I am a clinical psychologist with a focus in health and medical conditions, including headache disorders and sleep problems.

I launched VIP because there is a shortage of trained professionals who can meet the behavioral health, non-medication treatment needs of individuals with headache disorders and sleep problems, and I want to increase access to treatment for those in need.

My ultimate goal is to create safe spaces for clients to learn skills and tools to better manage physical and mental health symptoms, and regain balance and wellness.

Clinical Training and Education:

  • BSc: Neuroscience, Bates College

  • PhD: Counseling Psychology, University of Houston

  • Internship: Health Psychology, VA Connecticut-West Haven

  • Residency: Health Psychology, Institute of Living/Hartford Hospital

  • Staff Psychologist: Hartford HealthCare Headache Center

Allison Verhaak, PhD

Research Training:

Staying up-to-date with best clinical practices and cutting-edge research are important to providing clients with the best care. I have held research positions at several top-tier hospitals and institutions:

  • McLean Hospital

  • Dana Farber Cancer Institute

  • MD Anderson Cancer Center

  • Baylor College of Medicine

  • Hartford HealthCare Headache Center

Research Abstracts and Publications:

  1. Verhaak, A., Starkey, B., Bond, D, Sukhera, J, Begasse de Dhaem, O., Grosberg, B. (2023). More than just a headache: Investigating migraine-related stigma using a mixed methods approach. Poster presentation at the American Headache Society Meeting, Austin TX.

  2. Verhaak, A., Bakaysa, S., Johnson, A., Veronesi, M.,…& Grosberg, B. (2023). Migraine treatment in pregnancy:  A survey of comfort and treatment practices of women’s healthcare providers. Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain 63(2): 211-221.

  3. Verhaak, A, Ferrand, J., Puhl, R., Tishler, D.,…& Umashanker, D. (2022). Experienced weight stigma, internalized weight bias, and clinical attrition in a medical weight loss patient sample. International Journal of Obesity, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41366-022-01087-2.

  4. Verhaak, A., & Grosberg, B. (2021). Interdisciplinary corner: HEADucation Initiative. The Health Psychologist, 43(2).

  5. Verhaak, A, Williamson, A., Johnson, A., Murphy, A.,…& Grosberg B. (2021). Migraine diagnosis and treatment: A knowledge and needs assessment of women’s healthcare providers. Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain, 61, 69-79.

  6. Garcia-Ayala, M. E., Veronesi, M., Verhaak, A., & Grosberg, B. (2021). Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) monoclonal antibody (MAB) wear-off phenomenon in the treatment of migraine.  Poster presentation at the annual meeting of the American Headache Society, virtual

  7. Bakaysa, S., Veronesi, M., Verhaak, A., Johnson, A., & Grosberg, B. (2021). Migraine treatment in pregnancy: A knowledge and needs assessment of women’s healthcare providers. Poster presentation at the annual meeting of the American Headache Society, virtual..

  8. Messier, D., Mehta, S., Veronesi, M., Verhaak, A., Williamson, A., Minen M., & Grosberg, B. (2021, June). Migraine and other primary headache diagnoses and treatment: A knowledge and needs assessment of physical therapists. Poster presentation at the annual meeting of the American Headache Society, virtual.

  9. Verhaak, A., Umashanker, D., Ferrand, J., Puhl, R., Tishler, D., & Papasavas, P. (2019). Internalized weight bias and experienced weight stigma in a medical weight loss patient sample. Podium presentation at the annual meeting of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, Las Vegas, NV.

  10. Verhaak, A., Arbona, C., Day, S. W., & Wefel, J. S. (2017). Prediction of subjective memory ability and patient self-report accuracy before resection of high grade glioma. Poster presentation at the annual meeting of the International Neuropsychological Society, New Orleans, LA.

  11. Chartoff,  E.,  Russell, S. E.,  Puttick,  D.  J.,  Sawyer,  A.  M., et al.  (2016).  Nucleus accumbens AMPA receptors are necessary for morphine withdrawal-induced negative affective states in rats. Journal of Neuroscience, 36, 5748-5762.

  12. Verhaak, A, Arbona, C., Day, S. X., & Wefel, J. S. (2015). Prediction of subjective memory ability before resection of high grade glioma.  Poster presentation at the annual meeting of the Society for Neuro-Oncology, San Antonio, TX.

  13. Verhaak, A, Arbona, C., Day, S. X., & Wefel, J. S. (2015). Predictors of concordance between objective and subjective tests of memory in high-grade glioma. Poster presentation at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, Toronto, Canada.

  14. Kelsey, J. E., Verhaak, A. M. S., & Schierbel, K. C. (2015). The kappa-opioid receptor antagonist, nor-binaltorphimine (nor-BNI), decreases morphine withdrawal and the consequent conditioned place aversion in rats. Behavioural Brain Research, 283, 16-21.

  15. Noll, K., Garbarino, A., Turner, C., Verhaak, A., & Wefel, J. (2014). Depression and executive functioning in relation to survival among patients with glioblastoma. Oral presentation at the annual meeting of the Society for Neuro- Oncology, Miami, FL.

  16. Antony, R., Emery, C. M., Sawyer, A. M., & Garraway, L. A. (2013). C-RAF mutations confer resistance to RAF inhibitors. Cancer Research, 73, 4840-4851.

  17. Johnson, D. R., Sawyer, A. M., Meyers, C.A., et  al.  (2012).  Early measures of cognitive function predict survival in patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma. Neuro-Oncology, 14, 808-816.

  18. Chartoff, E., Sawyer, A., et al. (2012). Blockade of kappa opioid receptors attenuates the development of depressive-like behaviors induced by cocaine withdrawal in rats. Neuropharmacology, 62, 167-176.

  19. Wagle, N., Emery, C., Berger, M. F., Davis, M. J., Sawyer, A., et al. (2011). Dissecting therapeutic resistance to RAF inhibition in melanoma by tumor genetic profiling. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 29, 3085-3096.

  20. Emery, C. M., Vijayendran, K. G., Zipser, M. C., Sawyer, A. M., et al. (2009). MEK1 mutations confer resistance to MEK and BRAF inhibition. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences., 106, 20411-20416.

  21. Chartoff, E. H., Barhight, M. F., Mague, S. D., Sawyer, A. M., & Carlezon, W. A., Jr. (2009). Anatomically dissociable effects of dopamine D1 receptor agonists on reward and relief of withdrawal in morphine-dependent rats. Psychopharmacology (Berl), 204, 227-239.

  22. Sawyer, A. (2008). Effect of intra-nucleus accumbens shell microinjections of  AMPA and  the  AMPA receptor  antagonist NBQX  on  locomotor  activity  and  place conditioning. Poster presentation at the annual meeting of Society for Neuroscience, Washington, DC.

  23. Sawyer, A (2007). The kappa receptor antagonist nor-BNI reduces the symptoms and aversive consequences of morphine withdrawal. Poster presentation at the annual meeting of Society for Neuroscience, San Diego, CA.

 

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