Resident Profiles 2023-2024

Adult Track: Joey Cheung, MA | Autism and Developmental Disabilities Track: Daisy Hu, MS, DBA | Behavioral Medicine: Megan Weishaar, MS | Child Track: Jesslyn Li Shen Chong, MA | Rehabilitation Neuropsychology Track: Deepan Guharajan, MS


Joey Cheung, MA

Why UW Psychology Internship?

I was drawn to the General Adult Track at UW because of the unique clinical and research opportunities that would allow me to reach the next stage in my professional development. Given my clinical and research interests on emotional and behavioral dysregulation, I was eager to build on my understanding of affective science to explore how multimodal techniques can translate into prevention and treatment for self-injurious thoughts and behaviors. The protected research time not only allows me to work on my dissertation but also allows me to develop research collaborations throughout the department.

Clinically, UW provides the perfect training ground for someone who is interested in receiving generalist outpatient training in delivering person-centered EBPs to adults. The UW Outpatient Psychiatry Clinic provides me with unparalleled training and supervision in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy and other evidence-based psychotherapies (i.e., Cognitive Processing Therapy, CBT for Depression). With an interest in trauma-informed treatments, my one-day a week rotation at Harborview 5East gives me the opportunity to learn the Common Elements Treatment Approach (CETA), a novel transdiagnostic approach to trauma, depressive, and anxiety symptoms. Lastly, the clinical rotation at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center is allowing me to strengthen my training in delivering psychotherapy to cancer patients as part of an interdisciplinary psycho-oncology team.

Education

  • Temple University – PhD Candidate in Clinical Psychology
  • Temple University – MA in Clinical Psychology
  • Tufts University – BS in Psychology and International Relations

Clinical Rotations

  • (7/23-6/24) UW Outpatient Psychiatry Clinic
  • (7/23-12/23) Harborview Medical Center
  • (7/23-12/23) Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center – 1 day/week
  • (1/24-6/24) Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center – 2 days/week

Career Goals

My career goal is to work as a clinical psychologist in an academic medical center where I can simultaneously partake in research and clinical practice, specifically working with patients who have complex presentations in emotional and behavioral dysregulation. Trained in a clinical-science model, my research informs my clinical practice as I explore the interaction between static (i.e., trait characteristics) and dynamic (i.e., affective states, physiology) facets of emotional dysregulation and its effects on SITB. With a background in multimodal assessments in affective science, I’m interested in integrating these approaches with use of technology to improve treatment efficacy and delivery for self-injurious thoughts and behaviors. Clinically, my philosophy is underscored by taking a person-centered but adherent use of evidence-based treatments with a balance between change and acceptance strategies to bring patients closer to living a values-consistent life.

Follow me for a week!

Sunday

  • Morning – Pilates or a lazy Sunday morning with coffee and a book
  • Afternoon – Capitol Hill farmer’s market, explore Seattle, go to the park
  • Evening – Relax, weekly cleaning, and meal prep

Monday (OPC-DBT)

  • Morning – Chart review, see patients for individual outpatient psychotherapy
  • Afternoon – DBT seminar, DBT Group Supervision, DBT Skills Group
  • Evening – DBT team, downtime with partner

Tuesday (Research + OPC)

  • Morning – Protected Research Time for dissertation
  • Afternoon – See patients for individual outpatient psychotherapy, write notes
  • Evening – Pilates, Tuesday Capitol Hill farmer’s market

Wednesday (Harborview 5EC)

  • Morning – Individual supervision, see patients for individual outpatient therapy
  • Afternoon – See patients for individual outpatient psychotherapy, write notes
  • Evening – Gym, relaxation/social time

Thursday (OPC + Didactics)

  • Morning – Science meeting with UWCSPAR, see patients for individual outpatient psychotherapy, write notes
  • Afternoon – Individual DBT supervision, didactics
  • Evening – Gym, relaxation/social time

Friday (FHCC)

  • Morning – Chart review, see patients for individual outpatient psychotherapy, write notes
  • Afternoon – Interdisciplinary team meeting with psychiatry and social work team, see patients for individual outpatient psychotherapy, write notes
  • Evening – Relax, see family and friends, explore Seattle

Saturday

  • Morning – Sleep in, gym
  • Afternoon – Explore a new part of Seattle
  • Evening – Relax, try a new restaurant or brewery with friends

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Daisy Hu, MS DBA

Why UW Psychology Internship?

I was drawn to the UW Internship program because of the depth and breadth of clinical training and the emphasis on research. My graduate training solidified my interest in autism and neurodevelopmental disabilities. What I sought from the internship was to refine my specialization in neurodevelopmental disorders and extend my skills to better serve neurodivergent individuals and their families. I aim to gain additional training in diagnostic assessment, evidence-based interventions, inpatient care, research, and leadership development in a multidisciplinary setting. Thus, I was thrilled by the training offered in the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Track, as it best aligns with my internship goals. Additionally, I was also intrigued by the Seattle area and the work-life balance offered in the program!

Education

  • University of Missouri-Columbia, U.S. – PhD Candidate, Counseling Psychology
  • University of Science and Technology, China – MS, Industrial and Organizational Psychology
  • Anhui Normal University, China – BS, Tourism Management

Clinical Rotations

  • (07/01 – 12/31) Seattle Children’s Autism Center and Institute on Human Development and Disability (IHDD)
  • (01/01 – 06/30) Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine Unit (PBMU) and Institute on Human Development and Disability (IHDD)

Career Goals

My long-term goal is to become a bilingual pediatric psychologist proficient in both English and Mandarin. This career path is driven by my commitment to: (a) Promoting the well-being and vocational development of neurodivergent individuals; (b) Reducing inequities and disparities in the accessibility and quality of care; (c) Fostering multidisciplinary and international collaboration in autism clinical practice and research.

My background, growing up in rural China, and my pursuit of specialized training in neurodevelopmental disorders in the U.S., have illuminated the significant disparities in autism awareness, patient care, and research. I aspire to become a scientist-practitioner, dedicated to delivering culturally competent care to under served communities, advancing the global scientific understanding of autism, and championing the vocational development of neurodivergent individuals.

Follow me for a week!

Sunday

  • Morning – Facetime with my family; Breakfast/brunch with my partner at home or a local restaurant.
  • Afternoon – Grocery shopping and meal prep for the following week; Long run or work out.
  • Evening – Relax, watch a movie/show, and get bed around early.

Monday

  • Morning – Wake up around 6am and do my morning routine; Take bus to IHDD and arrives around 8am; Review charts, prep for testing, team meeting, then start clinic; Otherwise, report writing for the previous week and record review for the following week.
  • Afternoon – Meetings and family conferences.
  • Evening – Work out for 40-60 mins, pat my cat (Mr. Burger), and have dinner with my partner, go to bed around 10pm

Tuesday

  • Morning – Wake up around 6am and do my morning routine; Drive to Seattle Children’s Magnuson and arrives around 7:30am; Check emails and prepare for clinics before 8:30am; Supervision at 8:30am, then two RUBI sessions and report writing.
  • Afternoon – Meetings and individual/group therapy sessions in Mood and Anxiety Program (MAP); Some research Time
  • Evening – Work out for 40-60 mins, pat my cat, prepare and have dinner with my partner, watch some videos and go to bed around 10pm.

Wednesday

  • Morning – Morning routine; Huddle meeting at 8:30 in Early Intervention (EI) program; in-classroom training and supervision.
  • Afternoon – Meetings and individual/group therapy sessions in MAP.
  • Evening – Night routine.

Thursday

  • Morning – Morning routine; MAP supervisions meetings.
  • Afternoon – Didactics and meetings. Some research Time
  • Evening – Night routine.

Friday

  • Morning – Morning routine; Prepare report/testing in Gender Clinic.
  • Afternoon – Gender clinic intake, testing, feedback; Individual therapy in Gender Clinic.
  • Evening – Relax and prepare for hiking on Saturday!

Saturday

  • Morning – Get up early and go hiking.
  • Afternoon – Explore a new restaurant and grocery shopping.
  • Evening – Do some chores, clean-up workspace, and relax.

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Megan Weishaar, MS

Why UW Psychology Internship?

I was drawn to the UW Psychology internship for the opportunity to train in a Level 1 Trauma Center with a mission to serve underserved populations. I was eager to gain experience working in a variety of inpatient settings (i.e. ICU, post-acute care, inpatient rehabilitation) with a diverse array of rehabilitation diagnoses and presentations (i.e. TBI, SCI, stroke, limb loss and difference, chronic pain, burns, etc.) across the lifespan. The BMed track offers the opportunity to bolster skills in interdisciplinary communication, fast-paced assessment and intervention, and brief intervention, which I found to be meaningful to my development in this field.

I was also drawn to the chance to bolster research skills during this clinical year, including participating in Grant Writing Seminar once a week. There are opportunities to engage in research with faculty who are conducting important work in Rehabilitation Psychology that has important implications for healthcare systems and improving health outcomes.

Education

  • Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, University of Arkansas
  • Master of Science, Counseling Psychology, Colorado State University
  • Doctoral Candidate, Counseling Psychology, Colorado State University

Clinical Rotations

  •  (07/01 – 10/31) Harborview Medical Center (HMC) Burns/Pediatrics/Amputee Rotation, CORP
  • (11/01 – 02/28) HMC Inpatient Rehabilitation (IPR), CORP
  •  (03/31 – 06/30) HCM Acute Pain Service

Career Goals

I am passionate about working in integrated medical settings on multidisciplinary teams serving patients with marginalized identities and complex medical and rehabilitation needs. I hope to be working in an academic medical center setting where I am able to see patients, conduct research, and engage in teaching, mentorship, and advocacy work. As I have progressed through training I have become increasingly passionate about Rehabilitation Psychology, and hope to become a board certified Rehabilitation Psychologist in the future.

Follow me for a week!

Sunday

  • Morning: try a new coffee shop; grocery shopping; household chores
  • Afternoon: go to the gym; prepare for the week
  • Evening: make dinner with my partner; catch up on TV shows

Monday

  • Morning: Chart Review, note writing, clinical prep for the week; Supervision with the Burns/Peds/Amputee psychologists and trainees; Multidisciplinary Pediatric Rounds
  •  Afternoon: Multidisciplinary Burn Team Rounds; See Burns/Peds consult patients in the Pediatric ICU, Burn ICU, and post-acute care floor; write notes
  •  Evening: go for a walk with my partner and dog; catch up with a friend on the phone; make dinner and relax

Tuesday

  • Morning: Chart Review, reading; See Amputee Clinic follow-up outpatients for concerns such as pain, sleep, mood, anxiety, and self-management; facilitate Amputee Support Group
  • Afternoon: Individual supervision (with Shelley Wiechman – burns and CORP supervision); see Burns/Peds consult patients in the Pediatric ICU, Burn ICU, and post-acute care floor; write notes
  • Evening: go to the gym; make dinner and relax

Wednesday

  • Morning: Research Time!
  • Afternoon: Group Supervision with BMed trainees and faculty; see Burns/Peds consult patients in the Pediatric ICU, Burn ICU, and post-acute care floor; write notes
  • Evening: go for a walk with my partner and dog; catch up with a friend on the phone; make dinner and relax

Thursday

  • Morning: Group Neurorehab Seminar/Supervision; Outpatient amputee clinic
  • Afternoon: Grant Writing Seminar; Trauma Stewardship once a month; Didactics
  • Evening: go to the gym; make dinner and relax

Friday

  • Morning: Chart review; Individual supervision (with Jake Bentley – amputee clinic, group, and amputee CORP follow-up supervision); see Burns/Peds consult patients in the Pediatric ICU, Burn ICU, and post-acute care floor; write notes
  • Afternoon: See outpatients through CORP; write notes; see any consult patients that need to be seen before the weekend
  • Evening: try a new restaurant or brewery with my partner; spend time with family or friends

Saturday

  • Morning: hiking; explore a new neighborhood; spend time with family or friends
  • Afternoon: hiking; spending time on or near all the amazing bodies of water in Seattle
  • Evening: try a new restaurant or brewery with my partner; spend time with family or friends; try a new recipe and have a night in

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Jesslyn Li Shen Chong, MA

Why UW Psychology Internship?

I was drawn to the UW psychology internship because of the breadth of experiences and rotations they have to offer. I was very excited to work in a child inpatient psychiatric facility setting and coordinate care within the context of consultation/liaison with patients with complex medical, trauma, developmental, and mental health problems. I will also be receiving more in-depth evidence-based intervention training, such as DBT and PC-CARE. I truly believe that these varied experiences would make me a well-rounded general child and adolescent clinical psychologist!

In addition to the clinical opportunities, UW also offers valuable research opportunities, such as being paired with a research mentor, dedicated research time, and a grantsmanship seminar. UW also values connecting trainees to different opportunities, as evidenced by an opportunity to connect with 21 faculties in a trainee-focused research development day. The varied research programs at UW help me to expand my research program and experiences. A big culture of mentorship and collaboration within UW inspires my growth as a clinician and researcher. Notably, Seattle Children’s Hospital has allocated additional professional development grants to support general child psychology residents’ growth and development in both clinical and research contexts.

In addition, the UW psychology internship promotes work-life balance and all general child track supervisors often emphasize the importance of self-care during internship. Lastly, Seattle is a great city with its beautiful natural surroundings, diverse cultural offering, and exciting activities, ranging from art, music, food, and camping to hiking. Being the explorer that I am, I am so grateful for the ability to indulge in many new activities and hobbies in Seattle.

Education

  • University of Minnesota, Twin Cities; B.S., Psychology
  • University at Albany, State University of New York; M.A., Clinical Psychology
  • University at Albany, State University of New York; Ph.D. Candidate, Clinical Psychology

Clinical Rotations

  • (07/01 – 09/30) Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine Unit (PBMU; Inpatient)
  • (10/01 – 12/31) Psychiatry Consultation and Liaison Service (Inpatient)
  • (01/01 – 06/30) Outpatient and Neuropsychological Assessment

Career Goals

I envision myself having a career with a balance of clinical and research work. Clinically, I aim to provide comprehensive assessments and empirically based interventions for youth and their families. I also aim to conduct translational clinical research to understand how early life adversities and stress response systems influence health outcomes, with an overall goal of incorporating stress biomarkers as objective markers to assess the effectiveness of clinical interventions. I foresee myself working in a medical center/ academic health setting where I engage in clinical work, research, training, and supervision.

Follow me for a week!

Sunday

  • Morning – Cleaning, Meal prep for the week
  • Afternoon/ Evening – A wide range of possible activities, from hanging out with friends, exploring Seattle, shopping, and relaxing, to catching up on ongoing research projects

Monday

  • Morning – Arrive at the hospital at 8am, check emails, complete chart review and prep for morning meetings, morning rounds/ huddles with the PBMU team, consult with patient med teams, coordinate care with med teams (typically see patient or call patient’s caregiver with psychiatrists/ nurse practitioner), PBMU child group therapy (if I sign up to do it)
  • Afternoon – 30 minutes of supervision, grab lunch, PBMU adolescent group therapy (if I sign up to do it), consult with team/supervision, patient care (scope includes individual sessions, family meeting, meeting with caregiver, safety planning, home safety meeting, transition planning meeting, coordinate care with outpatient/ residential provider, discharge meeting, or other follow-up), write up patient notes, leave work at 4.30pm
  • Evening – Home around 5, work out, cook dinner, watch TV, relax

Tuesday

  • Morning – Arrive at the hospital at 8am, check emails, complete chart review and prep for morning meetings, morning rounds/ huddles with the PBMU team, consult with patient med teams, coordinate care with med teams (typically see patient or call patient’s caregiver with psychiatrists/ nurse practitioner), PBMU child group therapy (if I sign up to do it)
  • Afternoon – 30 minutes of supervision, grab lunch, PBMU adolescent group therapy (if I sign up to do it), consult with team/supervision, patient care (scope includes individual sessions, family meeting, meeting with caregiver, safety planning, home safety meeting, transition planning meeting, coordinate care with outpatient/ residential provider, discharge meeting, or other follow-up), write up patient notes, leave work at 4.30pm
  • Evening – Home around 5, work out, dinner, catch up on 1 task related to ongoing research projects, relax

Wednesday

  • Morning – Arrive at the hospital at 8am, check emails, complete chart review and prep for morning meetings, morning rounds/ huddles with the PBMU team, consult with patient med teams, coordinate care with med teams (typically see patient or call patient’s caregiver with psychiatrists/ nurse practitioner), PBMU child group therapy (if I sign up to do it)
  • Afternoon – 30 minutes of supervision, grab lunch, PBMU adolescent group therapy (if I sign up to do it), consult with team/supervision, patient care, administer assessments, writing assessment report, give assessment feedback (if there is an assessment case), write up patient and hand-off notes, leave work at 4.30pm
  • Evening – Home around 5, go for a short hike or walk with friends, have dinner, relax

Thursday

  • Morning – Manuscript or grant writing/ try to complete 1-2 task related to ongoing research projects
  • Afternoon – Grantsmanship Seminar, Didactics 3-5pm
  • Evening – Cohort happy hour, relax

Friday

  • Morning – Arrive at the hospital at 8am, check and respond to emails, complete chart review and prep for morning meetings, morning rounds/ huddles with the PBMU team, consult with patient med teams, coordinate care with med teams (typically see patient or call patient’s caregiver with psychiatrists/ nurse practitioner), PBMU child group therapy (if I sign up to do it)
  • Afternoon – 30 minutes of supervision, grab lunch, PBMU adolescent group therapy (if I sign up to do it), consult with team/supervision, patient care, administer assessments, writing assessment report, give assessment feedback (if there is an assessment case), write up patient and hand-off notes, leave work at 4.30pm
  • Evening – Home around 5, dinner/ hang out with friends

Saturday

  • Morning – Sleep in until 9/10am, Laundry
  • Afternoon and Evening – I plan for a Seattle adventure/ explore day on Saturdays, e.g., I will check out new hikes, new farmers market, new restaurants, and day trips with friends.

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Deepan Guharajan, MS

Why UW Psychology Internship?

I chose the UW Psychology Internship for a variety of reasons, the first of which was clinical fit: given my hope of being a rehabilitation neuropsychologist, I was excited at the opportunity to receive training across two clinical sites (i.e., University of Washington Medical Center-Montlake campus and Harborview Medical Center) that specialize in rehabilitation medicine. The unique ability to deliver neuropsychological care across inpatient and outpatient settings was exactly what I was looking for.

Secondly, the internship’s strong commitment to valuing research development and endeavors at this early stage of career development was notable and an exception to most other sites. Lastly, the warmth, strong ideal to promote patient care, and genuine interest UW faculty expressed in me as a future clinician was apparent even during brief interviews solidified my intent to pursue internship here.

Education

  • Hardin-Simmons University – BS
  • University of Texas at San Antonio – MA
  • Yeshiva University, Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology – PhD Candidate in Clinical Health Psychology

Clinical Rotations

  • (07/01 – 09/30) UWMC – Inpatient Rehabilitation
  • (10/01 – 12/31) HMC – Inpatient Rehabilitation/Madison Clinic
  • (01/01 – 06/30) HMC – Burns, Pediatric, Amputee Care

Career Goals

While still in its infancy, my career plans are to ultimately return to my home country of Malaysia, where I was born and raised. The strength and versatility of my graduate training (particularly here at UW) will prepare me for the multitude of roles and responsibilities I hope to serve patients with. To that end, I aim to provide theory informed, evidence-based, patient-centered neuropsychological care. Given the limited number of neuropsychologists in Malaysia, my hope is to become embedded within a traditional healthcare delivery model (e.g., rehabilitation center, academic hospital) to foster an appreciation among providers and patients alike on the unique role neuropsychology can serve. Moreover, I hope to stimulate and engage in neuropsychological research at home, where the absence of culturally-sensitive norms significantly may significantly limit the applicability and validity of test findings.

Follow me for a week!

Sunday
(Play/ Recharge day)

  • Morning – Volunteer with the Trevor Project as a virtual crisis counselor to assist LGBTQ youth
  • Afternoon – Cook  a meal that will help me have dinners ready to eat during the work week
  • Evening – Play with my pet rats (Merry, Weasel, and Tom Cruise) and guinea pigs (Shohei and Alcatraz); they require 1 hour of cognitive stimulation/out of cage playtime and are the most fun to be around!

Monday

  • Morning – Come in to review charts, paying close attention for any acute changes in psychological status over the weekend for our inpatient unit. I also see two patients supervised by Dr. Tracy Herring with our outpatient rehabilitation psychology department to support adjustment and coping following disability
  • Afternoon – Rounding with my supervisors for inpatient rehabilitation, Drs. Ivan Molton and Jed McGiffin; participate in a weekly review (termed “huddles”) of all patients on our unit to coordinate care and address concerns
  • Evening – Dinner with my wife, playtime with our pets, and watching TV

Tuesday

  • Morning – Participate in an outpatient referral with one of my neuropsychological supervisors: Drs. Moe Goldberg and Nick Dasher. These cases include a thorough chart review, preparing and conducting a neuropsychological intake, coordinating test selection with psychometrists, and case conceptualization for likely differentials with my supervisors
  • Afternoon – Green Team Rounds; visiting with the care team under the supervision of Dr. Molton and having individual meetings with patients and family to support their care, discuss discharge plans, and barriers to treatments
  • Evening – Dinner with my wife, playtime with our pets, and playing some video games with her

Wednesday

  • Morning – Relatively quiet, thankfully! Opportunity to catch up on paperwork, write reports, and do notes
  • Afternoon – Group supervision with my inpatient rehabilitation psychology supervisors: Drs. Jed McGiffin and Ivan Molton. This is an opportunity for me to ask questions about challenging cases, discuss case conceptualization, and address personal/professional development issues as they arise during the training year. The day ends with two more slots for outpatient rehabilitation psychology patients
  • Evening – Dinner with my wife, playtime with our pets, and playing PlayStation with old friends from college

Thursday

  • Morning – Group Supervision with Behavioral Medicine residents followed by individual research time to work on my dissertation
  • Afternoon – One hour seminar on grant writing; this is an optional course to learn about various grant mechanisms and practice writing grants for current or future funding opportunities. The last hours of the afternoon are spent in required didactics where various experts in the field of psychology visit the program to promote learning and discussion
  • Evening – Dinner with my wife, playtime with our pets, and playing some video games with her

Friday

  • Morning – Group supervision with the post-doctoral fellow and two supervisors: Drs. David Sheppard and Sai Narotam; we have recently implemented an updated format of rapid delivery of case conceptualization that allows me both the opportunity to role-play supervisor and supervisee that I have very much enjoyed. Following supervision, I review charts and visit with inpatient rehabilitation patients to provide inpatient psychological care
  • Afternoon – Gold Team Rounds; visiting with the care team under supervision of Dr. McGiffin and having individual meetings with patients and family to support their care, discuss discharge plans, and barriers to treatments. This is followed by trying to visit with a new admission to inpatient rehabilitation before the weekend comes and wrapping up paperwork
  • Evening – Dinner with my wife, playtime with our pets, and planning a hike for Saturday!

Saturday

  • Morning – Getting up as early as we’re able to see some nature! One of the best parts of living in this part of the country is the abundance of nature under 3 hours that is accessible by car
  • Afternoon – Catching a movie at the mall and doing the weekly grocery shopping
  • Evening – Dinner with my wife, playtime with our pets, and playing some video games with my old college friend

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