Ryan Hackett, Ph.D. is a new addition to The Clinic at Virtually Better. His official start date is 10/1/2020. He completed his undergraduate training at Harvard College in 2009 with a concentration in sociology. From 2009–2013, Ryan served as a teacher at The Community School in Decatur, GA, a private school for adolescents and young adults with developmental disabilities. He also worked as a research assistant on two NIH-funded studies examining (a) the sequelae of prenatal exposure to psychotropic medications; and (b) the incremental validity of the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers, Revised. From 2013–2019, Ryan completed his doctorate in clinical psychology at Emory University. His research focused on (a) the psychometric properties of parenting and psychopathology measures used in the Georgia Twin Study; and (b) the relationship between sensitivity to reinforcement rate and psychopathology symptoms among a community and clinic sample of young adults.
As a graduate student, Ryan was trained to deliver evidence-based care across a wide range of outpatient populations and settings in accordance with the Clinical Science model of training (https://www.pcsas.org/). This model stresses (a) expanding our basic understanding of behavioral health; and (b) designing, evaluating, practicing, and disseminating safe, effective, and efficient interventions. Ryan’s predoctoral training culminated in a two-year internship at the Emory Child and Adolescent Mood Program, a specialty center for pediatric outpatients with internalizing disorders.
From 2019–2020, Ryan continued his training as a postdoctoral resident at the Emory Neurodevelopment and Exposure Clinic (ENEC). ENEC serves children with varying combinations of neurodevelopmental disorders, adverse childhood experiences, and teratogenic exposures. It is one of three specialty centers nationwide for patients with fetal alcohol syndrome. In this role, Ryan provided assessment, consultation, and intervention services as part of an interprofessional team consisting of psychologists, psychiatrists, an education specialist, and a developmental behavioral pediatrician.
At present, Ryan will continue as a postdoctoral resident at Virtually Better under the supervision of Dr. Pate and Dr. Marx. He will transition to the role of an independent practitioner at Virtually Better over the next several months as he completes relevant licensing exams. He is excited to offer outpatient behavior therapy services to children and adults to address a range of presenting concerns, including:
- Neurodevelopmental disorders
- Mood disorders
- Anxiety disorders
- Obsessive-compulsive and related disorders
- Trauma and stressor-related disorders
- Elimination problems
- Sleep problems
- Eating problems
- Disruptive, impulse-control, and conduct problems
- Substance use and addictive disorders
- Personality disorders
Ryan has particular specialization in executive functioning enhancement and parent training interventions. Please contact Ryan for a free phone consultation to determine if his services would meet your needs.