Anna Thompson (PsyD ‘28) is building a career at the intersection of clinical care, research, and advocacy for youth mental health.
A student in the Doctor in Clinical Psychology (PsyD) program at PCOM, her clinical work in the field recently garnered national recognition when she was named a 2026 awardee of the Alies Muskin Career Development Leadership Program (CDLP) at this year’s Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) conference in Chicago.
The CDLP is a competitive, intensive program designed to support emerging clinicians and researchers focused on anxiety, depression, and related disorders. It offers early-career professionals mentorship, networking opportunities, and interdisciplinary collaboration at ADAA’s annual conference. As part of the award, Thompson received dedicated mentorship and access to a national network of experts in the field.
“I’ve gone to the ADAA conference for a few years now, but I didn’t even know the program existed until last year,” Thompson said. “I decided to apply because I thought it would be helpful to have additional mentorship and guidance as I started to think about internships. Putting together the clinical conceptualization, personal statement, and recommendations was a rigorous process, so I was pretty surprised and then validated when I found out I was chosen.”
For Thompson, the path to a career in psychology has not always been linear. It was during her undergraduate studies in nursing that she saw a gap in mental health education across care settings and began to feel drawn to the specialty. This curiosity led to a newfound passion for exposure-based therapies, specifically when treating anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).
Her clinical and research work now centers on these conditions, particularly in pediatric populations, and has expanded into co-occurring eating disorders and phobias. Thompson currently manages a program evaluation focused on improving outcomes in Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) and is contributing to a qualitative study on emetophobia, an intense fear of vomiting, at the Center for Anxiety & Behavior Therapy. At ADAA, she presented a related clinical conceptualization examining emetophobia and its relationship with anorexia nervosa.
“I like working with children because it requires you to get a little creative,” she said. “The core psychological tenets are the same, but you often have to pivot how you would ask a question, or change the phrasing so that someone at an early developmental age will understand.”
At PCOM, Thompson credits Elizabeth A. Gosch, PhD, ABPP, professor of clinical psychology and director of continuing education in the School of Professional and Applied Psychology, for helping shape her clinical approach and encouraging her to pursue national opportunities.
“Dr. Gosch has been a great mentor to me. We talk through different treatment approaches all the time, so I always feel comfortable bouncing ideas off her when I’m curious.”
Looking ahead, Thompson hopes to specialize in treating anxiety and OCD in pediatric populations. She encourages fellow students to seek out hands-on experiences and build connections early in their studies. “There are so many opportunities to volunteer in the behavioral health field, and it's those opportunities that can open doors and make introductions that can shape your future.”
Outside of her studies, Thompson enjoys spending time with her partner and teaching her cattle dog, Ollie, new tricks and training techniques.
“While the therapeutic connection is important, it's the human connection that is critical. I try to make sure I have time to recharge so that I can show up fully for others.”
Established in 1899, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) has trained thousands of highly competent, caring physicians, health practitioners and behavioral scientists who practice a “whole person” approach to care—treating people, not just symptoms. PCOM, a private, not-for-profit accredited institution of higher education, operates three campuses (PCOM, PCOM Georgia and PCOM South Georgia) and offers doctoral degrees in clinical psychology, educational psychology, osteopathic medicine, pharmacy, physical therapy, and school psychology. The college also offers graduate degrees in applied behavior analysis, applied positive psychology, biomedical sciences, forensic medicine, medical laboratory science, mental health counseling, physician assistant studies, and school psychology. PCOM students learn the importance of health promotion, research, education and service to the community. Through its community-based Healthcare Centers, PCOM provides care to medically underserved populations. For more information, visit pcom.edu or call 215-871-6100.
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