My Journey to Becoming a Clinical Psychologist
Dr. Kathleen Fry, Ph.D.
My journey began by completing a dual degree (bachelor’s/master’s) in Clinical Psychology. A few years later, I earned a master’s in Business Administration (MBA). For many years I worked in mental health and in business operations in New York City. One of my the most essential stepping-stones in my journey was working as a mobile Crisis Clinician in the community. Working with children, families, and adults led to my interest of wanting to understand the clinical field more in-depth. To do this, I decided to return to school to earn a doctorate in Clinical Psychology with a focus in Neuropsychology.
While earning my doctorate, I trained in a medical rehabilitation hospital in New York, where I served young adults to geriatric patients with a variety of medical conditions including brain and spinal cord injury, cardio-pulmonary illness, orthopedic injury, and neurodegenerative disease. I completed my first Department of Veteran’s Affairs (VA) externship at the Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Hospital in Bedford, Massachusetts in the mental health clinic and in the inpatient psychiatric unit. After my tenure there, I externed at the community clinic at New York University, where I focused on multiculturalism and assessment.
Thereafter, I completed a clinical internship at the Chillicothe VA Medical Center in Ohio in the mental health clinic, residential substance and post-traumatic stress disorder, clinic and primary care. I was selected for a Fellowship in trauma at the Salt Lake City VA in Utah, where I also trained in dialectical behavioral therapy, reintegration, recreation therapy and polytrauma.
In my current position working on an interdisciplinary team as an addiction and trauma psychologist, I developed a highly successful virtual Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP). This program focuses on supporting Veterans in learning skills to support their recovery, and to build community through the cohesion amongst members and staff in our clinic. I also serve as a researcher on the PTSD team and have created applications to enhance Veteran care through smart devices.
I look forward to working with you,
-Dr. Kathleen Fry
How I approach treatment with YOU
I have focused my career on learning and implementing evidence-based treatments because they have shown to reduce mental health symptoms. Treatments are tailored to your needs by flexibly blending evidence-based practices – meaning, I do not take a one size fits all methodology. For example, you’ll see this in my trauma approach you have the choice in what treatment you think fits you best. Often, EMDR is popular, however, there are gold-standard treatments that have stronger reliability, such as Cognitive Processing Therapy and Prolonged Exposure. We will review options together, and make sure you have choice and a voice in your care.
Then, step by step, we’ll start getting you back to living a values-based life, one that feels full and rich. I help you to find your identity (again), and what matters most to you. I love resources and can offer recommendations for organizations that can also help to find a sense or purpose.
My clients describe me as approachable, empathetic, goal-oriented, direct, nonjudgmental, and unlike any provider they’ve had before. I’m a therapist who will encourage you to pursue relevant goals, who will encourage you to be compassionate to yourself (and your partner), and who will encourage you to celebrate your wins, no matter how “big or small.” I will be celebrating alongside you. We will set tangible, achievable goals for the short-term to help you see the progress you’re making, and then, intermittently take looks back to see how far you’ve come in the long-term. We will use measurement-based care to help us track progress. I am so excited to work with you!
