Central Iowa Psychological Services

Karen R. Ahrens, Psy.D.

PERSONAL DATA
Birthplace: Ames, IA
Birth date: August 16, 1974
Professional License: Licensed Psychologist Iowa 1009

EDUCATION
1997 - 2001 Minnesota School of Professional Psychology
5503 Green Valley Drive
Minneapolis, MN
8/03/01 Doctor of Clinical Psychology - granted
6/20/00 Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology - granted
6/01 Dissertation Accepted
9/20/99 Comprehensive Exam passed with Commendations

1992 - 1996 Central College
812 University Ave
Pella, IA
5/1996 B.A. in Psychology

1992 Lake Mills Community High School
Lake Mills, IA
5/1992 Diploma of Completion

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
August 2006 Clinical Psychologist
to present Central Iowa Psychological Services
1200 Valley West Drive, Suite 707
West DesMoines, IA

Duties: Generalist Psychologist seeing individuals age 14 and up for evaluation and individual therapy, with and emphasis on older adults and nursing home populations. Seeing individuals 6 and up for psychodiagnostic assessment/testing.

August 2001 Licensed Clinical Psychologist
to August 2006 Prairie View, Inc
1102 Hospital Drive
McPherson, KS

Duties: Generalist Psychologist seeing individuals age 14 and up for evaluation and individual therapy, individuals age 6 and up for psychodiagnostic assessment/testing, nursing home evaluations, and teaching a court ordered divorce education class. Coordinated and executed a grant for caregiver training. Consultation and discharge planning on contract with a local hospital. Complete driving evaluations and competency to stand trial evaluations. Carry out Utilization Review of internal charts. Participate in multidisciplinary consultation and staff meetings.

SUPERVISED CLINICAL EXPERIENCE
August 2001 Clinical Psychologist - generalist, postdoctoral supervision
to August 2002 Prairie View, Inc
1102 Hospital Drive
McPherson, KS
Supervisors: Larry W. Hays, Ph.D. & Mary Carman, Ph.D.
Duties: See above employment history for same time frame & location.

August 2000 Doctoral Level Psychology Intern
to August 2001 Wichita Collaborative Psychology Internship Program
Wichita, KS
1) COMCARE of Sedgwick County 2) Prairie View, Inc
1919 N. Amidon 1901 E. First Street
Wichita, KS Newton, KS
Supervisor: Joe Hertzler, Ph.D. Richard Moore, Ph.D.
& Charles Gaynor, Ph.D.
Duties: COMCARE - Outpatient individual, group, couples and family therapy with adults. Psychological assessment for outpatient clientele. Clinical consultations attended at staff meetings. Presenting problems included clinical and personality disorders.
Prairie View, Inc. - Inpatient and residential group therapy with children and adolescents. Outpatient therapy with older adults at area nursing homes. Consultations attended in rounds and team meetings for child and adolescent populations.
(40 hours/week - 2000 total hours)

September 1999 Practicum Student
to May 2000 Carver County Mental Health Center
540 E. First Street
Waconia, MN
Supervisor: Jim Rudolph, Ph.D.

Duties: Outpatient individual, group, couples and family therapy with children and adults. Consultations attended at multidisciplinary team meetings. Submission of prior authorization requests. Presenting problems included Major Depression, Generalized Anxiety, Adjustment Disorders and personality disorders.
(16 hours/week - 512 total hours)

September 1998 Practicum Student
to May 1999 Austin Medical Center - Behavioral Health Care
1101 14th St. NW
Austin, MN
Supervisor: Kirk Mueller, Ph.D.

Duties: Outpatient psychodiagnostic assessment with children and adults. Consultations attended at multidisciplinary team meetings. Presenting problems included Major Depression, Schizophrenia, Post-Traumatic Stress, Generalized Anxiety, Social phobia, Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity, personality, dementia, developmental, and learning disorders.
(17 hours/wk - 533 total hours)
November 1995 Undergraduate Psychology Intern
to May 1996 Pella Community Hospital Sheltered Care Unit
404 Jefferson Street
Pella, IA
Supervisors: Donna Waddle & Pamela Steinke, Ph.D.

Duties: Assist in the daily general care of residents. Plan and carry out daily recreational activities. Complete one on one mental status examinations. Population consisted of Alzheimer's patients, often with a secondary depression or anxiety.
(200 hours)

October 1995 Undergraduate Psychology Intern
to May 1996 Central College Counseling Center
812 University
Pella, IA
Supervisor: Jon Dobernecker, M.A.

Duties: Plan monthly campus awareness events to educate students about mental health issues and services. Design and complete campus research on student housing and transitioning from a trimester calendar to a semester calendar. Design and produce an informational brochure about the internship programs offered.
(150 hours)

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION MEMBERSHIP
American Psychological Association
2001 - present Member
1999 - 2001 Student Affiliate

Iowa Psychological Association
2006- present Full Membership
1993 - 2000 Student Affiliate
1994 - 1996 Co-President Division III

For more information or to arrange an appointment, please contact us:
Central Iowa Psychological Services