Dr. Michele Bechor
Welcome to ScienceWorks Behavioral Healthcare!
For me, psychology is an opportunity for privileged information gathering, continuous collaboration and purpose. I partner with clients to create fulfilling lifestyles by understanding thoughts, emotions, and actions to facilitate long-term behavior change.
My commitment to you extends beyond our sessions; I employ a comprehensive approach to help you be your best. After almost every session, I email a link, handout, or objective, to continue developing real-world skills.
My approach is grounded in evidence-based practices and the scientist-practitioner model. My experience with children and adolescents benefits this group and clients of all ages by allowing me to communicate complex ideas clearly, balancing warmth and structure in therapy.
Specialized Services
For Adults, Children, Teens, and Parents
About Me
Available via telehealth in the following states:
AL, AZ, AR, CO, CT, DE, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, ME, MD, MI, MN, MS, MO, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NC, ND, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
I am a Licensed Psychologist and nationally certified (PSYPACT) in Psychology. I blend clinical science (e.g., scientifically backed approaches) with a warm, collaborative approach in therapy, helping clients achieve lasting behavioral change.
My interest in psychology started early - my favorite class in high school was AP Psychology.
I earned my Bachelor's, Master's, and Ph.D. in Psychology from Florida International University. My experience includes a postdoctoral residency where I completed intensive Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) training. It further includes specialized, intensive training in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics (CBIT). I am outcome-oriented, passionate, and transparent, providing and supervising teams in evidence-based practices including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), Behavioral Activation (BA), and Motivational Interviewing (MI).
With this intensive training, I help children, adults and families with anxiety-related, obsessive-compulsive spectrum, autism-spectrum, ADHD, depressive, and personality disorder-related issues in outpatient, intensive outpatient and partial hospital settings.
I have clinical expertise in treating body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRBs) and motor and vocal tics, and I specialize in explaining complex clinical concepts to a wide audience. I help my clients reduce problem behaviors and increase purpose and fulfillment as they explore their personal values.
Growing up in South Florida, I developed a non-judgmental stance towards those different from me and a passion for understanding behavior. Initially aspiring to be a pediatric neurologist, I shifted to psychology to explore how long-standing behaviors begin, can change and be shaped to last with the help of therapy.
I have deep experience helping people of all ages with primary anxiety disorders, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Autism, Tourette Syndrome and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). One of my favorite areas of expertise is parent training. To me, helping youth and their parents as well as adult patients use new skills to become more resilient is a privilege.
I coach clients to bridge the gap between their current, undesired actions and desired, purposeful behaviors. I use a non-judgmental, analytical approach to uncover patterns in emotions, thoughts, and actions. My clients appreciate my ability to clarify disorder-driven and character-based actions; in other words, I help clients learn to differentiate between themselves and their disordered behaviors.
My goal is to collaborate with my clients to increase their confidence in their ability to change and to enhance their hope that they can become their most authentic selves. I am the coach and ultimate champion of my patients' functioning, even if it means I coach my clients to place less emphasis on comfort. I want my clients to be resilient and free, and I believe they feel most connected to me when I demonstrate my passion for them becoming more like their ideal selves.
Services for Children and Parents
Adaptive Therapy
For Children
With over a decade of clinical experience and a body of published research, working with children is both a specialty and a passion.
My expertise lies in an ability to adapt a full range of evidence-based treatments to your child's specific learning style and level of development.
First, we'll establish an environment of trust and build connections that foster open communication.
Then, we'll create an individualized treatment plan to meet them where they are and embark on a supportive journey toward complete mental wellness.
Psychoeducation
For Parents
I believe that parent involvement should be a cornerstone of the therapeutic process, not an afterthought.
With psychoeducation, you will learn the essential knowledge needed to support your child's progress in therapy and their overall wellbeing - while maintaining a space that respects the independence and self-assurance they need to achieve their goals.
By understanding the specifics of your child's treatment, you will be empowered to create a supportive environment at home, at school, and beyond to build healthy relationships that support their growth.
Executive Function Coaching
For Parents
For added support, we can implement coordinated coaching.
Our dedicated Executive Function Coach will work with you to develop the tools and strategies needed to get the most out of your psychoeducation.
Coaching is a collaborative and creative process that transforms the concepts of your child's therapy into real-world actions that you can use to help them achieve their goals.
By developing personal skills in organization, planning, and communication you'll be able to create systems that support both you and your child without feeling exhausted or overwhelmed.
Get in Touch with Dr. Bechor for Therapy
Let's work together and build the skills you need to be your most authentic self.
931-919-1750
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Schedule your free consultation with Michele Bechor
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Dr. Bechor's Experience and Credentials
APA-accredited Continuing Education Presenter
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"Relationship Formation & Maintenance Skills for Adults and Youth in Telehealth: a DBT- and ACT-informed Approach"
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Course designer and presentation leader
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Covering evidence-based practices for:
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Relationship maintenance
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parent-child, romantic, friendship, professional
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Relationship formation skills
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Florida Psychological Association
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Current Chair: Continuing Education Committee
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Recent Training
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CBT-Based Treatment for Trichotillomania & Skin Picking Disorder
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Virtual Professional Training Institute (VPTI), TLC Foundation for Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors
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Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Intensive Training™
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Behavioral Tech, Linehan Institute Training company
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QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) Gatekeeper Training for Suicide Prevention
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Rev. Lisa LeSueur, QPR Institute, Inc
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Education
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PhD, Psychology: Florida International University
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Major: Clinical Science in Child & Adolescent Psychology
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Certificate: Cognitive Neuroscience
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M.S., Psychology: Florida International University
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Clinical Science Program in Child & Adolescent Psychology
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B.A., Psychology: Florida International University
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Major: Psychology
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Departmental Honors, Magna cum Laude
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Minor: Chemistry, Biology
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Professional Memberships
Selected Clinical Experience
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Florida International University: Center for Children and Families
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Child Anxiety & Phobia
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Early Childhood Behavioral and Academic Intervention and Assessment
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Assessment of Behavior, Cognition, and Emotion Regulation in Childhood ADHD
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Comprehensive Psychoeducational Assessments
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Neurobehavioral Institute
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Associate Director of Intensive Programs
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Selected Grants
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Principal Investigator, Dr. Michele Bechor, Funded by National Institute of Mental Health, Retention, Neural Correlates of Attention Training in Children with Anxiety Disorders, (F31 MH105144-01A1), with Jeremy Pettit, Ph.D., Wendy K. Silverman, Ph.D., Bethany Reeb-Sutherland, Ph.D., & Michael Crowley, Ph.D.
Selected Publications
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Pettit, J. W., Rey, Y., Marin, C. E., Bechor, M., Lebowitz, E. R., Vasey, M. W., ... & Silverman, W. K. (2022). Attention Training as a Low-Intensity Treatment for Concerning Anxiety in Clinic-Referred Youth. Behavior Therapy.
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Ramos, M. L., Bechor, M., Casas, A., Pettit, J. W., Silverman, W. K., & Reeb-Sutherland, B. C. (2022). The Role of Attentional Shifting in the Relation between Error Monitoring and Anxiety in Youth. Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging, 111507.
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Pettit, J. W., Bechor, M., Rey, Y., Vasey, M. W., Abend, R., Pine, D. S., Bar-Haim, Y., Jaccard, J., & Silverman, W. K. (2020). A randomized controlled trial of attention bias modification treatment in youth with treatment-resistant anxiety disorders. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 59(1), 157-165.
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Vaclavik, D., Bechor, M., Foster, A., Gralnik, L. M., Bar-Haim, Y., Pine, D. S., Bikson, M., Silverman, W.K., Reeb-Sutherland, B.C. & Pettit, J. W. (2020). Case Series of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation as an Augmentation Strategy for Attention Bias Modification Treatment in Adolescents with Anxiety Disorders. Clinical Psychology and Special Education, 9(3), 105-126.
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Bechor, M., Ramos, M.L., Crowley, M.J., Silverman, W.K., Pettit, J.W., & Reeb-Sutherland, B. C. (2019). Neural Correlates of Attentional Processing of Threat in Youth with and without Anxiety Disorders. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 47(1), 119-129. DOI 10.1007/s10802-018-0424-8.
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Pettit, J.W., Rey, Y., Bechor, M., Melendez, R., Vaclavik, D., Buitron, V., Bar-Haim, Y., Pine, D.S., & Silverman, W.K. (2017). Can less be more? Open trial of a stepped care approach for child and adolescent anxiety disorders. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 51, 7-13. DOI: 10.1016/j.janxdis.2017.08.004.
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Melendez, R., Bechor, M., Rey, Y., Pettit, J. W., & Silverman, W. K. (2017). Attentional control scale for children: Factor structure and concurrent validity among children and adolescents referred for anxiety disorders. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 73(4), 489-499. DOI: 10.1002/jclp.22346.
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Bechor, M., Pettit, J.W., Silverman, W.K., Bar-Haim, Y., Abend, R., Pine, D.S., Vasey, M., & Jaccard, J. (2014). Attention bias modification treatment for children with anxiety disorders who do not respond to cognitive behavioral therapy: A case series. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 28(2), 154-159. DOI:10.1016/j.janxdis.2013.09.001.
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Boustani, M.M., Frazier, S.L., Becker, K., Bechor, M., Dinizulu, S.M., Hedemann, E.R., Ogle, R., Pasalich, D.S. (2014). Common Elements of Adolescent Prevention Programs: Minimizing Burden while Maximizing Reach. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research, 1-11. DOI: 10.1007/s10488-014-0541-9.