Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology
With Curricular Emphasis in Trauma
ABOUT UCCS
Founded in 1965 and located at
the foot of Pikes Peak, UCCS
has been one of the fastest
growing campuses in
Colorado.
UCCS offers 34
Bachelor’s degrees, 19 Master’s
degrees and five Doctoral
programs. There are six
academic colleges on campus:
Business, Education,
Engineering and Applied
Science, Public Affairs, Letters,
Arts and Sciences, Nursing and
Health Sciences. U.S. News
and World Report have named
UCCS a top Western public
university.
CONTACT INFORMATION
UCCS Psychology Department
1420 Austin Bluffs Parkway
Colorado Springs, CO 80918
David DuBois
Program Assistant I
Office: Columbine Hall 4037
Phone: (719) 255-4500
Fax: (719) 255-4166
Email: ddubois@uccs.edu
http://www.uccs.edu/psych
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
The program trains students
according to the scientistpractitioner model in mental health
diagnosis, assessment, and
intervention for adults who have
experienced traumas, and in basic
and applied research on the
psychological functioning of adults
with a trauma history. Upon
completion of the program, students
will be prepared to work in a range
of settings, including mental health
clinics and clinical practices,
hospitals, VA's, colleges and
universities, state offices, research institutes, and as consultants to a wide variety of other
professional and community providers of services to adults who are trauma survivors.
RESEARCH AND CLINICAL TRAINING
The curricular track in trauma psychology in our Clinical Psychology PhD program directly
addresses a local community need as well as a national challenge regarding a paucity of
trained mental health professionals in the area of trauma. UCCS has made a commitment to
the training needs of our trauma students by opening the Veterans Health and Trauma
Clinic at the Lane Center for Academic Health Sciences. With a 2 million dollar grant
investment the clinic is a state of the art trauma care provider utilizing evidence-based
interventions and cutting edge technology assisted approaches. This clinic provides students
with a unique opportunity to focus their training on the specific challenges faced by
traumatized veterans and their families. In addition to seeing veterans and their families,
students in the trauma psychology track will work with survivors of other traumas. Possible
clinical training opportunities at the Veterans Administration in Colorado Springs, the UCCS
Counseling Center, and TESSA (domestic violence center) will provide unique, focused
clinical experiences and direct clinical services to our community.
A significant resource for training and research is the UCCS HealthCircle Veterans Health
and Trauma Clinic (VHTC), a trauma-focused psychological services training and research
center. The VHTC was established in February 2014, as part of the Lane Center for
Academic Health Sciences and through a generous gift by Ms. Lyda Hill. The VHTC clinicians
are experienced in trauma psychology and have strong relationships with the military and
civilian communities in Colorado Springs. Client referrals come from Fort Carson, the
Veterans Administration, other clinics within the Lane Center, physicians, other therapists,
and other community agencies working with trauma survivors in the Pikes Peak region.
Students choosing a trauma psychology emphasis will spend two years of their training at
the VHTC and receive supervision from VHTC providers with many years of experience
providing mental health services to military service members, veterans, their families, and
civilian adults and adolescents. The VHTC also provides highly accessible research space
that is dedicated for faculty and graduate students pursuing trauma psychology research. A
state-of-the-art human computer interaction laboratory is available for monitoring real-time
Visit our website for more information:
http://www.uccs.edu/psych/graduate/phd-program/phd-clinical-psychology-trauma.html
FACULTY & SPECIALIZATIONS
Charles C. Benight, PhD Counseling & Health Psychology
Frederick L. Coolidge, PhD Behavior Genetics, Cognitive Archeology
Elizabeth Daniels, PhD Developmental Psychology w/Gender, Media, Body
Image & Positive Youth Development
Hasker P. Davis, PhD Biopsychology, Experimental Neuropsychology
Robert L. Durham, PhD Psychometrics, Statistics, Program Evaluation
Leilani Feliciano, PhD Clinical Psychology, Mental Health & Aging,
Behavioral Gerontology
Brandon E. Gavett, PhD Clinical Neuropsychology
Edie L. Greene, PhD Social Psychology, Psychology & Law
Lori E. James, PhD Cognitive Psychology, Cognitive Aging
Michael A. Kisley, PhD Cognitive Neuroscience, Attention
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
Students will develop foundational skills in the science and practice of
clinical psychology with an emphasis on trauma psychology. They will
be prepared to provide diverse empirically-based assessment and
psychotherapeutic services, conduct research, educate, and provide
leadership. Specifically, the 3 formal goals of the program (and the
objectives for each goal) are listed next:
Goal #1: Produce graduates who have the requisite knowledge
and skills for entry into the professional practice of clinical
psychology
Objectives for Goal #1:
1-A: Acquire knowledge and skill in clinical assessment
1-B: Acquire knowledge and skill in psychological and
psychotherapeutic interventions
1-C: Acquire knowledge of the ethics of clinical practice, including
ethical practice with diverse populations
1-D: Acquire knowledge of clinical supervision and consultation that is
commensurate with level of training
Goal #2: Produce graduates who are capable of conducting,
evaluating, and disseminating research
Objectives for Goal #2:
2-A: Acquire attitudes and skills essential for life-long learning and
scholarly inquiry
2-B: Acquire knowledge and skills to conduct empirical psychological
research
2-C: Acquire knowledge and skills to disseminate research effectively
to professional and lay audiences
Goal #3: Produce graduates who demonstrate competence in
knowledge and skills in trauma psychology
Objectives for Goal #3:
3-A: Acquire knowledge and skills in professional practice consistent
with competencies associated with graduate training in trauma
psychology
3-B: Acquire knowledge and skills to conduct empirical research in
trauma psychology
Andrew Lac, PhD Psychometrics, Research Methods & Statistics
Molly Maxfield, PhD Clinical Psychology w/Emphasis in Geropsychology
Thomas A. Pyszczynski, PhD Social Psychology, Clinical Applications
Sara H. Qualls, PhD Clinical Psychology, Adult Development & Aging
Kristin Samuelson, PhD Trauma, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Daniel L. Segal, PhD Clinical Psychology, Mental Health & Aging
Sandy K. Wurtele, PhD Child Clinical Psychology
Application deadline: December 1
Apply online at:
http://www.uccs.edu/graduateschool/prospective-students/
admissions.html
FAQs about the UCCS Psychology Department Graduate Program:
http://www.uccs.edu/psych/graduate/graduate-program-faqs.html