Saks, Paul S. (pss87)

New York State License in Psychology

New Jersey State License in Psychology

New York University

Postdoctoral Program in Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy               New York                                               2013-Present

Certification in Psychoanalysis

• Completed coursework in psychoanalytic theory, trauma focused therapy and couple’s therapy
• Completed training in Transference Focused Psychotherapy (TFP) for personality disorders

The Training Institute for Mental Health           New York                                                                                      2002-2009

Professional Development Program

• Completed training seminars and workshops in Group Psychotherapy and Couple’s Psychotherapy
• Engaged in didactic seminars, clinical observation and experiential process training

Derner Institute, Adelphi University         Garden City                                                                                            2002-2008

PhD, Clinical Psychology

• Completed PhD in Clinical Psychology
• Dissertation: Words Are Never Enough: The Processing of Traumatic Experience and the Creation of Narratives: The War Poetry of Siegfried Sassoon and Wilfred Owen
• Completed clinical internship at Bronx Psychiatric Center
• Completed coursework in the administration, scoring and reporting of psychological tests
• Completed all coursework, research and clinical requirements to be awarded the degree of Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology

Teachers College, Columbia University      New York                                                                                            2000-2002

Master of Education, Master of Arts

• Master of Education and Master of Arts student in the Counseling Psychology Program, Department of Counseling and Clinical Psychology
• Completed Practicum in Counseling and fieldwork in secondary school counseling

New York University, College of Arts and Sciences               New York                                                          1987-1991

Bachelor of Arts

• Bachelor of Arts, Medieval Studies and Classics; graduated Magna Cum Laude and with departmental honors in the field of medieval historical research

• New York University, Academic Merit Scholarship, 1987-1991
• Dean’s List, New York University, 1988-1991
• Medieval Studies Department Representative at Class Night, May 1991
• Marco Polo Travel Award and Scholarship, 1991
• New York University, Summa Cum Laude Honors, 1991
• Honorary Ambassador to Toyama Japan, 2000
• Teacher’s College, Academic Merit Scholarship, 2000
• Honorable Mention for Achievement and Scholarship for First Year Students, Adelphi University, 2003
• Travel Scholarship to Present Research at International Psychoanalytic Association Conference on Trauma in Rio de Janeiro, 2005
• 2014 Award for Teaching, Mercy College
• 2013-2019 New York University Benjamin Wolstein Fellowship

Mid-Hudson Forensic Psychiatric Center                      New Hampton, NY                                               April 2019-Present

Licensed Forensic Examiner

• Serve in leadership position in the department of Forensic Psychology
• Conduct individual and group psychotherapy sessions with forensic psychiatric inpatients.
• Create Forensic Psychiatric Reports, recommending retention or transfer for patients.
• Serve as Chair on the Hospital Forensic Committee.
  
• Member of the Forensic Leadership Team
• Provide expert testimony in forensic legal cases.
• Conduct interviews to establish diagnoses and determine risk.
• Conduct risk and sex offender assessments using measures such as the HCR-20, the SVR-20 and the VRS-SO.
• Supervise the training of psychology externs in individual therapy, group therapy and testing.
  
• Provide training lectures for psychology interns and externs
  
• Formerly served as part of clinical treatment team for the Behavioral Change/Sex Offender Unit.

Manhattan Psychiatric Center                                               Ward’s Island, NY                                   September 2012-April 2019

Licensed Psychologist, Dunlop 8B, Admissions Unit

• Serve in leadership position as part of clinical treatment team for the Admissions Unit.
• Conduct individual and group psychotherapy sessions with psychiatric inpatients.
• Oversee clinical charting including the creation of treatment plans and psychosocial evaluations.
• Coordinator of Manhattan Psychiatric Center Service for the Treatment of Trauma
• Supervise the training of psychology interns and externs in individual therapy, group therapy and testing.
• Supervise interns and externs in the use and scoring of the Rorschach Test, using both the Exner and R-PAS systems.
• Conduct Risk Assessments and PARC Interviews: Trained in the most recent additions of the HCR-20 and SVR-20.
• Member of the Hospital Forensic Committee
• Provide monthly training lectures for psychology interns.
• Provide monthly seminars and lectures for medical students and physical therapy students
• Conduct training in group psychotherapy for Medical Residents.
• Coordinator and supervisor for Crossing the Bridge Program
• Lead a group for patients and train students in the use of poetry in therapy.

Licensed Psychologist, Private Practice           New York, NY                                     September 2013-Present

• Conduct individual psychoanalytic psychotherapy sessions with adults and children.
• Conduct psychological and forensic assessments and testing using cognitive, neuropsychological, objective personality and projective instruments.
• Conduct couples sessions.
• Correspond with managed care and insurance companies.

Bleuler Psychotherapy Center                             New York, NY                                                       January 2010-October 2013

Licensed Psychologist

• Conducted weekly individual psychotherapy sessions with a caseload of twelve high risk patients, both adults and children.
• Conducted psychological assessment and testing using cognitive, neuropsychological, objective personality and projective instruments.
• Conducted couple’s sessions.

Bronx Psychiatric Center                                               Bronx, NY                                                    March 2012-September 2012

Licensed Psychologist, White Plains Road Outpatient Clinic

• Served as primary clinician for a caseload of up to fifty patients in a Mental Health Clinic serving the severely and persistently mentally ill.
• Conducted individual and group psychotherapy sessions with psychiatric outpatients
• Oversaw all clinical charting including the creation of treatment plans, psychosocial evaluations and psychiatric evaluations
• Supervise the training of psychology externs and interns
• Provide training lectures and group therapy supervision for psychology interns and psychiatric residents
• Led a bi-weekly psychodynamic process group for psychology interns
• Certified Staff Trainer in Preventing and Managing Crisis Situations (PMCS)

Bronx Psychiatric Center                                               Bronx, NY                                                    September 2007-March 2012

Licensed Psychologist, Ward 17/ Trauma Focused Treatment  

• Served in leadership position as part of clinical treatment team for long-term female inpatient unit
• Supervised the creation and maintenance of a trauma sensitive treatment environment
• Conducted individual and group psychotherapy sessions with psychiatric inpatients
• Oversaw all clinical charting including the creation of treatment plans, psychosocial evaluations, psychiatric evaluations and discharge planning for all ward inpatients
• Supervised the training of psychology externs and MICA interns
• Provided training lectures and group therapy supervision for psychology interns and psychiatric residents
• Led a bi-weekly psychodynamic process group for psychology interns
• Served on Bronx Psychiatric Center Committee for the Treatment of Trauma
• Member of the Long Stay Initiative/ Fairweather Committee
• Certified Staff Trainer in Preventing and Managing Crisis Situations (PMCS)

Bronx Psychiatric Center                                               Bronx, NY                                                   September 2006-August 2007

Psychology Intern, Ward 12/ Forensic Unit

• Conducted individual and group psychotherapy sessions with psychiatric inpatients and outpatients in State Psychiatric Hospital
• Attended all team meetings and work closely with psychiatrists and social workers
• Mentored and supervised psychology externs and medical school students
• Conducted psychological and neuropsychological testing on adults (five complete batteries and two neuropsychological batteries) and children (two batteries)
• Performed forensic and risk evaluations
• Co-led family therapy sessions
• Co-led a therapy group for sex offenders and a group for men with pervasive mental illness
• Completed rotations in the Hospital Forensic Department, Jacobi Hospital Psychiatric Emergency Room, Bronx Children’s Psychiatric Center and Montefiore Medical Center for Neuropsychology
• Completed seminar series with Dr. Otto Kernberg

Wantagh School District                                              Wantagh, NY                                                              May 2006-June 2006

Psychological Testing Consultant    

• Performed intellectual assessments with the WISC-IV to screen for a gifted and talented program

The Village Institute for Psychotherapy          New York, NY                                                                  May 2003-July 2006

Psychotherapist

• Conducted weekly individual dynamic psychotherapy sessions with a caseload of twelve to fifteen patients, both adults and children
• Conducted couples sessions with a diverse population in terms of race, culture, sexual orientation and age
• Conducted group sessions focusing on depression and stress management
• Administered and scored seven complete batteries of cognitive, achievement and projective tests with both adult and child clients
• Regularly consulted with psychiatrists concerning psychopharmacology

Adelphi University                                            Garden City, NY                                                          September 2003-May 2006

Psychotherapist, Practicum

Supervisor, Karen Lomardi, PhD   

• Conducted weekly individual dynamic psychotherapy sessions with a caseload of four patients, both adults and children, as part of practicum in the Psychological Services Clinic
• Conducted couples and family sessions
• Administered, scored and compiled reports on seven complete testing batteries
• Supervised the administration, scoring and report writing of four complete testing batteries, conducted by first year doctoral students
• Regularly consulted with psychiatrists concerning psychopharmacology

Adelphi University                                            Garden City, NY                                                          September 2003-May 2006

Clinical Supervisor, Masters Program in Mental Health Counseling

• Conducted weekly individual and group supervision sessions for two masters level students on internship

Walton High School                                                  Bronx, NY                                                                 January 2002-June 2002

Counselor, Fieldwork Placement 

• Provided individual and group counseling for adolescents though the Pius XII social services office at Walton High School
• Worked primarily with black and Hispanic students with issues such as substance abuse, pregnancy, trauma and child abuse
• Co-led psycho-educational groups on topics such as drugs and alcohol, birth control and violence

Teachers College, Columbia University      New York                                                                  September 2002-May 2002

Counselor, Practicum

• Completed year-long Practicum in Counseling Psychology in the Psychological Services Clinic of Teachers College
• Carried a caseload of one patient, working with depression, borderline personality disorder and psychosis
• Consulted with psychiatrist concerning psychopharmacology

Stuyvesant High School                                     New York, NY                                                       August, 2001 February 2002

Counseling Intern, Fieldwork Placement

• Provided individual and group counseling for adolescents and other staff members
• Maintained caseload of twenty students of diverse race, culture, gender, orientation and socioeconomic status
• Advised students on academic issues. Ran weekly group sessions on coping with tragedy, the events of September 11^th, multicultural issues and sexual identity
• Was present on and witnessed the events of September 11, 2001 and participated in the evacuation of the school and resulting recovery efforts

Teachers College                                                   New York, NY                                                               September 2014-Present

Assistant Adjunct Professor    

• Teach both traditional and online courses such as Adult Psychopathology and Explorations in Madness: Schizophrenia and Psychosis.

Mercy College                                                       Bronx, NY                                                                   September 2008-May 2014

Adjunct Instructor, Graduate Department of Counseling and Psychology    

• Taught 3 master’s level classes per semester in counseling techniques, clinical assessment and testing, psychopathology, developmental psychology and comparative psychotherapies

Yeshiva University                                                       Bronx, NY                                                  September 2009-December 2009

Adjunct Instructor, Graduate Department of Psychology    

• Taught master’s level class in community psychology

Mercy College                                                       Bronx, NY                                                                       January 2009-May 2009

Adjunct Instructor, Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences    

• Taught undergraduate classes in the history of psychology

Consultant, Multicultural Issues                                                                                         June 2006-June 2008                            

• Serve as consultant for psychologists and other professionals in dealing with cultural issues
• Specialize in working with Japanese clients

Adelphi University                                            Garden City, NY                                                          September 2003-May 2006

Clinical Supervisor, Masters Program in Mental Health Counseling   

• Conducted weekly individual and group supervision sessions for two masters level students on internship
• Provided didactic education on psychodynamic theories and therapy techniques

Adelphi University                                            Garden City, NY                                                               December 2006-May 2008

Adjunct Instructor, Graduate Department of Psychology    

• Taught master’s level class in psychopathology, personality and diagnosis, forensic psychology and clinical assessment and testing

Adelphi University                                            Garden City, NY                                                           June 2005-August 2006

Adjunct Instructor, Undergraduate Department of Psychology    

• Taught classes in adolescent psychology, social psychology and developmental psychology

Adelphi University                                            Garden City, NY                                                          September 2005-May 2006

Supervising Teaching Assistant, Psychological Testing and Assessment    

• Served as supervisor for teaching assistants in first year doctoral testing class
• Lead group meetings and discussion groups for staff of five teaching assistants
• Supervised teaching assistants on their supervision of test batteries
• Assisted with training in a wide array of cognitive, intellectual and personality measures and assessments

Adelphi University                                            Garden City, NY                                                          September 2003-May 2005 

Teaching Assistant, Testing and Assessment    

• Assisted in the teaching of psychological testing courses for doctoral students
• Conducted a weekly testing lab for four doctoral students
• Supervised doctoral students in the administration of cognitive, achievement and projective tests
• Provided feedback for testing reports

Adelphi University                                            Garden City, NY                                                          September 2003-May 2006

Teaching Assistant, Intellectual Assessment, School Psychology Program    

• Assisted in the teaching of intellectual assessment courses for masters level students in the School Psychology Program
• Administered competency exams for several intellectual assessment measures, including the WJ-III and the WISC-IV
• Graded protocols administered by students
• Led individual and group question and answer sessions
• Provide feedback for testing reports
• Covered classes when professors were not available

Adelphi University                                            Garden City, NY                                                          September 2002-May 2003

Research Assistant    

• Assisted Professor Janice Steil in her research on gender and power

Florentine Tutorial School                                 New York, NY                                                           May 2003-December 2005

Teacher 

• Taught weekly and after school courses in English, SAT Test Preparation, Specialized High School Test Preparation writing and Art
• Worked with primarily Chinese American students spanning in age from three to seventeen

1. Phillip Randolph High School New York, NY                                                        September 2002-June 2003

Substitute Teacher   

• Taught classes in a variety of subjects on a per diem basis

Walton High School                                                  Bronx, NY                                                                 January 2002-June 2002

Teacher   

• Taught classes in English for special education and general education students

Stuyvesant High School                                     New York, NY                                                                June 2002-August 2002

Teacher    

• Taught classes in English for summer school sessions
• Participated in the Discovery Program, in which decided admission into Stuyvesant High School

The Center for Children and Families        New York, NY                                                                January, 2001-June 2001

Data Collector, The Boys Health and Development Project

• Administered a series of cognitive, physical and emotional tests on preadolescent boys in a study of their development

Collected data and samples of blood, urine and saliva

Kosugi High School                                   Toyama, Japan                                                                                       1998-2000

Assistant Language Teacher, JET Program

• Taught courses including oral communication, language lab, writing and world culture
• Coordinated school English club, organized weekend English camps, prepared students for overseas home stays and speech competitions

Coca Cola, Hokoriku Region Plant           Toyama, Japan                                                                                       1998-2000

English Teacher

• Taught courses in basic English and oral communication for company managers

Toyama College of Foreign Languages     Toyama, Japan                                                                                       1998-2000

Adjunct Instructor

• Taught courses in basic English, conversational English and Art

The Metropolitan Museum of Art              New York, NY                                                                                      1992-1998

Supervising Art Technician, The Cloisters

• Supervised all aspects of movement, installation, storage and daily maintenance of over four thousand art objects
• Coordinated operations between the curatorial, conservation, photography and buildings departments

• American Psychological Association
• New York State Psychological Association
• International Society for the Treatments of the Schizoprenias and Other Psychoses
• International Association of Forensic Mental Health Services
• Society for Personality Assessment
• International Association of Relational Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy
• Manhattan Psychiatric Center Committee for the Treatment of Trauma
• New York State Office of Mental Health: Preventing and Managing Crisis Situations, Trainer
• National Association for Poetry Therapy (2000-2003)
• Derner Institute for Advanced Psychological Studies, Doctoral Student Advisory Board (2003-2006)
• New York Museums Council (1993-1998)
• American Federation of Teachers (2000-2003)

Saks, P. (2019). Listening to the Music of the Mind: The Uses of Psychological Assessment in the Diagnosis of Psychotic Disorders in a State Psychiatric Center.  In Turel, M., Siglag, M., & Grinshpoon, A. (Ed.) Clinical Psychology in the Mental Health Inpatient Setting. New York, NY: Routledge.

Saks, P. & Edman, M. (2019). In the Forests of the Night: Psychodynamic Treatment of Schizophrenia Through the Lens of Matte-Blanco’s Bi-Logic. Psychoanalytic Psychology, 36 (3), 216-223.

Saks, P. (2015). The Eye with Which We Behold Ourselves: The Clinical Application of Poetry Group Therapy with Psychotic Inpatients. Paper presented at ISPS International Meeting, New York: March 2015.

Saks, P. (2015). A Fatal Style of Living: Images of Madness and the Other as Depicted in Medieval Art from the Cloisters Collection. Lecture and Gallery Talk hosted by ISPS and the NYU Postdoctoral Program in Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy.

Saks, P. & Ravitz, G. (2013). An Absence of Darkness in Infinite Degrees”: Recovery Through Psychodynamic Therapy in a State Psychiatric Center. Paper presented at the ISPS Annual Meeting, New Jersey: October 2013.

            Saks, P. & Tsepilovan, M. (2012). The Treatment of Schizophrenia Through the Lens of Matte-Blanco’s Bi-Logic. Paper presented at the ISPS Annual Meeting, Chicago, Illinois: October 2012.

            Saks, P. (2012). An Introduction to Bi-Logic: The Work of Ignacio Matte Blanco. Presentation for Interns and Residents at Bronx Psychiatric Center, Bronx, New York: March 2009.

Kobayashi, T., Langdon, G., Saks, P., Valbrune, A. & Varadi, R (2009).A Team Approach to Trauma Treatment: Music, Poetry, Psychotherapy and Pharmacology. (Panel Member) Annual Conference on Trauma, Bronx Psychiatric Center, Bronx, New York.

            Saks, P. (2008). Understanding treatment plans: keeping informed. Presentation for Client Families at Bronx Psychiatric Center, Bronx, New York: June 2008.

            Saks, P. (2008). Experiences of that which cannot be spoken: manifestations of trauma in an inpatient unit. Presentation for Interns and Residents at Bronx Psychiatric Center, Bronx, New York: March 2008.

            Saks, P. (2007). Aftermath: The implicit processes of integrating traumatic experience in the poetry of siegfried sassoon. Journal of the American Academy of Psychoanalysis and Dynamic Psychiatry, Winter 2007. 35(4).

            Saks, P. (2007). Introduction to psychological testing. . Presentation for Interns and Residents at Bronx Psychiatric Center, Bronx, New York: August 2007.

            Saks, P. (2007). Aftermath: the implicit process of integrating traumatic experience. (Poster Presentation) New York Psychological Association Annual Conference, Albany, New York

            Saks, P. (2007). The eye of the beholder; working with a narcissistic patient. Case Conference presented at Bronx Psychiatric Center, Bronx, New York

            Saks, P. (2006). Trauma and British Soldiers of the first world war. (Poster Presentation) Annual Conference on Trauma, Bronx Psychiatric Center, Bronx, New York

            Saks, P. (2006). Reflections of no man’s land; symbolization, symmetry, experience and memory through poetry of the first world war. (Panel Member) Narrative Matters Conference on Psychology and Literature, Halifax, British Columbia, Canada.

            Kissen, M., James, T., Nishikawa, M., Saks, P. & Takeno, K. (2005). Creating a Safe Place for Psychological Training and Healing. International Journal and Counseling and Psychotherapy, 3, 125-135.

            Saks, P. (2005). Reflections of No Man’s Land; Symbolization, Symmetry, Experience and Memory through Poetry of the First World War. (Poster Presentation) International Psychoanalytic Association Congress on Trauma, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

            Saks, P. (2005). Case Presentation of Gene, an Obsessive Compulsive Patient. Joint Japan/American Conference on Dynamic Psychotherapy, Adelphi University, Garden City, New York.

            Saks, P. (2005). Using Progressive Muscle Relaxation and Guided Imagery as Part of Psychodynamic Psychotherapy. Japan/American Conference on Dynamic Psychotherapy, Adelphi University, Garden City, New York.

            Saks, P. (2002). Poetry Therapy in the Shadows of 9/11. Professional Meeting on Coping with Trauma, Stuyvesant High School, New York, NY.