Our Division has an excellent chance of leading the way to far greater understanding and help for the traumatized through research, publications, and professional and public education. Most importantly, in my opinion, is the need to apply our collective wisdom in increasing trauma-informed policies and practices nationally and internationally. I look forward to being part of that discussion.
We encourage you to become active on one of our committees. Please contact us.
Executive Committee
- President - Laura S. Brown
- President Elect - Christine Courtois
- Past President - Steve Gold
- Treasurer - Beth Rom-Rymer
- Secretary - Kathleen Kendall-Tackett
- Member at Large - Lisa Butler
- Member at Large - Diane Castillo
- Member at Large - Harriette Kaley
- Professional Affiliate Member at Large - David Albright
- Student Representative - Rachel Reed
- Representative to APA Council - Charles Figley
APA Program Committee
Co-chaired by Dawn Hughes and Kate Richmond.
Awards Committee
The Awards Committee is chaired by Lisa Butler. This committee develops criteria for awards, proposes new awards and creates processes for selecting the recipients of those awards, which are announced annually.
Collaborative Endeavors Committee
This committee, chaired by Constance Dalenberg, manages the interface between Division 56 and other organizations requesting to work with us on various projects, including requests to conduct research with our members. The committee assesses these requests and advises division leadership on whether and how to proceed with them.
Disaster Relief Committee
The Disaster Relief Committee is chaired by Gilbert Reyes. This committee focusses on psychological responses to disaster.
Diversity Committee
Co-chaired by Diane Castillo and Priscilla Dass-Brailsford. The Diversity Committee is interested in highlighting the intersections of multicultural experience and trauma. We're especially interested in increasing representation both of psychologists of color, and issues of people of color and other underrepresented groups in research, practice, and education about trauma. We are working on the development of international cross-cultural practicum/internships in Trauma Psychology and beginning work to establish accreditation of these sites.
Early Career Psychologist Committee
Co-chaired by Lisa Marie Cromer and Carolyn Allard, this committee represents Division 56 to APA's Early Career Psychology Network, and coordinates ECP activities within Division 56. You can now join the Division 56 ECP Listserv.
Education and Training Committee
The Education and Training Committee, chaired by Elana Newman encourages education and training at doctoral and post-doctoral levels in the science and practice of trauma studies, and oversees the creation of Continuing Education programs.
Fellows Committee
The Fellows Committee assists members in applying to APA for initial Fellow status. We also encourage Division members who are already APA Fellows to become Fellows of Division 56. Information about either process can be obtained from the current Chair, Charles Figley. The 2010 Co-chair and 2011 Chair of this committee is Laurie Anne Pearlman
Finance
Chaired by the Treasurer, this committee deals with all budgetary matters for the Division.
Interpersonal Violence Prevention Committee
Co-chaired by Sylvia Marrotta and Nicole Richardson, this group will coordinate with the organizing group for the 2010 Violence Summit.
International Committee
Chaired by Kathryn Norsworthy. This committee insures that international issues are represented in division business and policies and fosters international collaboration and communication concerning trauma related issues.
Liaison Comittee
Chaired by Catherine Classen, this committee maintains liaisons to other trauma-related professional organizations, including but not limited to ISTSS and ISSD.
- Liaison from Division 35 (Society for the Psychology of Women) - Julii Green
- Liaison from Division 39 (Psychoanalysis) - Tamara Greenberg
- Liaison from Division 44 (Society for the Psychological Study of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Issues) - David Pantalone
- Liaison from Division 45 (Society for the Psychology Study of Ethnic Minority Issues) - Cheryl Talley
- Liaison from Division 48 (Society for the Study of Peace, Conflict, and Violence) - Judith Kuriansky
- Liaison from Committee on International Relations in Psychology - Thema Bryant-Davis
- Liaison from APA Presidential Task Force on Caregivers - Joan Cook
- Liaison from International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies - Diane Elmore
- Liaison from International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation - Christine Courtois
Membership Committee
Chaired by Rochelle Coffey. This committee is responsible for recruitment of members and processing applications.
Nominations and Elections Committee
The Past-President serves as chair of Nominations and Elections. Please contact that person if you are interested in any elected office in the Division. Nominations are due by January 15th of the year in which an election is held. For information about which offices are open in any given election, please check the Fall issue of the Newsletter.
Policy Committee
Chaired by Diane Elmore. The mission of the APA Division 56 Public Policy Committee is to share the scientific and clinical expertise of the division membership and the broader trauma field with policy makers to help inform and promote appropriate and effective public policies related to psychological trauma. The Public Policy Committee has been working on a variety of federal policy issues related to psychological trauma in conjunction with the Public Interest Government Relations Office at APA. These efforts have included sharing information and resources with policy makers, drafting and reviewing legislative proposals, recommending trauma experts for consultation and presentations and meeting with congressional offices, federal agencies, and stakeholder organizations.
Practice Committee
Chaired by Christine Courtois and Bethany Brand.This group is concerned with all aspects of treating the effects of psychological trauma and will monitor the state of the field, identify areas of need for training and research, funding and dissemination, and look for ways to help provide informational resources to Division members. This committee is currently working on a number of projects including a project with Division 35 on curricula about violence against women and children, inclusion of a complex trauma diagnosis in the DSM V in collaboration with other groups within the field of trauma treatment, writing a Monitor article on trauma, developing training videos on trauma through APA, creating a current best practice standards for trauma treatment.
Publications Committee
Currently chaired by the newsletter editor, this group develops content and standards for all of the division's publications:
- The newsletter is published twice yearly. Contributions from members are actively solicited. Topher Collier is our editor.
- Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy. The Editor is Steven N. Gold, with Co-Associate Editors Christine Courtois and Kathleen Kendall Tackett.
- The website offers rich resources about trauma psychology for Division 56 members, including audio recordings of our featured convention symposia, training programs, and electronic copies of the division's newsletter. The Website Editor is Laura S. Brown.
Science Committee
The Science Committee monitors the state of the field, identifies areas of need for research, and provides informational resources to Division members regarding scientific research on trauma. We will also provide guidance to Division 56 leadership on an as-needed basis. Our goals include working on ways to make the science of psychological trauma more available to the general public in a way that is accurate. These include working on Wikipedia entries on psychological trauma and related issues and on conceptualizing and selling a better federal funding structure for trauma research. Further information about the work of this committee can be obtained from its chair, Brian Marx.
Special Interest Groups
The SIG Committee develops guidelines for SIGs within the division, assists interested members in establishing new SIGs, and coordinates between SIGs and the Executive Committee. It is chaired by Stacey Seibel.
- Child and Adolescent Trauma SIG Chair - Ricky Greenwald
- Dissociation SIG Chair - Harold Siegel
- Post-Colonial Peoples SIG Chair - Lisa Thomas
- Secondary and Vicarious Trauma SIG Chair - Sara Maltzman
- Disaster Related Trauma and Response Chair - Angeleque Akin-Little
- Adult Survivors of Abuse Chair - Harold Siegel
- Medical Trauma, Illness, and Rehabilitation - approved; needs chair
Student Affairs Committee
This committee is chaired by Rachel Reed. We have begun to create a nationwide network of fellow students with interests in trauma and are creating a forum in which we can participate in current academic conversations and events regarding cutting-edge work within the field of trauma. We are taking the lead on the Division's Mentoring Project. Our committee currently has three sub-committees:
- Membership Student Affairs Chair - Jill West
- Mentorship Student Affairs Chair - Brian Hall
- Publications Student Affairs Chair - Gabriela Bronson-Castain
Task Force on Assessment of Trauma Sequelae
This group, chaired by Judith Armstrong, will explore and identify the range of methods for assessment the sequelae of trauma in both children and adults, as well as assessment in international settings. A goal of this group is the development of comprehensive materials to guide psychologists conducting assessments in a range of settings.
Task Force on Dissemination
Joan Cook chairs this task force. Its charge is identify ways that the Division could make trauma-related professional knowledge and skills more accessible to psychology trainees and psychologists. The task force also explores strategies to help Division 56 become a more visible and effective source of information to other mental health trainees and professionals, the media, and the general public.
Task Force on Diversity
Co-chaired by Priscilla Dass-Brailford and Sandra Mattar, this task force will work with the Diversity and Membership committees to increase membership in the division of people of color and from other diverse backgrounds, help us ensure diversity in what we do, and to interface with other similar groups within APA.
Task Force on DSM V
Co-Chaired by Christine Courtois and Terry Keane. This Task Force will be a long-term effort to ensure that trauma issues are adequately considered in the future DSM, and will monitor developments in trauma-related diagnoses in the DSM V committees. It interfaces with professionals from other disciplines who are tracking trauma-related developments in the DSM V process.
Task Force on Trauma Psychology and Social Justice
Amber Douglas chairs this group. It will identify current projects in trauma psychology with social justice applications, and develop products to assist psychologists to create social justice applications for their work.