Students & Early Career Psychologists
NHPA welcomes students to become informed and active within the dynamic field of psychology. The Student Organization’s mission includes making the field of psychology more accessible to students, supporting psychology students and their involvement at all levels of education, and encouraging and representing a diverse membership. NHPA is dedicated to supporting students in their development as practitioners, leaders, and advocates for the field of psychology.
Questions? Interested in getting involved?
Email: students@nhpsychology.org
Check out TheraFree, a pro bono therapy referral service dedicated to improving access to mental health support for uninsured and underinsured individuals in New Hampshire. This is a special project of the NHPASO and they're in need of volunteers for admin as well as providers.
Noorie Iqbal
President
Years on board: 3
Noorie is a fifth-year doctoral student in the Combined Counseling and School Psychology (Psy.D.) program at Rivier University in Nashua, NH. Noorie has had previous doctoral practicum experiences at Greater Nashua Mental Health Center, Elm Street Middle School, and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Noorie’s passion lies in neuropsychology, where she enjoys conducting intakes, administering testing batteries, and doing data interpretation. She also takes on a number of leadership roles and can be found advocating for student voices where she can. In her free time, Noorie enjoys creative writing, reading horror books, travelling, and spending time with her friends and family.
School: Rivier University
Program: Psy.D. in Counseling and School Psychology, Cohort 2020
Professional Interest Areas: neuropsychology, testing and assessment, diversity, inclusion, neuroscience, TBI, dementias
Contact Information: niqbal@rivier.edu
Jonathan Codraro
Vice President
One of my favorite things about being a psychologist is having the opportunity to connect with others who share the common goal of providing quality psychological care and advocating for the individuals we serve. I joined the board to be a part of something greater than myself, and to be an agent of change. I’m deeply committed to strengthening New Hampshire communities and improving access to mental health care across the state, which aligns with NHPA’s value of practicing psychology to promote human welfare. It’s an honor to be part of the NHPA’s dedicated group of psychologists working together to better our profession and our state.
Years on board: 3
As a NH resident and an individual that owns a practice in the mental health field, we sit at the tip of the spear. I joined the NHPA because I believe they are the cutting edge in regard to the forefront of helping to educate and lead our state in support of mental health rights and stand as a strong voice in the legislation. Regardless of one’s position the NHPA is a chance to be part of something bigger, to support and grow as a community. As an aspiring psychologist the value of being part of a community is priceless and being a member of the NHPA is invaluable. I can think of no better way to grow both professionally and personally than to engage, participate, support and grow the NHPA.
School: Rivier University
Program: Psy.D. in Counseling and School Psychology, Cohort 2022
Practice Location: Connecticut
Professional Interest Areas: individual, veteran support, growing my private practice, testing and assessment
Contact Information: Jcodraro@rivier.edu
Kasey L’Heureux
Secretary/Treasurer
Years on Board: 3
Kasey is a fifth-year doctoral student in the Combined Counseling and School Psychology (Psy.D.) program at Rivier University in Nashua, NH. Prior to teaching, Kasey spent seven years working for Girls Inc. of New Hampshire working as an outreach coordinator. Kasey has previous doctoral experiences at Milestones Day School & Transition Program, Katalyst Psychological Family Center, and New Hampshire Neuropsychology. Kasey thoroughly enjoys neuropsychological testing, though is truly passionate about treating survivors of trauma. In her free time, Kasey enjoys spending time with her husband, son, and dogs, as well as reading, playing softball, traveling, and spending time with her friends.
School: Rivier University
Program: Counseling and School Psychology Psy.D., 2020 Cohort
Professional Interest Areas: Adult and Adolescent Individual Psychosexual Therapy, Feminist Based Sexual Therapy, Psychological Testing & Neuropsychology, Psychoeducation & Group Presentations, Community Outreach, and Advocacy
Contact Information: ksmith@rivier.edu
Thomas Scaggs
Chief Editor
Years on board: 4
Thomas is a fourth-year doctoral student in the Combined Counseling and School Psychology (Psy.D.) program at Rivier University in Nashua, NH. Prior to serving in the U.S. Army, Thomas was involved in social work providing services to adults and children with developmental and intellectual disabilities both in-home and in the community. Attaining a Master’s in Developmental Psychology while enlisted as a public affairs noncommissioned officer, he has always been driven by a strong desire to make a positive impact on the world and entered his doctoral program immediately after being honorably discharged from the service. Thomas has completed a master’s-level internship in child and adolescent counseling while in Kansas, a doctoral practicum within the Chelmsford Public School system, another at LifeStance in Londonderry/Portsmouth gaining competency using the ACT model to deliver therapy, and is currently at Neuropsychology and Concussion Management Associates (NCMA) in Dover completing a neuropsych/testing experience. In his free time, he enjoys traveling, attending concerts, meditation, and doing just about anything that is family oriented.
School: Rivier University
Program: Psy.D. in Counseling and School Psychology, Cohort 2021
Professional Interest Areas: Adult and Adolescent Individual Psychotherapy, Psychological Testing & Neuropsychology, Psychoeducation & Group Presentations, Community Outreach, and Advocacy
Contact Information: tscaggs@rivier.edu
Stacy Farese
NHPASO Membership Chair
Years on board: 3
Being a part of the NHPASO is a rewarding opportunity. Our organization allows us to collaborate with other psychology students in New Hampshire and develop professionally as future psychologists! I joined the NHPASO as membership chair to bring fellow psychology graduate students together with a goal to grow our numbers and build meaningful and lasting connections. Our hope is to support each other throughout each of our academic journeys, explore career opportunities, maintain professional development, and network with professionals in the field. I am excited to be a part of the NHPASO and look forward to developing a positive community as advocates for mental health.
School: Rivier University
Program: Psy.D. in Counseling and School Psychology, Cohort 2021
Professional Interest Areas: Adult individual therapy, college mental health, treatment for anxiety and depression, working with trauma survivors, and neuropsychology
Contact Information: sfarese@rivier.edu
Chelsea Frick
Liaison
Years on board: 1
Chelsea is a second-year doctoral student in the Combined Counseling and School Psychology (Psy.D.) program at Rivier University in Nashua, NH. Before relocating back to NH with her family, Chelsea completed a master's in clinical counseling, where she completed an internship working with mothers to reunify with their children during their residency at a substance abuse treatment facility in Fresno, CA. Chelsea also worked in the Tennessee School District to provide counseling services to underserved elementary school aged children in the community. Currently, Chelsea is a doctoral practicum student at Pinkerton Academy, where she is getting further experience with academic and cognitive testing practices. In her free time, Chelsea enjoys spending time with her two daughters, husband, and two dogs.
School: Rivier University
Program: Psy.D. in Counseling and School Psychology, Cohort 2023
Professional Interest Areas: Adult and Adolescent Individual Psychotherapy, Psychological Testing, and School Psychology
Contact Information: cfrick@rivier.edu
Baylee Stone
Public Relations Chair
Years on board: 3
Increasing knowledge and awareness on mental health is crucial in the state of New Hampshire. Being the Public Relations Chair in the NHPA has allowed me to do just that. The most effective way to spread knowledge in today’s society is through the media. By capturing upcoming events run by NHPA and local universities, my priority is to help educate the public with respect to psychology, promote organization and association and promote psychology as a field of study. Additionally, sharing my own clinical experience working as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor coupled with the expertise of my professional classmates and colleagues. Visit the social media pages and newsletters to see what we have been working on!
School: Rivier University
Program: Psy.D. in Counseling and School Psychology, Cohort 2022
Professional Interest Areas: children and adults, individual and family psychotherapy, testing and assessment, working with anxiety, depression, and life transitions.
Contact Information: bstone@rivier.edu
Calvin Sanborn
NHPASO Events Chair
Years on Board: 2
This is my third year of involvement with the NHPASO. I served as the Events Chair from 2022 – 2023 and as a member of the Events Committee from 2023 to 2024. I am pleased to be returning to serve as the Events Chair for the 2024 – 2025 academic year and look forward to a fruitful year ahead.
School: Rivier University
Program: Counseling and School Psychology PsyD, 2021 Cohort
Professional Interest Areas: Couples, Families, LGBTQIA+ Individuals/Couples/Families, Neurodivergent Children/Adolescents and Parent Support, Adoption, Individuals who have experienced Religious Trauma/Rejection
Contact Information: csanborn@rivier.edu
NHPASO Newsletter
Check out our student organization newsletter!
Click the image to the left to open the PDF
Benefits of NHPA Student Membership
By joining NHPA, student members have the opportunity to take on leadership roles by representing students and their schools in various divisions within NHPA, to share ideas and concerns with students from other programs, and to network with professionals from around the state. Membership is a great way to become involved in your professional community while furthering your own professional development.
Please click here to join NHPA as a Student Member.
How Psychology and NHPA Can Help Students: A Presentation Made for the Student Academic Convention 2021
Graduate Level Training
Psychologists receive their graduate training by completing either a master’s degree and then a doctoral degree, or by entering the doctoral program after completing their undergraduate education. A Doctorate of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in psychology involves training in conducting and utilizing research as well as teaching and clinical practice, while a Doctorate of Psychology (Psy.D.) has a focus on clinical work. Graduate coursework, clinical training, comprehensive examinations, and writing a dissertation typically involve at least a 6-year commitment, as well as then completing a year-long internship before receiving one’s degree. When choosing a graduate program, consider whether the program is APA-accredited as well as whether the program meets the requirements for licensure in the state where you intend to practice.
APA Provides Additional Information About Graduate School:
http://www.apa.org/education/grad/
They also have a tool on their website that allows you to search ALL APA-accredited programs in the US and Canada!
Check it out:
https://accreditation.apa.org/accredited-programs
OTHER RESOURCES:
Scholarships for Psychology Majors
https://www.psychology.org/scholarships/
What makes a doctoral-level psychologist unique?
Check out this video to learn more:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6wXvg04Klk
New Hampshire has two APA-accredited doctoral programs in psychology!
- Antioch University New England: https://www.antioch.edu/academics/psychology/clinical-psychology-psyd-aune/
- Rivier University: https://www.rivier.edu/academics/all-programs/psy-d-counseling-school-psychology/
Finding and Choosing a Post-Doctoral Fellowship:
- During your internship year, check with your state licensing board about requirements for the supervised clinical work after graduating.
- State board rules specify whether a fellowship is required for licensure (as it is in most states), the criteria a fellowship must meet, the number of clinical hours and supervision hours required for licensure, and whether an applicant has the option of paying for supervision rather than completing a fellowship.
- Though the salary for a fellowship may be almost as low as that of an internship, benefits of a fellowship may include a focus on training and may be a structured program, perhaps even APPIC-accredited.
- Alternately, you may find a job where part of your benefit includes free supervision, or you may take a job and pay someone to provide you with supervision if the state licensure board allows this latter arrangement.
- You may find post-doctoral training opportunities through the APPIC website, as well as postings in the student resource section for some APA divisions, on APA listservs, in APA’s Monitor, state psychological association websites, and on the websites of some training sites.
- Choose your opportunities for your post-doctoral year to develop your specialization, and be certain it meets the state licensure requirements.
- Sign a contract with your site supervisor at the beginning of your training, and submit this to the licensing board in the state where you are training to have your training approved according to the board’s guidelines.
Preparing For Licensure:
- Your state licensing board rules will specify which exams to take, including the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP), and the passing score for the state.
- Many states require you to complete a year of supervised post-doctoral work before applying for the exam.
- Some states allow you to sit for the exam when you are nearing completion of your required hours, which can save you some of the delay after finishing this last training year before you are licensed to work independently.
- If you are planning to work in a setting like a counseling center, you may have opportunities to apply for positions before obtaining your license, though you will be more competitive if you pass the exam before beginning the position.
- You will likely need to study three or four months for the EPPP. Materials can be purchased from at least three different publishers, and buying previously used materials will save you a lot of money. You will also be paying ASPPB for the exam, as well as the application fee to the state you are requesting permission from to take the exam.
- Each state has unique requirements for licensure beyond the EPPP, such as essay questions on ethics and state regulations, a multiple choice open book jurisprudence exam, or an oral exam.
- Some states also require psychologists providing psychotherapy to obtain the Health-Service Provider (HSP) designation, though this is not a requirement for licensure in New Hampshire.
APA Provides a General Overview of the Internship and Fellowship Process
http://www.apa.org/gradpsych/2007/09/internship.aspx
ASPPB provides a handbook that describes state licensure requirements:
TheraFree is a new, pro-bono therapy service designed to provide free mental health support to uninsured and underinsured individuals in New Hampshire. The initiative aims to bridge the gap in access to essential mental health services by connecting individuals with volunteer professional mental health providers through telehealth platforms. This service is designed to mimic a growing trend of pro bono services found in states across the U.S. and is not suitable for extremely urgent circumstances.
This is a
NHPA Student Organization (NHPASO) special project.
NHPASO is in need of volunteers for TheraFree! If you are interested, please check out the links below for role descriptions.
You will also find links to contact forms so that you can indicate your interest and get in touch with NHPASO.
Volunteer Opportunities:
Advanced Doctoral Students (year 3+) needed for admin assistance
Licensed Mental Health Provider (to provide pro bono services)
Licensed Psychologist (to provide supervision)
