Licensed psychologist and Founder of Alvord, Baker & Associates, Dr. Alvord has more than 40 years of clinical experience. Her work recognizes the importance of resilience in the framework of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Dr. Alvord specializes in the treatment of children, adolescents and adults with anxiety disorders, mood disorders, ADHD, and emotional and behavioral regulation problems.
Dr. Alvord holds a position of Adjunct Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavior Sciences at The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences. In 1977, she helped to establish a mental health clinic for children and adolescents through the Cheltenham Outreach Program. She served, first as a therapist, and later as the director of psychology training at the Regional Institute for Children and Adolescents (RICA), a day and residential treatment center. She has served as training coordinator of the Post-Doctoral Institute on Child and Adolescent Psychology sponsored by the Maryland Psychological Association Foundation (2000-2002). Over the years, Dr. Alvord has given numerous presentations on child and adolescent disorders and on treatment for national and international professional audiences.
For the past 30 years, Dr. Alvord has developed and refined a resilience-based group therapy model to improve social competence training. She has authored chapters on anxiety and resilience and has coauthored peer-reviewed journal articles on resilience and media ethics. She has made contributions to the American Psychological Association's (APA) public education guides on resilience and stress in children and teens. Dr. Alvord is the past president of the APA Division, Society for Media Psychology and Technology (2013), and served as APA's public education coordinator for the Maryland Psychological Association (2007-2020). Dr. Alvord frequently appears in the media; she has been interviewed by media outlets including Time, NYT, Better Homes and Gardens, Associated Press and health magazines, CNN, NPR, Washington Post, USA Todayand US News & World Report, and local as well as international TV on topics ranging from stress, anxiety, and social competence, to coping with adversity. Dr. Alvord also authored an essay for NPR Health Shots.
In 2020, Dr. Alvord received a Presidential Citation from the American Psychological Association for her lifelong dedication and passion for advancing the health and resilience of children, adolescents and their families through her innovative practice. She was selected as the 2019 recipient of the Society of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology (SCCAP)/APA Division 53 award for Promoting Evidence Based Mental Health Services for Children and Adolescents. In 2015, Dr Alvord received the Distinguished Applied Contributions to Media Psychology and Technology, awarded by APA Division 46, Society for Media Psychology and Technology. In 2013, Dr. Alvord received the Outstanding Professional Contributions to Psychologyaward by the Maryland Psychological Association, and also the Outstanding Achievement Award by the Behavioral Science Association. Dr. Alvord was honored as the first recipient of the American Psychological Association's Presidential Innovative Practice Citation (2009).
Dr. Alvord is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association, the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT) and Clinical Fellow of the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA).
Dr. Alvord is co-author of Resilience Builder Program for Children and Adolescents: Enhancing Social Competence and Self-Regulation — A Cognitive-Behavioral Group Approach (2011). Dr. Alvord is also co-author of Relaxation and Self-Regulation Techniques for Children and Teens: Mastering the Mind-Body Connection(compact disc and digital; released 2011); and for adults, Relaxation and Wellness Techniques: Mastering the Mind-Body Connection (compact disc and digital; released 2013). Conquer Negative Thinking for Teens: A Workbook to Break the Nine Thought Habits that are Holding You Back(2017) is her most recent co-authored book.
Dr. Alvord has founded a non-profit charity, Resilience Across Borders, Inc. to promote mental health services to youth. Dr. Alvord was profiled in APA for her work in resilience: www.apa.org.