Erin E. Andrews, PsyD, ABPP
Dr. Andrews is the Psychology Program Manager for the nationally designated VA VISN 17 TeleMental Health Clinical Resource Hub. Her clinical and research interests include disability identity and cultural competence, disability inclusion in psychology training, sexual and reproductive rights of people with disabilities, disabled parenting, and reducing bias in disability language.
Q. What motivated you to seek board certification in Rehabilitation Psychology?
A. The professors I most admired in graduate school were all board certified, so I always saw it as a natural step in my own professional path.
Q. Please talk about your current professional setting and patent populations?
A. I have worked with the Department of Veterans Affairs for nearly 15 years in a variety of settings. The VA offers unique opportunities to work with individuals with disabilities, as many Veterans have service-related conditions. While my current role focuses on leadership and administration, I remain clinically active, conducting assessments such as neurocognitive and pre-surgical evaluations.
Q. What advice would you give candidates who are pursing board certification?
A. Be persistent and view the process as an opportunity for growth. Board certification encourages self-reflection and continuous improvement—both essential to good practice.
Q. What advice would you give to applicants from underrepresented groups or those with disabilities?
A. Individuals from underrepresented groups often face significant barriers, and representation in our field still does not reflect the populations we serve. Seek out mentors who can support your journey—and don’t hesitate to look for mentors who share your lived experiences or identities. Many of us are eager to connect and help.
Q. What did you learn about yourself during the board certification process?
A. Professional growth is ongoing. The certification process helped me reflect on both my strengths and areas for continued development.
Q. What was your biggest misconception about board certification?
A. I initially thought it was about proving my competence. In reality, it was about improving it. The process made me better at what I do.
Q. What benefits have you experienced since becoming board certified?
A. I received a step increase in salary as a federal employee. I’ve also built valuable connections within the ABPP community and had the opportunity to serve on the American Board of Rehabilitation Psychology, which has been both rewarding and educational.
Q. What is the most rewarding aspect of your work?
A. As a person with a disability, I rarely saw myself reflected in healthcare providers growing up. Being a rehabilitation psychologist allows me to connect with others as both a professional and someone with shared lived experience—that is incredibly meaningful.
Punam Rahman, PsyD, ABPP
Dr. Rahman is an early-career, board-certified rehabilitation psychologist at Shepherd Center in Atlanta, GA, working in both inpatient and intensive outpatient spinal cord injury (SCI) programs. She earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Rochester and her Psy.D. from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology. She completed her internship at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, followed by a neurorehabilitation fellowship at Weiss Memorial Hospital.
Dr. Rahman specializes in working with individuals with spinal cord injuries and dual diagnoses (e.g., traumatic brain injury), helping patients and families navigate complex transitions and optimize functioning. She also serves as SCI Rehabilitation Psychology Training Coordinator and Chair of the Patient and Family Experience Committee. Her clinical interests include adjustment to disability, early outreach to trainees, and mentorship. Outside of work, she enjoys community outreach, running, and cooking with her family.
Q. What motivated you to seek board certification in Rehabilitation Psychology?
A. A graduate school mentor introduced me to the American Board of Professional Psychology certification process and encouraged me to pursue it. Board certification offered a way to formalize my specialization, demonstrate competence through peer review, and support consumer protection. I was especially drawn to the opportunity to highlight my commitment to evidence-based care for patients and families. I applied early, which allowed me to complete key steps throughout graduate training, internship, and postdoctoral residency.
Q. What is your current professional setting and patient population?
A. I work at Shepherd Center in both inpatient and intensive outpatient SCI programs. I primarily serve individuals with spinal cord injuries or disorders, often with co-occurring conditions such as traumatic brain injury.
Q. What advice would you give candidates who are pursing board certification?
A. Build a strong support system:
- Mentors for guidance and encouragement
- Colleagues for editing and feedback
- Peers for mock oral exams
Also, move at your own pace—there’s no single “right” timeline. If you prefer structure, set weekly goals to stay organized and reduce overwhelm during practice sample preparation and exam study.
Q. What did you learn about yourself during the process?
A. The process helped me slow down and reconnect with the “why” behind my clinical work. As an early-career psychologist, I experienced imposter syndrome, but board certification helped reduce self-doubt. Through reflection, I recognized my competence and continued to grow as a clinician. It reinforced that we are all lifelong learners.
Q. What was your biggest misconception about board certification?
A. I initially thought it was “just another hoop.” In reality, it was an engaging and rewarding experience. Through self-study and participation in peer groups like Rehab Riff Raff, I developed greater clinical and supervisory skills. It’s not just a credential—it’s a meaningful process that strengthens competence and professional growth.
Q. What benefits have you experienced since becoming board certified?
A. Board certification has connected me with a broader community of rehabilitation psychologists. It has opened opportunities for collaboration, consultation, and advocacy for individuals with disabilities, both locally and nationally.
Q. What is the most rewarding aspect of your work?
A. The most rewarding part of my work is supporting patients and families as they adjust to the onset of disability. It’s a privilege to walk alongside them during vulnerable moments and witness resilience, hope, and growth in the face of life-changing injuries.
Martin Waalkes, PhD, ABPP
Q. What is your practice like?
A. I supervise a team of doctoral- and master’s-level psychologists within a network of post-acute neurorehabilitation programs serving individuals with acquired brain injury, spinal cord injury, and multiple trauma. My role combines direct clinical care (treatment, assessment, and consultation) with clinical supervision, curriculum development, and program administration.
Q. What did you learn about yourself and your practice during board certification?
A. Board certification brought greater clarity to my professional identity as a specialist. It helped me define my scope of competence and better articulate my role within interdisciplinary teams. While I have always valued broad clinical skills, the certification process sharpened that focus and aligned my experience within a clear professional framework—something that had been missing earlier in my career.
Q. What would you do differently?
A. I would pursue board certification earlier. The process is far more supportive and beneficial than I expected, and it strengthened both my clinical and supervisory skills. Delaying meant missing those benefits during my earlier professional development.
Q. Do you see yourself differently after certification?
A. Yes. I feel more confident as a leader and supervisor, with a stronger grasp of the specialty knowledge base. I also have clearer direction in my clinical decision-making and in how I guide others.
Q. What motivated you to pursue board certification?
A. As a supervisor and program leader, I wanted to model strong professional standards, including ongoing education and integration of best practices. I was also mindful of evolving expectations within healthcare systems and the importance of formally demonstrating specialty competence.
Q. What advice would you give candidates?
A. View board certification as an extension of your professional training—it strengthens identity and role development. Set aside consistent, protected time to work through the process. Just as important, engage with a peer group or support network; that collegial support was essential to my success.
Q. What has been most valuable or rewarding about board certification?
A. The professional relationships developed throughout the process were the most rewarding. While recognition from colleagues was meaningful, the collaboration and support I received had the greatest impact. Additionally, having board-certified staff strengthens program credibility and signals quality to stakeholders.