Training Director – Crystal Gayle, Ph.D.

Crystal Gayle, PhD, serves as the DOTS Consortium Training Director and primary supervisor for all postdoctoral trainees assigned to the Gayle Psychology, PLLC training site. Dr. Gayle earned her master’s and doctorate degree from the APA-accredited and NASP-approved School Psychology program at the University of Rhode Island. She earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology and educational studies from Emory University. Her doctoral training focused on psychological and educational assessment, as well as utilizing CBT to treat anxiety, depression, behavior problems, stress, anger, and trauma. She has provided therapy and assessments in elementary and high schools located in urban and rural communities in Rhode Island, university treatment programs, juvenile correctional facilities, and children’s hospitals. Dr. Gayle completed her pre-doctoral internship at Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care in New Jersey where she conducted child and adolescent assessments, and individual, group, and family therapy. There she also helped supervise the master-level interns. Dr. Gayle completed her post-doctoral training at Dallas CBT, a private practice that specializes in anxiety disorders, OCD, and psycho-education evaluations. She also helped train and supervise the master’s level clinician there. After, she worked at the Great Life counseling center for two years where she was the assessment supervisor and supervisor to many of the practicum students and postdoctoral fellows. Since opening Gayle Psychology in 2022, she also is the primary supervisor for a doctorate-level clinician pursuing independent licensure.

Lead Training Psychologist – Molly Martinez, Ph.D.

Molly Martinez, PhD serves as the DOTS Consortium Lead Training Psychologist and primary supervisor for all postdoctoral trainees assigned to the Specialists in OCD & Anxiety Recovery (SOAR), PLLC training site. Dr. Martinez is a licensed clinical psychologist and Owner and Director Specialists in OCD & Anxiety Recovery (SOAR), a specialist group practice in Dallas, Texas. Dr. Martinez completed her doctoral degree in clinical child and adolescent psychology at The Ohio State University and her internship at Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. She is currently licensed in Texas (previously licensed in Hawaii and Ohio) and is credentialed with PSYPACT to provide telehealth services to patients across the United States. 

Dr. Martinez is a regular presenter on topics related to OCD at national conferences, including the International OCD Foundation (IOCDF) and Anxiety & Depression Association of America. Her presentations cover various topics related to OCD, developmental considerations in the treatment of children and adolescents, and ethical considerations in the field of mental and behavioral health. In 2023, Dr. Martinez was honored to join the faculty of the IOCDF’s Behavioral Therapy Training Institute in 2023, the premier professional training and certification program for the evidenced-based treatment of OCD. 

Dr. Martinez is passionate about the evidence-based treatment of OCD and anxiety in children, adolescents, & adults. In addition to serving individuals and families with OCD, she strives to increase understanding and decrease stigma surrounding OCD among professionals and the general public. Dr. Martinez founded and coordinates DFW OCD Treatment Specialists (DOTS), a professional consultation, networking, and advocacy group serving the Dallas-Fort Worth area. She is also past-president of the non-profit Humanitarian Outreach for Migrant Emotional Health (H.O.M.E., homemigration.org), which provides vital documentation of trauma and mental health concerns for immigrants and asylum-seekers to the U.S. in support of their legitimate claims for protection within American borders. 

Consortium Sites

• Gayle Psychology PLLC

Address: 6301 Gaston Ave., Suites 1204 and 1217, Dallas, Texas 75219

Phone: 805-668-4522

Fax: 866-875-4482

General email: Crystal@GaylePsychologyPLLC.com

Website: www.GaylePsychologyPLLC.com

• Specialist in OCD and Anxiety Recovery, (SOAR), PLLC

Address: 1701 N Collins Blvd, Suite 230, Richardson, TX 75080

Phone: 214-810-4667                        

General email: admin@soartogether.net

Website: https://soartogether.net 

Training Director Responsibilities

The postdoctoral fellowship is overseen by the training director and lead training psychologist. The training director and lead training psychologist are licensed psychologists in the state of Texas with experience in training and supervision of psychology trainees. The training director is directly responsible for ensuring the overall quality of the training program and that the training needs of the trainees are met through the overseeing of training activities, goals, and objectives as well as documentation of the trainee’s training record.

Clinical Supervision

The Training Director will serve as the primary supervisor for post-doctoral fellows at the Gayle Psychology, PLLC location and the lead psychologist will serve as the secondary supervisor. The Lead psychologist will serve as the primary supervisor for postdoctoral fellows at Specialist in OCD and Anxiety Recovery, (SOAR), PLLC and the training director will serve as the secondary supervisor. Other licensed team members or advanced trainees at both sites may also provide supervision and consultation. When needed, other psychologists in the community will be designated as consultants for presenting issues outside of the treatment specialties of the primary supervisor and/or secondary supervisor. Supervision will be provided in compliance with the standards set forth by the Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychology. Individual and/or group supervision will be scheduled and held weekly notwithstanding reasonable scheduling conflicts.

According to the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council and Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists Rules :

A formal post-doctoral program which meets the following criteria will be considered substantially equivalent to an APA accredited or APPIC member program: 

(1) An organized experience with a planned and programmed sequence of supervised training experiences. 

(2) A designated psychologist responsible for the program who possesses expertise or competence in the program’s area. 

(3) Two or more licensed psychologists on staff, at least one designated as supervisor with expertise in the area of practice. 

(4) A minimum of 2 hours per week of face-to-face supervision. 

(5) A minimum of 2 additional hours per week of learning activities. 

(6) A minimum of 25% of the fellow’s time is spent providing professional psychological services. 

(7) Admission requirements that require the applicant to complete all professional degree requirements and a pre-doc internship, which at a minimum meets Council requirements. 

(8) A requirement that participants use titles such as intern, resident, fellow, or trainee. 

(9) Documentation describing the goals, content, organization, entrance requirements, staff, mechanisms for a minimum of 2 evaluations per year, and a statement that the program meets Texas’ licensure requirements. 

(10) At a minimum, an informal due process procedure regarding deficiencies and grievances. 

(11) A written requirement for at least 1500 hours to be completed in not less than 9 months and not more than 24 months. 

Training Goals and Objectives

The overarching goal of the postdoctoral fellow program is to provide advanced training in psychology and prepare the fellow for independent practice as a licensed psychologist with a specialty in the assessment and treatment of OCD, OCD-related disorders, anxiety disorders (and their common comorbidities) in adults, adolescents, and children.  Similarly, the goal for the advanced practicum placement is to fine tune the clinicians clinical skills and prepare them for independent practice.

Fellows will be placed based on site availability, fit for the clinical emphases of each site, and in consideration of fellow preference. Whether you are training at Gayle Psychology, PLLC or Specialists in OCD and Anxiety Recovery (SOAR), PLLC, you will be comprehensively trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. You will also be trained in Exposure and Response Prevention and other evidence-based treatments of OCD, anxiety, and related disorders. The goal of the consortium is to train more competent psychologists that specialize in OCD, anxiety, and related disorders to serve the Dallas-Fort Worth area. There is currently a dire need for this type of treatment in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. All postdoctoral fellows will have a chance to be a part of the DFW OCD Treatment Specialists (DOTS), a consultation group founded by Dr. Martinez for specialists who treat OCD, anxiety, and related disorders. This serves as a great networking opportunity for postdoctoral fellows to meet other therapists and psychologists in the area, as well as learn about different employment opportunities in the area to consider at the completion of their postdoctoral fellowship.

The specific goals and objectives of the DOTS Consortium fellowship are as follows.

Goals and Objectives

GOAL 1: Development of professional identity and broad competencies in the field of psychology, as outlined below (see “General Training Competencies”).

GOAL 2: Competence in delivering evidence-based treatment in OCD and anxiety disorders

Objectives

1. Training in cognitive behavioral therapy

2. Training in exposure and response prevention

3. As applicable, training in comprehensive behavioral (ComB) treatment for body-focused repetitive behaviors, comprehensive behavioral treatment for tics and Tourette disorder (CBIT), and other evidence-based protocols

GOAL 3: Preparation and completion of licensure in psychology in the state of Texas

Objectives

1. Passing the EPPP examination

2. Passing of the Texas jurisprudence examination 

3. Completion of 1500 or more clinical hours

The primary goal of the DOTS Consortium fellowship is to guide the fellow in developing and strengthening their professional identity and achieving the following general competencies.

General Competencies

General Training Plan

An individual training plan will be developed for each fellow to address specific activities and supervision. In general, training activities will occur at the main office where their primary supervisor is located. However some of the activities listed – such as area workshops, didactics, presentations, etc. will take place outside of the practice. The fellow will always be notified in advance as to when and where these activities will occur.

1. Direct clinical practice with child, adolescent, and adult clients.

   • The trainee will be assigned cases meeting the needs of the agency as well as the needs of the fellow. This is done through regular meetings with the clinical supervisor. The trainee is generally expected to spend 50% of his/her time in direct clinical practice (that is, 25-30 sessions/per week for a postdoctoral fellow).

2. Clinical supervision.

   • Clinical supervision will consist of weekly individual supervision for general cases (2 hours, additional time as needed).The primary clinical supervisor will have the opportunity to observe the fellow live (via remote a/v feed) or recordings of sessions. The secondary supervisor will conduct supervision based on areas of specialization and as needed.

3. Co-facilitation of groups with an experienced clinician.

   • The fellow will have the opportunity to assist experienced clinicians with groups such as the social anxiety group. Responsibility for the group will increase as the fellow’s experience increases.

4. Direct observation of other clinicians.

   • The fellow will have the opportunity to observe other licensed clinicians when discussed in advance with the clinician who will ensure this is acceptable and in the interest of the client.

5. Participation in weekly consult meetings.

   • The trainee is expected to participate as a full member of the staff and as such will be expected/required to attend and participate in the practice’s weekly consult meeting. The weekly hour meeting consists of team announcements, case consultations, and didactic activities.

6. Participation in workshops and professional conferences.

   • The trainee will have the opportunity to attend professional workshops and conferences sponsored by area partnerships. 

7. Development and presentation of workshops, community in-service training, and or other presentations. 

   • The fellow may be asked to assist in developing training activities for consult meetings.

Site Specific Training 

The DOTS Consortium consists of two training sites: Gayle Psychology, PLLC and  Specialists in OCD & Anxiety Recovery (SOAR), PLLC. Fellows will be placed based on site availability, fit for the clinical emphases of each site, and fellow preference.The clinical emphases of the sites are as follows:

Site 1 (Gayle Psychology, PLLC)

Crystal Gayle, PhD, serves as primary supervisor for all postdoctoral trainees assigned to the Gayle Psychology, PLLC training site. 

1. The training program will provide training in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy

   1. General CBT and CBT for depression (1st quarter)

   2. Exposure therapy (2nd quarter)

   3. ERP for OCD (3rd quarter)

   4. Optional training track (4th quarter)

   5. Optional training experiences include: 

      1. evidence based treatments for Trauma

      2. evidence based treatments for trichotillomania and body focused repetitive disorders.

2. Additional site emphasis at Gayle Psychology, PLLC

   1. multicultural considerations 

   2. ADHD and Psycho-educational Assessments

Site 2 (SOAR, PLLC)

Molly Martinez, PhD serves as the primary supervisor for all postdoctoral trainees assigned to the Specialists in OCD & Anxiety Recovery (SOAR), PLLC training site.

1. First month: Review fundamentals of CBT (qualified candidates will have a solid background in CBT coming into their postdoc)

2. Quarter 1: 

   1. Diagnosis and assessment of OCD/anxiety disorders

      1. Clinical interview

      2. Standardized rating scales

      3. Ongoing symptom tracking and assessment  

   2. ERP for OCD

   3. exposure therapy for generalized anxiety

   4. Ethical considerations in psychotherapy

3. Quarter 2: 

   1. Focus on challenging comorbidities (mood disorders, depression, trauma, comorbidities, etc)

   2. Working with children/adolescents

4. Quarter 3: 

   1. OCD-related disorders (eg, BFRBs, BDD, tics/Tourette, health anxiety disorder)

   2. Additional evidence-based therapies for OCD/anxiety (eg, ACT, Inference-Based CBT)

5. Quarter 4:

   1. Complex cases

   2. Maintenance, relapse prevention, and termination

6. Additional site emphasis at SOAR

   1. Ethics issues in therapy and the profession

   2. Home-, community-, and school-based therapy and outreach

   3. Body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRBs)

   4. Tic and Tourette Disorders

   5. Out of network insurance coverage

   6. Advocacy

Postdoctoral Position and Designation:

Depending on site assignment, the postdoctoral fellow will be considered members of the Gayle Psychology, PLLC team or Specialists in OCD & Anxiety Recovery (SOAR), PLLC team and are expected to participate in meetings and activities as any team member would. The postdoctoral fellowship is a one-year position with the expectation of completing requirements for full licensure in the state of Texas. Upon completion of 1500 hours of clinical and administrative work, as required for licensure in the State of Texas, a certificate will be provided. There is the opportunity for the fellow to stay more than one year if they have not completed all of the requirements for independent licensure in the one year time frame. They will use the additional year or years to further refine their clinical skills and have the opportunity to focus their attention on additional site clinical interests.

The trainees schedule will be set according to the needs and hours of operation of the practice, the needs of the trainee, and the availability of a licensed clinician to be in the office. Prior to licensure, the trainee is expected to ensure that a licensed clinician is in the office and is aware while the trainee is seeing clients. This is for emergencies only, as the other clinician will likely be in session. Once the post-doctoral fellow has obtained licensure for independent practice, this restriction will be lifted. 

Requirements and Designations for Postdoctoral Fellows:

Funding

Both sites (i.e., Gayle Psychology PLLC and SOAR) will offer the postdoctoral fellow a salary commensurate to $65,000 per year, contingent upon productivity expectations after Month 4. Caseloads will be built over the first four months of the postdoctoral fellowship with no productivity penalty. After Month 4, fellows have a productivity expectation of 100 clients per month. If a fellow does not meet the productivity expectation for two consecutive months, the stipend will be prorated. Prorated stipends will reflect actual productivity (e.g., if a fellow sees 80 clients in a month rather than the 100 client productivity expectation, they would earn 80% of the stipend for the month). In addition, the fellow will receive a monthly stipend for health insurance reimbursement, paid liability insurance, reimbursement for the cost of the EPPP exam, and a $250 stipend for educational activities.

Evaluation Procedures

The trainee receives a formal evaluation from the clinical supervisor at each 4 month period. The fellow will be evaluated in a variety of competency areas and will be given specific feedback on strengths and areas for improvement. The fellow will also have an opportunity to provide feedback to the Clinical Supervisor at the end of each 4 month period. Formal Due Process and Grievance Procedures are in place for the trainee and Practice regarding problem situations.