Gena Gorlin, PhD

Associate Director of Clinical Training
Clinical Associate Professor, Psychology, UT-Austin

Dr. Gena Gorlin is a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in the psychological needs of ambitious, high-agency individuals. She also has expertise in the treatment of anxiety, depression, trauma, and related concerns using evidence-based treatments such as CBT, ACT, and DBT, integrated within an “agency via awareness” therapeutic framework.  Her research focuses on the cognitive and motivational factors that jointly fuel or undermine human agency and goal-striving. In addition to her academic and clinical work, she provides executive coaching to startup founders, writes a popular Substack newsletter, and has a forthcoming book with Penguin on the psychology of ambition.

Jasper Smits, PhD

Director, Anxiety & Health Behaviors Lab
Professor, Psychology, UT-Austin

Jasper Smits, Ph.D., is a professor of Psychology. His research program centers on developing and validating innovative intervention strategies for anxiety and related problems. His work spans basic studies on mechanisms of change and moderators of treatment response to clinical trials evaluating novel behavioral and pharmacological interventions. A key focus of his work is to improve the efficacy and reach of exposure therapy. To this end, Dr. Smits established the international Exposure Therapy Consortium. His work also examines the interplay between anxiety vulnerability and health behaviors, particularly smoking, leading to specialized cessation treatments targeting anxiety sensitivity through exercise. Dr. Smits has published over 250 works and has been PI, Co-I, or mentor on grants totaling over $23 million from federal agencies such as the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), the National Cancer Institute (NCI), and the Department of Defense (DOD), alongside state and industry funding.

Talya Leibowicz, PhD

Clinical Assistant Professor, Psychology, UT-Austin

Dr. Talya Leibowicz is a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in the treatment of anxiety, trauma, and related concerns. She utilizes evidence-based treatments including ACT, CBT, and DBT to help clients navigate challenges, build resilience, and move towards their goals. She completed her PhD in Clinical Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin and her predoctoral internship at the UT-Austin Counseling and Mental Health Center. Dr. Leibowicz is also involved in clinical training and supervision and is passionate about helping therapists learn evidence-based techniques while also developing their unique therapeutic styles. She is also involved in clinical research with broad interests in anxiety and PTSD treatment, resilience, and first-responder populations.

Stephen E. Finn, PhD

Clinical Associate Professor, Psychology, UT-Austin

Dr. Stephen Finn is a clinical psychologist specializing in the integration of personality assessment and psychotherapy. Founder of the Center for Therapeutic Assessment, Austin, Texas, Dr. Finn is also Senior Researcher and Director of Training at the European Center for Therapeutic Assessment at Catholic University of Milan, Italy, and Director of Training at the Asian-Pacific Center for Therapeutic Assessment in Tokyo, Japan. He has published 100+ articles and chapters on psychological assessment, psychodiagnosis, and other topics in clinical psychology. He is the co-author of two recent books, Therapeutic Assessment with Adults and Therapeutic Assessment with Children, both published by Routledge in 2022. Dr. Finn is the recipient of the 2011 Bruno Klopfer Award from the Society of Personality Assessment for his distinguished lifetime contributions to the field of personality assessment. Among his other awards is the Carl Rogers Award for distinguished contributions to humanistic psychology, presented by Division 32 of the American Psychological Association in 2018.

Isabelle Gallagher, MA

Peer Supervisor

Isabelle is a fourth-year Clinical Psychology Ph.D. student at the University of Texas at Austin and a peer supervisor in the training clinic. She holds a B.S. in Neurobiology and Global Health from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and completed a post-baccalaureate fellowship at the NIH. Isabelle serves as a peer supervisor in the psychology training clinic, supporting students in assessment and CBT-informed interventions for anxiety and mood disorders. Her clinical practicum experience includes delivering evidence-based therapy for anxiety, trauma, and mood disorders, as well as conducting neuropsychological evaluations for children and adults with diverse needs, including epilepsy, autism, ADHD, and learning disorders. Her graduate research examines how cardiometabolic risk and nutrition shape brain and cognitive health.

Olivia Brady

Peer Supervisor

Olivia is a third year PhD student in the Clinical Psychology program at the University of Texas at Austin and a peer supervisor in the training clinic. . They graduated from Willamette University with a B.A. in Psychology, and worked at a suicide hotline for several years before attending UT. Olivia is a peer supervisor in the psychology training clinic, helping students develop and deliver evidence-based treatments for anxiety and mood disorders. Their clinical experience includes delivering CBT-informed, evidence based treatments such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Exposure and Response Prevention for anxiety, OCD, and depression. Their graduate research involves depression and suicidality.