Directors of the CCC Program

Dr. O’Brien is a licensed psychologist at Alvord, Baker & Associates, LLC. She is the co-director of the Selective Mutism Program and the summer intensive camp. She is a certified Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) trainer and therapist and uses PCIT modified for Selective Mutism as developed by Dr. Steven Kurtz. Dr. O’Brien provided intensive treatment for Selective Mutism and other anxiety disorders during her clinical psychology doctoral training at the University of Florida. She completed her internship at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and was a Research Assistant Professor at the University of Maryland-College Park. She has been involved with numerous research projects for developing and examining outcomes for cutting edge family-based interventions, including a large NIMH funded study for families of young children with behavioral inhibition and social anxiety. She provides trainings about evidence-based interventions for anxiety to therapists and teachers.

Check out this article published in Time about the “Turtle Program” that discusses the intervention that Dr. O’Brien helped to develop and trained others to implement: http://time.com/4806209/anxiety-kids-cognitive-behavioral-therapy/Counselors

Our counselors are recruited from graduate psychology programs in the DC Metro area. The majority of our counselors come from the University of Maryland, College Park and Catholic University Clinical Psychology Programs. Counselors receive extensive hands on and didactic training in preparation for their involvement in our camp and groups.

Dr. Raggi is a licensed psychologist in private practice in Bethesda, MD. She collaborates as co-director of the Selective Mutism summer camp programs at Alvord, Baker & Associates, LLC. Dr. Raggi received intensive training in PCIT modified for SM approach through postdoctoral training with Dr. Steven Kurtz at the NYU Child Study Center. She earned her Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Maryland, College Park and completed internship at Children’s Hospital in Washington, D.C. Dr. Raggi is the first author of Exposure Therapy for Treating Anxiety in Children and Adolescents, a comprehensive, practical resource for implementing exposure therapy when treating youth with anxiety and has developed an iPhone application, CBT Tools for Youth, available on iTunes, to help youth use CBT strategies. She frequently trains and consults with professionals and schools in the treatment of anxiety and SM.

Check out Dr. Raggi’s latest podcasts on treating children with anxiety and SM:
https://www.offtheclockpsych.com/podcast/childhood-anxiety
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/myndtalk-with-dr-pamela-brewer/2017/09/01/myndtalk--selective-mutism--dr-veronica-raggi