ADAA Membership Interview

This isn’t an actual blog post, but something I wanted to share. Recently I was privileged to be interviewed by the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) Membership and Education Manager Sasha Sicard about my journey with ADAA and the best way others can utilize the benefits that come along with being an ADAA member.

Please introduce yourself and let us know how long you have been an ADAA Member.

I joined ADAA in 2016 and in 2019 was an inaugural recipient Emerging Leader Award

How has your professional career journey led you to becoming an ADAA member?
In grad school I knew I wanted to specialize in treating people with anxiety disorders and obsessive-compulsive disorder. I joined ADAA in 2016 and my gateway in was participating in the Alies Muskin Career Development Leadership Program (CDLP) at the 2017 ADAA conference. I was paired with Ruth Lippen, LCSW, JD who introduced me to Elizabeth DuPont Spencer, LCSW-C and Kimberly Morrow, LCSW. These three ladies encouraged me to become more involved with ADAA and the rest is history.

What is your favorite part of being an ADAA member?
The supportive community
Being surrounded by professionals expertise in anxiety disorders and OCD
The passion for the field

What makes the ADAA membership experience so unique?
Opportunities for peer case consultation
Specialized continuing education
Access to more experienced professionals
Professional development advice

How would you describe the ADAA community?
Knowledgeable
Passionate
Supportive
Fun

Which member benefits do you take advantage of besides the conference?
a. Are you a member of one of our committees or SIGs and can you share your experience with that?
Early Career Professionals and Students Special Interest Group – Currently the Chair Emeritus and previously the Co-Vice Chair and the Chair
Membership and Marketing Committee – Currently Vice Chair and previously a member
OCD and Related Disorders Special Interest Group – Currently Vice Chair and previously a member
Social Anxiety Special Interest Group – Member
Women’s Mental Health Special Interest Group – Member
b. Do you watch or host our webinars and can you share your experience with that?
I’ve watched numerous webinars on everything from psychopharmacology to nuances in treating social anxiety. I’ve also organized a webinar entitled, “Who Should I Treat? Specialization vs. Generalization in Clinical Practice” and co-hosted, “Setting Up Patients for Success: Providing Patients with Psychoeducation Increases Their Resilience and Helps Maintain Progress in Treatment”
c. Are you listed in the Find-A-Therapist Database and can you share your experience with that?
I am listed in the database and whenever a new patient calls my office, I always ask where they got my name and the ADAA website is frequently mentioned.

How have you benefited from being an ADAA member?
Support when opening up my practice
Case consultation
Imposter syndrome
Specialized continuing education

Why would you encourage other mental health professionals to join ADAA?
Education
Support
Professional development
Specialization
Networking

If you could give a new member one piece of advice on how to best take advantage of being an ADAA member, what would it be
Get involved as much as possible, especially SIGs
Attend conferences