Heather Gebhardt, Phd, Abpp Email & Phone Number

Seattle, Wa, Us

Seattle, Wa

UW School of MedicineDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral SciencesAppointment through the Seattle Division of VA Puget Sound

Greater Seattle Area

As the lead psychologist on an interprofessional acute inpatient team, my responsibilities were diverse and include the provision of group and individual therapy as well as diagnostic assessment, supervision of psychology and psychiatry trainees, consultation within and outside of the inpatient team on topics including suicide prevention and crisis intervention, and continuous program development, implementation, and evaluation. My areas of expertise include suicide prevention and intervention, military and veteran culture, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, and working with Veterans who present with complex and acute needs.In addition to my role on the inpatient unit, I provided outpatient group and individual Dialectical Behavior Therapy as a member of the Seattle VA Comprehensive DBT Team.

I was selected to complete a Special Assignment Detail with the National VA Suicide Prevention Program (SPP) Policy Team within the VA Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention. Within this role, my responsibilities included the following: participating in the development of policies, directives, program initiatives, and VHA guidance related to suicide prevention; investigating and articulating various health policy positions for the SPP to Congress, oversight bodies, and suicide prevention stakeholders across the VA enterprise; advising SPP staff and leaders of advantages and disadvantages of various policy approaches; developing trainings and technical assistance around policy implementation developed by SPP.During this Special Assignment, I also conducted an analysis of VA suicide postvention programs, policies, and services in order to identify gaps based on best practice standards and offer policy and program development recommendations to SPP leadership. In line with the findings of this gap analysis, I collaborated with the Rocky Mountain MIRECC on the development of a national VA Suicide Postvention SharePoint. I also served as the project lead for the centralization of the VA-wide Caring Letters intervention that follows High Risk for Suicide Patient Record Flag inactivation.

Greater Seattle Area

Couple/Family Therapy Clinic and PTSD Outpatient Clinic

Greater Seattle Area

Doctor Of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Clinical Psychology

Dissertation: Development and evaluation of a group therapy program for the female partners of veterans with PTSD

Bachelor'S Degree, Psychology

Activities and Societies: Schreyer Honors CollegeHonors Thesis: Future military leaders’ perceptions of males versus females.