Tag: College of Psychology

NSU Alum Appointed as APA’s Chief Education Officer

APA
American Psychological Association
Washington DC

 

Catherine Grus, Ph.D., started her journey into the psychology world in high school, followed it into academia, and now is the newly appointed Chief Education Officer of the American Psychological Association.

Grus credited a high school psychology course and topics like perception for igniting her interest in the field. That led her to earning a B.A. in Psychology from Western New England College and a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from NSU’s College of Psychology. Grus was an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Miami’s School of Medicine for a decade and joined APA in 2005.

Grus said NSU faculty helped her direct her passion and prepared her to work in the field.

“I was fortunate to have so many professors who were experts in their areas, both in the courses they taught and in supervision,” Grus said. “I have really positive memories of the faculty, and I’m still in touch with many of them.”

Grus is no stranger to what the position entails, having assumed it on an interim basis in 2018. She said the position broadly covers all aspects of education, including increasing the quality of psychology education programs, accreditation, continuing education, and applying psychology to K-12 education.

Full story: https://psychology.nova.edu/news-events/2020/cop-grusapa.html

College of Psychology Alumni run Clinical Practice in Illinois

The LodeStone Center for Behavioral Health is an outpatient mental health group practice founded by Jeremy Bidwell, Ph.D., and Michelle Bidwell, Psy.D. The practice’s staff includes psychologists, counselors, and clinical social workers. The practice offers services to families and works with all ages from children to adults. Jeremy Bidwell serves as LodeStone’s CEO, with Michelle Bidwell working as director of clinical services for three of its five locations.

The pair graduated from NSU’s Clinical Psychology doctoral program in 2008, with Jeremy Bidwell also earning an M.S. in Clinical Psychopharmacology. Both cited their work with faculty members like Professors Jan Faust and Steven Gold as contributing to their professional development.

“Dr. Gold has been a resource for us as we’ve had cases that we’ve wanted to consult on,” Michelle Bidwell said. “The faculty are always there for you, even after you leave.”

Illinois is one of a handful of states that permits psychologists to prescribe medications for mental health treatment. Although the Clinical Psychopharmacology program is not currently offered at NSU, Jeremy Bidwell said the College of Psychology still provided administrative support for him a decade after graduation as he worked to complete his training to become a prescribing psychologist.

“They were excited for me and happy to jump in and help, even after all this time,” he said. “We both are just really grateful for our experiences at Nova.”

In addition to LodeStone, Michelle Bidwell serves on the advisory board for the Illinois chapter of the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals. Jeremy Bidwell serves as a regional representative for the Illinois Psychological Association. The Bidwells live in the Chicago suburbs with their children.

 

Gilda’s Club Hosting Screening of Movie on Breast Cancer, Nov. 23

Gilda’s Club South Florida will host a free screening on Nov. 23 of Ginger, a movie about a young woman’s experiences with breast cancer.

The movie is inspired by co-director Melissa Boratyn’s life and her diagnosis of breast cancer at age 23. The screening is open to young women and family members who have been impacted by breast cancer. It will be followed by a question and answer session with Boratyn and her co-director and husband, Jimmy Boratyn.

“People have different experiences with cancer depending on their age,” said Associate Professor Jessica Valenzuela, Ph.D., of the College of Psychology’s Department of Clinical and School Psychology. “It’s not as common for young people to have that diagnosis, so it can be isolating.”

Valenzuela has partnered for several years with the South Florida chapter of the nonprofit organization named for comedian and actress Gilda Radner, who died of ovarian cancer in 1989. The South Florida chapter offers multiple free programs and support groups for people with cancer and their families. Some of the services include yoga, social activities, and support groups for children who have cancer or whose parents have cancer.

Valenzuela said clinical psychology students have worked with clients at Gilda’s Club, and several have been hired by the organization.

The event runs from 11:30 AM to 3:30 PM Nov. 23 at Savor Cinema Fort Lauderdale, located at 503 SE 6th St, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301. To RSVP, visit www.bit.ly/GingerMovie.

College of Psychology Student Organization Hosting Golf Tournament

A recently established student organization in NSU’s College of Psychology will be hosting a golf tournament fundraiser on November 23, 2019.

The tournament, hosted by Humanitarian Global Outreach, will take place at Gleneagles Country Club, located at 7667 Victory Lane, in Delray Beach. Tickets are $185 per person or $690 for a group of four, with registration open until Nov. 21.

HGO’s mission is to assist underserved populations both domestically and internationally, working with nonprofit groups, educators, and community leaders to provide psychological services during humanitarian crises. The proceeds from the tournament will fund student scholarships, said Oraib Toukhly, president of HGO.

“We hope that donors find this a way to engage in providing support for these humanitarian missions,” Toukhly said.” Your support will fund scholarships for our students to provide these life-saving services to the world’s most underserved populations.”

Fundraiser organized by Humanitarian Global Outreach

For information, email eh924@mynsu.nova.edu.

To register: http://www.cvent.com/events/humanitarian-global-outreach-golf-tournament/event-summary-9359a10e2872480fac06aa7a1672cb6d.aspx

NSU Showed Strong Presence at the Annual American Psychological Association Conference

Faculty, students, and alumni represented NSU’s College of Psychology at the 127th Annual American Psychological Association conference, hosted this year in Chicago. Throughout the conference, multiple APA Divisions hosted social hours to provide members networking opportunities, or to recognize people at award ceremonies. During the social hour for Division 42, Psychologists in Independent Practice, the Distinguished Psychologist of the Year Award was presented to Professor David Shapiro, Ph.D., of the Department of Clinical and School Psychology.

One regular element at the APA conference was its poster sessions, which featured new research every hour from NSU students on topics like PTSD symptom expression in female veterans, the effect of political history on perceptions of mental health in Cuba, and burnout in forensic psychologists. Dean Karen Grosby, Ed.D., and Clinical and School Psychology Chair John Lewis, Ph.D., also hosted the college’s annual alumni reception, this time at the Conrad Chicago Hotel. The reception provided an opportunity for alumni to catch up with each other and faculty members.

Clinical Psychology Students Participate in Firefighter Training Event

When Samantha Rodriguez and Bailee Schuhmann each donned 90 pounds of firefighting protection equipment, they did so not as firefighter trainees, but as NSU Clinical Psychology doctoral students.

Schuhmann and Rodriguez participated in a two-day Clinicians Awareness Course hosted by the Florida Firefighters Safety and Health Collaborative in Bonita Hills, FL. The students were part of a group of 30 clinicians who wore the same gear and participated in a simulated exercise involving rescuing victims from a burning building (which was not actually on fire). The exercise give clinicians insight into the challenges and stresses experienced by people who work in the fire service.

Although the participants were never in danger and did not experience the stress and peril that firefighters do, Schuhmann said wearing the gear gave her a new perspective on their jobs.

“Your senses get messed with, and you can’t feel anything through the gloves,” she said.

The two-day course was also intended to raise awareness about cancer prevention, mental wellness, health and fitness, and firefighter safety across the state. The participants also toured a fire station and heard stories from firefighters about their experiences with mental health.

“There is a big stigma surrounding mental health and seeking services within the first responder population,” Rodriguez said. “This training has inspired me to continue to work towards changing the culture and removing that stigma so that these individuals can receive the services that they need.”

Professor Vincent Van Hasselt, Ph.D., an expert in police psychology who works frequently with first responders, encourages his students to participate in first responder training to gain knowledge that will help them as clinicians.

“Some knowledge of the nature of the job goes a long way in engaging a firefighter or police officer in the therapy or counseling process,” said Van Hasselt, of the Department of Clinical and School Psychology. “In particular, the likelihood of establishing a positive therapeutic relationship is enhanced when the first responder – client sees that the mental health provider has, at least, a basic understanding and awareness of the challenges they face.”

Full story: https://psychology.nova.edu/news-events/2019/cop-fire-awareness.html

College of Psychology Professor Awarded for his Help to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School (MSD)

Scott Poland, Ed.D., a professor in Nova Southeastern University’s (NSU) College of Psychology and the co-director of the Suicide and Violence Prevention has been extensively involved in the aftermath of the tragedy at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School (MSD) in Parkland. His involvement included providing  consultation on site immediately after the school shooting to the top administration for Broward County Public Schools, and he helped organized teams of NSU staff and students who responded immediately to assist the school and the Parkland community. Poland also worked closely with MSD Alumni Association.

In addition, he provided four major parenting presentations for the Parkland community, which focused on the importance of parents being there to listen and to provide support for their children as well as parents modeling optimism and hope for the future. Poland believes that children who live in a stable home who are shown unconditional love can overcome almost anything. Poland has also provided crisis intervention training in recent years to school counselors, school psychologists and social workers for Broward Schools. He has promoted in all interactions with the Broward County Public Schools and the Parkland community that NSU is ready and willing to help the community and school district in any way possible.

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