Nebraska Medicine Psychology Department

Video Transcript



Nebraska Medicine Psychology Department

Nebraska Medicine Psychology Department

Match Code - 141629 Health Psych Track
Match Code - 141624 Primary Care Track
Match Code - 141626 Anxiety Disorder Track
START DATE: 7/01/2024

4350 Emile Street
984185 Nebraska Medical Center
Omaha, Nebraska 68198-4185
402-559-5031
Fax 402-559-9592

Training Director

Cecilia Poon, Ph.D., ABPP
Phone: 402-559-5031
Email: cepoon@nebraskamed.com

Associate Training Director

Adam Mills, Ph.D.
Phone: 402-559-5031
Email: admills@nebraskamed.com

Justin Weeks, Ph.D.
Phone: 402-559-5031
Email: juweeks@nebraskamed.com

Type of Facility

Nebraska Medicine and its flagship hospital, the Nebraska Medical Center, are affiliated with the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC). The Nebraska Medical Center is an academic health science center and the largest healthcare facility in Nebraska. The facility houses 718 acute-care beds. The Nebraska Medical Center has Centers of Excellence in Cancer, Bariatric Surgery, Transplant, Neurological Sciences, and Women's Health. Nebraska Medicine's mission is to lead the world in transforming lives to create a healthy future for all individuals and communities through premier educational programs, innovative research, and extraordinary patient care. The Nebraska Medical Center participates in the training and education of more than 1,500 trainees, including large medical student and residency programs through UNMC. The medical center is recognized nationally and internationally as a leader in patient care, research, and education.

Within the Nebraska Medical Center, the Psychology Department is a free-standing department in the Behavioral Health Clinical Program division. The Psychology Department houses clinical psychologists with expertise in a wide range of clinical specialties. There is 1 clinical psychologist in the co-located Pain Management Department. Our providers are fully integrated into the health care setting, and work closely with hospital and community physicians and allied health providers. Services include inpatient and outpatient evaluation and treatment for children, adolescents, adults, and older adults with behavioral, emotional, physical, cognitive, and developmental concerns and disabilities. Clinical health psychology services are directed toward addressing the mind-body aspects of health issues including managing pain, coping with chronic illnesses, weight management, adherence to treatment regimens, behavioral aspects of organ transplantation, as well as evaluating and treating patients with a full spectrum of mental health conditions. Providers and trainees work on interdisciplinary teams to offer comprehensive assessment and collaborative care.

Internship Training Model

The 12-month internship is designed to provide interns with intensive professional training experiences within the context of a scientist-practitioner model. Interns who are matched with the Nebraska Medicine Psychology Department will receive training in screening, assessment, psychotherapy, and interdisciplinary collaboration for individuals with a full range of mental health needs, as well as those coping with acute and chronic health conditions and illnesses, in both hospital outpatient and inpatient settings. Training follows a developmental sequence of experiences and responsibilities emphasizing the application of psychological knowledge and principles to physical, behavioral, and mental health needs among individuals presenting for treatment in a tertiary care medical center environment. The training is grounded in a biopsychosocial and inter-professional approach to understanding and treating behavioral and mental health conditions, and helping patients manage the psychological aspects of acute and chronic illness and trauma.

By the end of internship, interns are expected to be proficient in the following areas: 1) Comprehensive biopsychosocial assessment with a wide variety of patient populations, including conducting clinical interviews, assessing mental status, selecting and administering psychological tests appropriate to the referral question and population, determining psychosocial strengths and weaknesses, and assigning a DSM-5 diagnosis; 2) Evidence-based, solution-focused individual psychotherapy integrating a variety of approaches such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, motivational interviewing, interpersonal therapy, acceptance- and mindfulness-based approaches, and psychoeducation; 3) Involving immediate and extended family members, as appropriate, in creating behavioral changes, supporting healthier behaviors, and improving treatment adherence; 4) Providing written documentation of evaluations and psychotherapy sessions as well as pertinent collateral contacts using the health system's electronic medical record; 5) Working effectively with inter-professional teams, including developing collaborative relationships, assessing team dynamics, and communicating clearly, concisely, and respectfully with other professionals; 6) Integration of scientific research, clinical expertise, and patient context in clinical decision-making, consistent with the APA definition of evidence-based practice; 7) Delivering evidence-based interventions to persons from diverse backgrounds.

Our internship program offers 3 positions in clinical health psychology: 1) General track; 2) Primary Care track; and 3) Anxiety Disorders track

Health Psychology (General) Track: 1 position

Track Director: Adam Mills, PhD

2023-2024 intern: Alexia Davelaar, MA, PLMHP

Interns in this track will have the option of choosing three 4-month rotations from among the following experiences:

1. Pain ManagementPain Management is required as the first rotation for interns who would like to pursue this experience during their training year. The intern will learn pain management evaluation and cognitive-behavioral treatment in an interdisciplinary pain rehabilitation program. The Nebraska Medicine Chronic Pain Management Program (CPMP) is an interdisciplinary, three- to four-week, day treatment program designed to help individuals with chronic non-malignant pain. Services are provided in a multidisciplinary format by clinical psychologists, physical therapists, a nurse, along with a pain physician. Working closely with a supervising psychologist and the chronic pain management team, the intern will learn to provide assessment and both individual and group therapy services to patients with chronic pain.

2. Transplantation – The intern will learn to complete pre-surgical psychological evaluations of candidates for solid organ transplant (e.g., kidney, pancreas, heart, lung, small bowel, pediatric liver, living donor) and left ventricular assist devices (LVAD). The intern will consult with interdisciplinary teams and will have the opportunity for follow-up outpatient and inpatient treatment of transplant patients needing further behavioral and mental health assistance.

3. Psycho-Oncology – The intern will learn to evaluate, consult on, and treat patients referred by medical and surgical oncology teams in Nebraska Medicine’s state-of-the-art Fred and Pamela Buffet Cancer Center, comprising a comprehensive team of more than 200 cancer experts covering all specialties across the cancer spectrum.

4. Bariatrics – The intern will learn to complete pre-surgical psychological evaluations of candidates for weight loss surgery, including initial evaluations and subsequent behavioral readiness evaluations closer to the time of surgery. The intern will consult with the interdisciplinary bariatrics team and will have the opportunity for follow-up outpatient and inpatient treatment of surgical and non-surgical bariatric patients needing behavioral and mental health assistance.

Health Psychology (Primary Care) Track: 1 position

Track Director: Margaret (Meg) Donovan, PhD

2022-2023 intern: David Faulds, MA, PLMHP

A major component of the internship will be providing evidence-based interventions. Primary Care Medical Home (PCMH) Behavioral Health Consultants emphasizes contextual behavioral approaches, functional improvement rather than symptom reduction, and flexibility in delivery format (e.g., brief visits, consultation rather than traditional therapy sessions). Orientations such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, and Positive Psychology will be encouraged and emphasized throughout the internship year.

In addition to devoting about two thirds of their training time in at least 2 Nebraska Medicine primary care clinics, the primary care track intern may develop elective mini-rotations within Pain Management, Solid Organ Transplant, Psycho-Oncology, Bariatrics, or other specialty clinics on campus. However, interns’ Pain Management training experience likely will not involve full participation in the 3- to 4-week Chronic Pain Management Program.

Health Psychology (Anxiety Disorders) Track: 1 position

Track Director: Justin Weeks, PhD

2022-2023 intern: Jamie Layton, MS, PLMHP

The Anxiety Subspecialty Treatment program (AnxST) is a multidisciplinary anxiety clinic which bridges the Nebraska Medicine Psychology Department and the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Justin Weeks PhD is the Psychotherapy Director and a training faculty member; Tessa Holscher PsyD, Lauren Holcomb, PhD, and Joseph Poler, PsyD are also training faculty; and Lauren Edwards MD is the Medical Director. The AnxST team is comprised of psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric residents, advanced practice providers, masters-level therapists, psychotherapy trainees, and a registered psychiatric nurse. We meet as a team multiple times per week for didactics and to staff cases.

Interns in the Anxiety Disorders Track will have two 12-month core rotations, which will account for 65% of direct patient care experiences during the internship: 1) outpatient cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for anxiety disorders; and 2) inpatient evaluation, consultation and brief CBT. The two 12-month core rotations will focus upon CBT for the major anxiety and anxiety-related disorders in adults (social anxiety disorder [SAD], panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder [GAD], specific phobias, obsessive-compulsive disorder [OCD], and post-traumatic stress disorder [PTSD]). Training in group-format CBT is available. The core experiences will begin immediately upon initiating internship. The inpatient consultation experience follows a progression from evaluation and supportive care on general medical-surgical units to more specialized CBT for patients being followed by the trauma team and by services with which the intern is currently working on an outpatient basis in the 4-month rotations listed below. Both outpatient and inpatient consultation assignments for interns in the Anxiety Disorders Track will focus primarily upon anxiety and anxiety-related disorders/presentations.

In addition to the two 12-month core rotations, 35% of direct patient care experiences during the internship will be accounted for in three 4-month rotations selected from among the following experiences:

1. Psycho-oncology – The intern will have the opportunity to learn to evaluate, consult on, and treat patients referred by medical and surgical oncology teams in Nebraska Medicine’s state-of-the-art Fred and Pamela Buffet Cancer Center, comprising a comprehensive team of more than 200 cancer experts covering all specialties across the cancer spectrum. Psycho-oncology long-term case assignments for interns in the Anxiety Disorders Track will focus primarily upon anxiety-related presentations (e.g., fear of cancer recurrence [e.g., see Starreveld, Markovitz, Breukelen, & Peters, 2016]).

2. Pain Management – The intern will have the opportunity to learn pain management evaluation and CBT in an interdisciplinary pain rehabilitation program. The intern’s Pain Management training experience likely will not involve full participation in the 3- to 4-week Chronic Pain Management Program. Pain management referrals will come from other inpatient and outpatient settings. Long-term pain management case assignments for interns in the Anxiety Disorders Track will focus primarily upon anxiety-related presentations (e.g., pain-related fear and avoidance [e.g., see Asmundson & Taylor, 1996; Carleton, Abrams, Asmundson, Antony, & McCabe, 2009]).

3. Transplantation – The intern will have the opportunity to learn to complete pre-surgical psychological evaluations of candidates for solid organ transplant (i.e., kidney, pancreas, heart, lung, small bowel, pediatric liver transplant) and left ventricular assist devices (LVAD). The intern will consult with interdisciplinary teams and will have the opportunity for follow-up outpatient and inpatient treatment of transplant patients needing behavioral health assistance. Long-term transplantation-related case assignments for interns in the Anxiety Disorders Track will focus primarily upon anxiety-related presentations (e.g., post-traumatic stress disorder associated with organ transplant [e.g., see Davydow, Lease, & Reyes, 2015]).

4. Bariatrics – The intern will have the opportunity to learn to complete pre-surgical psychological evaluations of candidates for weight loss surgery, including initial evaluations and subsequent behavioral readiness evaluations closer to the time of surgery. The intern will consult with the interdisciplinary Bariatrics team and will have the opportunity for follow-up outpatient and inpatient treatment of bariatric patients needing behavioral health assistance. Long-term Bariatrics case assignments for interns in the Anxiety Disorders Track will focus primarily upon anxiety-related presentations (e.g., premorbid post-traumatic stress disorder [e.g., see Walsy, Rosenstein, Dalrymple, Chelminski, & Zimmerman, 2017]; social anxiety disorder associated with morbid obesity [e.g., see Mirijello et al., 2015]).

Core Experiences

Outside of their track-specific training, General Track and Primary Care Track interns will have core experiences in inpatient consultation-liaison and outpatient psychotherapy services. Core experiences will typically begin upon successful completion of the first month of internship. The outpatient caseload may come from one of their major rotations, or another specialty team/clinic on campus. The inpatient experience follows a progression from evaluation and supportive care on general medical-surgical units to more specialized care of patients being followed by the trauma team, the heart failure team, various transplant teams, as well as patients followed by teams with which the interns are currently working.

Based on interns' training needs and interests, as well as patients' needs and supervisors' availability, interns may also have the opportunity to work with patients from the Adult Congenital Heart Disease (ACHD) team, the Cystic Fibrosis (CF) team, the Diabetes Clinic, the Gender Care Clinic, Geriatrics and Geriatric Psychiatry, and Neurology. 

Interns will have the opportunity to provide in-person and telehealth services during the training year.

Supervision

Interns will receive two hours of weekly individual face-to-face supervision. Two additional hours of individual, group, or interdisciplinary team supervision and/or didactic activities are available depending on the track and rotation.

Interns will have the opportunity to provide clinical supervision to other behavioral and mental health trainees during the internship year.

Research Opportunities

Interns will have opportunities to participate in new or existing research. Some recent/current Psychology Department and hospital-based projects include Frailty in Lung Transplant, Chronic Pain Management, and the Mind and Brain Health Labs.  Research opportunities examining anxiety and anxiety-related disorders will be available in the Anxiety Disorders Track. Currently, Dr. Weeks is a co-I on NIH-funded and internal grants focusing on treatments for anxiety disorders.

Professional Development Training

Interns have the opportunity to attend Nebraska Medicine-sponsored conferences and seminars, Psychiatry Grand Rounds, Psychology Departmental Journal Club, and Psychology Training Didactics/ Discussion Group. Interns are also welcome to attend Neurological Sciences Grand Rounds and Neuropsychology Seminars when the topic is pertinent to their clinical health psychology training.

Benefits

Background Check: An outside third party will perform a background check consisting of education and/or criminal history and the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services Adult and Child Abuse Registry for individuals who have accepted a conditional offer of employment. A driving record check will also be conducted for jobs that require driving as an essential function. Unless otherwise required by state law, the background check will not include bankruptcy filings or garnishments. Nebraska Medicine will conduct an individualized assessment of the results of a requested background check when making employment decisions based on such results. Nebraska Medicine will not make employment decisions based solely on an individual’s criminal record. Rather, Nebraska Medicine will consider convictions, pleas of no content and pending charges for crimes that are substantially related to the position. Nebraska Medicine will consider the length of time since a conviction and/or completion of the sentence, the nature and gravity of the crime, and the relationship between the job to be performed and the record of the conviction. Nebraska Medicine may also consider other factors, such as the facts or circumstances surrounding an offense or conduct and the number of offenses for which the individual was convicted, among others, when making employment decisions.

Drug Screen: Prior to starting internship on or after July 1, a pre-employment drug screen is required. Matched interns should maintain abstinence from substances that are illegal in Nebraska, including marijuana, THC, and its derivatives. While candidates are not tested for current/recent nicotine use, the organization has a Tobacco-free Environment Policy, which prohibits use of all tobacco/nicotine products on Nebraska Medicine or UNMC property. Tobacco use also remains prohibited in vehicles owned by Nebraska Medicine as well as in employees’ vehicles parked on Nebraska Medicine property. This policy includes cigarettes, pipes, cigars, and smokeless tobacco products such as chewing tobacco and e-cigarettes, but it does not prohibit the use of nicotine patches or gum. The organization also does not authorize "smoke breaks."

Vaccination Requirement: Prior to starting internship on or after July 1, matched interns are required to submit a current vaccination list and comply with TB screening. If medical and/or religious exemptions need to be made, HR and Employee Health will work with matched interns before their start date; however, please be aware that exemption requests may delay the start date. “Effective July 24, 2023, Nebraska Medicine will no longer require colleagues to receive a COVID-19 vaccination primary series as a condition of employment.” 

International Students: Nebraska Medicine will consider international students during the annual APPIC match for all 3 tracks as these are not federally funded positions. To be eligible to work for Nebraska Medicine, an international student intern must be on a valid, unexpired F-1 visa and enrolled as a graduate student from an APA-accredited PhD/PsyD program in Clinical/Counseling Psychology. Matched interns who are international students will be responsible for working with their graduate university’s international student office to obtain approval from USCIS to utilize Curricular Practical Training (CPT) for their 12-month full-time internship at Nebraska Medicine well before the July 1 start date. Nebraska Medicine and NICPP have successfully matched with international students in previous years. We are familiar with ways to support international students during their internship year as they prepare for postdoctoral training and employment opportunities.

A master's degree in psychology and eligibility to be licensed as a PLMHP in the state of Nebraska are required. For more information regarding the PLMHP application, please refer to: http://dhhs.ne.gov/licensure/Documents/MHPProvisionalApp.pdf . Incoming interns are expected to have obtained their PLMHP by May 31 (i.e., approximately one month prior to their start date around July 1). 

Incoming interns are responsible for the PLMHP application fee. Nebraska Medicine is unable to reimburse this one-time fee.

Working Environment: Interns will be assigned 1 parking spot on the main campus, which is about a 10-minute walk to the Psychology building. Interns may request to be moved to a parking lot closer to the building based on physical and other needs.  

Interns in the Primary Care track will typically have to commute to 2 clinics (1 clinic for 1 day and 1 clinic for 2 other days) that are not on the main campus. The 2 remaining non-Primary Care days will likely take place on the main campus. 

The Psychology Department is on the 5th floor of a building and could be accessed by both elevators and stairs. Other locations where interns may practice (e.g., all primary care clinics, inpatient hospital buildings) are either on the ground level with accessible parking, or are connected to the Psychology Department, also accessible by elevators, escalators, and stairs). 

Please reach out to the training director for further information about the physical/ functional demands for this position. The job description of a psychologist at Nebraska Medicine currently listed it as “very-light-sedentary.” (Information last obtained 9/2023)  

Post Internship Employment

All clinical health psychology interns have been employed as postdoctoral fellows and/or staff psychologists in medical/healthcare settings after their internship year at Nebraska Medicine, such as the VA hospital, military hospital, academic medical centers, and non-profit primary care clinics.

Training and Supervisory Staff

David Cates, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist, Director of Behavioral Health at Nebraska Medicine and Vice Chair of Clinical Operations in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Dr. Cates also serves as the Behavioral Health Consultant to the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit and the National Quarantine Unit. His areas of professional interest include the psychological effects of medical isolation and quarantine, promoting resilience in healthcare workers, treatment of children and adolescents suffering from a variety of psychiatric disorders, and suicide prevention. Dr. Cates is a member of the American Psychological Association and the Nebraska Psychological Association where he serves on the Ethics Committee.

Dr. Cates does not directly supervise interns, but may provide consultation services on a case-by-case basis.

Margaret (Meg) Donovan, PhD is a licensed psychologist, clinical supervisor, and instructor.  Dr. Donovan received her doctorate from the University of North Dakota in 1998 and completed clinical internship at the Norfolk Regional Center, a treatment center for the chronically mentally ill.  She has previously worked in a psychiatric hospital, in private practice, and at a sex offender treatment program where she was Director of Psychology and provided clinical oversight for the sex offender program.  She joined Nebraska Medicine in 2020 and is a Behavioral Health Consultant in the Primary Care clinics. Dr. Donovan’s specialties include major mental illness, anxiety disorders, mood disorders, insomnia, integrated primary care, autism spectrum disorders, and personality disorders.

Dr. Donovan is affiliated with the Primary Care Track, and will not supervise interns in other tracks.

Tessa Holscher, PsyD is a licensed psychologist and clinical supervisor. Dr. Holscher received her doctorate from the Forest Institute of Professional Psychology in Springfield, Missouri in 2014, and completed clinical internship and postdoctoral training at Nebraska Mental Health Centers. Dr. Holscher has been on staff at Nebraska Medicine since 2018. Her specialties include anxiety, trauma, and mood disorders in children and adolescents. She also provides psychological evaluations and support for patients and their families referred by pediatric oncology/hematology and transplant teams.

Dr. Holscher is primarily affiliated with the Anxiety Disorders Track, but may be available to supervise interns in other tracks based on availability.

Katherine Linder, PhD is a licensed psychologist and clinical supervisor. Dr. Linder is a Nebraska-native who received her doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology at Alliant International University, and completed her clinical internship at the Beatrice State Developmental Center (BSDC), a member of the Nebraska Internship Consortium for Professional Psychology (NICPP). She has been on staff at Nebraska Medicine since 2006. Her interests include pediatrics (especially age 2 to 8), play therapy, solid organ transplant, pediatric HIV, intellectual disability, medical adherence/compliance, parenting capacity, health issues, anxiety and mood disorders, juvenile sexual aggression, psychological assessment, and trauma.

Dr. Linder is primarily affiliated with the General Track, but may be available to supervise interns in the other tracks based on availability.

Adam Mills, PhD is a licensed clinical health psychologist, Associate Training Director, and clinical supervisor. He completed his PhD in 2016 at Oklahoma State University and his clinical psychology internship at the Charleston (South Carolina) Consortium (Medical University of South Carolina & Charleston VA Medical Center). He started at Nebraska Medicine in 2016, and since then helped develop the co-located psychosocial oncology program at the Buffett Cancer Center. He supervises interns for the following rotations / experiences: psychosocial oncology, solid organ transplant, and inpatient consultation-liaison services. Clinical areas of interest include: adjustment to acute and chronic medical illnesses, anxiety / worry, depression, insomnia, and functional neurological symptoms. He primarily uses ACT- and CBT-based approaches.

Dr. Mills is primarily affiliated with the General Track, but may be available to supervise interns in the other tracks based on availability.

Alice Mitwaruciu, PhD is a licensed psychologist and clinical supervisor. Dr. Mitwaruciu received her doctorate in Counseling Psychology from The University of Utah, Salt Lake City in 2009. She completed her internship and Post Doc at Beatrice State Developmental Center (BSDC) in Beatrice, Nebraska. Dr. Mitwaruciu joined the staff at Nebraska Medicine in 2022. She previously worked as a staff psychologist at BSDC, was the Behavioral Health Administrator for the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services and the Training Director for Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln She specializes in international and immigrant mental health, depression, anxiety, bipolar disorders, anger management, trauma/PTSD, suicide prevention/assessment/management, Loss & Grief Counseling, and crisis intervention & postvention. Currently she sees patients in bariatrics, oncology, and kidney transplant, as well as medical inpatients. 

Dr. Mitwaruciu is primarily affiliated with the General Track but may be available to supervise interns in the other tracks based on availability.

Joseph E. Poler, Jr., PsyD is a licensed psychologist, clinical supervisor, and researcher. Dr. Poler is the Mental Health Coordinator for the University of Nebraska Medical Center Adult Cystic Fibrosis Care Team at Nebraska Medicine/University of Nebraska Medical Center. He received his doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Adler University in 2009, and completed his clinical internship at the Commonwealth of Massachusetts – Tewksbury Hospital and postdoctoral training at the Behavioral Medicine Center at the University of Virginia (UVA), Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences. He has also worked as an Instructor at the University of Virginia – HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital. Dr. Poler joined the Psychology Department at Nebraska Medicine in 2017. He specializes in the assessment and treatment of persons living with chronic medical conditions, anxiety, depression, sleep disorders, presurgical evaluation (bariatric surgery, spinal cord stimulator), solid organ donation, and inpatient consultation. His treatment orientation is primarily cognitive-behavioral, acceptance and commitment, as well as Adlerian. Research interests include the psychosocial impact and sequelae of living with cystic fibrosis and various brain-behavior relationships.

Dr. Poler is primarily affiliated with the Anxiety Disorders Track, but may be available to supervise interns in the other tracks based on availability.

Cecilia Poon, PhD, ABPP is a licensed board-certified geropsychologist and adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry at UNMC. Originally from Hong Kong, she completed her PhD in Clinical Psychology (Aging Track) at the University of Southern California, her internship at the Piedmont Geriatric Hospital in Virginia, and her fellowship at Nebraska Medicine. She has served on committees of the American Board of Geropsychology, Society of Clinical Geropsychology (APA Division 12, Section 2), Adult Development and Aging (APA Division 20), Psychologists in Long-term Care, and the Nebraska Mental Health and Aging Coalition. She is serving a 3-year term (2022-2025) on the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee of the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC). Clinical interests include aging with disability, caregiving, coping with chronic health conditions, death and dying, grief, and mindfulness- and acceptance-based interventions. Other professional interests include geriatric behavioral health workforce, public policy advocacy, as well as multicultural and diversity considerations in practice, mentoring, supervision, and training. 

Dr. Poon may supervise interns with a strong interest in working with older adults and/or individuals with heart and lung conditions.

Kimberly Vacek, PhD is a licensed clinical psychologist and clinical supervisor. Dr. Vacek earned her doctorate degree from Loyola University Chicago in 2010. She completed her internship at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and her post-doctoral fellowship at Roosevelt University Counseling Center in Chicago, Illinois. She joined the Nebraska Medicine in 2011, serving initially as the bariatric team psychologist and trauma team liaison for the Psychology Department. She then worked as staff psychologist for the Chronic Pain Management Program for nearly 7 years. In 2020 she transitioned to serving as a Behavioral Health Consultant in the Bellevue Family Medicine Clinic. She specializes in cognitive-behavioral and acceptance-based therapies for individuals with trauma disorders, chronic pain/illness, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, insomnia, binge/emotional eating. In addition to her work with the psychology internship program, Dr. Vacek also supervises family medicine residents and nurse practitioner students through her role in primary care.

Dr. Vacek is affiliated with the Primary Care Track, but may be available to supervise interns in other tracks who are interested in pain management based on availability.

Justin W. Weeks, PhD is a licensed psychologist, instructor, clinical supervisor, and researcher. Dr. Weeks is currently the Psychotherapy Director of the Anxiety Subspecialty Treatment (AnxST) program in the Department of Psychology at Nebraska Medicine and the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Dr. Weeks received his doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Temple University in 2008, and completed clinical internship and postdoctoral training at the Stress and Anxiety Disorders Clinic at the University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Psychiatry. Dr. Weeks joined the Psychology Department at Nebraska Medicine in 2015, and specializes in assessment/treatment of, and research on, anxiety and anxiety-related disorders in adults. He formerly served as the Director of the Center for Evaluation and Treatment of Anxiety (CETA) at Ohio University, was the Program Chair for the annual convention of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT) in 2013, and the Editor of the Wiley-Blackwell Handbook on Social Anxiety Disorder in 2014.

Dr. Weeks is primarily affiliated with the Anxiety Disorders Track, but may be available to supervise interns in other tracks based on availability.

Andrew Ahrendt, PhDis a licensed clinical health psychologist and clinical supervisor. He received his doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the University of Nevada, Reno in 2020, and completed his clinical internship at the Nebraska Internship Consortium in Professional Psychology. Dr. Ahrendt joined the Nebraska Medicine psychology department as a staff member in 2020 and specializes in the areas of inpatient consultation-liaison services and the assessment/treatment of surgical and non-surgical weight loss/eating difficulties. He mentors/supervises UNMC psychiatry residents, and his clinical interests include bariatrics, trauma/PTSD, adult anxiety disorders, depression, insomnia, and functional neurological symptoms. Dr. Ahrendt's therapeutic approach predominantly leans towards Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Functional Analytic Psychotherapy (FAP)-based strategies.

Dr. Ahrendt is primarily affiliated with the General Track, but may be available to supervise interns in the other tracks based on availability.

Sally Stratmann, PhDis a provisionally licensed clinical psychologist and clinical supervisor. She earned her doctorate from the University of Missouri Kansas City and completed her doctoral internship at Nebraska Medicine in the Health Psychology track. She was subsequently hired as a program psychologist for the Chronic Pain Management Program. In addition to her duties at CPMP, Dr. Stratmann conducts comprehensive adult neurodevelopmental assessments as well as presurgical evaluations for kidney donors and spinal cord stimulator candidates. Clinical interests include chronic pain/illness, disability, health psychology, interprofessional collaboration and consultation-liaison psychology, and adult assessment.

Dr. Stratmann is affiliated with the General Track and the primary supervisor for the Chronic Pain Management Program rotation, but may be available to supervise interns in other rotations based on availability.

Nebraska Medicine Psychology Department typically holds virtual open houses and individual interviews during the first and occasionally the second Thursday(s) and Friday(s) in January. Applications are typically due by November 1. Notification of interviews is made by late November.

We welcome and encourage well-qualified individuals with a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion to apply to our internship program. Multicultural considerations are integrated into our didactic, clinical training, and supervision. In addition to a diverse patient population, our medical center also attracts students, interns, residents, faculty, and staff from many parts of the world. For further information on our commitment to promote an inclusive, diverse, equitable, and accessible environment, please refer to the Inclusion, Diversity, & Equity at UNMC page: https://www.unmc.edu/diversity/