About
I've always been fascinated by relationships - not just romantic ones, but the full landscape of how people connect
Families navigating expectations, friendships weathering change, work relationships that shape our days. What drives someone to reach out versus pull away? How do we bridge the gap when we're speaking different languages? How does our overall mental health impact how we show up and experience our relationships? These questions have shaped my clinical and research career, and they're what I bring to every session.
I grew up as a first-generation American in a tightly knit immigrant community where there was considerable stigma around mental health and therapy. It wasn't until college at Northwestern University that I became interested in psychology and pursuing a career as a psychologist. Now, I'm passionate about helping people live fulfilling lives based on their individual values and goals - not someone else’s expectations. I work with people of all backgrounds, identities, and orientations.
Living a life that feels as authentic as it looks is important, and I try to practice what I teach my clients. For me, that includes spending time with friends and family, reading (mostly contemporary fiction and romance), lifting weights (nothing too intense – just enough to feel strong), and traveling when I can. I get what it's like to navigate multiple identities and cultural expectations. I also get what it's like to feel stuck despite doing everything "right." That's why I'm here.
Background
I earned my B.A. in Psychology from Northwestern University and both my M.A. and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Stony Brook University. My training took me deep into evidence-based treatments - extensive graduate work in CBT, a clinical externship focused on comprehensive DBT at CBT/DBT Associates in NYC, and a predoctoral internship at The Charleston Consortium (Medical University of South Carolina and the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center). During my graduate training, I supervised junior clinicians, co-authored dozens of peer-reviewed research articles and book chapters on relationship health and psychological wellbeing, and presented at national conferences.
My desire to soak up more knowledge about relationships continued even past my graduate training, and I completed a specialized clinical postdoctoral fellowship in Couples and Family Therapy at the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center in Charleston, SC. Following my completion of postdoc, I was trained directly in Integrative Behavioral Couple Therapy (IBCT) by Dr. Andrew Christensen (one of the founders of the treatment) and received IBCT certification in 2019.
I spent seven years as a staff psychologist in the VA system, working with veterans and their families on everything from depression, anxiety, and trauma to complex relationship issues and life transitions. During my time as a staff psychologist, I supervised trainees and was the lead psychologist for couple therapy at the Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital. In 2022, I transitioned to full-time private practice, where I now work with adults and couples navigating the messy, complicated work of building lives that actually feel like theirs.
My approach is warm, practical, and evidence-based. I pull evidence-based skills and techniques from CBT, DBT, and emotion-focused therapy - whatever helps you make real progress in your real life. Therapy with me is active – it’s not simply a space for venting or rehashing the events of the last week (although, don’t get me wrong, we can absolutely vent when you need to – it’s just not all we’ll do). We'll dig into what's really going on, try new approaches, and build skills that work outside the therapy room. It's important to me to provide a safe therapeutic space, and I work collaboratively with clients to honor their unique experiences and identities.
Education and Training
I have received extensive training in evidence-based treatments for a range of disorders, including depression, anxiety disorders, trauma, and relationship dissatisfaction. I have specialized training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and I am certified in Integrative Behavioral Couples Therapy (IBCT). Furthermore, it is important to me to stay current on psychological research and treatment advances, and as such, I am an active member of the academic community (see below for a selection of my research).
Postdoctoral Residency
Doctoral Internship
M.A. and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology
B.A. in Psychology
My research has examined how individual differences - like personality traits and romantic competence - affect mental health and relationship functioning, as well as factors influencing couple therapy outcomes. Selected publications include:
Bhatia, V., & Davila, J. (2017). Mental health disorders in couple relationships. In J. Fitzgerald (Ed.), Foundations for couples' therapy: Research for the real world (pp. 268-278). Routledge.
Fischer, M. S., Bhatia, V., Baddeley, J., Al-Jabari, R., & Libet, J. (2018). Couple therapy with Veterans: Early improvements and predictors of early dropout. Family Process, 57, 525-538.
Zhou, J., Bhatia, V., Luginbuehl, T., & Davila, J. (2021). The association between romantic competence and couple support behaviors in emerging adult couples. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 38, 1015-1034.
Davila, J., Wodarczyk, H., & Bhatia, V. (2017). Positive emotional expression among couples: The role of romantic competence. Couple and Family Psychology: Research and Practice, 6, 94-105.
Davila, J., Mattanah, J., Bhatia, V., Latack, J. A., Feinstein, B. A., Eaton, N. R., Daks, J., Kumar, S., Lomash, E., McCormick, M., & Zhou, J. (2017). Romantic competence, healthy romantic functioning, and well-being in emerging adults. Personal Relationships, 24, 162-184.
Bhatia, V., Davila, J., Eubanks-Carter, C., & Burckell, L. A. (2013). Appraisals of daily romantic relationship experiences in individuals with Borderline Personality Disorder features. Journal of Family Psychology, 27, 518-524.
For a complete list of publications, feel free to ask.
Published Research
Contact
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