Traumatic Stress Early Intervention Clinic
The Early Intervention Clinic at the Pacific Graduate School of Psychology (www.eiclinic.org) is a research clinic dedicated to developing and evaluating different methods of treatment for trauma survivors.
Some common traumatic experiences include being in a serious accident, being physically or sexually assaulted, being in a disaster, or being in other threatening situations. Trauma can lead people to have a variety of difficulties. Some people report being overwhelmed with fear and re-experiencing the event with the same thoughts, feelings, and physical reactions they had at the time of the event. These may include thinking about the trauma, seeing images of the event, having nightmares, feeling nervous, and having physical sensations like those that occurred during the trauma. They may find themselves feeling as if they are in danger, experiencing panic sensations, wanting to escape, and feeling irritable. They may avoid reminders of the trauma and feel isolated or distanced from others. By studying the effectiveness of brief therapy aimed at lessening emotional stress and preventing longer term trauma-related problems, we hope to find out how to better help restore individuals to their prior functioning and quality of life.
Students are competitively selected to join the Early Intervention Clinic as a research group through an application process each Fall. Students participating in the EIC are involved in all aspects of the clinic, including:
- Reviewing the empirical literature on traumatic stress and early intervention
- Developing clinic procedures
- Conducting outreach and marketing to community agencies and referral sources
- Participant recruitment
- Clinical training in assessment and intervention procedures
- Conducting assessments and co-therapy with clients
- Presenting research at conferences, preparing manuscripts for publication
- Socialization and professional development in traumatic stress community
More information about the Early Intervention Clinic can be obtained by contacting the clinic's co-directors, Josef Ruzek, Ph.D. (Josef.Ruzek@va.gov), and Matthew Cordova, Ph.D. (Matthew.Cordova@va.gov).