In 2010, I joined the National Center for Social Work Trauma Education and Workforce Development through their National Collaboration for Trauma Informed Care. Over the last 4 years, I have been helping to train Iowa’s workforce in trauma informed practice and to prepare MSW students through the trauma informed class.  I have also expanded into the area Mindfulness, a cutting edge topic in the helping professions. I have done presentations on the topic and incorporated meditation and mindfulness into every class I teach. I am now conducting a research project on the effects of the mindfulness practice on my students. My final area of focus is on combat veterans and the challenges they and their families face. I am working to do more education and research for this population.

Research interests

• Spirituality and Resiliency
• Forgiveness and Healing in Social Work Practice
• Forgiveness and Veterans
• Trauma

Teaching areas

• Human Behavior in the Social Environment
• Social Work Practice
• Advanced Family Centered and Advanced Integrated Theory and Practice
• Theories of Personality
• Spirituality in Social Work Practice

Work experience

• Clinical social work