PATCH Staff

Emily M. Becker-Haimes, Ph.D.

Emily M. Becker-Haimes, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine and the Clinical Director of the Pediatric Anxiety Treatment Center at Hall Mercer (PATCH) program. She is an implementation scientist and clinical psychologist dedicated to improving mental healthcare for youth. Clinically, Dr. Becker-Haimes is an expert in the treatment of anxiety disorders, with expertise in the application of exposure therapy for anxious youth with complex comorbidities. She has trained hundreds of clinicians in the application of exposure therapy and continues to advance the reach of exposure therapy through her extensive research and clinical work. Dr. Becker-Haimes conducts the initial diagnostic evaluations for youth receiving services through PATCH and provides clinical supervision to PATCH clinicians.

Dr. Becker-Haimes’ research focuses on treatment optimization for pediatric anxiety disorder. She is the author of the Resource for Exposures for Anxiety Disordered Youth (READY) Toolkit (www.bravepracticeforkids.com) and has developed and led research concerning the implementation and utilization of exposure therapy in diverse clinical settings. Dr. Becker-Haimes has authored over 40 peer-reviewed publications and her work is funded by organizations such as the National Institutes of Mental Health (NIMH). She has received several national awards for her work, including the Future Directions Launch Award from the Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology and the Outstanding New Investigator Presentation Award from the Society for Implementation Research Collaboration.

Dr. Becker-Haimes received her undergraduate degree from Johns Hopkins University and her Ph. D in child clinical psychology from the University of Miami. She completed her predoctoral internship at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and her postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania.

For questions about The READY Toolkit or her work, she can be reached at embecker@upenn.edu.

Amanda Sanchez, PhD

Amanda Sanchez, PhD is a postdoctoral trainee at the University of Pennsylvania Center for Mental Health. She is also a clinician at the Pediatric Anxiety Treatment Center at Hall Mercer (PATCH) program. Dr. Sanchez earned her undergraduate degree at New York University and her PhD in clinical psychology at Florida International University, where she focused on accessibility of mental health treatments for underserved families and youth. She completed her predoctoral internship at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center. Her research and clinical work is focused on improving the accessibility and quality of mental health care, especially for traditionally underserved families. She has expertise in working with youth and their families to provide culturally responsive services that address mental health difficulties such as anxiety, behavioral challenges, and trauma.

Douglas Clapp, LMFT

Douglas Clapp, LMFT, is a Licensed Family Therapist and received his Master’s in Couples & Family Therapy from La Salle University. He worked as a lead clinician in family-based services for six years before becoming clinical supervisor for Hall Mercer’s trauma-focused family therapy program. His professional efforts focus on empowering children and families to overcome anxiety as well as improving life trajectories through evidence-based practices. He currently provides clinical oversight for an exploratory family-based program, PHIIPATCH, which provides exposure therapy for children across home, school, and community settings.

Julie Worley, PhD, BCBA

Dr. Worley is an Assistant Professor at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine and the Director of Philly AIMS (Autism Instructional Methods and Support) at the Penn Center for Mental Health. She is a clinical psychologist and a behavior analyst dedicated to increasing community access to evidence based interventions and assessments for individuals with developmental disabilities. Further, she is interested in facilitating community partnerships to help increase the quality of care for children receiving mental and behavioral health services.

Dr. Worley received her PhD in Clinical Psychology from Louisiana State University. She completed her pre-doctoral internship at Kennedy Krieger Institute and Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and her fellowship at the Center for Autism Research at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. She has extensive training on the assessment and treatment of autism and often co-occurring disorders including anxiety. 

Dr. Worley provides clinical supervision to pre-doctoral interns and practicum students completing rotations through PATCH and the School District of Philadelphia.

Cassidy McDermott, M.A.

Cassidy McDermott, M.A., is a Graduate Student Clinician at the PATCH program and a third-year doctoral student in Clinical Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. Cassidy received her Bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience from Dartmouth College, and her Master’s degree in Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania. Through her role at PATCH, Cassidy provides cognitive-behavioral therapy to children and adolescents with anxiety, OCD, and related disorders. Outside of PATCH, Cassidy conducts research on the effects of early childhood environment on brain development and mental health in the University of Pennsylvania’s Changing Brain Lab.

Samantha Perlstein, M.A.

Samantha Perlstein, M.A., is a graduate student clinician at PATCH and a third-year student in the Clinical Psychology doctoral program at the University of Pennsylvania. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Human Rights from Barnard College and her Master’s degree in Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania. Samantha previously conducted diagnostic interviewing and neuropsychological testing through the Penn Assessment Clinic and the CHOP Autism Integrated Care Clinic. She currently provides cognitive-behavioral-therapy to children and adolescents with anxiety, OCD, and related disorders. She also has several years of experience working with children with disruptive mood dysregulation disorder and ADHD. Outside of PATCH, Samantha conducts research on early empathy development in children with disruptive behavior disorders. She is very grateful to have the privilege to work with the wonderful families she sees at PATCH!

Samiha Islam, M.A.

Samiha Islam, M.A., is a graduate student clinician at PATCH and a third-year student in the Clinical Psychology doctoral program at the University of Pennsylvania. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Family Science from the University of Maryland, College Park and her Master’s degree in Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania. Samiha previously conducted diagnostic interviewing and neuropsychological testing through the Penn Psychology Assessment Clinic and the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) Autism Integrated Care Clinic. At the University of Pennsylvania's Risk and Resilience lab, Samiha's research examines how familial stressors across generations impact adolescent mental health.