Sarah Steinmetz, Ph.D.
Dr. Senti is a licensed psychologist (PSY31566) whose approach involves using genuine empathy and transparent communication to build supportive and trusting relationships with her clients. She believes this attitude of teamwork with her clients is the key to them being able to successfully explore patterns in their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that may be contributing to mental health problems. Because she believes that avoiding difficult experiences and emotions can oftentimes worsen problems, she focuses on strengthening her clients’ confidence in themselves and their abilities to overcome difficulties. Dr. Senti believes that the most helpful way to empower her clients to improve their well-being is to use nonjudgmental approaches as well as evidence-based strategies that have been shown to work through research.
Dr. Senti received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Wyoming and completed her predoctoral internship at the VA Palo Alto Healthcare System. In addition to her work at Pacific Anxiety Group, she leads user experience research for the VA’s National Center for PTSD designing effective mobile app mental health interventions.
Selected Publications & Mobile Apps
Street, A. E., Senti, S., Skidmore, W.C., Taylor, K., Archibald, E.A., Brown, T., Goulet, M., Ramsey, K.M., & Owen, J. (2022). Beyond MST (Military Sexual Trauma) (Version 1.1). [Mobile application software]. Retrieved from http://itunes.apple.com.
Jaworski, B. K., Taylor, K., Ramsey, K. M., Heinz, A., Steinmetz, S., Pagano, I, Moraja, G, & Owen, J. E. (2021). COVID Coach: Exploring Usage of a Public Mental Health App Designed for the COVID-19 Pandemic. J Med Internet Res. doi:10.2196/26559
Steinmetz, S. E., Gray, M., & Clapp, J.D. (2019). Development and evaluation of the perpetration-induced distress scale for measuring shame and guilt in civilian populations. Journal of Traumatic Stress.
Steinmetz, S. E., & Gray, M. (2018). Reducing rape-related attitudes utilizing a cognitive dissonance paradigm. Violence Against Women.
Steinmetz, S. E., & Gray, M. (2018). Utilizing tenets of social cognitive theory to facilitate stay-leave decision making in victims of partner abuse. Partner Abuse.
Gray, M., Hassija, C. & Steinmetz, S. E. (2016). Sexual Assault Prevention on College Campuses. New York, NY: Routledge/Taylor and Francis.
Steinmetz, S. E., & Gray, M. (2015). Treatment for distress associated with accurate appraisals of self-blame for moral transgressions. Current Psychiatry Reviews, 11, 207-219. doi: 10.2174/1573400511666150629105709