Abbreviated Psychological First Aid Training : Emotional support in response to the Terrorist Attack of October 7, 2023

This is a 2-Part Webinar. Dr. Robin H. Gurwitch will be our webinar speaker on Wednesday, May 22 & May 29, 2024, at 4 pm PT / 5 pm MT / 6 pm CT / 7 pm ET. 

The length of the webinar is 2 hours.

Abbreviated Psychological First Aid Training: Emotional support in response to the Terrorist Attack of October 7, 2023

The horrific terrorist attack of October 7, 2023, shocked the global community and the Jewish community in particular. In the U.S., we continue to struggle with mixed emotions which are compounded by the rise in antisemitism and the current political climate in the US, Israel, and around the world.

This 2-part webinar will introduce core action steps of Psychological First Aid used in general, and how these can be specifically applied when supporting others in response to the events impacting our Jewish community. Finally, this webinar will address how mental health providers are also impacted in our professional and personal lives.

Dr. Robin H. Gurwitch, a Clinical Psychologist, is a Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Duke University Medical Center, Duke University School of Medicine, and the Center for Child and Family Health. Dr. Gurwitch specializes in working with children, particularly those considered at-risk. Since the bombing in Oklahoma City in 1995, she has devoted much time to understanding the impact of trauma and disaster on children and ways to increase resilience. Dr. Gurwitch has numerous scientific publications and presentations addressing these topics. She has responded to disasters /traumatic events, both nationally and internationally. She has helped to develop materials for the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN), the American Red Cross, the U.S. Department of Education, and the American Psychological Association, among others, related to disaster mental health, secondary traumatic stress, and resilience. With a focus on these issues, Dr. Gurwitch has served on state and national committees and task forces as well as consulted with federal and state agencies and school systems. Among her appointments, Dr. Gurwitch served on the inaugural US Department of Health and Human Services’ National Advisory Committee on Children and Disasters. Dr. Gurwitch is a subject matter expert regarding at-risk populations for the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and children’s issues for the American Psychological Association. Dr. Gurwitch has been actively involved in the NCTSN since it began in 2001, with efforts largely focused on Disaster/Terrorism. She now serves as a Senior Advisor for the Disaster and Terrorism Program of the National Center for Child Traumatic Stress; Dr. Gurwitch is the Co-Principal Investigator for the NEW DAY (Network for Enhancing Wellness in Disaster-Affected Youth) SAMHSA-funded grant with the NCTSN. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, Dr. Gurwitch has been involved in activities related to understanding its impact and improving coping for children and their families.

Dr. Gurwitch is a leader in evidence-based treatment, Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT). As one of only 21 Global Trainers worldwide, certified by PCIT International, Dr. Gurwitch is involved in training, service, consultation and research in PCIT. She is recognized as the national leader in the adaptation of PCIT for use with military families coping with deployment. Dr. Gurwitch and her colleague recently developed an adaptation of PCIT specifically for use with children who have experienced trauma. Dr. Gurwitch is one of the co-developers of Child-Adult Relationship Enhancement (CARE), a trauma and evidence-informed program based on PCIT and other evidence-based parenting interventions designed to strengthen relationships and to improve behaviors in children and teens. CARE is being used across settings throughout the US and internationally, with a growing evidence base. Again, Dr. Gurwitch has taken the primary role in adapting CARE for use after disasters/mass violence, in military settings, and, with colleagues, an adaptation for school settings. Recently, Dr. Gurwitch has been involved in the inclusion of COVID-19 and DEI issues into PCIT and CARE implementation, including its use via telehealth.