Practice Philosophy:
Dr. Joan Barnett, PsyD, comes to The Ross Center after a 17-year assignment at the Pentagon, where she helped to establish the Pentagon’s behavioral health unit in response to the events of 9/11. She works collaboratively with each client to assess concerns, identify goals and create realistic treatment plans targeted to each client’s unique needs.
Areas of Expertise:
Dr. Barnett specializes in working with individuals exposed to trauma, and also with the special issues that may arise for individuals working for the military, foreign service, intelligence services and other U.S and foreign government entities. She has received extensive training in a broad range of evidence-based therapies for treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), including Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) and Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE). She also treats individuals struggling with anxiety and mood disorders. Sensitive to cultural issues, she uses a multicultural lens gained through experiences living in Argentina, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, the Philippines, Venezuela and Honduras, and having worked professionally in Taiwan and Hongkong.
Experience and Training:
Dr. Barnett earned her MSW from Catholic University and received her PsyD from George Washington University. She worked for close to 20 years as a psychologist at the Pentagon, where she also served as Acting Chief of Behavioral Health. Upon leaving that role, her work was acknowledged in an award citation for years of service to over 8,000 individuals.
Dr. Barnett has completed continuing education requirements that meet the initiatives of The Ross Center’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Task Force.
