Karen Beth Acheson, Ph. D.

Professional Licenses/Certifications

Maine Licensed Psychologist #PSY705 11/07/2000-Present

**/**/****-**/**/1996

North Carolina Psychologist #2069 04/21/1995-10/01/2000

08/01/2016 Pending Reinstatement

North Carolina Health Service Provider-Psychologist 04/21/1995-10/01/2000

08/01/2016 Pending Reinstatement

National Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology #44530 01/01/1998

Employment

07/06-Present: Independent Practice, 205 Ocean Avenue, Portland, Maine

Independent practice location providing adult psychotherapy & other psychological services. Located in Portland, Maine, clients are from varied socioeconomic, educational & cultural backgrounds & present a full range of psychological concerns.

Areas of Special Interest: Cognitive-Behavioral, Mindfulness & Other Stress-Reduction Therapies; Health Psychology; Interpersonal & Supportive Therapies; Affective Disorders (Depression & Bipolar Depression); Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder; PTSD & Other Concerns Related to Psychological/Physical/Sexual Abuse, Neglect & Assault; services for the Developmentally Delayed, their families & caregivers; Telehealth.

03/05-07/07 Psychologist, Psychiatric Associates of Southern Maine, Biddeford, Maine

Part-time fee-for-service adult psychotherapy practice located within a busy psychiatric clinic.

06/01-04/04 Counseling Services, Inc., Saco, ME

Services provided: Full-time clinician with CBT-ACT team. Provided CBT/DBT psychotherapy, supportive counseling & case management as a member of this multidisciplinary team.

Population: Chronically Mentally Ill adults with Axis I & II disorders; most had been discharged from the State of Maine's major psychiatric facility.

10/99-05/01 Independent Practice, Kennebunk, Maine

Part-time independent practice location providing psychotherapy, psychological testing & other psychological services to adults.

03/98-09/99 Psychologist, Associates in Community Transition, Ind., 311-E Judges Road, Wilmington,

North Carolina 28405

As a psychologist covering Greensboro & Winston-Salem, N.C., provided evaluations & psychotherapy to residents of facilities contracting with ACT, Inc.: Skilled Nursing Facilities; Assisted Living Homes; Rest Homes. Patients included adults 18 & over as well as geriatric ages. They presented a full range of medical & psychiatric concerns, including Adjustment, Affective & Anxiety Disorders; Developmental Delays; as well as Dementia, Stroke & other brain trauma, & Schizophrenia. This position required close liaison with psychiatrists, medical directors, nursing staff, and other personnel. Also,

provided case consultations & inservice training to facility staff.

Karen B. Acheson, Ph.D., Vita, Page 2

04/97-12/97 Senior Psychologist I, OPC Area Program-Developmental Disabilities Dept., 412-B Caldwell Street, Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Services Provided: As the full-time psychologist within OPC's Developmental Disabilities Department, provided psychological services for OPC's Thomas S Program (65%); three Early Intervention Centers for

children under age 5 (25%); the CAP Program (children); the DD Case Management Program; and the

Supported Living Program. The Thomas S Program is a statewide program mandated by class action lawsuit to provide community-based services to adults dually diagnosed with Developmental Disabilities & Psychiatric Illness.

10/94-04/97 Independent Practice Locations in Greensboro & Burlington, North Carolina

Practice Description: Independent practice providing psychological services for adults, elderly, adolescents & children. Services included: Individual, couples & family psychotherapy; psychological testing & evaluations; emergency evaluations & services; EAP services; consultations.

06/91-06/94 Independent Practice, The Old Richardson Place, 510 Main Street, Gorham, ME

Practice Description: Full-time independent practice located in a university community near Portland, Maine. Emphasized counseling & psychological services for adults, elderly, adolescents & children. Services included: Individual, couples & family therapy; nursing home evaluations; and contract services for developmentally delayed adults as described below, “Consulting Psychologist

Population Description: General practice clients were of varied socioeconomic & educational backgrounds. Clients presented a full range of psychological concerns: Affective & Anxiety Disorders; Abuse/Assault History; PTSD; Alcohol & Drug Addictions; Adjustment Disorders; Schizophrenia, etc.

06/91-06/94 Consulting Psychologist, Pineland Center, Pownal, Maine

Practice Description: 250 bed residential facility for Developmentally Delayed adults, the primary such facility for the State of Maine. Provided psychological services by contract, including billing & record- keeping. Services included primary responsibility for psychological evaluations & behavioral treatment plans for three housing units; active participation in interdisciplinary team meetings; inservice training; and teaching. When appropriate, also provided counseling to residents with various concerns, e.g., anger management; grief; trauma; sexuality.

Population Characteristics: Residents in my units were geriatric & non-geriatric adults having mild to very profound mental retardation, many with physical deformities and/or other serious medical conditions. Many individuals carried dual diagnoses with mental retardation & another psychiatric disorder and/or substance abuse history. Older residents also presented conditions & issues commonly associated with geriatric populations, including Life-Threatening Illness; Alzheimer's & Other Dementia; concerns re: Death & Dying; Loss, etc,

01/88-06/91 Staff Psychologist, Western Maine Counseling Service, Bridgton, Maine

Facility Description: Private non-profit community mental health center that provided virtually all outpatient mental health services to this underserved rural area. Clients were adults, elderly, adolescents & children from varied socioeconomic & educational backgrounds. A full range of family, psychological, developmental, substance abuse & forensic problems were presented.

Services Provided: As staff psychologist, my services included: Individual, Couples, Family & Group therapies for all ages; Alcohol & Drug Abuse evaluations & treatment, mostly state mandated; Psychological Evaluations (Probation & Parole referrals; Supervision of Graduate Interns; Voluntary & Involuntary Committals. Also, we provided 24 hour Emergency “On Call” services: Evaluations, recommendations, referrals & committals “in-house” & as needed by the local hospital.

Karen B. Acheson, Ph..D., Vita, Page 3

In addition, assisted the agency Clinical Director in performing Medicaid Quarterly & Annual Treatment Reviews; Initiated & Implemented Outreach Services, including: Developed a new satellite office; Formed a community-based self-help group for female survivors of sexual trauma; Presented at Formal & Informal community & educational functions.

10/86-12/87 Psychological Testing Department, Fayette County Mental Health Center, Uniontown, Pennsylvania

Practice Description: Provided Psychological Evaluations with Reports, Recommendations & Referrals. Primary Referral Sources included: State of Pennsylvania Disability Determination Services; State of Pennsylvania Department of Human Services; Infant Stimulation Programs; Public School Systems; area programs for Developmentally Delayed Children & Adults; & referrals from “in-house” clinicians.

Population Characteristics: Referrals included infants, preschoolers, school-aged children, adolescents & adults. Clients were primarily from lower socioeconomic & educational backgrounds typical of Appalachia. They presented an array of psychological, substance abuse, developmental & serious medical problems often the result of long-term poverty, abuse & neglect. Many were Dual Diagnosis clients presenting Developmental Delays, Substance Abuse & Severe Psychiatric Disorders.

08/85-08/86 Pre-Doctoral Psychology Internship, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia

Full-time 12-month Pre-Doctoral Psychology Internship in accordance with American Psychological Association guidelines. Internship placement was at the Counseling & Psychological Services Center (aka “The Carruth Center”) serving the outpatient mental health needs of the university community. Clients included: Traditional & Non-Traditional Students; Graduate & Professional Students; WVU Faculty & Staff. Presenting problems included a wide array of psychological concerns & diagnoses similar to that found in the community at large: Adjustment Disorders; Affective & Anxiety Disorders; Bipolar Disorder; Couples/Marital Issues; Eating Disorders; Personality & Character Disorders; Sexuality & Sexual Identity concerns; Schizophrenia; Substance Abuse; & Suicidality.

08/84-08/85 Doctoral Psychology Associate, Region One Mental Health Center, Clarksdale, Mississippi

Facility Description: Region One Mental Health Center was the primary mental health service agency for a 4-county catchment area. These were among the poorest counties in the United States at that time. Referral sources included: Public & Private Schools; State of Mississippi Human Services, & State of Mississippi Disability Determination Services; Probation & Parole; & the nearby hospital.

Services Provided: As a full-time member of the Children & Family Services team, my services included: Individual, Couples, Family & Group psychotherapy for Children, Adolescents, Adults & the Elderly; Psychological Evaluations with reports for all ages; weekend Emergency Services. Also, along with one colleague, we provided monthly visits to Head Start schools located within our 4-county catchment area to screen children for developmental, behavioral or other special needs; we provided consultation with Head Start teachers & principals; & we provided follow-up formal psychological testing with children as needed to secure appropriate services.

In addition, my responsibilities at Region One included fulfillment of a service contract with Delta Manor, a 120-bed residential facility for Developmentally Delayed/Dual Diagnosis adults. Primary emphasis was on development & implementation of Individual Behavioral Treatment Plans.

08/83=08/84 Group Home Manager, North Mississippi Retardation Center, Oxford, Mississippi

Full-time live-in position with a co-manager & 5 adult Developmentally Delayed women sharing a home located in Oxford, Mississippi. Our primary responsibilities included: Development & Implementation of

Individualized Treatment Plans with emphasis on Independent Living Skills; coordination of treatment planning & resident care with the parent organization, North Mississippi Retardation Center.

Karen B. Acheson, Ph.D., Vita, Page 4

Pre-Doctoral Psychology Internship

West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, 08/85-08/86

Graduate & Undergraduate Education

Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Mississippi, Oxford, Mississippi, 12/1987

Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, The University of Missouri Kansas City, Missouri, 12/1978

Bachelor of Science in Animal Science, The University of Missouri Columbia, Missouri, 5/1976

Academic Honors

The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi

Psi Chi National Honor Society in Psychology

Doctoral Dissertation

The Type A Behavior Pattern, Self-Esteem & Occupational Self-Concept: An Investigation of the Cognitive Social Learning Model of Type A Behavior

Presented in oral defense & accepted December 11, 1987, The University of Mississippi, Oxford, Mississippi

References Available Upon Request

Contact this candidate