School of Medicine

Stephen Anen, PhD is a clinical psychologist, primarily working with adults in independent practice in New Orleans. His doctoral training occurred at the Graduate Center - City University of New York in the clinical psychology program at the City College of New York. In addition to being Adjunct Clinical Faculty at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center (LSUHSC), Dr. Anen is the Program Chair of the Society for Psychoanalysis and Psychoanalytic Psychology (SPPP: Division 39 of the American Psychological Association). His current interests are in exploring the interactions between narcissism, privilege, and shame.  

Dr. Joseph “Jay” Boffa is a Clinical Investigator at the Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System (SLVHCS). He holds an academic appointment as a Clinical Assistant Professor in the School of Medicine’s Department of Psychiatry at LSU. A clinical psychologist by training, his research has focused on cognitive-affective variables that intersect risk for PTSD and suicide, and the use of scalable interventions (e.g., technologically-driven, massed protocols) to target those conditions. Much of his work has been conducted in high-risk populations, including military service members and first responders. Dr. Boffa has received research support from agencies such as the Department of Veterans Affairs, National Institute of Mental Health, and Military Suicide Research Consortium

Kristin L. Callahan, PhD (2010, Applied Developmental Psychology, University of New Orleans; 2010 Post-Doctoral Clinical Psychology Fellow, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Department of Psychiatry): Dr. Callahan is currently a gratis faculty and Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry with the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center. Dr. Callahan worked full-time on the faculty at LSUHSC from 2012-2023. She previously served as the Director of the LSU Department of Psychiatry Assessment Clinic. Dr. Callahan specializes in the clinical and research utilization of the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS-2) for differential diagnoses including Autism Spectrum Disorder. In 2018, she established and advanced an innovative program to increase access to psychological and developmental assessment services via telemedicine. During her time at LSUHSC, Dr. Callahan has served as the psychologist for the Child Development Center at the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base, Orleans Parish Head Start, Children's Hospital of New Orleans, St. Bernard Community Health Center, and New Orleans East Community Health Center. Dr. Currently is currently the Director of Pupil Appraisal for Opportunities Academy (OA), which is a post-secondary full day program for scholars with neuro-developmental disabilities aged 17-22. She continues to remain connected with the LSUHSC training community by offering a specialty rotation at OA. 

Contact Dr. Callahan at kcall1@lsuhsc.edu

Dr. Ron Cambias has been a Clinical Psychologist for over 30 years. He is in private practice in Metairie, Louisiana which he has maintained for over 20 years.  Prior to that time, Dr. Cambias worked at Mercy Family Center and Children's Hospital New Orleans. His practice consists of both therapy with adults, adolescents, and children as well as conducting psychological testing for ADHD and learning disabilities. Dr. Cambias has been on the Adjunct Faculty at LSU Health Sciences Center for over 30 years.

Dr. Melissa Dufrene is a licensed and Board Certified clinical psychologist. She completed a Bachelor of Science in psychology at Louisiana State University, where she spent time working in the student mental health clinic and developed a love for LSU football. She then earned her PsyD in clinical psychology from The School of Professional Psychology at Forest Institute in 2012. Dr. Dufrene has completed research in the areas of ADHD, obesity, and child abuse. She has trained in a wide range of facilities, including inpatient and residential hospitals, schools, community health centers, and private practices. Dr. Dufrene gained extensive training and experience in OCD-spectrum disorders during her predoctoral internship at Rogers Memorial Hospital in Wisconsin. While at Rogers, Dr. Dufrene spent significant time working at the residential OCD treatment program. These experiences have contributed to her effective use of cognitive-behavioral therapy in a manner that allows for the incorporation of individual patient perspectives, humor, and attention to overall wellness.

As the clinic director of Rise Center for OCD and Anxiety, Dr. Dufrene endeavors to increase access to the treatment and training of OCD and anxiety disorders. She is thrilled to be working in coordination with Dr. Kristin Fitch to create programs for clients and providers that offer the most comprehensive approaches to effective assessment and treatment. 

Contact Dr. Dufrene at riseocdandanxiety@gmail.com or via www.riseocdandanxiety.com.

Diane Franz, PhD (she/her) is a Pediatric Psychologist at Children's Hospital New Orleans. She has served as Director of the Department of Psychology for over a decade. Dr. Franz completed graduate training at the University of Mississippi, her internship at Georgetown University Medical School and went on to receive her postdoctoral training at University of Massachusetts Medical Center.

Clinically, Dr. Franz’s interests include chronic medical conditions (diabetes) and assisting families navigating the interface between medical and psychological issues. She is embedded within several medical clinics including endocrinology and neurology. She also works within Children’s Hospital’s pain clinic, where she is treats families struggling with pain, complex medical diagnoses, and functional disorders. She has strong interests in feeding disorders and is a founding member of Children’s Hospital’s Feeding Team clinic. From a research perspective, Dr. Franz collaborates regularly with the diabetes team and is a co-author on several papers related to racial disparities for pediatric patients with diabetes. Her primary approach to treatment is based in scientific principles of cognitive-behavioral therapy, with strong collaboration between families and their medical providers. She is particularly interested in utilizing CBT-AR (CBT for ARFID), DBT, and ACT informed care. Dr. Franz has been a leader in training in Louisiana for many years and finds great satisfaction in teaching the next generation of psychologists.

Dr. Shannae Harness is a licensed clinical psychologist with a doctoral degree from Jackson State University in Jackson, MS. She received her undergraduate degree from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, LA. Dr. Harness completed her pre-doctoral internship at Oklahoma Health Consortium in Norman, OK, in positions at the University of Oklahoma University Counseling Center, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center (OUHSC) Student Counseling Services, and (OUHSC) Behavioral Health Services. She then completed her post-doctoral fellowship in Clinical Psychology at Family Focus in Baton Rouge, LA. She is credentialed through the National Register of Health Service Psychologists. 

Dr. Harness specializes in assessment and treatment services for children, adolescents, and adults. She offers assessment services, including psychological and psychoeducational evaluations. Treatment services include cognitive-behavioral therapy, social skills training, individual therapy, couples therapy, group therapy, and relaxation training.

Amy Henke, PsyD (she/her) is a Pediatric Psychologist at Children’s Hospital New Orleans. She received her doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology from Nova Southeastern University. She completed internship training at LSUHSC with the infant/child track and specialty training in pediatric health psychology during a two-year fellowship at Children’s Hospital New Orleans.

Dr. Henke’s clinical interests include evidence-based treatment for eating disorders and she is the only mental health professional in Louisiana certified in Family-Based Therapy (FBT) for eating disorders. She developed and currently leads the only FBT-based clinic in Louisiana and the greater gulf south. She is also passionate about working with gender diverse youth and advocating for their right to care. Additionally, she has clinical interests in chronic medical conditions such as kidney disease, their long-term impact on functioning, and adherence to complex medical regimens.

Outside of her clinical and training interests, Dr. Henke is a strong advocate for Louisiana Psychologists and believes that advocacy is a core part of professional identity and responsibility. She was elected to the Louisiana Board of State Examiners of Psychologists (2016-2021) and served as Board Chair (2020-2021). She has served on the Executive Council for Louisiana Psychological Association is the current President (2024-2025).

Dr. Claire Houtsma received her PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of Southern Mississippi and completed her pre-doctoral internship training at the Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System (SLVHCS). Dr. Houtsma is currently a Clinician Investigator and Suicide Prevention Coordinator at SLVHCS and the South Central Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center. She also holds academic appointments in the schools of medicine at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center and Tulane University.

Dr. Houtsma’s research focuses on three related areas – the role of firearms in suicide, capability for suicide, and sociocultural influences on suicide risk. She is passionate about developing, refining, and evaluating interventions designed to mitigate suicide risk, particularly among military service members and Veterans. To date, Dr. Houtsma has received funding from a variety of intramural and extramural agencies to support this work.

Contact Dr. Houtsma at claire.houtsma@va.gov 

Jennifer Hughes, PhD is an assistant professor of clinical psychiatry at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center. She is also an assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Texas Health Science Center McGovern Medical School. Hughes received her PhD, from the University of California at Santa Barbara in 2014 and completed her internship and postdoctoral training at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in 2014 and 2016, respectively.

Dr. Hughes is a licensed clinical psychologist. Her research interests include the assessment and treatment of PTSD in adults, children and infants, trauma-focused interventions following traumatic injury, and vicarious trauma in healthcare providers. She is active in the training of psychology interns and psychiatry residents, as well as providing lectures and didactics for learners and professionals in the community.

Dr. Andrea LaPlante is a licensed clinical psychologist with a Doctorate in Psychology (PsyD) from the University of La Verne in La Verne, CA. Dr. LaPlante has been providing mental health services within the New Orleans area since 2011. She completed her internship with the LSU Health Sciences Center where she provided psychological care for patients at DePaul Hospital. She stayed with LSU to complete her fellowship at the HIV Outpatient Program (HOP) and ultimately became a member of the faculty. Dr. LaPlante's clinical interests include coping with chronic illnesses, particularly HIV, and behavioral treatments for insomnia. Her research interests are primarily related to the effects of neurocognitive impairment and alcohol use on adherence to care. She is excited to join the staff of CrescentCare and continue to provide mental health services for underserved populations. 

Dr. Amanda M. Raines is a Clinical Investigator at the Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System  (SLVHCS). She holds an academic appointment as an Assistant Professor in the School of Medicines Department of Psychiatry at LSU. Dr. Raines' research focuses on identifying and empirically examining transdiagnostic risk and maintenance factors, as well as the development of novel interventions that can be used to treat and prevent anxiety and related pathology including suicide and substance use. To date, Dr. Raines has published over 100 peer-reviewed manuscripts and received support for her work from various intramural and extramural agencies.

Dr. Mary Shapiro is a Clinician Investigator at the Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System (SLVHCS) and South Central MIRECC. She also holds an academic appointment as an Assistant Professor in the LSU Department of Psychiatry. Dr. Shapiro’s program of research is focused on the identification and examination of risk factors underlying anxiety and traumatic stress conditions as well as developing novel approaches to address these conditions. She has extensive experience translating clinical findings into meaningful health service tools and working with underserved and hard-to-reach populations, including veterans and at-risk women. This line of research has resulted in over 50 peer-reviewed journal publications, as well as intramural and extramural grant funding. 

Dr. Leigh Anne B. Terrebonne (1999, Auburn University, Doctor of Philosophy in Counseling Psychology, 2004 Fellow, New Orleans-Birmingham Psychoanalytic Center):  Dr. Terrebonne is an Adjunct Professor of Psychology at LSUHSC.  She has served as a Clinical Consultant/Supervisor to LSUHSC psychology interns since 2004.  Dr. Terrebonne works in private practice and specializes in adult psychotherapy with expertise in long and short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy and the treatment of trauma, mood and anxiety disorders, and substance abuse with a focus on mind-body wellness. 

Contact Dr. Terrebonne at drterrebonne@terrebonnepsychology.com 

Arika Wadley, PsyD is a clinical psychologist licensed in the state of Louisiana. She is currently an Assistant Professor/Psychologist with Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center (LSUHSC) in the Family Medicine Department. Dr. Wadley graduated from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, where she completed four practicum placements before being placed at Georgia Southern University for her pre-doctoral internship, fulfilling her studies. She has worked as the Director of Counseling Services at Xavier University of Louisiana and currently works as an adjunct faculty member of The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, housed on Xavier's campus. She has also worked with students in kindergarten through 8th grade at ReNEW Schools. Prior to becoming licensed, Dr. Wadley worked as a post-doctoral assistant with a licensed psychologist at Louisiana State University. Besides enjoying psychology, Dr. Wadley is an avid Marvel and Disney fan!       

Rebecca Wallace, PsyD (she/her) is a Pediatric Psychologist at Children’s Hospital New Orleans. She received her doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology with a concentration in health psychology from Nova Southeastern University. She completed her internship with the South Florida Consortium Internship program and postdoctoral fellowship specializing in pediatric psychology at the University of Arkansas Medical Sciences/ Arkansas Children’s Hospital.
 
Dr. Wallace’s clinical interests include congenital health conditions such as cardiac conditions, Cystic Fibrosis, and neuromuscular conditions, in addition to chronic health conditions such as orthopedic abnormalities, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, and liver conditions. She also enjoys working with athletes, functional and pain conditions, particularly rehabilitation from injuries. She is a strong supporter of interdisciplinary team approach and working alongside medical colleagues as patients hearing information from multiple perspectives is often key to success. In addition, she has co-authored presentations and articles on suicide management approaches, functional medical condition management, and a book on managing GI symptoms in patients with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Dr. Wallace practices evidenced based treatments including CBT, DBT, and ACT approaches.
 
Dr. Wallace is an advocate for pediatric psychology on a national level and actively participates in leadership in APA Division 54, Society of Pediatric Psychology, Division 22 Rehabilitation Psychology, Society of Pediatric Liver Transplant, and Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.  She has engaged in research and development of evidenced based approaches and policies across hospital systems to improve patient care and psychology involvement on medical teams. She enjoys working with trainees on program and career development.