Email

terrif@bcm.edu

Positions

Associate Professor

Psychiatry & Behav Sciences
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, TX US

Education

Fellowship at South Central Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center

06/2015 - Houston, Texas United States

Advanced Research Fellowship

Residency at Baylor College of Medicine

06/2013 - Houston, Texas United States

Clinical Psychology

PhD from University of Houston

05/2013 - Houston, Texas United States

Clinical Psychology

BA from Agnes Scott College

05/2006 - Decatur, Georgia United States

Psychology & Religious Studies

Certifications

Licensed Psychologist

Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists

Professional Interests

• Improving diagnostic practices for anxiety disorders
• Increasing access to evidence-based treatments for Veterans with anxiety, OCD, and PTSD

Professional Statement

My clinical and research work is focused on the identification, assessment, and treatment of anxiety disorders, posttraumatic stress disorder, and obsessive compulsive disorder. I use mixed qualitative and quantitative methods to evaluate the effectiveness and implementation of innovations in the delivery of evidence-based mental health care.

Websites

Selected Publications

• Hertz, A., Dawson, D. B., Rassu, F. S., Ecker, A., Helm, A., Hundt, N. E., & Fletcher, T. L. "Delivery of exposure and response prevention among Veterans with obsessive-compulsive disorder." Journal of Behavioral Health Services & Research. 2023;50:514-523. Pubmed PMID: 37024645
• Townsend, A., Christie, I. C., Sansgiry, S., Hundt, N. E., Escamilla, M., Singh, H., Kunik, M. E., Stanley, M. A., & Fletcher, T.L. "The influence of patient, provider, and system level characteristics on anxiety diagnostic specificity in the Veterans Health Administration.." Psychiatry Research Communications. 2024;4
• Chen, P. V., Singh, H., Hundt, N. E., Kunik, M. E., Stanley, M. A., Plasencia, M., & Fletcher, T. L. "Whose job is it anyway? A qualitative study of providers' perspectives on diagnosing anxiety disorders in integrated health settings.." The Journal of Behavioral Health Services & Research. 2025;52:391-407. Pubmed PMID: 39298068

Funding

A Pragmatic Trial of Brief CBT for Anxiety in VA Primary Care

Grant funding from VA Health Services Research & Development

This study will examine the effectiveness and implementation potential of a brief cognitive behavioral therapy program delivered either in-person or via VA Video Connect for Veterans with anxiety disorders treated in VHA primary care mental health integration clinics.

Exposure and Response Prevention to Improve Functioning in Veterans with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Grant funding from VA Rehabilitation Research & Development

This is a multisite randomized controlled trial examining the effectiveness and implementation potential of exposure and response prevention delivered via video-telehealth for Veterans with obsessive-compulsive disorder.

VHA Provider Training in Exposure and Response Prevention for Rural Veterans with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Grant funding from VA Office of Rural Health

This project aims to create a scalable ERP training and consultation program for VA Clinical Resource Hub providers to ensure rural Veterans across the nation have access to evidence-based treatment for OCD.