Amanda L. Wood, Psy.D. Licensed Clinical Psychologist
[email protected] www.doctorwood.org 310.657.4461
EDUCATION Pepperdine University – West Los Angeles, CA Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology, June 2006 Pepperdine University – Encino, CA M.A. in Clinical Psychology, June 2002 California State University, Fullerton – Fullerton, CA B.A. in Psychology, June 2000 Skidmore College – Saratoga Springs, NY Undergraduate Psychology Major, September 1996 to December 1998
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE Wood Psychological Services, Inc. (Private Practice) – Phoenix, AZ & Los Angeles, CA President & CEO, December 2009 to Present Specialize in the provision of developmental, psychodiagnostic, psychoeducational, and neuropsychological assessments for children, adolescents, and adults, with expertise in the area of social cognitive disorders, including autism, Asperger’s, and ADHD. Provide individualized treatment services including individual, group, and family therapy; social skills and peer groups; individual and organizational consultation and training, including school consultation, parent and caregiver training, paraprofessional training, and treatment team coordination. Available as an independent contractor to provide the above-described services. Consultant to Gentry Pediatric Behavioral Services. Provide early diagnosis, educational support, and comprehensive treatment options for children and families dealing with childhood struggles and disabilities. Services include diagnostic evaluations, psychological evaluations, independent education evaluations (IEEs), individual and family cognitive behavioral therapy, parent training, and consultation services to families, schools, and organizations. Center for Autism and Related Disorders, Inc. (CARD) – Tarzana, CA Senior Assessor, January 2009 to December 2009 Assessor, Assessment Center Assessor Manager, Research & Development, January 2008 to January 2009 Conducted developmental and psychological assessments with children, adolescents, and adults with pervasive developmental disorders. Wrote comprehensive reports including interpretation of scores, diagnosis, and treatment recommendations. Provided feedback to parents, treatment supervisor, and therapy team. Assisted in the development of the CAPIC-accredited pre-doctoral internship in clinical psychology program. Served as primary supervisor for practicum students and delegated supervisor for pre-doctoral interns. Provided trainings, didactics, and supervision of practicum students and pre- and post-doctoral interns. Supervised assessments conducted by assessors and trainees. Provided trainings (e.g., test administration, scoring, interpretation, importance of psychological assessments) for members of the assessment team, clinical staff, parents, and the community. Research duties included: Coordinating assessments for participants in Treatment Outcome Study, evaluating effectiveness of high- and lowintensity behavior intervention programs. Managed and collaborated on ongoing research projects within CARD and in conjunction with other institutions, which included
both grant- and privately-funded projects. Assisted in writing administrative documents such as grants and curriculum to be used in the treatment of children with ASD. Supervisor: Bahareh Talei, Psy.D., Director, CARD Assessment Center Behavioral Building Blocks, Inc. (B3) – Sherman Oaks, CA Program Coordinator/Supervisor, August 2007 to January 2008 Performed functional assessments to determine necessity of behavior intervention services for children with autism and other developmental delays. Provided direct service to children and families. Designed and implemented programs to address academic and social deficits. Oversaw behavior intervention staff and program coordinators who provided direct service and maintenance of direct service staff. Conducted observations in the home, school, and community settings. Collected, interpreted, and reported data in written and graphical formats. Wrote functional assessment and progress reports to provide treatment recommendations and progress regarding educational and behavioral programs. Trained and coordinated scheduling for direct service staff members. Attended ongoing trainings and continuing education workshops. Supervisor: Anki Sjolund, M.S., BCBA, Clinic Director Child Counseling & Behavior Therapy Clinic, Inc. – Encino, CA Clinical Supervisor, September 2002 to April 2006 Senior Therapist, June 2001 to September 2002 Supervised and trained teams of interventionists who worked directly with children affected by disorders of early childhood; provided one-on-one behavior intervention services for children with pervasive developmental disorders; developed programs designed to teach communication, academic, play, and social skills; provided parent training; trained classroom aides to better assist the child at school; attended IEP meetings and assisted in school placements; wrote progress reports and provided treatment recommendations; attended ongoing training workshops regarding theories of applied behavior analysis. Supervisor: Wayne Tashjian, M.F.T., Clinic Director Working With Autism, Inc. – Encino, CA Senior Discrete Trial Instructor, June 2000 to June 2001 Provided intensive one-on-one behavior intervention services to children with autism and other pervasive developmental disorders; lead a team of discrete trial instructors who worked directly with the clients; attended IEP meeting and assisted in school placements; wrote program summaries and progress reports. Supervisor: Jennifer Sabin, M.A., Clinic Director Autism Spectrum Consultants (ASC) – Newport Beach, CA Lead Discrete Trial Instructor, February 1999 to June 2000 Employed as an independent contractor for the Garden Grove Unified School District to provide behavior intervention services to children with autism and Asperger’s Disorder, as well as other pervasive developmental disorders; provided intensive early intervention services; received training in applied behavior analysis and the discrete trial technique from the Lovaas Institute for Early Intervention, as well as ASC; assisted director of ASC to train new instructors and advance clients’ programs. Supervisor: Jessica Postil, M.A., Clinic Director
CLINICAL TRAINING The Help Group – Sherman Oaks, CA Postdoctoral Resident, August 2006 to August 2007 Autism Spectrum Disorders Postdoctoral Residency Program, APPIC-accredited
Performed developmental interviews and psychodiagnostic evaluations, utilizing measures of developmental, cognitive, and adaptive functioning, including the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule. Provided individual and family therapy for children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders. School consultation: trained and supervised teachers and instructional aides to implement discrete trial programs and assisted with classroom management; performed functional analyses; designed and implemented behavior support plans. Coordinated and co-facilitated five-week social skills summer camp program for children with high functioning autism and Asperger’s Disorder. Trained school staff and clinicians regarding behavior interventions and social skills curriculum. Lectured at community college institute to educate and train paraprofessionals regarding autism spectrum disorders. Coordinated and participated in community outreach aimed at educating pediatricians regarding the early signs of autism and improve early identification through the use of screening measures. Participated in Utilization Review Committee. Attended continuing education seminars and workshops the field of autism spectrum disorders. Received DMH documentation training. Supervisor: Laurie Stephens, Ph.D., Director, Autism Spectrum Disorders Programs The May Institute, Inc. – West Springfield, MA Pre-Doctoral Intern, August 2005 to August 2006 Psychology Internship Program, APA-accredited Provided comprehensive services for children and adults with autism, brain injury, developmental disorders, mental retardation, and behavioral healthcare needs. Major rotation: 50 percent child, 50 percent adult. Performed behavioral and skill-based assessments; developed behavior intervention plans; designed support strategies and comprehensive treatment programs. Provided consultative support services to persons in residential, school (public and private), and home settings. Trained and supervised direct-care staff. Conducted and published research. Developed, implemented, and evaluated the outcome of a social skills group for adolescents with Asperger’s Disorder. Minor rotation: National Autism Center’s Autism Spectrum Disorders Clinic; conducted diagnostic assessments; clinical interviews; parent training and support groups. Additional training included attending continuing education workshops and bi-monthly didactic training seminars; weekly individual & group supervision. Supervisor: Alan Harchik, Ph.D., BCBA, Senior Vice President The HELP Group – UCLA Neuropsychology Program – Sherman Oaks, CA Neuropsychological Extern, August 2004 to July 2005 Psychodiagnostic assessment of children and adolescents. Neurocognitive and psychoemotional assessment, focusing on learning disorders/disabilities, ADHD, and developmental disabilities. Weekly administration, scoring, interpretation, and integrative report writing. Coordinated with educational teams to make recommendations for school transitions. Participated in feedback sessions, didactic training seminars, and both individual and group supervision. Supervisor: Philip Levin, Ph.D., Program Director University of California, Los Angeles – Westwood, CA Neuropsychological Extern, August 2003 to August 2004 Alzheimer’s Disease Center: July 2004 to August 2004 Neuropsychological assessment of older adults, from a vast referral base, including Alzheimer’s dementia and traumatic brain injury. Weekly administration, scoring, interpretation, and report writing. Received weekly individual and group supervision. Supervisor: Po Lu, Psy.D., Coordinator Memory and Aging Research Center: May 2004 to July 2004
Administration, scoring, interpretation, and report writing with patients participating in a memory and aging study. Performed both initial and secondary evaluations. Trained in integrative report writing and conducting brief clinical interviews. Supervisor: Karen Miller, Ph.D., Coordinator Adult Inpatient & Outpatient: August 2003 to May 2004 Administration and scoring of neuropsychological assessments within a diverse, universitybased hospital setting; integrative report writing; case presentations; attended postdoctoral didactic seminars in the advanced applications of neuropsychology; research on various topics in the field of neuropsychology; weekly group and individual supervision. Supervisor: Karen Miller, Ph.D., Neuropsychologist Pepperdine Community Counseling Center – Encino, CA Therapist Intern, January 2003 to May 2004 Provided individual, family, and couples therapy for students and members of the local community; performed intake and telephone assessments; received training and experience in diagnosis, treatment planning, and techniques of treatment, case presentations, and charting; received weekly individual and group supervision; attended weekly case conferences and monthly trainings. Supervisor: Anat Cohen, Ph.D., Clinic Director
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE Pepperdine University – West Los Angeles, CA Principal Investigator, January 2004 to August 2006 Assessing roles, expectations, and needs of parents of children with autism in behavioral treatment using the A-PARENT Survey Dissertation research project examining roles, expectations, and needs of parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorders who receive behavior intervention services. Designed a 76-item self-report measure to assess parents’ knowledge and expectations, as well as their and their family’s involvement in their children’s treatment. Distributed survey to Regional Centers and private behavioral service providers in the Los Angeles area. Completed data collection and analysis. Published in 2006. Supervisor: Susan R. Hall, J.D., Ph.D. The May Institute, Inc. – West Springfield, MA Co-Investigator/Grant Writer, December 2005 Pilot study examining the effectiveness of a social skills group for adolescents with Asperger’s Disorder. Conducted a review of the literature; developed and submitted a grant proposal to the Massachusetts Department of Mental Retardation (DMR); awarded $10,000 to support the 12 week group. Supervisor: Alan Harchik, Ph.D., BCBA The May Institute, Inc. – West Springfield, MA Principal Investigator, November 2005 Single-subject research project examining the effectiveness of a staff training program on the implementation of a PECS program with a 26-year-old male diagnosed with autism. Staff training consisted of a mini-workshop providing a brief overview and rationale of the PECS program, as well as in-vivo demonstration including modeling, rehearsal, and feedback. Supervisor: Alan Harchik, Ph.D., BCBA Skidmore College – Saratoga Springs, NY Research Assistant, January 1998
Performed a literature review on the effects of occlusion on the recognition of unfamiliar faces. Assisted in designing an experiment to determine how subjects encode unfamiliar faces that are occluded by paraphernalia. Tested subjects in experimental conditions; collected and entered data into a database; performed preliminary analysis of results. Principal Investigator: Hugh J. Foley, Ph.D.
TEACHING EXPERIENCE Moorpark Community College – Moorpark, CA Guest Lecturer, January 2004 to May 2004 Abnormal Psychology. Participated in a lecture series on the use of applied behavior analytic techniques in the diagnosis and treatment of various psychological disorders. Course Instructor: Brandi A. Davis, M.A., M.F.T.
PUBLICATIONS Wood, A., Luiselli, J., & Harchik, A. (2007). Training instructional skills with paraprofessional service providers at a community-based habilitation setting. Behavior Modification, 31, 847-855. Wood, A. (2006). Assessing roles, expectations, and needs of parents of children with autism in behavioral treatment using the A-PARENT Survey (Doctoral dissertation, Pepperdine University, 2006).
PRESENTATIONS Los Angeles Valley College Autism Conference “Applied Behavior Analysis: Best Practices for Intervention,” March 2007 Los Angeles Valley College Paraprofessional Training Academy “Paraprofessional Training: Roles, Responsibilities, and Ethical Issues,” January 2007 “Intervention for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders,” January 2007 The Help Group Partnership with St. John’s Hospital “Early Screening for Developmental Delays,” October 2006 “Pervasive Developmental Disorders,” October 2006 Berkshire Association for Behavior Analysis and Therapy Symposium: Staff Training Issues in Adult Services “Teaching Staff Members to Implement PECS with a Nonverbal Adult with Autism,” October 2006
LICENSES & CERTIFICATIONS Arizona Licensed Clinical Psychologist #4160, Valid through April 2011 California Licensed Clinical Psychologist PSY-22900, Valid through July 2011 Supervision Workshop (6-unit CA requirement to supervise trainees) Pepperdine University, Graduate School of Education and Psychology ADOS Clinical Training Workshop National Autism Center, April 2006 Supervisor: Jennifer Phillips, Ph.D., Director, Autism Spectrum Disorders Clinic
ASSESSMENT MEASURES UTILIZED Assessment of Basic Language and Learning Skills, Revised (ABLLS-R) Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) Autism Diagnostic Interview, Revised (ADI-R) Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition (Bayley-III) Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II)
Beery-Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration, Fifth Edition (Beery VMI) Behavior Assessment Scale for Children, Second Edition (BASC-2) Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Functioning (BRIEF) Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Functioning – Preschool (BRIEF-P) Brigance Diagnostic Inventory of Early Development-II (IED-II) Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals, Fourth Edition (CELF-4) Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals, Preschool (CELF-P) Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) Children’s Color Trails Test (CCTT) Children’s Memory Scale (CMS) Color Trails Test (CTT) Controlled Oral Word Association Test (COWAT or FAS) Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS) Differential Abilities Scales (DAS) Expressive Vocabulary Test, Second Edition (EVT-2) Gilliam Asperger’s Disorder Scale (GADS) Gilliam Autism Rating Scale, Second Edition (GARS-2) Gray Oral Reading Test – 4 (GORT-4) House-Tree-Person (H-T-P) Leiter International Performance Scale, Revised (Leiter-R) Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-Adolescent (MMPI-A) Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) Mullen Scales of Early Learning (MSEL) NEPSY – Second Edition (NEPSY-II) Parenting Stress Index (PSI) Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, Fourth Edition (PPVT-IV) Pervasive Developmental Disorders Behavior Inventory (PDDBI) Preschool Language Scale, Fourth Edition (PLS-4) Psychoeducational Profile – Revised (PEP-R) Roberts Apperception Test for Children (Roberts-2) Rorschach Inkblot Test Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) Social Skills Rating System (SSRS) Stanford Binet, Fifth Edition (SB-5) Stroop Color and Word Test (Stroop) Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R) Test of Language Fundamentals – Primary: Fourth Edition (TOLD-P:4) Test of Pragmatic Language, Second Edition (TOPL-2) Test of Problem Solving 3, Elementary (TOPS 3) Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) Trail Making Test (TMT) Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, Second Edition (Vineland-II) Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI) Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Fourth Edition: Integrated (WISC-IV) Wechsler Memory Scale – Fourth Edition (WMS-IV) Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence, Third Edition (WPPSI-III) Wide Range Achievement Test 4 (WRAT4) Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) Woodcock Johnson Tests of Achievement, Third Edition (WJ-III)
HONORS AND AWARDS Massachusetts DMR Autism Mini-Grant, The May Institute, Inc. President’s Scholarship, Pepperdine University, GSEP Colleagues Grant Scholarship, Pepperdine University, GSEP
Dean’s List, California State University, Fullerton
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS American Psychological Association Arizona Autism Coalition Arizona Psychological Association Autism Society of America California Psychological Association Psi Chi – International Honor Society in Psychology
REFERENCES Laurie Stephens, Ph.D. Licensed Clinical Psychologist, PSY18520 2235 N. Lake Ave., Suite 201 Altadena, CA 91001 626-797-1500
[email protected] Bahareh Talei, Psy.D. Licensed Clinical Psychologist, PSY21252 26500 Agoura Rd., Suite 102 Calabasas, CA 91302 818-307-0741
[email protected] Wayne Tashjian, MFT Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist, MFC-30490 15720 Ventura Blvd., Suite 403 Encino, CA 91436 818-788-2388
[email protected]