VOICES Encore: The Ripple Effect of Trauma
VOICES Encore: The Ripple Effect of Trauma
Understanding and Supporting Those Impacted by Mass Violence
Presented by Dr. Robin Gurwitch
Tuesday, February 20th - 10:00am EST
VOICES is excited to re-broadcast Dr. Robin Gurwitch's excellent presentation on the Ripple Effect of Trauma: Understanding and Supporting those Impacted by Mass Violence On February 20 at 10:00am EST.
Robin discusses traumatic stress, how immediate and long-term effects of exposure to trauma vary among individuals and what contributing factors influence the intensity and duration of those effects.
She offers strategies to recognize and strengthen one’s protective factors that build resilience and lead to post-traumatic growth.
Come, listen and learn!
Learning Objectives:
- Identify at least 3 mental health impacts when exposed to mass violence
- Discuss how mass violence can cause adverse effects on those directly exposed as well as on other family members across generations
- List at least 3 ways to improve mental health outcomes after mass violence
- Discuss how community, family, and self-care are essential and contribute to a more positive outcome
About the Presenter
Robin H. Gurwitch, Ph.D.
Dr. Robin Gurwitch, a Clinical Psychologist, is a Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Duke University Medical Center, Duke University School of Medicine, and the Center for Child and Family Health. Dr. Gurwitch specializes in work with children, particularly those considered at-risk. Since the bombing in Oklahoma City in 1995, she has devoted much time to understanding the impact of trauma and disaster on children and ways to increase resilience.
Dr. Gurwitch has numerous scientific publications and presentations addressing these topics. She has responded to disasters /traumatic events, both nationally and internationally. She has helped to develop materials for the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN), the American Red Cross, the U.S. Department of Education, and the American Psychological Association, among others, related to disaster mental health, secondary traumatic stress, and resilience. With a focus on these issues, Dr. Gurwitch has served on state and national committees and task forces as well as consulted with federal and state agencies and school systems. Among her appointments, Dr. Gurwitch served on the inaugural US Department of Health and Human Services’ National Advisory Committee on Children and Disasters. Dr. Gurwitch is a subject matter expert regarding at-risk populations for the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and children’s issues for the American Psychological Association. Dr. Gurwitch has been actively involved in the NCTSN since it began in 2001, with efforts largely focused on Disaster/Terrorism. She now serves as a Senior Advisor for the Disaster and Terrorism Program of the National Center for Child Traumatic Stress; Dr. Gurwitch is the Co-Principal Investigator for the NEW DAY (Network for Enhancing Wellness in Disaster-Affected Youth) SAMHSA-funded grant with the NCTSN. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, Dr. Gurwitch has been involved in activities related to understanding its impact and improving coping for children and their families.
Dr. Gurwitch is a leader in the evidence-based treatment, Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT). As one of only 21 Global Trainers worldwide, certified by PCIT International, Dr. Gurwitch is involved in training, service, consultation and research in PCIT. She is recognized as the national leader in the adaptation of PCIT for use with military families coping with deployment. Dr. Gurwitch and her colleague recently developed an adaptation of PCIT specifically for use with children who have experienced trauma. Dr. Gurwitch is one of the co-developers of Child-Adult Relationship Enhancement (CARE), a trauma and evidence-informed program based on PCIT and other evidence-based parenting interventions designed for to strengthen relationships and to improve behaviors in children and teens. CARE is being used across settings throughout the US and internationally, with a growing evidence base. Again, Dr. Gurwitch has taken the primary role in adapting CARE for use after disasters, in military settings, and, with colleagues, an adaptation for school settings. Recently, Dr. Gurwitch has been involved in the inclusion of COVID-19 and DEI issues into PCIT and CARE implementation, including its use via telehealth.