Commonwealth Psychological Associates PLC

Bios

• 

  Anita L. Auerbach, Ph.D.

  Director, Clinical Psychologist

  Dr. Anita Auerbach, Founder/Director, established Commonwealth Psychological Associates in 1980. Formerly Chief of Psychological Services at the Northern Virginia Training Center, she is a Diplomate of the International Academy of Behavioral Medicine and the American Board of Medical Psychotherapists.Trained during internship and residency in the inter-disciplinary treatment team approach, with a Ph.D. in Psychology from The George Washington University, Dr. Auerbach wanted to bring aboard a highly-skilled group of clinical psychologists, neuropsychologists and other allied healthcare specialists, so that patients could access mental health services of varying breadth and depth, all under one roof. Originally conceived to serve the greater Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, the practice has grown beyond to have a national and international referral base. In addition, Commonwealth Psychological Associates serves as a training facility for senior doctoral interns and residents from The George Washington University. Dr. Auerbach works with adolescent, adult and geriatric patients with problems that interfere with daily living including depression, anxiety, phobia, couples' relationships, marital issues, coping with chronic illness, substance abuse and sports performance enhancement, to name a few. Her philosophy of treatment is "I want them to feel they are coming to a place of expertise, and also a place of compassion, so that each patient, at that moment in time, is the only patient." Dr. Auerbach is President of the Virginia Psychological Association and Chairman of the VPA Board of Directors. She has been an instructor at several area universities and is presently Clinical Professor of Psychology at The George Washington University. Dr. Auerbach is also a board member for the David H. Lawson Foundation. She has served as a consultant to community agencies, hospitals, mental health clinics, school systems, courts, group medical practices, athletes and sports teams. Her work with corporate clients includes some of the metropolitan area corporations named in The Washington Post's Top 200 Companies. Dr. Auerbach has brought many mental health issues to the public at large, through media appearances on NBC, CBS, and ABC and has assisted the media in the development of television programs and in various print publications such as The Washington Post, Parade, The Fairfax Journal, and Bride magazine. She has given presentations on topics ranging from stress and anger management to effective communication with adolescents, prenuptial agreements, transition to retirement, grief and loss, stress of relocation, and home-based behavioral interventions. Dr. Auerbach is a member of the American Psychological Association, the Virginia Psychological Association, the Virginia Academy of Clinical Psychologists (where she serves on the Executive Council), the Association for the Advancement of Applied Sports Psychology, and the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis, and is also part of the Red Cross Disaster Response Network.

  Link: Anita L. Auerbach, Ph.D.

• 

  Bruce M. Halpin, Ph.D.

  Chief Pediatric Clinical Psychologist

  Dr. Halpin has been with Commonwealth Psychological Associates since 1987 where he serves as Chief Pediatric Clinical Psychologist. Dr. Halpin works extensively with children, adolescents, adults and families facing a wide range of challenges, including anxiety, depression, abuse, attention problems, academic problems, adoption, giftedness, divorce, autism spectrum disorders (ASD), developmental delay, and various issues of adjustment. He has provided individual, couples, and family therapy, in addition to psychological assessments. Dr. Halpin was formerly Director of the Parenting Program for the Prevention of Child Abuse at Cleveland Metropolitan General Hospital, and Assistant Professor of Psychology at the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. Dr. Halpin earned his doctorate in clinical psychology from Purdue University with a specialization in Pediatric Clinical Psychology. He completed his internship at Cleveland Metropolitan General Hospital as well as a Post-Doctoral fellowship in Pediatric Psychology at the Children's Medical Center of Akron, Ohio. Dr. Halpin has lectured to professional and parent groups and has served as a forensic consultant to courts and government agencies. He is a clinical consultant to public and private schools and also to area group homes for developmentally delayed adults. Dr. Halpin brings to his work at Commonwealth Psychological Associates a very kind and gentle manner with a capacity for exceptional insight that can help individuals, families and groups to readily crystalize core issues. Dr. Halpin is part of the Red Cross Disaster Response Network and a member of the American Psychological Association, Virginia Psychological Association, Virginia Academy of Clinical Psychologists, Society of Pediatric Psychology, and Division of Child, Youth and Family Services.

  Link: Bruce M. Halpin, Ph.D.

• 

  Edythe A. Wiggs, Ph.D.

  Chief Neuropsychologist

  Dr. Wiggs brings decades of experience with a broad range of psychological and medical disorders to patient care at Commonwealth Psychological Associates. After completing a Post-Doctoral Fellowship in the Neurology Department at Georgetown University Hospital in 1991, Dr. Wiggs joined Commonwealth Psychological Associates where she is now Chief Neuropsychologist. In addition to her work at Commonwealth Psychological Associates, Dr. Wiggs serves as a consultant at the National Institutes of Health where she has specialized in research and assessment of the cognitive effects of deep brain stimulation (DBS) for the treatment of Parkinson's disease, and memory and learning in adolescents and young adults with epilepsy. Dr. Wiggs also does clinical work for the NIH Undiagnosed Diseases Program assessing patients who have a multitude of disorders that require a flexible and adaptive approach to the assessment of memory and learning, attention, planning, problem solving, language and spatial abilities, and executive functions. Dr. Wiggs has contributed to dozens of scientific studies over the years that have been published in leading journals, including The New England Journal of Medicine and Neurology. Commonwealth Psychological Associates is also a training facility for advanced doctoral-level students. Dr. Wiggs is a Clinical Professor of Psychology at The George Washington University training students completing Externships in neuropsychological assessments in our practice. She is a former Adjunct Professor of Psychology at George Mason University and Gallaudet University. Dr. Wiggs is licensed in Virginia and Maryland. She is a member of the American Psychological Association, the International Neuropsychological Society, and the National Academy of Neuropsychology.

  Link: Edythe A. Wiggs, Ph.D.

• 

  Vincent A. Thomy, Ph.D.

  Neuropsychologist

  After more than 20 years in private practice in Washington, D.C., Commonwealth Psychological Associates was very pleased when Dr. Thomy joined our practice in 2001 as a neuropsychologist and clinical psychologist specializing in assessment of adults and adolescents. His evaluations focus on issues involving anxiety, depression, abuse, substance abuse, relationship difficulties and personality disorders. He also has had experience with treatment of trauma. Prior to joining Commonwealth Psychological Associates, Dr. Thomy served as Clinical Director of Second Genesis, a private, non-profit organization which ran residential and outpatient substance abuse treatment programs in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. He was Director of Psychology Training for the District of Columbia's Commission on Mental Health Services (embracing an APA-accredited pre-doctoral internship program and a post-doctoral residency program), and Clinical Consultant at the Hospital for Sick Children to staff of the outpatient clinic who were treating and researching a population of HIV-and STD-positive adolescents. While at St. Elizabeths Hospital in Washington, D.C., Dr. Thomy designed and directed an inpatient-to-outpatient treatment and rehabilitation program for patients with alcoholism, while also running a general psychiatric ward. Serving first as Staff Psychologist, a position involving assessment, treatment, consultation and supervision, he later became a member of the Psychology Training Faculty. Dr. Thomy is a former consultant to the National Institute of Education in Washington, D.C., where he was Chief of a Crisis Intervention Project and directed their Employee Assistance Program. He has also worked as a trainee development officer for the Peace Corps, serving as a counselor to candidates and a consultant to Corps staff in the selection of volunteers. Dr. Thomy received his Ph.D. (and M.A.) in Clinical Psychology from The George Washington University, and his B.A. in Psychology from Duke University. Dr. Thomy is licensed in Virginia and the District of Columbia and is listed in the National Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology. He has been a member of the AIDS Task Force, D.C. Commission on Mental Health Services, and has also served on the Board of Directors and Chairman of the Program Committee for the District of Columbia Psychological Association. Dr. Thomy has taught seminars and given presentations on topics including: Adult neuropsychological screening; Individual psychotherapy; Psychological assessment; Treatment of personality disorders; Substance abuse; and Sexual abuse Dr. Thomy has also given multiple public education presentations and media interviews on the assessment and treatment of PCP abuse.

  Link: Vincent A. Thomy, Ph.D.

• 

  Eileen J. Sarett-Cuasay, Ph.D.

  Neuropsychologist

  Dr. Cuasay (pronounced KWAH-sigh) joined Commonwealth Psychological Associates in 2007 as a clinical neuropsychologist who specializes in neuropsychological evaluations primarily for children, adolescents and college-aged individuals with developmental processing, learning and/or psychological issues. She works with a wide range of patients, including those with attention problems, learning disabilities, developmental delays (specializing in Autism Spectrum Disorders), sensory processing disorders and psychological conditions, such as anxiety and mood disorders. Dr. Cuasay provides comprehensive neuropsychological assessment of her patients' cognitive, academic, social, behavioral and emotional functioning. Approaching her patients as individuals with a unique set of processing and learning characteristics, she provides detailed written feedback to her patients, and/or their parents, using readily-understandable terminology. She strives to help patients understand that the findings they achieve during treatment will impact life experience and behavior. She provides specific recommendations to accentuate a patient's strengths and minimize any limitations. Dr. Cuasay earned her doctorate in clinical psychology from Gallaudet University, the only four-year university for deaf and hard of hearing in the United States, giving her unique training in assessing patients with disabling conditions, understanding contributions of multiple factors to her patients' development, and attending to cultural factors that impact her patients' behavior and world view. Dr. Cuasay completed her Internship in Pediatric Clinical Psychology at the University of Florida Health Sciences Center, then completed a Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Pediatric Clinical Psychology at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, GA.

  Link: Eileen J. Sarett-Cuasay, Ph.D.

• 

  Maria L.. Dittrich, Ph.D.

  Clinical Psychologist

  Dr. Dittrich has been in private practice at Commonwealth Psychological Associates as a clinical psychologist since 2007. Dr. Dittrich specializes in couple's therapy and also counsels patients struggling with anxiety, adjustment issues, and depression. She also has specialized training in the Collaborative Divorce program. She finds inspiration for her work in the potential that all people can be in loving, caring, communicative relationships. Dr. Dittrich first joined our practice as an advanced doctoral student completing her Externship. The following year she completed her Internship in psychology at South Florida State Hospital and returned to Commonwealth Psychological Associates to complete her two-year Residency training. She has continued with Commonwealth Psychological Associates since that time, serving now as Senior Staff Psychologist. Dr. Dittrich earned her doctorate degree in clinical psychology from The George Washington University where she served as graduate Co-Director of the Meltzer Psychological Services Center, and was an academic contributor to the APA Dictionary of Psychology. She is currently on faculty at GW as an Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Psychology. Dr. Dittrich is a member of the National Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology, the American Psychological Association (APA), the Society of Clinical Psychology (APA Division 12), the Society of Consulting Psychology (APA Division 13), the Society for the Psychological Study of Lesbian Gay and Bisexual Issues (APA Division 44), and the Virginia Psychological Association.

  Link: Maria L.. Dittrich, Ph.D.

• 

  Lisa D. Locke, M.S., LMFT

  Marriage and Family Therapist

  Ms. Locke joined Commonwealth Psychological Associates (CPA) as a marriage and family therapist in 2004. She works with children, adolescents and adults, as well as families and couples, in the treatment of depression, anxiety, relationship issues, child behavioral problems, anger management, child and adolescent issues, marital conflict, domestic violence, stress management, workplace issues and difficulties related to international adoption. She is CPA's Chief Group Therapist and has years of experience with anger management group therapy having developed a program that is documented statewide. Prior to joining Commonwealth Psychological Associates, Ms. Locke served as Associate Clinical Director at Virginia Tech's Center for Family Services, training students in the Master's Degree program where she also coordinated administrative operations for the entire staff. She also consulted with the National Institute of Mental Health to develop a treatment program dealing with domestic violence. Ms. Locke brings to her work at Commonwealth Psychological Associates a philosophy of practice that emphasizes the individual's, family's, or couple's strengths – the tools they already have – as a primary means of helping them to solve their problems. "I want them to realize and acknowledge their own competencies and strengths and build upon them for the rest of their lives." Ms. Locke received her B.A. in Psychology from Virginia Polytechnic and State University (Virginia Tech), and subsequently her M.S. in Marriage and Family Therapy from Virginia Tech. Ms. Locke is a member of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (AAMFT) and is an AAMFT-approved supervisor, training new therapists toward licensure.

  Link: Lisa D. Locke, M.S., LMFT