Dr. Hough, Director of Addictions and Pain Management Research, joined HRI in 2019 with extensive experience in counseling and research in the areas of addiction and pain. She provides leadership of clinical services at both the Marlton and Berlin locations as well as expert support for study design. Dr. Hough oversees the dedicated pain and addictions unit and staff, regularly providing training sessions and workshops on topics such as the neurobiology of addiction, ways to effectively manage biases and implement sensitivity when interacting with SUD populations, and de-escalation strategies to employ if patients become uncooperative or agitated. Dr. Hough has additionally served on advisory boards for addictions studies. Her expertise has enabled HRI to expand its capabilities in pain and addictions as well as psychedelic therapies, ensuring it can successfully execute highly demanding and complex trials.
Work History
Prior to HRI, Dr. Hough provided drug and alcohol counseling in inpatient and outpatient forensic settings at Pennsylvania Counseling Services, and addictions and pain management counseling at the University of Pennsylvania Outpatient Psychiatry Center. She has provided clinical services for the treatment of co-occurring SUDs, mood disorders, personality disorders, and psychoses in several community mental health settings. Earlier in her career, she conducted research at the Columbia University addiction centers and New York State Psychiatric Institute.
Dr. Hough has written extensively on neuropsychological and cognitive function in SUD populations and delivered numerous poster presentations at major psychology conferences.
Dr. Hough is an advocate of Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT), which uses medications in combination with counseling and behavioral therapy, for patients with SUDs. She collaborates with MAT treatment providers to improve treatment outcomes and reduce the incidence of relapse.
Education
Dr. Hough received her Doctorate of Clinical Psychology from LaSalle University. She earned an M.A. in Clinical Psychology at Columbia University and B.A. in Psychology in from St. John’s University.