Issues and Innovations in Mental Health Related to Veterans

ALL SESSIONS ARE CLOSED CAPTIONED AND WILL BE RECORDED AND MADE AVAILABLE TO REGISTERED ATTENDEES WITHIN 24-48 BUSINESS HOURS AT THE OTLEARN PORTAL.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

This on-camera conversation between occupational therapists and psychologists will explore current issues related to military veterans. The speakers, experts in their practice areas, will discuss timely issues and responsive innovations in prevention, health, mental health, and social and occupational justice for this population. Their observations and insights will resonate with and inspire practitioners in the field.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Identify and reflect upon current issues and innovations impacting military veterans, their families, friends, and communities.

Describe and apply prevention and intervention strategies that improve the safety and quality of life of people who are veterans of military service.

SPEAKERS

Jenny D'Olympia, PsyD, LP, HSP, LMHC
Assistant Professor, Counseling and Behavioral Health Department
Director, Military Veteran Psychology and Train Vets to Treat Vets Programs
Associate Chair, Counseling and Behavioral Health Department
William James College

Jenny D’Olympia has a Doctor of Psychology degree from William James College and a Master of Science degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Troy University. With more than 20 years of work experience in the military, government, and academic sectors, she is a passionate and dedicated leader, educator, and clinician in the field of military and veteran psychology. As the Associate Chair and Assistant Professor of the Counseling and Behavioral Health Department and the Director of the Military and Veteran Psychology and Train Vets to Treat Vets Programs at William James College, she oversees the curriculum, faculty, and students of these innovative and impactful programs that aim to improve the mental health and well-being of service members, veterans, and their families. She also teaches courses on topics such as trauma, family therapy, and clinical supervision and conducts research on military and veteran mental wellness. Her mission is to advance the knowledge, skills, and competencies of military and veteran psychology and to foster a culture of inclusion, respect, and support for those who serve and have served our country.

Angela Taveira-Dick, PhD
Assistant Professor, Counseling and Behavioral Health Department
Teaching Faculty, Clinical Psychology Department
Associate Director, Military and Veteran Psychology Program

Angela Taveira-Dick has a PhD in Clinical Psychology from Nova Southeastern University and a Master of Arts degree in General Psychology from American University. At William James College (WJC), she serves as Associate Chair and Assistant Professor of the Counseling and Behavioral Health Department and the Director of the Military and Veteran Psychology and Train Vets to Treat Vets Programs at William James College. She supports the curriculum, faculty, and students of these innovative and impactful programs that aim to improve the mental health and well-being of service members, veterans, and their families. She also teaches courses on psychopathology and the social basis of behavior. Prior to her position at WJC, Taveira-Dick was the clinical lead for the Community Recovery Connections Team at the Bedford VA. In this position, she identified and created community partnerships between the VA and non-governmental agencies in order to enhance veterans’ reintegration into the community. She led her team to create partnerships between nonprofit agencies in nine different towns in the Boston area. In addition, she developed and implemented the Specialized Team for Early Engagement and Recovery (STEER) to service veterans with symptoms of psychosis.

Heather Rudolph, MS, OTR
Occupational Therapist
Futures HealthCore and Futures Education
Veteran, US Army Reserve Corps

Heather Rudolph served as a supply sergeant and army physical fitness instructor in the US Army Reserve from 2001-2007. She was deployed to active duty in Iraq in 2004 with a maintenance unit tasked with up-armoring vehicles to better protect them from blasts sustained by IEDs. Following her time in the Army, she obtained a BA in psychology and worked in community and residential mental health settings for more than 10 years as a recovery and wellness specialist. In 2016, she graduated from Springfield College with a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy. Her research included a qualitative study on the Lived Experience of Veterans as Healthcare Consumers in the 21st century and authorship of The ABCs of Military Culture: A Clinician's Resource Guide for Working with Veterans. As an OT, Heather has worked in pediatric settings, including early intervention and school-based therapy, and as a consultant to an adult day habilitation program. She is also a member of the Easthampton Coalition for Veteran Wellness, a collaboration of private and public agencies and individuals supporting Western Massachusetts veterans' health and wellness.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

SPEAKERS

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