sexuality concerns, multicultural issues, and the integration of spirituality and psychotherapy. In the past, he served on the Board of Directors of the Association of Counseling Center Training Agencies. He is a member of The Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, the Association of Black Psychologists, and the American Psychological Association. Leisure time activities include choral singing and participation in peace and justice organizations.
Lenny Carter, LPC received his M.A. in clinical and community psychology in 1983 from California State University, Northridge. At CAPS, he serves as the Assistant Director and Clinical Coordinator. In addition, he supervises the crisis on-call system and directs the suicide prevention program. Areas of interest include incorporation of eclectic techniques from psychodynamic and cognitive behavioral therapies in practice, use of DBT with Axis II disorders and dual diagnosis disorders. Lenny came to CAPS in 2001 with 20 years experience in community mental health centers. He maintains a small private practice. Lenny’s hobbies include sports, hiking and gardening.
Daniel Ciudin, M.D. received his Medical Degree from Carol Davila University (Bucharest, Romania) and completed a Psychiatry Residency at the University of Nantes (France) prior to moving to the USA. He graduated from the University of Virginia Psychiatry Program in December of 2004 and has been a member of the CAPS staff since then. He joined the New York Freudian Training Institute and endeavors to become board certified as a psychoanalyst as well as a psychiatrist. His interests include psychoanalysis, the interplay between psychopharmacology and psychotherapy, immigration, and cross-cultural issues. In his spare time he is drawn involuntarily to literature and music.
Russ Federman, Ph.D., ABPP has been the Director of CAPS since the fall of 2000. He received his doctorate in clinical psychology from United States International University, San Diego in 1982 and also had extensive postgraduate training in psychoanalytic psychotherapy through the San Diego Psychoanalytic Institute. Dr. Federman conducted full-time private practice in San Diego, CA for most of the 1980s and was then Director of Student Health, Mental Health Services at East Carolina University for nine years prior to coming to the University of Virginia. In addition to being a licensed psychologist, he is a Diplomate in Clinical Psychology through the American Board of Professional Psychology. Dr. Federman's particular areas of interest and clinical expertise entail treatment of personality disorders, depression, affect dysregulation, individuals with histories of trauma and abuse and also teaching/supervising psychotherapy. When away from work, Dr. Federman enjoys spending time with family, seeing good movies, choral singing, and fresh water kayak fishing on local waters.
Katherine Gibson, Psy.D. (Kate) is a licensed clinical psychologist who received her doctorate from The George Washington University in 2007. She completed her pre-doctoral internship and post-doctoral residency at CAPS. Her areas of clinical interest include psychodynamic theory, developmental and identity, women’s issues, cultural and multicultural issues, graduate and professional school challenges, and mood disorders. She worked in Washington, D.C. for eight years before entering the profession of psychology.
Rick Heisterman, LCSW, is a clinical social worker with a substance use subspecialty. He is the Director of Consultation Services at CAPS, which includes serving as the liaison to the athletic department and the judiciary system, and providing assessment and treatment to students referred from these programs. He has developed an ego supportive therapy approach called the Consultation Model. Prior to coming to the University, he had a 17-year career in community mental health as both a practitioner and administrator, with an emphasis on outpatient work with adolescents and young adults. He has an interest in psychodynamic theory and object relations, and especially finds this useful in his work with substance related disorders. He is currently refining an object relations-based brief treatment model called BEST (Brief Ego Supportive Treatment) BET (Brief Expressive Treatment) Psychotherapy, and maintains a small private practice. Presently, he enjoys film, sports (tennis, running and baseball), and playing the saxophone. He is married with two daughters, Erin and Meghan, aged 18 and 15.
Emily Lape, LCSW is a licensed clinical social worker, a Certified Group Psychotherapist, and Fellow of the American Group Psychotherapy Association. She graduated from the Smith College School for Social Work and interned at Yale Psychiatric Institute. She taught group therapy at Smith SSW. Emily coordinates the group therapy program at CAPS and is an eating disorder specialist. Emily blends psychodynamic, relational and CBT techniques with a specialization in women's issues, identity development, sexuality, eating disorders and trauma treatment. She presents at conferences on eating disorders and group psychotherapy. She also has a private practice in Charlottesville. Personal interests include hiking, cooking, film, and friends.
Warrenetta Mann, Psy.D. is a licensed psychologist and serves as the Multicultural Coordinator at CAPS. She received her doctorate from Spalding University in Louisville, Kentucky. Most of her work, across a variety of settings, has focused on special and underserved populations. This work includes ethnic, social and sexual minorities. She enjoys providing individual and group services, as well as outreach and educational services to populations who are least likely to access traditional mental health systems. Her training and experience are primarily with college populations that are as diverse as the colleges they attend. As such, her supervisory experience is designed to enhance multicultural competence skill building.
Belinda Overstreet, Ph.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist and a staff psychologist at CAPS. She has worked predominately in university settings since 1993. At that time, Dr. Overstreet received her doctorate in Counseling Psychology from Ball State University. Consistent with her degree, she focuses on building upon the strengths of the individual, couple, or group. Her professional interests include supervision and training as well as integrating systemic and psychodynamic theories within a multicultural context. Her clinical interests include: family issues; relationship building; trauma recovery, and treatment of mood disorders. Dr. Overstreet comes from Southwest Virginia and enjoys working with nontraditional and transfer students. She has experience treating a wide range of psychological problems in adolescents and adults.
Nickie Spears, M.D. is a part-time staff psychiatrist. She received her BSN from Vanderbilt University, her M.D. from University of Alabama School of Medicine, and completed her psychiatric residency at University of Virginia. She has worked in both inpatient and outpatient settings in the past, in community mental health and in private practice. Hours outside of work are devoted to caring for her family, following politics, planning travels, reading, and trying to get some exercise. Interests include the environment, and history, especially the stories of women and families over the course of human history.
J. Anderson Thomson, Jr., M.D. (Andy) is a part-time staff psychiatrist. He received his B.A. from Duke University, his M.D. from the University of Virginia, and completed his psychiatric residency at the University of Virginia. His private practice is oriented towards individual psychoanalytic psychotherapy, forensic psychiatry, and medication consultation. He is a forensic psychiatrist at the University’s Institute of Law, Psychiatry, and Public Policy and at Region Ten Community Services, and he maintains a private forensic practice. He has published articles on narcissistic personality disorder, PTSD, traumatized societies, the psychodynamics of racism, suicide terrorism, the cognitive neuroscience of religious belief and identity, evolutionary forensic psychiatry, and psychobiographical essays on Robert E. Lee and Lee Harvey Oswald. His current areas of interest include evolutionary psychology, the mechanism of action of antidepressants, the treatment of recently diagnosed young adult bipolar patients, the evolved psychology and neuroscience of religious belief, the possible adaptive design of depression, and the placebo effect. Outside interests (compulsions) include running, biking, sculling, swimming, denial of aging, and purchasing books on evolutionary psychology from Amazon.com.
Rafael Triana, Ph.D. has been an Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatric and Neurobehavioral Sciences and a staff clinician in the Department of Student Health since 1985. He graduated from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in 1970 and worked as a professional actor in New York. He received his B.A. and M.A. degrees in religious studies from the University of Virginia. He obtained his M.S.W. and Ph.D. in clinical social work at the Smith College School for Social Work. He completed a four-year fellowship in the Mental Health Division at Yale University Health Services, and is a graduate and faculty member of the Washington Psychoanalytic Institute. Faculty responsibilities in the School of Medicine include teaching psychiatric residents, medical students and coordinating culture and medical Spanish. Dr. Triana is the former director of CAPS and former head of the previously existing Mental Health Division of Student Health. As a marine Vietnam combat veteran and Cuban American from an inner city, Dr. Triana brings a diversity and richness to his clinical work.
Christine M. Tucker, Ph.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist who joined the staff at CAPS in 2008 as a part-time clinician. She received her doctorate from Virginia Tech in 1991, and completed her internship and post-doctoral training in neuropsychology at the University of Virginia's Dept. of Psychiatric Medicine. She has maintained a private practice in the Charlottesville area since that time. Dr. Tucker's training is in cognitive behavioral therapy and behavioral medicine. She has also received additional training with the Stress Reduction/Mindfulness work from the University of Massachusetts. Dr. Tucker's clinical interests are in the treatment of depression, anxiety, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, grief work, and the interface of psychology and medicine. Her interests are oil painting and art, yoga, and spending time with her family and friends.
Baozhen Xie, Ph.D. received her doctorate in counseling psychology from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities in 2007. Before coming to UVa, she completed her postdoctoral fellowship in psychology at Stanford University and internship at Southern Illinois University. She practices from an integration of humanistic, relational, and cognitive behavioral approaches. She enjoys working with students from diverse cultural backgrounds and providing outreach to underserved student populations. Her initial work at UVa will focus on Asian international and Asian American students. Her clinical interests include identity developmental issues, cross-cultural adjustment, anxiety, relationship issues, and eating disorders. During her spare time, she enjoys hiking, practicing meditation, travel, and watching TV.
Matt Zimmerman, Psy.D., ABPP is the Director of Training and a staff psychologist at CAPS. He received his doctorate in clinical psychology from Nova Southeastern University’s Center for Psychological Studies. He completed his internship at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, and his post-doctoral residency at The Renfrew Center. Matt currently serves on the Board of the Association of Counseling Center Training Agencies (ACCTA). His areas of clinical interest include eating issues and body image concerns, relational difficulties and clinical training. He is also certified in Biofeedback and has taught several graduate level courses on the philosophical basis of psychology and treatment of eating disorders. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his wife and two young children, hiking, singing, reading evolutionary biology and playing basketball.
LNEC
Robert Diamond, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist at the Learning Needs and Evaluation Center (LNEC). He has a background in clinical neuropsychology and considers himself both a clinical psychologist and a school psychologist. He has been a faculty member of the University of Virginia since 1988. Areas of interest include the effects of mild closed head injury, the interaction of personality assessment and neuropsychological assessment and adjustment to serious psychiatric illness. He is a member of the American Psychological Association (Divisions 12-Clinical Psychology, 16-School Psychology & 40-Neuropsychology), the National Academy of Neuropsychologists, the International Neuropsychological Society, the National Association of School Psychologists and the Virginia Psychological Association. Bob loves to travel. He is also fascinated by popular culture particularly movies and music. He is appalled by reality television, but can easily be hooked into following the worst series if he watches even one episode.