Heather Powers

CV

Educational Background:

M.S. in Counseling, California State University, Hayward, CA
  Concentration: Marriage and Family Therapy                 GPA 4.0
Thesis: Providing Culturally Aware Therapy to clients who engage in BDSM

B.A. with Highest Honors in Psychology, 2005, University of California, Berkeley CA
  Concentration: Social and Personality Psychology        GPA 3.8
 Thesis: Body Image, Attractiveness and Romantic Relationships- Does beauty matter?

A.A in Behavioral Science, 2003, College of Marin, Larkspur, CA
   Concentration: Psychology                                               GPA 3.9

A.A in Natural Science, 2003, College of Marin, Larkspur, CA                                   
   Concentration: Biological Sciences                                GPA 3.8  

Professional Experience:

Marriage and FamilyTherapist Registered Intern 2010- Present
  Dossie Easton, San Francisco CA

  1. Provided psychotherapy for individuals & couples
  2. Studied kink friendly psychotherapy & couples counseling

Psychotherapist 2010- Present
  Bay Area Women Against Rape, Oakland, CA

  1. Provided psychotherapy for individuals & couples
  2. Specialization is survivors of sexual trauma including childhood sexual abuse survivors.

Sexuality Educator, 2008-2011
  Good Vibrations, San Francisco CA

  1. Continuing education for professionals who work with issues of sexuality, gender or the body.
  2. Workshops on sexuality for Bay Area colleges, community groups & training programs.

Therapist -trainee, 2006-2008
  Community Institute for Psychotherapy, San Rafael CA

  1. Provided psychotherapy for individuals, couples and teens.
  2. Studied psychodynamic, attachment and emotional focused therapies
  3. Acquired extensive training in the treatment of eating disorders, couples therapy, play therapy, DBT, CBT, personality disorders, substance abuse & systems.

Sexuality Educator, 2005-2008
  The Center for Sex and Culture, San Francisco CA

  1. Taught classes on body image, gender, sexuality and physiology to diverse groups ranging from pre-teens to therapists gaining continuing education units
  2. Trained in gender theories for working with LGBTI and gender transition clients
  3. Curriculum development for 40 unique classes on body image and sexuality
  4. Provided consultations on applying the PLISSIT model to couples therapy

Research Assistant, 2003-2005
Oliver John PhD, Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, CA

  1. Interviewed 100 graduates of Mills College for “The Mills Women, A Modern

Update”, a longitudinal research project on social networking

  1. Factor analysis for “The Little Seven Personality Factors”, a new taxonomy of personality traits in adolescent males based on the Big 5 model.
  2. Performed SPSS correlation analysis of 84,000 data points
  3. Data scrubbing for a 3000 participant factor reduction project
  4. Creation and validation of a new body image satisfaction scale

Sexuality Counselor, 2000-2004
  San Francisco Sex Information, San Francisco CA

  1. Sexuality counseling to over 100 clients from diverse backgrounds
  2. Outreach education at large scale community events
  3. Completed 40 hour Sexuality Educator certification
  4. Ongoing training in sexuality, gender and multicultural issues (through 2006)

Rape Crisis Counselor, 2001-2005
  Community Violence Solutions, San Rafael CA

  1. Provided support for 17 survivors of sexual violence in a hospital setting
  2. Answered 1-7 calls per weekly hotline shift providing support and referrals
  3. Attended monthly continuing education workshops
  4. Multicultural sensitivity training
  5. Wrote and performed antiviolence literature at 6 community outreach events
  6. Obtained 40 hour California State Rape Crisis Counselor certification

Event Coordinator, 2002-2003
  V-Day International, New York, NY

  1. Produced charity production of the Vagina Monologues in a 600 seat theater raising $12,000 for Marin County Domestic Violence prevention programs.
  2. Ran biweekly groups on body image and intimate violence prevention.
  3. Presented at the V-Day annual US conference on domestic violence prevention
  4. Authored booklets and flyers on domestic violence prevention and local services

Body Image Specialist, 1998-Present
  WildChyld Productions

  1. Taught workshops on body image enhancement to plus sized women.
  2. Attended conferences and events on combating obesity stigma.
  3. Created unique body image training curriculum for diverse populations including  men, large bodies, teens, sex workers, adult women and survivors of violence
  4. Facilitated body image support groups for women in the adult industry

 

Research Submitted and in Preparation:

Powers, H.J. (2006). The Positive Effect of Social Networks on Reversing Obesity Stigma (In Progress)

Powers, H.J. (2006). Body Image as a Relational Satisfaction Predictor (In Publication)

 

Research Grants:

Advancement of Women in Society Grant, 2005, Institute for Civic Leadership, Oakland, CA

Outstanding Scholar Grant, 2004, George A Miller Scholars Program, University of California, Berkeley

Selected Relevant Coursework:

  1. Therapist attitudes on BDSM , AASECT continuing education workshop (8 CEU) 2006
  2. Sexual dysfunction in couples therapy, CAMFT workshop at JFK University 2006
  3. Appraisal Procedures, CSU East Bay 2005
  4. Micro counseling, CSU East Bay 2005
  5. Adult Psychopathology, CSU East Bay 2005
  6. Counseling oppressed populations, UC Berkeley seminar 2005
  7. Adult attachment theory from a relational perspective, UC Berkeley seminar 2005
  8. Self Schemas, UC Berkeley seminar 2005
  9. Archetypes as a gateway to “multiple personality order”, SFSI workshop 2005
  10. The self – Serena Chen seminar series, UC Berkeley 2004 – 2005
  11. Clinical Psychology in Adults and Adolescents, UC Berkeley 2004
  12. Women and minorities in leadership and barriers to social change, Mills College 2004
  13. Stereotyping and Stigma, UC Berkeley 2004
  14. Personality Psychology, UC Berkeley 2004

 

Selected Lectures Taught:

  1. Sex Therapy and the Plissit Model, JFK University CAMFT lecture, 2006
  2. Pleasure Anatomy and Physiology, Huckleberry Youth Program, 2006
  3. Overcoming Obesity Stigma, University of California, Berkeley, 2005
  4. Multicultural Attitudes toward Counselors and Therapists, Mills College, 2005
  5. Body image and self esteem, University of California, Berkeley, 2005
  6. Body image and sexual satisfaction, University of California, Berkeley, 2005
  7. Women, minorities and images of beauty, Mills College, 2005
  8. Indicators of relational wellbeing in couples, University of California, Berkeley, 2004
  9. Health, love and acceptance in the plus sized community, NAAFA, NY, 2004
  10. The Negative Power of Pejorative speech, V-Day Marin, 2004
  11. Sex positive feminism, V-Day Marin, 2004
  12. Sex work and self esteem, Bay Area Adult Sites, 2003
  13. I am beautiful – overcoming negative body image, NAAFA , Boston 2000

 

Honors and Awards:

  Outstanding Therapist in Training, 2007, Marin CAMFT, San Rafael, CA

  Graduate Equity Fellowship, 2006, California State University, Hayward, CA

  Political Activism Award, 2005, San Francisco Foundation, San Francisco, CA

  Citizen Scholar, 2005, Institute for Civic Leadership, Mills College, Oakland CA

  Board of Directors, 2005, Psi Chi Psychological Honor Society, Berkeley, CA

  Lifetime Member, 2005, Golden Key Honor Society, Berkeley, CA
 
  Miller Scholar, 2004, University of California, Berkeley, CA

  Commencement Speaker, 2003, College of Marin, Kentfield, CA
 
  Ed Walsh Community Service Award, 2003, State of California, Sacramento, CA

  Student Leader Award, 2003, College of Marin, Kentfield CA

  President, 2003, Alpha Gamma Sigma Honor Society, College of Marin, Kentfield, CA

  Community Service Star Award, 2003, A.G.S. Honor Society, Kentfield, CA

  Community Service Star Award, 2002, A.G.S. Honor Society, Kentfield, CA

  Fundraising Director, 2002, A.G.S. Honor Society, Kentfield, CA

  Deans List, 2001-2003, College of Marin, Kentfield, CA
           
Professional Affiliations

    • California Association for Marriage and Family Therapist, 2006-2011
    • American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors and Therapists, 2005-2011
    • Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality 2005- 2011
    • Community-Academic Corsortium for Research on Alternative Sexualities 2006-2011
    • Community Chi Psychological Honor Society, 2004-2006
    • Golden Key Honor Society 2004 -2006
    • Feminists for Free Expression, 2001-2007
    • Alpha Gamma Sigma Honor Society, 2001-2006
    • National Association for the Advancement of Fat Acceptance, 1998-2007
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