Erin C. Watson

Erin C. Watson, PsyD, is a Clinical Health Psychologist at the San Francisco VA Health Care System (SFVAHCS) where she provides integrated care services and contributes to interprofessional education and practices. She is an Adjunct Professor at the University of San Francisco (USF) and Assistant Clinical Professor of Health Sciences at the University of San Francisco, California (UCSF).

Dr. Watson earned her PsyD in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in Primary Care Psychology and Behavioral Medicine from Adler University in 2014. She completed her Doctoral Internship at the Portland VAMC/Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU), and Postdoctoral Fellowship at the SFVAHCS, with a focus on HIV/AIDS and Liver Disease. Dr. Watson has specialized health psychology training in chronic pain, infectious disease, hepatitis C and liver disease, weight management/bariatrics, organ transplant, and primary care psychology. Her clinical and research interests include the integration of behavioral health in medical specialty clinics, education for allied health professionals, socially responsible practice, health disparities, program development and evaluation, and training future clinicians.

Dr. Watson serves as a consultant for the National VA Motivational Interviewing and Motivational Enhancement (MI/MET) therapy initiative, and practices evidence-based cognitive behavioral and acceptance and commitment therapies. Dr. Watson was the recipient of a 2020 Division 18 APA award for her achievements as an early career psychologist.

• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
• Behavioral Health
• Chronic Pain, Infectious Disease, and Liver Disease Clinical Care
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
• Health Disparities
• Motivational Interviewing

• Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco

• San Francisco VA Health Care System/UCSF, Postdoctoral Fellowship in Clinical Psychology, Emphasis in HIV and Liver Diseases, 2015
• Portland VA Health Care System/OHSU, Doctoral Internship in Clinical Psychology, 2014
• Adler University, PsyD in Clinical Psychology, Emphasis in Primary Care Psychology and Behavioral Medicine, 2014
• The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, MA in Clinical Counseling, 2008
• College of Charleston, BS in Psychology, 2006

• Staff Psychologist, Mental Health Service, San Francisco Veterans Affairs Health Care System
• Consultant, Motivational Interviewing Initiative, Veterans Health Administration

• American Psychological Association (APA), Early Career Achievement Award, 2020

• Seal KH, Borsari B, Tighe J, Cohen BE, Delucchi K, Morasco BJ, Li Y, Sachs E, Abadjian L, Watson, E.C., Manuel JK, Vella L, Trafton J, Midboe A. (2019). Optimizing pain treatment interventions (OPTI): A pilot randomized controlled trial of collaborative care to improve chronic pain management and opioid safety-Rationale, methods, and lessons learned. Contemp Clin Trials. 02; 77:76-85. PMID: 30572163.
• Gonzalez, R.A., Watson, E.C., Denton, F.N., Steinberg, T.C., & Hua, W.Q. (2016). A VA Perspective: The Expanding Role of the Clinical Health Psychologist in the New Era of Hepatitis C and Advanced Liver Disease Clinical Care. Open Medicine Journal, 3, (1: M7), 113-129.
• Watson, E.C., Cosio, D., & Lin, E. (2015). Health care providers’ satisfaction with pain education across different VA clinic settings. Practical Pain Management, 15(2), 50-58.
• Watson, E.C., Cosio, D., & Lin, E. (2014). A mixed-methods approach to veteran satisfaction with pain education. Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development, 51(3), 503-514.
• London, L., Watson, E.C., & Berger, J. (2013). An integrated primary care approach to help children B- HIP. Clinical Practice in Pediatric Psychology, 1(2), 196-200.