STAFF DIRECTORY

Our Psychology Staff represent a wide range of backgrounds, clinical interests, and treatment approaches; thus, interns are exposed to a diverse array of professional activities and interpersonal styles. Interns will receive individual and group supervision from 2-3 supervisors during any given rotation, and are also invited to select a "mentor"-a staff person with whom they may develop a non-evaluative relationship during the internship. Mentors typically are chosen on the basis of shared professional interests, and function as professional role models and advisors.

The Chief of Psychology is ultimately responsible for the training program but has delegated administrative responsibility to the Psychology Training Director and the Training Committee. The Training Director is Dr. Kimberly Sieber and Committee members include most psychology staff members: Drs. Thomas Aikins, Steven Allen, Tracy Black-Cecchini, Steven Jackson, Janet Madsen, Patrick Miller, Thomas Mullin, Kitty Roberts, Iris Taber, Warren Thorley, Ellen Todt and Richard Weaver.

Position: Staff Psychologist, Mood and Anxiety Disorders Clinic.

Length of Service: 1973.

Degree: University of Utah, Counseling Psychology.

Clinical Interests: PTSD and the WWII/Korean veteran, assessment and treatment of former POW's, childhood trauma and adult adjustment, long-term therapy, and chronic pain.

Faculty Appointments: Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Educational Psychology, Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of Utah.

Research Interests and Publications: Therapist training; Behavioral Management of Depression; Group Psychotherapy; Brief Therapy; MMPI; Pain Management; Hypnosis, CISD.

E-mail: thomas.aikins@va.gov

Position: Staff psychologist, Coordinator, PTSD Clinical Team

Length of Service: 1990.

Degree: University of Wyoming, Clinical Psychology.

Clinical Interests: Treatment of PTSD, psychological assessment, group psychotherapy.

Faculty Appointments: Professor (adjunct), Educational Psychology Department,
University of Utah; Associate Professor (Adjunct), Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Utah.

Clinical/Research Interests: My current responsibilities included coordination of the outpatient PTSD program for the Salt Lake City Health Care system. The program provides psychological assessment and evidence based treatment for veterans with military related PTSD.

I am frequently involved in the supervision of PTSD diagnostic assessments, especially by psychology practicum students.

Reflecting the importance of community involvement in treatment of PTSD, I am involved in several state groups providing outreach and coordination of care to veterans. Our current research projects include participation in the VA cooperative studies research program investigations of risperidone and prazosin in the treatment of PTSD.

E-mail: steven.allen@va.gov

 
Position: Staff Psychologist, Behavioral Health Clinic

Length of Service: 2005.

Degree: Utah State University, Clinical Psychology.

Clinical Interests: Health Psychology, Grief Counseling,  Anxiety Disorders, MMPI-2.

Faculty Appointments: State University of New York at Buffalo.

Research Interests and Publications: Chronic Mental Illnesses; Psychosocial oncology; Adjustment to illness; Childood and Adolescent Depression..

E-mail: tracy.blackcecchini@va.gov

Position: Psychology Service Program Support Assistant

Length of Service: 2005

E-mail: Mari.Hanson@va.gov

 
Position: Staff Psychologist, Home Based Primary Care Program 

Length of Service:2007

Degree: Ph.D., Clinical Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham

Clinical Interests: Cognitive/Neuropsychological Assessment, Medical Ethics, Medical Decision Making, Dementia Assessment/Treatment

Research Interests and Publications: Cognitive/Neuropsychological Assessment, Medical Ethics, Medical Decision Making, Dementia Assessment/Treatment

E-mail: Bret.Hicken@va.gov

Position: Staff Psychologist and Coordinator, Vocational Rehabilitation.

Length of Service: 1983.

Degree: University of Utah, Clinical Psychology.

Clinical Interests: Vocational assessment, transitional work experiences and supported employment for persons with disabilities.

Faculty Appointments: Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Educational Psychology, University of Utah.

Research Interests and Publications: Transitional work experience outcomes.

E-mail: steven.jackson@va.gov

Position: Staff Psychologist, Behavioral Medicine Clinic.

Length of service: 1995.

Degree: University of Utah, Counseling Psychology.

Clinical Interests: Brief therapy, adjustment to chronic illness, weight management.

Faculty appointments: Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Educational Psychology, University of Utah.

Research Interests and Publications: Memory; Helath Psychology; Behavioral Medicine; Brief Psychotherapy.

E-mail: janet.madsen@va.gov

Position: Chief, Psychology Service. Staff Psychologist, Behavioral Medicine Clinic.

Length of service: 1983.

Degree: Washington State University, Clinical Psychology.

Clinical Interests: Dementia, geropsychology, neuropsychological assessment.

Faculty appointments: Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Educational Psychology and Psychiatry, University of Utah.

Research Interests and Publications: Brain Injury and Impairment; Dementia; Geropsychology.

E-mail: patrick.miller@va.gov

Position: Staff Psychologist; PCT Clinic

Length of Service: 2007

Degree: Psy.D., Clinical Psychology, Argosy University/Phoenix

Clinical/Research Interests: Currently my interests involve treatment of OIF/OEF veterans presenting with combat trauma, readjustment issues, and/or Military Sexual Trauma (MST).

I enjoy meeting with soldiers who have recently returned from deployment, and working with soldiers/veterans and their families regarding the readjustment process.

I have experience treating veterans who present with comorbid PTSD and substance abuse and/or other self-harm behaviors, and frequently utilize the Seeking Safety program to improve coping strategies.

I also treat veterans who experienced MST, and whom frequently are also survivors of childhood sexual and/or physical abuse using a variety of treatment modalities, based on the veteran's presenting issues.

E-mail: Tanya.Miller2@va.gov

 
Position: Psychology Resident, PTSD Clinical Team.

Length of service: 2005

Degree: University of Utah, Counseling Psychology.

Clinical/Research Interests: My dissertation explored tracking the relationship between long-term diabetes control and the subjective experience of distress.

As a part of my graduate training, I completed a predoctoral internship at the VA Salt Lake City Health Care System. This training has a generalist psychology training perspectives that has medical, psychiatric inpatient, and mental health outpatient elements.

As a staff psychologist at the VA SLC, I provide assessment and treatment for veterans, with an emphasis on veterans from Operation Iraqi Freedom/Enduring Freedom. I use several types of interventions in his work including empirically supported Cognitive Processing Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Coping Skills, among other approaches.

I also co-facilitate an Iraq/Afghanistan readjustment group that offers support and readjustment education to veterans and their support persons. I provide outreach to National Guardsmen and Reservists who have completed deployments and are readjusting to post-deployment life.

Email: Thomas.Mullin2@va.gov

Position: Staff Psychologist, PTSD Clinical Team and TeleMental Health.

Length of service: 2003

Degree: University of North Texas, Clinical Psychology.

Clinical Interests: Military Sexual Trauma, Combat-related PTSD, Group therapies (MST trauma focused, spouse support).

Faculty Appointments: Associate Instructor, Westminster College. Clinical  Assistnat Professor, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Utah.

Clinical/Research Interests: I have an interest in TeleMH as 70% of my caseload consists of veterans with PTSD who live more than 50 miles from the VASLCHCS. I have presented research on the efficacy of TeleMH at the American Telemedicine Association's annual meetings.

I have also presented research at the ISTSS Annual meetings regarding the efficacy of Insomnia Group therapy for veteran with PTSD, as well as the long-term effects of the Insomnia Group therapy. I am currently investigating the efficacy of using an Insomnia Workbook on an individual basis in lieu of attending the Insomnia Group.

I am a Co-PI on a VA Cooperative Studies investigating treatment efficacy of Prazosin in patients diagnosed with PTSD.  

E-mail: Mary.Roberts2@va.gov

 
Position: Staff Psychologist;: Poly Trauma Team and PCT Team

Length of Service: 2007

Degree: Psy.D. Clinical Psychology, Pepperdine University, Los Angeles

Clinical Interests: Neuropsychological Assessment, Traumatic Brain Injury, Rehabilitation Psychology, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

E-mail: Jennifer.Romesser@va.gov

Position: Training Director. Staff Psychologist, Mental Health Consult Team, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.

Length of service: 2001.

Degree: University of Missouri-St. Louis.

Clinical Interests: Neuropsychological assessment, adjustment to illness, rehabilitation psychology consultation and liaison.

Faculty appointments: Associate Faculty, Department of Educational Psychology and Department of Psychology (Clinical), University of Utah; Associate Instructor, Westminster College.

Research Interests and Publications: Self-Concept Across the Adult Lifespan; Late-Life Depression; Behavioral Medicine Interventions in Long-Term Care Settings; Neuropsychological Assessment of Dementia; MMPI-2.

E-mail: Kimberly.Sieber@va.gov

Position: Staff Psychologist, North Star Substance Abuse Treatment Program.

Length of service: 1988.

Degree: Texas Tech University. Counseling Psychology.

Clinical Interests: Personality disorders, substance abuse, relapse prevention.

Research Interests and Publications: Personality Disorders; Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory.

E-mail: warren.thorley@va.gov

Position: Staff Psychologist and Team Leader, Mood and Anxiety Disorders Clinic.

Length of Service: 1983.

Degree:Brigham Young University, Clinical Psychology.

Clinical Interests: Psychological aspects of chronic mental illness with significant biological contributions, such as Adult ADD and Bipolar Disorder.

Research Interests and Publications: Eating Disorders; Assessment and Management of Pain;

E-mail: ellen.todt@va.gov

 
Position: Staff Psychologist, Healthcare for Homeless Veterans/Critical Time Intervention Program.

Length of Service:2007

Degree: Ph.D., University of Utah, Clinical Psychology

Clinical Interests: Community-based treatment of homelessness, interpersonal therapeutic/diagnostic approaches, personality disorders, role of identity in psychotherapy, Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)

Research Interests and Publications:  Group therapy in homeless populations, social identity and its impact on well-being, impression management, self-esteem development and maintenance

E-mail: Michael.Tragakis@va.gov

 
Position: Staff Psychologist

Length of Service:2007

Degree: Ph.D., Counseling Psychology

Clinical Interests: Clinical Interests: Behavioral Medicine, Risk Behaviors, Palliative Care, Oncology

E-mail:Sarah.Turley@va.gov

 
Position: Staff Psychologist, Inpatient Psychiatry Unit.

Length of service: 1981.

Degree: Brigham Young University, Clinical Psychology.

Clinical Interests: Computer applications, psychoeducational approaches, and group therapy.

Faculty Appointments: Clinical Assistant Professor of Educational Psychology; Adjunct Faculty, Department of Psychiatry, University of Utah.

Research Interests and Publications: Psychoeducational Approaches; Computer Applications.

E-mail: richard.weaver@va.gov