Download Samantha M. Behbahani, Psy.D., MS ClinPharm

Samantha M. Behbahani, Psy.D., MS ClinPharm
2173 NW 99th Avenue
Doral, Florida 33172
305.593.1223 ext. 127
[email protected]
________________________________________________________________________
EDUCATION
Doctor of Psychology, in Clinical Psychology, August 2003 - June 2008
Health Psychology Concentration
Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL
American Psychological Association- accredited program
MS, Clinical Psychopharmacology, August 2005 - September 2009
Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL
MS, Clinical Psychology, August 2003 - August 2005
Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL
BA, Psychology, August 1998 - May 2002
American University, Washington, DC
Florida Psychology Licensure, FL PY 8003
Received: November 2009
Effective Dates: May 2010-May 2016
CURRENT POSITION
August 2009 – present
Associate Professor/
Health Psychology Coordinator
Doctoral Program
Carlos Albizu University
Miami Campus
Consist of teaching graduate courses, advising graduate students, grant writing, chairing
or participating in dissertation meetings, participating in orals/qualifying exams, and
participating in new admissions of graduate students. Organization of Health Psychology
Concentration, in particular chairing health psychology doctoral projects, assistance in
attaining practicum sites, and advising in curriculum development
CLINICAL EXPERIENCE
September 2010- January 2015
Voluntary Assistant Faculty
Department of Medicine
University of Miami- Miller School of Medicine
Miami, FL
Voluntary faculty in major metropolitan hospital providing assessment, intervention, and
psychological testing to medical patients. Primary teams include heart failure, heart
transplant, lung transplant, and cardiac rehabilitation.
July 2008- August 2009
Psychology Fellow
University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Medical
Center
APA Accredited Postdoctoral Program
Miami, FL
Primary duties include providing psychotherapy for pre- and post-cardiac transplant
patients, cognitive and emotional assessment of potential transplant recipients, and
psychoeducation regarding psychosocial changes throughout medical illness.
Participation in daily cardiology rounds and weekly interdisciplinary conferences. Cocreated the psychosocial component of the heart/lung transplant program, which includes
psychoeducational groups, individual psychotherapy, and group psychotherapy for
transplant patients and their families. Provided individual and group psychotherapy for
patients participating in Cardiac Rehabilitation program.
Primary Supervisor: Ray Hershberger, MD
Clinical Supervisor: Efrain A. Gonzalez, PsyD, ABPP, MS Clin Pharm.
July 2009- October 2009
Psychopharmacology Practicum Student
University of Miami-Miller School of Medicine
Department of Psychiatry
Consultation/Liason Division
Miami, FL
Worked alongside attending psychiatrist and psychiatry residents rounding on the
consultation/liason service of Jackson Memorial Hospital. Pharmacological issues
involved the assessment of medical patients with comorbid psychiatric diagnoses.
Provided pharmacological consultation to approximately 25 patients on a weekly basis.
Other activities included case presentations and grand rounds.
Supervisors:
Jorge Luis Sotelo, MD, FAPM
July 2007- June 2008
Psychology Intern
University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Medical
Center
APA-Accredited Internship Program
Miami, FL
Clinical Psychology intern on health/medical service in major metropolitan hospital.
Duties included the provision of individual psychotherapy to outpatient hemodialysis
patients and inpatient cardiovascular disease and renal patients. Consultative/ liaison
services provided to various units in the hospital, focusing on supportive psychotherapy
for patients and their families and evaluations of patients to determine capacity in making
medical decisions. Participation in weekly psychology, psychiatry, and heart transplant
grand rounds. Served as psychological consultant to cardiac transplant patients and
evaluated potential transplant candidates. Provided clinical and assessment supervision
to doctoral-level practicum students. Assessment was a focus of the internship year and
utilized an integrated format, utilizing a variety of tests focusing on intelligence,
neuropsychological, projective formulation, and objective formats.
Created and organized the psychological component of Jackson Memorial Hospital’s
Smoking Cessation program. Presented lectures to tobacco cessation groups and
provided psychological support for patients via group therapy. Main component of
project entailed psychoeducation via group therapy regarding tobacco use as well as
behavioral medicine interventions to combat nicotine cravings.
Training Director: Eddie E. Roca, PhD
Clinical Supervisor: Efrain A. Gonzalez, PsyD, ABPP, MS Clin Pharm.
February 2007- June 2007
Psychopharmacology Student
South Florida State Hospital/GEO Care
Pembroke Pines, FL
Worked alongside attending psychiatrist, consultative psychopharmacologist, and
pharmacy residents rounding on several units of state hospital. Pharmacological issues
involved psychotropic medications, antiobiotics, cardiac conditions, geriatric populations,
serious mental illness, and psychotherapy/pharmacotherapy interactions. Provided
pharmacological consultation to approximately 15 patients on a weekly basis. Other
activities included case presentations, journal club, and university-based lectures.
Supervisors:
Sergio Balcazar, MD
Jose A Rey, Pharm.D., BCPP
CERTIFICATIONS
 National Institute of Health (NIH) Stroke Scale, effective September 2008
 Modified Rankin Stroke Scale, effective September 2008
HONORS & AWARDS
 Psychology Honors Society, American University, Fall 2000- Spring 2002
 Deans List, American University, Fall 1998, Spring 1998, Fall 2000, Fall 2001,
Spring 2002
 Public Service Award: for voluntary psychological care to the homeless
population of Miami-Dade County from 2006-2008.
CLINICAL TRIALS
 HeartWare: Evaluation of the Heartware LVAD system for the treatment of
advanced heart failure. 2008-2010.

HeartWare: Evaluation of Heartware LVAD system for the treatment of advanced
heart failure- continued access protocol. 2010-present

Terumo Heart Inc.: Evaluation of the safety and effectiveness of the Duraheart
Left Ventricular Assist System in patients awaiting transplantation. 2009-present.

HeartWare: A prospective randomized controlled unblended multi-center clinical
trial to evaluate the HeartWare ventricular assist system for destination therapy of
advanced heart failure. 2010-2011.
PRESENTATIONS AND PUBLICATIONS
Behbahani, S.M. & Greenstone, R.M. (2014). Assessing Somatoform Disorders in the
African American Client. In Benuto (Ed.), Guide to Psychological Assessment
with African American Clients. New York: Spring Science, Inc.
Behbahani, S. (2014). The implications and current utility of the Affordable Care Act on
mental health treatment. Invited speaker St. Thomas University Healthcare
Symposium, Miami, Florida.
Behbahani, S., Hidalgo, J., & Randolph, N. (2014). Discrimination among African
American patients in the prevention and treatment of coronary heart disease.
Poster presented at the 14th annual meeting of Diversity Challenge: Racial or
Ethnic Discrimination Across the Lifespan, Boston, Massachusetts.
DiFrancesco, M., Rivera, P., & Behbahani, S. (2013). Utilization of empathy and modern
psychodynamic techniques in a sample of nontraditional cases. Poster presented
at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, Honolulu,
Hawaii.
Ycaza, A.F., Hyman, S.M., & Behbahani, S.M. (2012). Relationships between
personality characteristics and death awareness in a graduate student sample.
Existential Analysis, 23: 278-287.
Ycaza, A., Hyman, S.M., & Behbahani, S. (2012). Are people with less favorable
personality characteristics more aware of death?: A terror management
perspective. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the American
Psychological Association, Orlando, Florida.
Behbahani, S.M. & Gonzalez, E.A. (2011). Medications and Pharmacological Treatment
of Neurobehavioral Sequelae. In Fraser (Ed.), Traumatic Brain Injury Guide.
Oakland: New Harbinger Publications, Inc.
Behbahani, Samantha, M. Mental Health and Physical Health. Presented at Area Health
Education Center, April 2010: Miami, Florida.
Behbahani, S. M., Vigil, A.A., & Lewis, J.E. From New York to Miami: Does the
TEMAS Travel? Poster presentation presented at the 30th Interamerican Congress
of Psychology, June 26, 2005: Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Behbahani, S.M., Vigil, A.A., & Lewis, J.E. National and International Issues with the
Tell-Me-A-Story Test: An Evaluation of Its Potential” 9th European Congress of
Psychology, July 2005: Granada, Spain.
Gonzalez, E.A., & Behbahani, S.M. (2011). Medications and Pharmacological Treatment
of Neurobehavioral Sequelae. In Fraser (Ed.), Traumatic Brain Injury Guide.
Oakland: New Harbinger Publications, Inc.
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
American Psychological Association
APA Division 22
APA Division 38
APA Division 55
Interamerican Congress of Psychology
European Congress of Psychology
Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America
JOB RELATED EXPERIENCE
January 2007 – June 2007
Behavioral Health Department Coordinator
Camillus Health Concern
Miami, FL
Coordinator of psychology department at major metropolitan medical center. Along with
clinical interventions with patient caseload, responsibilities include managing caseloads
of psychology externs, assigning patient care, organization of referrals to and from
psychology, coordination of interdisciplinary staff meetings, and liaison between
behavioral health and medicine, social work, nursing, and podiatry.
Supervisor: Rossando Collazzo, MD
Efrain A. Gonzalez, PsyD., MSClinPharm., ABPP
October 2002- May 2003
Counselor/ Liaison
Children’s Diagnostic and Treatment Center
Fort Lauderdale, FL
Served as liaison between parents and physicians regarding infantile medical illness,
support systems, and available treatment options. Conducted research regarding
numerous types of pediatric disorders and medical conditions, as well as psychological
components. Organized and developed individual treatment plans for patients and their
families. Conducted in-service meetings monthly for parents focusing on specific
pediatric medical and mental illnesses. Assisted registered nurses, occupational
therapists, and psychologists in the developmental and physical testing of children.
Supervisor: Ellie Pierce
TEACHING
August 2009 – present
Assistant Professor/
Neuropsychology Coordinator
Doctoral Program
Carlos Albizu University
Miami Campus
Professor at an APA-accredited institution instructing courses pertinent to doctoral
candidates attaining their degrees in the area of Clinical Psychology. Courses instructed
include Fundamentals of Neuropsychology, Advanced Techniques of Psychotherapy, and
Theories of Test Construction. Additional duties include advising approximately 30
students regarding research, treatment, and theory and chairing dissertations. As the
Neuropsychology concentration coordinator duties include attaining practicum sites
suitable for neuropsychology students, chairing the neuropsychology journal club,
provide monthly didactic seminars on a variety of neuropsychological topics, and orient
new students to the possibilities of research and intervention in the field of
neuropsychology.
June 2010- August 2010
Adjunct Instructor
Behavioral Medicine
Acupuncture Massage College
Miami, FL
Professor of Behavioral Medicine for acupuncture masters students which introduced
future acupuncture physicians to the communication skills of listening and counseling. It
also introduced various behavioral medicine approaches and mechanisms of intervention.
Future acupuncture physicians explored, via case studies and discussions, their ability to
integrate their existing health care skills with behavioral medicine approaches. The
ethical and legal aspects of referring patients to another practitioner were discussed.
March 2007 – present
Psychopharmacology Tutor
Private Sessions
Provided individual tutoring for doctoral students in the area of psychopharmacology.
Met weekly with individual students to reinforce skills learned in the classroom
environment regarding pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of psychotropic
medications.
August 2008- December 2009
Adjunct Intructor
Psychology of Personal Effectiveness
Social Sciences Department
Kendall Campus
Miami Dade College, Miami, FL
Instructor of Psychology of Personal Effectiveness, an applied psychology course which
emphasizes the understanding of the principles of effective human behavior and their
application to the areas of personal awareness, interpersonal relations, communication,
and work/career development.
Supervisor: Edward Thomas, Ph.D.
August 2006- January 2009
Adjunct Instructor
Introduction to Psychology
Social Sciences Department
Kendall Campus
Miami Dade College, Miami, FL
Instructor of Introduction to Psychology, a course that blends traditional psychological
theory with the most recent developments in psychological theory. Provide an
understanding of human behavior as a natural phenomenon subject to scientific study.
Teaching requirements consist of evaluation of both written (exam and paper) and oral
skills. Classes typically consist of approximately 45 students, which meet twice per
week.
Supervisor: Edward Thomas, Ph.D.
August 2006- January 2009
Adjunct Instructor
Human Growth and Development
Social Sciences Department
Kendall Campus
Miami Dade College, Miami, FL
Instructor of Human Growth and Development, a course that focuses on the nature of
human behavior as a dynamic developmental phenomenon. Emphasis is placed on
psychological elements, an understanding of the physical aspects of development and
their social implications. Observation and written analysis of principles of learning
involved in human development are reviewed. Teaching requirements consist of
evaluation of both written (exam and paper) and oral skills. Classes typically consist of
approximately 45 students, which meet twice per week.
Supervisor: Edward Thomas, Ph.D.
January 2006- April 2006
Lecturer
Behavioral Medicine
School of Dental Medicine
Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL
Taught two behavioral medicine classes per week to third year dental students. Classes
focused on implementing health psychology components into the dental population.
Lectures included ethical concerns and issues, identification of mood disorders, anxiety
disorders, dementia, and psychosis, identification of abuse, administration of the mental
status exam, dealing with the “difficult patient”, and enhancement of empathy and
listening skills. Graded homework assignments and facilitated in role-play exercises
within the class. Observed students in their dental clinic while performing procedures.
Supervisor: Ana I. Fins, PhD, Nova Southeastern University