Many clinical faculty also have active grant-funded projects, with State, Federal, and private grants providing equipment, travel costs, and other assets. Some labs encourage students to write grants proposals of their own, if only for the experience, and a number of recent dissertations have been funded by student-initiated grants. No research project is complete until the findings have been published in the scientific journals and presented at a professional conference. Students are strongly invited to engage in this aspect of scholarship and all students leave our program with a solid record of such accomplishments. Although this area may be considered a subcategory of health psychology, it also stands alone as a strength of our program.
Substance abuse continues to be one of the greatest challenges to our society.
It is also a rare therapist who doesn't frequently encounter substance abuse among his or her clients. Psychologists have made substantial contributions to the understanding, prevention, and treatment of substance abuse and other addictions. These faculty offer coursework and collaboration opportunities for clinical students seeking a broader base of training in addictions. Carolyn Pepper investigates the nature of depression, including course, the role of interpersonal relationships, and treatment seeking. Steven Lynn examines the impact of traumatic events and the effects of hypnosis, cognitive therapy, dissociation, and brief interventions.