Substance Use Assessment and Utilizing Residential Treatment: An ASAM Dimensions Approach

Dr. Verma is a board certified General and Child & Adolescent psychiatrist. She has extensive clinical experience in the management of wide variety of mental health disorders, including attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), other anxiety disorders, substance use disorders, mood disorders, psychotic disorders, trauma, autism spectrum disorder, and intellectual disabilities.

She received her early medical training (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery, MBBS) at Lady Hardinge Medical College at the University of Delhi in Delhi, India. She completed her residency in Psychiatry at Hennepin-Regions Hospital in Minneapolis, Minnesota and completed a fellowship in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee.

Before joining the team at Evolve, she was a practicing psychiatrist for partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient programs at Rogers Behavioral Health in Wisconsin and an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science in Illinois.

Dr. Verma is an active member of the Intellectual Disability subcommittee of the Autism and Intellectual Committee convened by the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and the American Psychiatric Association. She was recognized with a Faculty/Teaching award for 2018-2019 by the Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science.

Outside of her clinical work with Evolve and teaching, Dr. Verma studies a form of classical Indian dance, Kathak, through the I-Radha foundation. She also enjoys painting using oils and acrylics on canvas.

Alyson is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with over a decade of clinical experience in a variety of settings, including residential treatment, private practice, and community-based mental health. She is trained in multiple evidenced-based practices including dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), and mindfulness. She has worked extensively in residential treatment, both in administrative and clinical roles, and has come to specialize in the treatment of adolescents with emotion dysregulation and suicidal behaviors.

In addition to being intensively trained in DBT through Behavioral Tech, Alyson has also received training from other leaders in DBT education, research, and practice, including Charles Swenson, MD (University of Massachusetts School of Medicine), Kelly Koerner, PhD (University of Washington), and Alan Fruzzetti, PhD (McLean Hospital). Alyson has also recently started foundational training in Radically Open DBT, which aims to assist individuals struggling with overcontrol, including those with Anorexia, Autism Spectrum Disorders, and treatment-resistant depression.

Before stepping into the role of Executive Clinical Director for all Evolve Treatment Centers, Alyson was the Clinical Program Director at our Vanalden location. At Evolve Vanalden, Alyson managed all clinical and administrative aspects of the program, supervised the associate therapists on staff, and facilitated several DBT groups. Alyson implemented a residential Comprehensive DBT program at Evolve Vanalden, the first in California and one of only a handful in the country. Alyson is a respected leader in Comprehensive DBT Residential Programming for Adolescents.

As Executive Clinical Director for Evolve, Alyson’s mission is to strengthen and improve every aspect of our clinical standards and practices. This includes enhancing the role of DBT in all Evolve programs by ensuring clinical staff have the appropriate training, resources, experience, and mentorship to implement DBT in a way that helps clients most effectively. Alyson is committed to data-driven, evidence-based treatment, and will work with Evolve’s clinical team to document and publish treatment outcome data for all Evolve programs. She hopes this will give families objective criteria they can use to make informed decisions about treatment and recovery for their family members. In addition, Alyson plans to enhance Evolve’s role as a leading continuing education (CEU) provider for mental health professionals in California, and expand our support groups and educational workshops for families and interested community members.