C. Virginia O’Hayer, PhD
Director, Jefferson Center City Clinic for Behavioral Medicine
Clinical Professor
Contact Information
Director, Jefferson Center City Clinic for Behavioral Medicine
Clinical Professor
Education
Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Clinical Psychology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC - 2007
PhD, Clinical Psychology, Duke University, Durham, NC - 2006
Internship, Centre for Addictions and Mental Health - Toronto, Ontario, Canada - 2006
MA, Clinical Psychology, Duke University, Durham, NC - 2003
Publications
- ACT with CF: A randomized trial of acceptance and commitment therapy vs supportive psychotherapy for adults with cystic fibrosis
- The psychological burden of NMOSD – a mixed method study of patients and caregivers
- Engineering Virtuous health habits using Emotion and Neurocognition: Flexibility for Lifestyle Optimization and Weight management (EVEN FLOW)
- Living Through the Pandemic: The Voices of Persons With Dementia and Their Caregivers
- Building a Life Worth Living During a Pandemic and Beyond: Adaptations of Comprehensive DBT to COVID-19
Board Certification
- Licensed Clinical Psychologist
- Health Service Provider
- DBT - Linehan Board of Certification: Certified DBT Clinician
- RO DBT Senior Clinician
Research & Clinical Interests
Research: Dr. O'Hayer's research line focuses primarily on the application of acceptance-based behavioral therapies to chronic and rare illnesses including HIV, Cystic Fibrosis, Pancreatic Cancer, Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder, and Thyroid Eye Disease. She specializes in the adaptation of evidence-based behavioral therapies to specific disease states, delivered via brief telehealth interventions, to patient and their caregiver/loved ones. Dr. O'Hayer conducts clinical trials of these adapted treatments, aimed at improving psychological flexibility and medication adherence, reducing anxiety and depression, and improving value-based living, for patients with rare disease and their loved ones.
Clinical: Dr. O’Hayer serves as the Director of the Jefferson Center City Clinic for Behavioral Medicine. She has expertise in various evidence-based behavioral therapies including Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Radically Open Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (RO DBT), and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). She specializes in the telehealth delivery of comprehensive ("full model") DBT to patients with marginalized identities, including folx who identify as trans/non-binary/gender-expansive.