Chris Carbo, a doctoral student at the Center for Psychological Studies, has joined the Office of Residential Life and Housing in conjunction with the NSU Counseling Center as 2008-2009 Counselor in Residence. In this position Chris will be available to residential students through structured office hours.

Chris is interested in Clinical Health Psychology with future plans for working as a pediatric psychologist in a children’s hospital, in addition to opening a private practice through which he will assist couples, families and athletes.

Professor Nathan Azrin, Ph.D., CPS alumnus Jeanne Brooks, Psy.D., and doctoral student Michael Kellen co-authored “Relationship between rate of eating and degree of satiation” for the Journal of Child and Family Behavior Therapy.

Associate Professor Jeffrey Kibler and doctoral students Kavita Joshi and Erin Hughes co-authored a book chapter, “Cognitive and behavioral reactions to stress among adults with PTSD: Implications for immunity and health” for the book, Inflammation,  Mental Health and Chronic Illness: The Surprising Link between Negative Mental States, Immune Dysfunction and Chronic Disease.  Publisher: American Psychological Association, Washington, D.C.

CPS STUDENTS AND FACULTY CO-AUTHOR PAPER

CPS Doctoral candidates Brandi Booth, Amy Angleman, Emmanuel Finney, and Professors Craig Marker and Vincent Van Hasselt, are co-authors on a paper recently accepted by the journal, “Victims and Offenders.”  The article, “Captive-Taking in the Context of Domestic Violence:  A Descriptive Analysis”, examined demographic, situational, and outcome variables characterizing cases of hostage-taking during violent domestic events in the home.  Data were obtained from the FBI’s Hostage/Barricade Database System.  Supervisory Special Agent Gregory Vecchi, Ph.D., of the FBI’s Behavioral Science Unit, and Mr. Stephen Romano, retired Chief of the Bureau’s Crisis Negotiation Unit, are also co-authors on the study.

CPS Student Organizes Online Publication

CPS doctoral student Blake Bazel is the founder and Executive Editor of the on-line publication, da ek-sistence. Senior Editors are doctoral students Heather-Ayn Indelicato and Django T. Rogers. Editors include CPS students Marisol Blanco, Madelyn Cabrera, Melissa Nemith, Jose Miranda, and Michael Uvanile. Gene May, Ph.D. is the Consultant. Dr. May is a long standing part-time core faculty at CPS.

The publication is devoted to celebrating the importance of psychology to the arts, creativity, and meaningful living. The staff and contributors to the publication aspire to enrich the lives of its readers through the inclusion of articles that explores books, plays, film, and dance relevant to Existential and Dynamic themes.  The publication’s first issue contained submissions from noteworthy individuals such as Irvin Yalom, Ph.D., world renowned existential psychologist and actor Julie Harris.

Mr. Bazel is also the Executive Editor and co-founder of the on-line publication Inspire.

CPS Student Receives Prestigious APA Award

Jessica Ruiz, a doctoral student at the Center for Psychological Studies, has been awarded the 2008 Society of Clinical Psychology Student Award for Distinguished Student Practice in Clinical Psychology.  The American Psychological Association’s Education & Training Committee was particularly impressed with Ms. Ruiz’s work in the area of smoking cessation.

As a recipient of the award which will be presented at the 2008 APA Convention in Boston this summer,  Ms. Ruiz will receive a Plaque as well as an honorarium contributed jointly by the APA Division of Clinical Psychology and the Journal of Clinical Psychology. 

CPS Student Appointed APA Executive Director for Professional Practice

Katherine C. Nordal, Ph.D., a first year student in the CPS clinical psychopharmacology program, has been appointed as the new American Psychological Association (APA) Executive Director for Professional Practice. Dr. Nordal is experienced in working in the public policy arena and within APA and state association governance.  She has worked in the office of Congressman Mike Espy and with the House Select Committee on Hunger as an APA Congressional Fellow. Most recently Dr. Nordal has served as Chair of the APA Committee for the Advancement of Professional Practice. In addition, she is a former Legislative Chair and is a past-president of the Mississippi Psychological Association. Dr. Nordal was selected after a national search which included an extraordinary pool of candidates.

CPS Professor Jan Faust, Ph.D. and CPS doctoral students Sarah Chapman and Lindsay M. Stewart co-authored a book chapter, “Neglected, Physically Abused, and Sexually Abused Children, for the Handbook of Psychological Assessment, Case Conceptualization, and Treatment: Volume 2 Children and Adolescents.

CPS Professor Nathan Azrin, Ph.D. and doctoral students Veronica Vinas and Christopher Ehle co-authored “Physical Activity as Reinforcement for Classroom Calmness of ADHD Children for the journal, Child and Family Behavior Therapy, 29.

Team CPS dominates Shark Shuffle

The 2nd annual Shark Shuffle was a hit and Team CPS lead they way. Almost 100 CPS students, faculty, staff and friends participated. Several CPS students swam away with over $500.00 student grants. Congratulations to Colleen McMillan, Haana Ali, Veronica Tilden, Anne Jones, and Whitney Friedel who were among the student grant winners. Thanks to all who participated in the Shark Shuffle and congratulations on swimming through the finish line.

CPS, Miami Dolphins, and Broward Schools Collaborate to Prevent Bullying

The Center for Psychological Studies (CPS), in collaboration with the Miami Dolphins and the Broward County Public Schools, are conducting” Bullying Prevention Awareness” presentations at the 11 schools in the Boyd Anderson Innovation Zone. These presentations consist of an introductory motivational talk about the importance of education, physical fitness, and positive choices by Twan Russell, a former Dolphins linebacker and the current Director of Youth and Community Programs for the Dolphins organization, followed by skits which illustrate problems with physical and psychological bullying. Actors in the skits include graduate students from CPS, office personnel from the Dolphins, and students from the schools in which the presentations take place. When the skits have been stopped at a critical moment, usually just prior to an incident of violence, Drs. Mercedes ter Maat and Gene Cash of CPS assist Twan Russell and the cast lead a group discussion about what could have been done differently to prevent teasing and negative comments from escalating into violence and other forms of bullying. The presentations have reached over 4,000 public school students so far, and more awareness programs have been scheduled. The presentations have been designed collaboratively with school personnel so they fit into the district's overall bullying prevention plan.

CPS Student Drives: Helping Families in Need

The Student Government Association asks for your support in making this a holiday to remember for a family currently struggling with mental health issues. We are accepting donations for this 43 year old mother and her two daughters (18 & 10). SGA is asking for donations in the form of money, art supplies, gift cards, picture frames, and Nintendo DS.
Please contact Anna George (annageor@nova.edu) for further information. The deadline is Monday,Dec 17.
The Gay-Straight Student Alliance is also collecting Toys for Tots. Please bring unused, unwrapped toys to the CPS lobby.

CPS Student Awarded National Appoint with APA

MaryBeth Bailar-Heath, a third-year clinical psychology student at the Center for Psychological Studies was recently awarded one of four national appointments to the American Psychological Association of Graduate Students (APAGS) Convention Committee.

During the month of January Ms. Bailar-Heath attended a planning meeting at the APA Central Office in Washington, D.C., where she collaborated with the four other members of the committee to plan all APAGS programming for the 2008 Annual Convention.

CPS STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN SWAT TRAINING

The Center for Psychological Studies (CPS) doctoral students Selena Pinero-Abramovich, Ruhama Hendel, Micol Levi-Minzi and Neal Kimble participated in the Broward Sherriff Office (BSO) Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team training. The team   handled incidents such as barricaded subjects and hostage-taking situations, as well as dignitary protection missions. Training was held in December 17, 2007 in Port Everglades.

Doctoral students along with volunteers from BSO Explorer program took part in simulated scenarios and assisted police officers in developing crisis management skills. This experience exposed students to the stressful working environment of police officers. Through Professor Vincent B. Van Hasselt’s work with BSO, NSU students are given the opportunity to be a part of BSO training activities.

Dr. Vincent B. Van Hasselt is a Professor of Psychology and a director of two NSU clinics. He is also a certified police officer and a lecturer at the Broward County, Florida, Police Academy and the FBI National Academy.  Van Hasselt also directs two clinical programs. One that  provides psychological services to children, adolescents, and adults in: 1) offering assistance in identifying and overcoming effects of abuse, 2) assisting children who have witnessed violence to overcome its effects, and 3) helping adolescents learn anger management skills and promoting nonviolent ways of resolving conflicts. Individual and/or group therapy sessions are offered on a sliding scale fee basis. Treatment techniques such as: assertiveness skills, communication skills, and problem solving skills are emphasized.  This program provides comprehensive assessment and treatment to adolescents who have been arrested for minor offenses, have substance abuse problems, or are at-risk for developing such problems. Services include individual, group, and family therapy. Treatment components include social skills training, parent-child relationship enhancement, anger management, communication skills training, and behavioral contracting. Training in cognitive-behavioral, family systems, experiential, and social-learning theory approaches is provided.

The second program provides comprehensive assessment and treatment to adolescents who have been arrested for minor offenses, have substance abuse problems, or are at-risk for developing such problems. Services include individual, group, and family therapy. Treatment components include social skills training, parent-child relationship enhancement, anger management, communication skills training, and behavioral contracting. Training in cognitive-behavioral, family systems, experiential, and social-learning theory approaches is provided

Janier Sideregts (master’s student) presented a workshop on pregnancy and parenting teens at the Joining Hands: Engaging Families Conference at the West Palm Beach Convention Center

Colleen Sheehan (doctoral student) is participating in collaborative research with the Health Professions Division which has been accepted for presentation at the American Osteopathic Annual Conference.

Bevin Merles, Katherine Wenzel and Monique Mendez (doctoral students) and CPS Professor John Lewis gave a presentation, From Prisonization to Acculturation: An Acculturation Curve for New Inmates, at the APA Annual Convention inSan Francisco, California in August 2007.

Ashley Vigil and Gabiela Tellez (doctoral students and senior authors), along with Professor William Dorfman and Assistant Professor Craig Marker, presented their research entitled, Development of a Severity Rating Scale for Pediatric Bipolar Disorder, at the APA Annual Convention inSan Francisco, California in August 2007.

Ashley Vigil and Gabiela Tellez (doctoral students and senior authors), along with Professor William Dorfman and Assistant Professor Craig Marker, presented their research entitled, Development of a Severity Rating Scale for Pediatric Bipolar Disorder, at the APA Annual Convention inSan Francisco, California in August 2007.

Angela Kuemmel (doctoral student) was named Student Representative to the Executive Board of the American Psychological Association (APA) Division for Rehabilitation Psychology, is the recent recipient of several prestigious awards. Ms. Kuemmel was presented with the Florida Coalition for Domestic Violence CA Padgett Award – given to an individual who has overcome obstacles and working to break down barriers of domestic violence in society; the 2007 Easter Seals Wisconsin Personal Achievement Award; the APA Division for Rehabilitation Psychology 2007 Women in Rehabilitation Research Award – given to best poster furthering knowledge of Women in Rehabilitation; and the 2007 Ethel Louis Armstrong Scholarship, a top honor given to women with disabilities in graduate school.

Brandi Booth, M.S., a doctoral student in clinical psychology presented an overview of her dissertation project ,“Cognitive-Behavioral Stress Management for Correctional Officers”, at the NSU/BSO Board of Advisors meeting on Friday, October 26th. Her project is targeting BSO Detention (Correctional) Deputies in the county jail system.

On August 3rd, Marva Robinson, M.S., a CPS doctoral student was installed as the Student President of the Association of Black Psychologists (ABPsi). Ms. Robinson was the past president of the Ethnic Minority Graduate Student Association at CPS. She was the first to receive the dean's leadership award for outstanding contributions to the university and community. Ms. Robinson presented at the conference with La Rae Williams and Kentrell Avery, 4th year doctoral students at CPS.

Students and faculty from the School Guidance and Counseling Program have been busy this academic year spending thousands of hours working in the schools of Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach counties. It paid off. Fall and winter graduates of the school guidance and counseling program obtained raving evaluations from their site supervisors and job offers!  Congratulations to these recent graduates on their new position as professional school counselors.

At a recent meeting of the Society of Behavioral Medicine, CPS Doctoral student Kavita Joshi was recognized with a Meritorious Student Award for a presentation based on her research, a Pilot Study of Posttraumatic Stress and Cardiovascular Risk among Young Adults. Joshi collaborated with CPS Associate Professor Jeff Kibler, Ph.D., on the project which highlighted preliminary evidence that young adults with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) experience more cardiovascular risk factors than adults of similar age, race, and gender, who do not experience mental health difficulties.

CPS doctoral student Matthew Tolman and Professor Robert Lane co-authored
the article, The Role of the Mother in Restricting Anorexia, for
Psychoanalytic Review.