Bridget Hearon, Ph.D.

Dr. Bridget Hearon is a Licensed Psychologist at the CBT Center for Anxiety and OCD (CCAO). She earned her Doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology at Boston University, where she specialized in anxiety, mood, OCD, and related disorders. She then completed a Pre-Doctoral Internship and a clinical research Postdoctoral Fellowship at McLean Hospital/Harvard Medical School. At McLean, Dr. Hearon worked in the Behavioral Health Partial Hospitalization Program, the Klarman Eating Disorders Center, and the OCD Institute. Throughout her training, Dr. Hearon gained expertise in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), and has published more than 40 peer-reviewed articles and academic chapters.

 

Dr. Hearon enjoys working with clients ages 10 through adulthood. Thanks to her 9 years as a tenured professor and academic advisor at Albright College, she has experience helping adolescents and young adults navigate the transition to college and greater independence. Dr. Hearon has extensive experience in the treatment of anxiety disorders such as panic, agoraphobia, social phobia, generalized anxiety, OCD and related disorders including body-focused repetitive behaviors such as hair pulling or skin picking, and eating disorders. She is also eager to help clients experiencing symptoms of depression that often co-occur with anxiety as well as the initiation and maintenance of health behaviors such as exercise, smoking cessation, and medication adherence. Her approach emphasizes the use of evidence-based treatment techniques, while ensuring that each client receives treatment that is compassionate, fun, and tailored to their specific needs and goals.

 

In her free time, Dr. Hearon enjoys traveling, streaming binge-worthy series, and spending time with her husband, daughter, and two fluffy cats.

 

Education:

• Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, Boston University, Boston, MA
• M.A. in Clinical Psychology, Boston University, Boston, MA
• B.A. in Psychology, Bryn Mawr College, Bryn Mawr, PA

 

Training:

• Postdoctoral Fellowship, Translational Research Program, Boston University, Boston, MA
• Postdoctoral Fellowship, McLean Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA
• Predoctoral Clinical Internship, McLean Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA

 

Dissertation:

• Establishing a Link between Anxiety Sensitivity, Exercise Intolerance, and Overeating

 

Select Publications:

• Hearon, B.A., & Harrison, T.J. (2021). Not the exercise type? Personality traits and anxiety sensitivity as predictors of objectively measured physical activity and sedentary time. Journal of Health Psychology, 26 (12), 2153-2163.
• Lee, J., Hearon, B.A., & Otto, M.W. (2018). Combined Treatment with CBT and Psychopharmacology. In S. Hofmann & G.J.G. Asmundson (Eds.). The Science of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Academic Press.
• Hearon, B.A., Quatromoni, P.A., Mascoop, J.L. & Otto, M.W. (2014). The role of anxiety sensitivity in daily eating and exercise behavior. Eating Behaviors, 15(2), 255-258.
• Otto, M. W., Hearon, B. A., & Safren, S. A. (2010). Mechanisms of action in the treatment of social anxiety disorder. In S. G. Hofmann, P. M. DiBartolo (Eds.), Social anxiety: Clinical, developmental, and social perspectives (2nd ed.) (pp. 577-598). San Diego, CA, US: Elsevier Academic Press.
• McHugh, R.K., Hearon, B.A., Otto, M.W. (2010). Cognitive behavioral therapy for substance use disorders. Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 33, 511-525.