Amy M. Williams, Ph.D., recently joined Headstrong as Chief Clinical Officer. An expert in treating Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Dr.Williams has engaged in the research of and training therapists in effective treatments for PTSD in veteran/military and civilian populations for over 20 years. Prior to joining Headstrong, Dr.Williams successfully spearheaded the opening of one of the first clinics within the Cohen Veterans Network in Dallas, Texas. While there, she held an adjunct volunteer faculty member position at the Department of Psychiatry at UT Southwestern Medical Center and instituted the first research study within the CVN network in conjunction with UT-Dallas.
Dr. Williams received her B.A. in psychology from Texas Tech University with a minor in business management, and an M.A. and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of North Texas. She completed her predoctoral internship at the Palo Alto VA Medical Center. While there, she trained at the National Center for PTSD. a Stanford-affiliated unit in the area of serious mental illness, and in the areas of family therapy, substance use, and geriatric psychology. Her postdoctoral training at the University of Missouri-St Louis, with Dr. Patricia Resick, focused on research and treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder with Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) and Prolonged Exposure.
Dr. Williams is a national trainer in CPT and was instrumental in the VA Health Care System CPT rollout. In addition, she has served as a primary liaison and consultant in the State of Texas CPT rollout. She has authored articles and chapters and served as a consultant on numerous grants related to the treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.
Dr. Williams is a 2019 George W. Bush Institute Stand To Veteran Leadership Program Scholar and completed a personal leadership project with the Bush Institute focused on elevating care for veterans with a history of TBI and co-occurring PTSD. She has held leadership positions in the International Society for Traumatic Stress Specialists (ISTSS) and is on the board of the Crockett Retreat Center, a nonprofit providing weekend horsemanship retreats for veterans and first responders.
