Mental Health
Edward Alessi
Associate Professor
School of Social Work
Key topics: LGBTQ asylum seekers and refugees; LGBTQ mental health; LGBTQ trauma; PTSD
Dr. Alessi’s research aims to improve understanding of stress and trauma among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) populations and enhance clinical practice with LGBTQ and other marginalized populations. In June 2017, he was…
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Douglas Behan
Associate Professor of Professional Practice.
Director of Continuing Education
School of Social Work
Key topics: What makes psychotherapy effective?, What to look for in a therapist, delivering client-centered health care; design and development of adult training programs.
Dr. Douglas Behan is the Director of the Office of Continuing Education and an Assistant Professor of Professional Practice. He has been at the Rutgers School of Social Work since 2007. He enjoys leading the nation’s largest university-based…
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Colleen Berryessa
Assistant Professor
School of Criminal Justice
Key topics: Criminal Justice, Law, Psychology, Courts, Sentencing, Punishment, Discretion, Decision-making, Law and Society, Mental Health, Neuroscience/Genetics, Public Policy
Dr. Colleen Berryessa is an Assistant Professor at the Rutgers University School of Criminal Justice. Her research, utilizing both qualitative and quantitative methods, considers how psychological processes, perceptions, attitudes, and social…
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Germán Cadenas
Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology & Associate Director at Center for Youth Social Emotional Wellness
Clinical Psychology
Graduate School of Applied & Professional Psychology
Key topics: Immigration, immigrant mental health, immigration policy, social justice activism, youth mental health, critical consciousness, discrimination and racism, vocational psychology and workforce development, Latino/Latine/Latinx mental health
Sample talk titles:
- Promoting Mental Health Equity Among Immigrants Globally. Invited Speaker at the 17th Annual Psychology Day at the United Nations. https://www.psychologydayun.com/eventspeakers
- Thriving as a scholar-activist: setting intentions for action and collective healing. Keynote presented for the BIPOC Affirming and Mentoring program; Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion at Tulane University.
- Immigrants’ critical consciousness and psychological liberation. Keynote for Multicultural Research Symposium, New Mexico State University.
- Latinx Immigrant Health Alliance: Building community to foster equity. Group Keynote at the Texas Psychological Association Conference, San Antonio, TX.
- Empowerment and advocacy in career development with immigrants. Closing general session keynote address at National Career Development Association (NCDA) Global Career Development Conference, Phoenix, AZ.
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Brian Chu
Professor
Department of Clinical Psychology
Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology
Key topics: Behavioral interventions to address child and adolescent anxiety, mood, and school attendance problems. Transdiagnostic processes and interventions; values-based social action; community engagement; training and continuing education.
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Maurice Elias
Professor
Department of Psychology
School of Arts and Sciences
Key topics: Social-emotional learning, character development, meaning, purpose, and significance, parenting, emotional intelligence, education reform, the achievement gap, prevention of bullying, violence, substance abuse, and related problem behaviors, impact of media on children, Jewish education and Jewish identity.
Maurice J. Elias, Ph.D., is Professor, Psychology Department at Rutgers University, Director, Social-Emotional and Character Development Lab ([http://…
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Bonnie Firestein
Professor
Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience
School of Arts and Sciences
Key topics: Neuroscience, Traumatic Brain Injury, Schizophrenia, Pain, Understanding cognitive disorders, Neurodevelopment
Bonnie L. Firestein, Ph.D. is a Professor of Cell Biology and Neuroscience at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey. Her work focuses on regulation of the dendritic arbor, both in development and neurocognitive disorders, and specifically,…
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Jennifer Foster
Assistant Teaching Professor, Director of Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) Programs
School Psychology
Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology
Key topics: Developing a Multi-Tiered System of Support for School-Based Mental Health Programs
Crisis Management: Prevention Planning, Crisis Response & Recovery
School-Based Risk Assessment: Suicidal and Homicidal Ideation
School Change: Large-Scale Implementation of Comprehensive Mental Health Programs
Dr. Jennifer Foster is an Assistant Teaching Professor and Director of the Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) Programs in the Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology (GSAPP) at Rutgers University. Prior to joining GSAPP, she…
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E. Goldblatt Hyatt
Associate Professor of Professional Practice for Reproductive Justice
Director of DSW Program
School of Social Work
Key topics: Pregnancy loss; reproductive justice; death and dying; thanatology; bereavement
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Rupa Khetarpal
Assistant Professor of Teaching
Coordinator of the VAWC Certificate Program
School of Social Work
Key topics: Refugee mental health; gender-based violence locally and globally (forced marriage, female genital mutilation, acid attacks, etc.)
Rupa M. Khetarpal joined the School of Social Work as Assistant Professor of Teaching after 15 years of experience of clinical practice with survivors of trauma, both domestic and international including Africa, South Asia, Middle East,…
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Assistant Professor
Psychiatric Rehabilitation and Counseling Professions
School of Health Professions
Key topics: Helping vs. Enabling; Stages of Change and Motivational Interviewing; Trauma-Informed Care; Support for Families with Mentally Ill/Addicted Loved One; Sex Addiction; DSM 5; Crisis Intervention and Suicide; Psychiatric Emergencies
Kenneth Kinter, MA, LPC, is an Assistant Professor at Rutgers University and has been employed by Rutgers/UMDNJ since 2004. He has taught Group Dynamics in the Associates Degree Program. His current responsibilities include the implementation of…
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Michael LaSala
Associate Professor and Director, Doctorate of Social Work Program
Department of Social Work
School of Social Work
Key topics: LGBT Issues; Family Issues; Psychotherapy; LGBT Health
Michael C. LaSala, PhD, LCSW is associate professor and Director of the Doctorate of Social Work (DSW) Program at the School of Social Work at Rutgers University, where he has won several awards for innovation in teaching. He has been a…
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Thomas Papathomas
Professor
Biomedical Engineering
School of Arts and Sciences
Key topics: How the brain works; visual, sound, and 3D illusions; stunning demonstrations with 3-D objects and huge face masks
Thomas Papathomas, Ph.D, came from Greece after high school and graduated from Columbia University. He is the director of the Laboratory of Vision Research, professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, and serves as the Busch Campus…
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