Press Releases Archived All Stories

Psychologist Julian Ford to give keynote talk on effective treatment strategies for trauma cases: WCSU to host Western Connecticut Trauma Conference on May 21

DANBURY, CONN. — Western Connecticut State University will host the Western Connecticut Trauma Conference from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday, May 21, 2018, in the Ballroom of the Campus Center on the university’s Westside campus, 43 Lake Ave. Extension in Danbury.

The conference, cosponsored by the WCSU departments of Social Work and of Education and Educational Psychology, will feature talks and panel discussions presented by internationally prominent leaders in the fields of trauma treatment, neuroscience and integrated health care. The conference has been coordinated by WCSU Professor of Counseling Dr. Gabriel Lomas and has been funded by a Behavioral Health Workforce Grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration, a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The keynote speaker will be Dr. Julian Ford, a board-certified clinical psychologist and professor of Psychiatry in the University of Connecticut School of Medicine. Drawing upon recent developments in neuroscience and psychotherapy research, Ford will discuss how these findings provide a framework for understanding psychological trauma and for designing effective preventive and clinical intervention strategies. His talk will offer insights into how such intervention can help children, adults and families to recover from the complex impact of trauma on physical and mental health, personal relationships and quality of life.

Ford is the author or editor of 10 books, serves as associate editor of the Journal of Trauma and Dissociation, and has published more than 250 articles and book chapters about subjects related to trauma and stress disorders, specializing in disorders affecting children, adolescents, young adults and families. He has led a task force on child trauma for the Division of Trauma Psychology of the American Psychological Association and has served on the board of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies.

Other conference lectures and panels will present specialists in neuroscience, mental health and trauma treatment who will address diverse topics including play therapy in trauma treatment, writing as a tool for trauma intervention, and trauma-informed strategies for integrated health management.

Admission is open to the public, and topics to be addressed are especially appropriate for professionals in the health care, mental health and education fields. The general admission fee is $50, with a discounted fee of $20 for WCSU students with valid ID. Lunch will be included and Continuing Education (CE) credit is available for professionals. Tickets may be purchased online at www.wcsu.edu/tickets or at WCSU at the Midtown Student Center and Westside Campus Center box offices.

For more information and registration inquiries, send an email to thomasr@wcsu.edu or call (203) 837-8512.

 

 

Western Connecticut State University changes lives by providing all students with a high-quality education that fosters their growth as individuals, scholars, professionals and leaders in a global society. Our vision: To be widely recognized as a premier public university with outstanding teachers and scholars who prepare students to contribute to the world in a meaningful way.