Practice Advocacy Committee

Jeffrey J. Magnavita, PhD, ABPP is nationally recognized for his innovative work and scholarship in psychotherapeutics, personality theory, unified psychotherapy, technology-based approaches, and clinical decision-making. He has conducted over 40,000 hours of psychotherapy and continues in full time independent practice. He co-founded the Unified Psychotherapy Project (UPP), and is the editor-in-chief of the Journal of Unified Psychotherapy and Clinical Science. He has authored and edited 10 volumes, many of which have received high acclaim, and he has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals. He is considered a master psychotherapist and was featured in two American Psychological Association (APA) psychotherapy videotapes. Dr. Magnavita presents his work at conferences and seminars internationally. He served on the APA Clinical Practice Guidelines Advisory Steering Committee and is the past president of the Society for the Advancement of Psychotherapy (2010). His interest in improving the delivery of mental health care has led him to launch a new technology-based company called Strategic Psychotherapeutics, LLC, of which he serves as CEO. He is a lecturer in psychiatry at Yale University and was an affiliate professor in clinical psychology at the University of Hartford. Dr. Magnavita has been recognized for his work by numerous awards, including APA's Award for Distinguished Professional Contribution to Independent Practice in the Private Sector (2006), Distinguished Psychologist of the Year Award from the Community of Psychologists in Independent Practice (2010), and Distinguished Psychologist of the Year Award (2016) from the Society for the Advancement of Psychotherapy. His most recent books are Unifying Psychotherapy: Principles, Methods, and Evidence from Clinical Science with Jack C. Anchin, Clinical Decision Making in Mental Health Practice (APA, 2016) and soon to be published Using Technology in Mental Health Practice (APA, 2018).

Michael C. Alpert, MD, MPH is a psychiatrist, psychotherapist, and teacher. After medical training (U. Calif.-Irvine) and psychiatric training (U. Colo.) Dr. Alpert spend a year studying public health (Harvard), which changed his view of mental illnesses and their treatment. Studying statistics and the epidemiology of dementia led first to his research at the NY Office for Aging and later to the establishment of community mental health programs. During the last 40 years Dr. Alpert has worked to develop brief, effective psychotherapy techniques and models for healthcare systems, corporations, and therapists. Among them are Accelerated Empathic Therapy, Sensation Therapy, C-Tactile Afferent Stimulation Therapy, and Self-Connection Therapy. He has served on the boards of hospitals, HMOs, and Professional Organizations.

Co-founding member of the Centre for Metacognitive Interpersonal Therapy in Rome. He has published the books: “The dialogical self in psychotherapy”, “Psychotherapy of Personality Disorders”, “Metacognition and severe adult mental disorders”, “Social cognition and metacognition in schizophrenia: Psychopathology and treatment approaches”, “Metacognitive Interpersonal Therapy for Personality Disorders” and the volume “Integrated treatment for personality disorders: A modular approach” co-edited with John Livesley and John Clarkin will be released later in 2015. He has published over 130 papers in scientific journals. He is associate editor of “Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice” and of the “Journal of Psychotherapy Integration” and member of the editorial board of the “Journal of Personality Disorders”, “Psychotherapy Research”, “Journal of Constructivist Psychology”, “Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy”, “Frontiers in Psychopathology” . He has guest-edited many journal’s special issues on research and treatment for personality disorders and psychosis.

I mainly work in clinical practice with adults in Lisbon, Portugal, following an integrative perspective combining mostly the experiential, relational and cognitive approaches. Both as a clinician and researcher, I'm mainly interested in the unfolding of the therapeutic process, how to foster human development and growth, which are the processes and mechanisms of change in play. My PhD was about phase progression throughout the therapeutic process: longitudinal case studies, from which 2 articles are already published in international journals and other 2 are submitted for publication.

Tom is a clinical psychologist who practices in Maryland. He specializes in evaluation and treatment of children, adolescents, and families. Particular interests include children with autism spectrum, developmental and learning disorders, and serious medical conditions. He works integratively in all aspects of his clinical work and teaching. He has worked in infant-toddler early intervention programs, therapeutic nursery schools, inpatient, day hospital, and outpatient programs, and was director of a residential treatment program for young boys. He is on the faculty and steering committee of the Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy Program at the Washington School of Psychiatry. He is also on the faculty of the Contemporary Approaches to Psychodynamic Psychotherapy Program of the Institute for Contemporary Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis in Washington, DC. He is coordinator of the SEPI Regional Network for the Washington DC area, and Co-Chairperson of SEPI’s Regional Network Committee.