Selective Mutism & Social Anxiety In-the-School Webinar, Part 1

Tera Gibbs, M.A. is a master-level clinician at the SMart Center and serves as a CommuniCamp™ Head Counselor. She is a doctoral student in school psychology at Temple University. Prior to her current program, she earned her undergraduate degree from Daemen College (B.A., 2007) and graduate degrees from SUNY Buffalo (M.A., 2009) and Temple University (M.Ed., 2011). She has worked as a paraprofessional in Emotional Support at South Philadelphia High School, a school counselor in Chester County, and an adjunct instructor in the College of Lifelong Learning at Immaculata University. As a student clinician at the Temple University Psychoeducational Clinic, she has conducted full psychoeducational evaluations for school-aged students and has experience assessing specific learning disabilities as well as social, emotional, and attentional difficulties. She is trained to use solution-focused, cognitive-behavioral, and acceptance and commitment therapeutic strategies. Throughout her education, her research interests have included exploring facilitators and barriers to healthy behavior change, using inquiry-based strategies to facilitate science learning for middle school teachers and students, and, currently, how executive skills influence math achievement in middle school students.

Julia Gomes, M.S, M.A. is currently a fourth year doctoral student in the Clinical Psychology Psy.D. program at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. She earned a M.S. in Mental Health Counseling from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. Julia works as a part-time adjunct professor at Cabrini University, teaching Abnormal Psychology and Theories of Personality courses to undergraduate students. She also works as a psychology social media coordinator for a private practice located in King of Prussia and Philadelphia. Julia currently serves as a doctoral student extern at Cooper Hospital and Cooper Learning Center where she works alongside of health professionals to provide brief interventions and services to their patients. In addition to providing therapeutic services at Cooper Hospital, Julia conducts psychoeducational evaluations at Cooper Learning Center with children and adolescents. She has held prior positions conducting therapy with adults and children who have a variety of diagnoses and has utilized evidence-based practices to alleviate client’s psychological distress. Julia previously was a doctoral student extern at Intercommunity Action Incorporated where she conducted comprehensive behavioral evaluations, psychoeducational and neuropsychological testing with children and adolescents who may have learning difficulties, intellectual disabilities, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, autism spectrum disorders, and other mood and trauma-related disorders. Julia also co-led a psychoeducational Depression group at Intercommunity Action Incorporated, for clients who endorsed experiencing symptoms of depression. Within the group Julia provided psychoeducation about depression and taught the client’s evidence-based techniques and strategies to help decrease their depressive symptoms. During her master’s level clinical experience, she worked in Belmont Behavioral Hospital’s outpatient department, providing therapy to children, adolescents, adults, and older adults with a number of diagnoses. Julia is a member of the American Psychological Association (APA) as well as other subdivisions within APA. She is currently in the process of developing her dissertation on the topic of “The Prosocial Behaviors, Gross Motor Abilities, and Soccer Skill Acquisition of Young Children after Participating in an Organized Soccer Program.”

Jenna Blum, B.A. is currently pursuing a doctorate in the field of Clinical Psychology at Chestnut Hill College after graduating with honors from Muhlenberg College where she received her Bachelor of Arts degree and majored in Psychology and minored in Creative Writing. Jenna was a member of the Psychology National Honor Society (Psi Chi). Jenna has years of experience working at the SMart Center. Over the years, she has developed a passion for this community. She explained that her favorite part about working at the SMart Center is the rewarding feeling that she gets every time she reads a story from a patient located anywhere in the world who has found a voice from the comfort and confidence that they have gained at the center. Jenna is currently a Research Assistant, Clinical Support Staff, and a Head CommuniCamp™ Counselor. She also works with patients under our licensed clinicians and performs Exposure Based Treatment (EBPs) for families who attend consultations at the SMart Center. Jenna has been a Head Counselor at CommuniCamp™ since 2017 and enjoys meeting families from all over the world. Her favorite part of CommuniCamp™ is watching children and teens from various sides of the world come together for one weekend to find their voices together. She explained that it is so powerful to watch children act as leaders and helpers to other campers. She stated, “Every child walks out of CommuniCamp™ as a new, confident, and inspired young individual and feels encouraged and proud of the person that they have become.”