Joseph A. Amatruda, Psy.D, MPH, is a part of the Clinical Health Psychology Section at the VAMC-CT with diverse clinical and research interests focusing on adaptation to chronic illness/pain; mental health care delivery in primary care settings, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and factors that promote the therapeutic alliance between patient and healthcare provider. He is presently involved in direct mental health care delivery at the VA Community-Based Outpatients Clinic providing evaluation and assessment as well as ongoing individual and group psychotherapy.

John E. Beauvais, Ph.D., has clinical and research interests in the area of Clinical Neuropsychology. He is actively researching the neuropsychological aspects of patients with HIV infection and with Multiple Sclerosis. He also researches innovative approaches to assessment (e.g., the Tactile Wisconsin Card Sorting Test).

Matthew M. Burg, Ph.D., has research interests in cardiovascular behavioral medicine. This specific focus is on the relationship of psychological (e.g., anger, depression), psychosocial (e.g., social support, spirituality), and psychophysiological (e.g., stress reactivity) to a number of CHD endpoints. Ongoing projects focus on predictors of and recovery from myocardial infarction, mechanisms in mental stress ischemia and arrhythmia, and the role of depression on a variety of endpoints.

Joanna Fiszdon, Ph.D., is a clinical research psychologist. She is the principal investigator of a study evaluating the efficacy of cognitive training in schizophrenia, and will soon be starting a clinical trial evaluating a social cognition group therapy for schizophrenia. Dr. Fiszdon's research interests focus on: cognition, factors affecting functional outcomes, and behavioral interventions for psychotic disorders. Her primary clinical orientation is cognitive-behavioral.

Lisa M. Frantsve, Ph.D., has broad clinical interests in health psychology, including sexual dysfunction, health promotion, and integrating mental health services in primary care clinics. Her research activities are within the domain of shared medical decision making, with a particular emphasis on the impact of patient-provider interactions on treatment outcomes and patient satisfaction.

V. Michael Gill, Ph.D., is interested in the theory and practice of individual, group and marital/family therapy. He works in the outpatient substance abuse treatment program, and utilizes relationship-oriented, psychodynamic therapy with groups and individuals. He is specifically interested in modified group therapy for substance abusers and harm reduction psychotherapy.

Les R. Greene, Ph.D., has clinical and research interests in and publishes extensively in the areas of group dynamics, group psychotherapy, object relations theory, and severe psychopathology. He is currently examining the effects of object relations and primitive defenses in schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorders.

Ilan Harpaz-Rotem, Ph.D., Clinical and supervisory duties are associated with the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Firm. He has a special interest in Evidence Based Treatment of PTSD. Dr. Harpaz-Rotem’s research interest includes: PTSD, Mental Health Service Research, Psychotherapy outcomes research, and human attachment during adolescence and early adulthood.

Marcia Hunt, Ph.D., serves as Local Recovery Coordinator for VA Connecticut. She has research and clinical interests in psychosocial rehabilitation and recovery-oriented care, family therapy, aging and lifespan development, and the development and support of valued social roles for marginalized individuals--including those with serious and persistent mental illness.

Seritta Jane, Ph.D., has research interests in personality disorders and addiction. She also has interests in gerontology and psychotherapy.

Robert D. Kerns, Ph.D., has broad clinical and research interests in the area of Clinical Health Psychology and behavioral medicine with specific interests in chronic pain and pain management, coping with chronic illness including family coping issues, processes and mediators of change during psychological interventions, integrative primary care, and psychosocial predictors of healthcare system use.

Anne Klee, Ph.D., CPRP, is the Program Director for the Brownell House, a Compensated Work Therapy Transitional Residence for veterans with PTSD returning to the workforce. She has clinical and research interests in the field of psychosocial rehabilitation, supportive housing and health promotion among individuals with severe mental illness.

Christine Lozano, Psy.D., is the clinical psychologist for the Psychosocial Rehabilitation Residential Treatment Program. Dr. Lozano's clinical and research backgrounds encompass behavioral medicine, including: substance use, binge eating disorder, chronic pain and chronic illness. Her clinical orientation is cognitive-behavioral, using motivational enhancement.

Erin O’Brien, Psy.D., has research interests include psychotherapy outcome research, personality disorders assessment and treatment, and substance abuse disorders. As examples, specific research projects in which she has been involved include the effect of therapist use of humor in therapy, treatment of borderline personality disorder, a longitudinal study of course and stability of personality disorders, and treatment of alcoholism.

David T. Pilkey, Ph.D., has research and clinical interests in the field of addictive behaviors. He is the director of the Substance Abuse Day Program, a multidisciplinary treatment team. Current research is focused in alcohol and tobacco cessation.

Patricia H. Rosenberger, Ph.D., is a research psychologist with broad research and clinical interests in clinical health psychology. Her specific research and clinical interests are in obesity and eating disorders, weight management, pain and pain management, and psychosocial influences on surgical outcome.

Kathryn A. Sanders, Ph.D., has broad research and clinical interests in Health psychology, with a focus on the role of psychologists in integrated primary care. Her main areas of interest are in the management of depression in primary care, patient and provider satisfaction with integrated mental health services, and group and self-administered psychological interventions for adjustment to medical issues.

Jeffery S. Schwartz, Ph.D., has extensive experience in the treatment of patients with substance abuse. He brings psychoeducational and cognitive behavioral approaches to his work and is particularly interested in the treatment of patients with comorbid psychiatric diagnoses. Jeff also has a long standing interest in psychological adjustment to chronic medical conditions.

Marc J. Shulman, Psy.D., is the Program Coordinator of the Comprehensive Pain Management Center. He has clinical and research interests in Health Psychology with specific interests in chronic pain and integrating primary care with behavioral health.

Howard R. Steinberg, Ph.D., has clinical and research interests in the field of addictive behaviors. He is currently involved in clinical research investigating treatments for concurrent alcohol and tobacco use.

License Eligible Research Psychologists

Alicia A. Heapy, Ph.D., is a research psychologist involved in protocol development and refinement, participant recruitment, evaluation and treatment of participants and data management and analysis in two ongoing clinical trials of psychological treatments for chronic pain. Her research interests include diabetic regimen adherence, clinical trials research and chronic pain.