Loma Linda University
Behavioral Health News

Volume 1, Issue 3

Mission Trip to India | 2014

During August 13-31, 2014, School of Behavioral Health students Moosgar Borieux, a third-year student in the PhD in Family Studies program, and Wendy Wray, a fourth-year student in the PhD in Marital and Family Therapy program, journeyed to Maharashtra, India to help address health needs in this state. This mission trip was coordinated by Students for International Mission Service (SIMS) and involved eleven LLU students, two LLU faculty, two LLU staff, one intern for creative media, one non-LLU nurse, and representatives in a medical volunteer group from Malaysia. This diverse group of volunteers conducted Health Fairs to serve over 700 residents in Mumbai, Pune and Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. According to Borieux, "The health fairs provided each individual with an assessment and understanding of his/her health status. We measured height, weight, BMI, body fat, took blood to measure blood sugar, and measured blood pressure. Furthermore, each person went through 8 stations based on 8 health principles: N.E.W.S.T.A.R.T. (Nutrition, Exercise, Water, Sunshine, Temperature, Air, Rest, Trust in God)." Borieux also shared that he had the opportunity to connect with individuals by using many of the techniques and relational skills he has learned in his doctoral program. For Borieux, one of the unplanned highlights of the trip was having the opportunity to "give a radio talk on depression in reference to: What is it? What are the symptoms? What [can] individuals do within their specific social context?" This experience provided yet another way for the team to engage, inform and support individuals in meeting their physical and behavioral health needs.
- Jillianne Ajayi

SIMS Mission Trip to India - School of Behavioral Health
Interview of Moosgar Borieux, 3rd-year Student in the PhD in Family Studies Program
School of Behavioral Health, SIMS Mission Trip to India, August 2014

To find out more about mission trip and service experience opportunities, please visit the 
SIMS website.
Commencement 2014
Graduates from the Class of 2014

Commencement 2014 was an exciting experience for 106 graduates of the School of Behavioral Health at Loma Linda University. Parents, guardians, relatives and friends celebrated with the graduates as these new alumni continue in their journey "to make man whole."

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Nika Kalynovska and Derek Char, both Counseling MS graduates who have now transitioned into doctoral degrees in the Department of Psychology.

Dr. Kathryn Icenhower, the Executive Director of SHIELDS for Families, a comprehensive, community based, non-profit organization that responds to the needs of families living in South Central Los Angeles shared with the audience the importance of "Believing, Building, (and) Becoming" as they join the illustrious ranks of School  Behavioral Health and Loma Linda University alumni.

Brianna DeGuzman and Kisha Bashkiharatee

Twenty-five newly minted doctoral degrees were awarded across the school and 82 graduated with master's degrees. All of our graduates are uniquely qualified to make a significant difference in the context in which they live and work. 

 

Congratulations to the School of Behavioral Health's 106 graduates and we wish you continued success in the years ahead. We are looking forward to staying connected.

- Dr. Colwick Wilson

 

Seth Krumheuer and nephew Kade

Video of the School of Behavioral Health/School of Religion Commencement can be viewed online. The introduction of the speaker begins at 43:00 here, and the speaker's presentation continues here at 00:50.

Community Engagement
BHi Shares Symposium Series:
Impacting Communities Through Academic Research

2014-15 Schedule of Events
All lectures occur on Wednesdays from noon to 1:30pm at the BHI unless otherwise indicated.

Presenter
DateTopic
Laura Stiel, MASept. 24Hair Products, African American Women, and Breast Cancer Health Disparities: Review the State of the Science
Rebecca Ballinger, PhDOct. 29Stage 2 Outpatient Adolescent Recovery (SOAR)
Daniel Tapanes, MSNov. 19MEND Research and Outcomes
David Williams, PhDDec. TBDPerceived Discrimination and Health: Striking Findings, Unanswered Questions (location TBD)
Sylvia Herbozo, PhDJan. 21Eating Disorder Psychopathology in Overweight/Obese Treatment Seeking Adults
Rich Hartman, PhDFeb. 25Traumatic Brain Injuries and Dietary Supplementation
Tino Sanchez, PhD
Laura Stiel, MA
Mar. 4Prostate Cancer and African Men: Project C.H.A.N.G.E.
JC Belliard, PhDApr. 22Community Based Participatory Research
Ricardo Whyte, MDMay 27Cognitive Status Improvement After Detoxification

BHi Shares is sponsored by the Loma Linda University School of Behavioral Health and the BHI Office of Research. We encourage students, faculty, and staff to attend. Please remember to RSVP to BHiShares@llu.edu.

Mission Film Fest 2015

 

 

Wednesday, April 15, 2015
5:00-5:50pm
Damazo Amphitheater, Centennial Complex

 

This event will feature award-winning video footage from LLUH students, faculty and staff who have participated in recent local and international service experiences. You will see how these events changed their outlook on life in many ways and learn how to become involved in future service opportunities.


PURPOSE OF THE ANNUAL MISSION FILM FEST:
  • Motivate and encourage involvement in international and local missions
  • Showcase diversity as beautiful and exciting
  • Bring awareness of service involvement across campus
  • Encourage interprofessional collaboration
  • Recognize individuals who have participated in international and local missions
  • Recognize donors and sponsors of international and local missions
Access to Event RSVP Information and Film Submission Information will be released shortly to all LLUH students, faculty and staff through email. In the meantime, mark your calendars! This is an event you don't want to miss!

Sponsored by the Schools of Allied Health Professions, Behavioral Health, Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Public Health, and Religion
Translational Research
Dr. Richard Hartman Publishes with Students and Alumni

Melissa S. Dulcich and Richard E. Hartman, "Pomegranate Supplementation Improves Affective and Motor Behavior in Mice after Radiation Exposure," Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, vol. 2013, Article ID 940830, 8 pages, 2013. doi:10.1155/2013/940830

In this paper, we describe the behavioral effects of proton radiation (similar to what an astronaut might encounter in deep space) in mice. We found that proton radiation induced different behavioral deficits in males versus females, and that dietary supplementation with pomegranate polyphenols ameliorated some of those deficits.

Joel E. Kamper, Viorela Pop, Andrew M. Fukuda, David O. Ajao, Richard E. Hartman, & J�r�me Badaut, Juvenile traumatic brain injury evolves into a chronic brain disorder: Behavioral and histological changes over 6 months, Experimental Neurology, Volume 250, December 2013, Pages 8-19, ISSN 0014-4886, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.expneurol.2013.09.016

In this paper, we describe the behavioral and neuropathological sequelae in a newly developed rat model of juvenile traumatic brain injury. Similar to clinical observations from humans, the brain lesion and behavioral deficits evolved over time, suggesting that early brain injury can induce long-lasting changes in the brain and subsequent cognitive deficits as adults.

Susan A. Ropacki, Sapna M. Patel, & Richard E. Hartman, "Pomegranate Supplementation Protects against Memory Dysfunction after Heart Surgery: A Pilot Study," Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, vol. 2013, Article ID 932401, 8 pages, 2013. doi:10.1155/2013/932401

In this paper, we show that heart surgery induces problems with memory retention in humans that are detectable for up to 6 weeks after surgery (presumably due to "micro embolisms" dislodged during the procedure). Dietary supplementation with pomegranate polyphenols not only prevented this cognitive decline, but improved memory retention over pre-surgery baselines.

Stephen Ashwal, Nirmalya Ghosh, Christine I. Turenius, Melissa Dulcich, Christopher M. Denham, Beatriz Tone, Richard Hartman, Evan Y. Snyder, & Andre Obenaus. (2014). Reparative effects of neural stem cells in neonatal rats with hypoxic-ischemic injury are not influenced by host sex. Pediatric Research,75(5), 603-611. doi:10.1038/pr.2014.7

Previously, we have shown that human neural stem cells transplanted into the rat brain after stroke can prevent lesion progression and ameliorate behavioral deficits. Labeling these cells with iron particles allows them to be visualized in the living brain using MRI, but we did not know whether the iron in the stem cells would prove detrimental. We provide evidence that the iron-labeling does not affect the neuroprotective effects of human stem cells in male or female rats.

Andrew M. Fukuda, Arash Adami, Viorela Pop, John A. Bellone, Jacqueline S. Coats, Richard E. Hartman, Stephen Ashwal, Andre Obenaus, & J�r�me Badaut. (2013). Posttraumatic reduction of edema with aquaporin-4 RNA interference improves acute and chronic functional recovery. Journal Of Cerebral Blood Flow & Metabolism, 33(10), 1621-1632. doi:10.1038/jcbfm.2013.118

In this paper, we show that a therapeutic agent designed to reduce edema (swelling of the brain) provided acute and long-term behavioral and neuropathological benefits to rats that had traumatic brain injury as juveniles.

Brad Karain, Dan Xu, John A. Bellone, Richard E. Hartman, & Wei-Xing Shi. (2014), Rat globus pallidus neurons: Functional classification and effects of dopamine depletion. Synapse. doi: 10.1002/syn.21783

In this paper, we describe efforts to identify and classify neurons in the rat brain with a commonly-used electrophysiological technique. We end up providing evidence that this method is unreliable and describe a more reliable way to classify those neurons.
Student News
Serena Stevens Presents on Obesity Stigma at UCLA




Serena Stevens, MA, presented her work "Weight Stigmatization as a Mediator between Obesity and Psychological Well-being" at UCLA for its May 30, 2014 symposium titled Obesity Stigma: Psychological, Social, and Medical Causes and Consequences. Using structural equation modeling, Serena examined weight stigmatization as it relates to depression and body image dissatisfaction. This stigmatization has been shown to have significant psychological and physical consequences in this area.



Ashley Harries Presents at the Society of Behavioral Medicine

At the April 23-26, 2014 Annual Meeting of the Society of Behavioral Medicine Ashley Harries, MA, presented a poster titled "Emotional Regulation Difficulties, Perceived Stress, Binge Eating, and Body Image Concerns in Adults Seeking Weight Loss Treatment." This study is based on a larger, ongoing study directed by Sylvia Herbozo, PhD, which is examining disordered eating behaviors and associated factors in treatment-seeking overweight and obese adults at Loma Linda University's Center for Health Promotion and Heart and Surgical Hospital. The conference focused on the significant impact of behavioral medicine on health and healthcare across diverse settings, populations, and cultures. Presentations addressed a range of areas, including obesity, cancer, cardiovascular health, behavioral economics, health policy, and dissemination and implementation.

Ashley presents her poster at the Annual Meeting of the Society of Behavioral Medicine.

Sonika Ung & Palak Kothari Present at APS Convention

Sonika Ung, MA
Clinical Psychology PhD student Sonika Ung was invited to the Association for Psychological Science 26th Annual Convention (May 22-25, 2014) to give an address on her topic, "Cultural Beliefs and Self-Efficacy Influence Nutrition Adherence Among Type 2 Diabetics."

Sonika was one of just four researchers to receive the 2014 APS RISE Award for outstanding psychological research related to socially and economically underrepresented populations.

Sonika Ung, MA

Palak Kothari, MA
Palak Kothari, Clinical Psychology PhD student, presented her work with Dr. Kelly Morton, "The Influence of Age and Emotion Regulation on Sleep Quality in Seventh Day Adventist Older Adults" at the Association for Psychological Science 26th Annual Convention in May.

Palak Kothari, MA


Desiree Azizoddin Wins WPA Award

Psychology PsyD student Desiree Azizoddin received the Western Psychological Association's Student Scholarship Award in recognition of "the outstanding quality of research presented at the annual convention" in April 2014. Congratulations, Desiree!

Desiree Azizoddin

CFS Student Advisory Committee Sponsors Events to Support Student Wholeness and Professional Development

Pedometer Step Challenge
In May, the CFS Student Advisory Committee (SAC) invited students, faculty, staff, and friends of the department to participate in a team-based step challenge. For student leader Moosgar Borieux, the purpose of the event was twofold. "First," he says, "this event was a way of promoting community primarily within the Counseling and Family Sciences Department and to connect with potential friends outside of the department. Second, this event was a way to align ourselves with the Loma Linda University mission by promoting health in the process of building community."

With 53 participants (44 female, 9 male) on fourteen teams, the event was a great success! Notable participants included Dr. Curtis Fox (Chair), Dr. Winetta Oloo (Professor), and Emelly Rosspencer (Director, SIMS and CFS student). Rebecca Epperly topped the charts as an individual winner with an incredible 1,000,140 steps! The top team, "Wonder Women," collectively hit 1,794,951 steps. The total steps by all 53 participants reached an impressive 12,649,332! At the awards ceremony on May 28, prizes were awarded to the top three individual steppers and the top team.




Speed Mentoring
Also in May, SAC held a speed mentoring event where, according to organizer and doctoral student Veronica Kuhn, students were given the opportunity to have their resum�s reviewed by LLU faculty and local employers in related fields. Though primarily geared toward students in the counseling and child life fields, all LLU students were welcome to attend.
- Diana Krueger
Faculty Updates
Drs. Lindsey and Jackson Present on Cultural Competence at NOFSW Annual Conference



Viola Lindsey, PhD and Victoria Jackson, EdD presented at the Annual Conference of the National Organization of Forensic Social Work (NOFSW) at Fordham University in Midtown New York, July 24-28, 2014. The theme of the conference was 21st Century Forensic Practice: Moving Beyond Cultural Competence. Drs. Lindsey and Jackson shared insights through short videos and PowerPoint presentations titled, "Cultural Competence: Peeling Back the Layers." Implications for social work were discussed from the perspective of the old adage "you can't judge a book by its cover"--meaning that surface stereotypes do not necessarily reflect the value or reality of an individual.

 

Stereotypes of minorities in our culture were addressed and discussed, including those pertaining to Venus and Serena Williams. Based on their style of dress (hair) and their residence in a highly profiled, gang-ridden, and impoverished area of Los Angeles, they were labelled as "ghetto girls." Some may fail to see the success these young women have attained if focus remained only on the "ghetto" layer of their experience rather than the layers of experience that define them as tennis professionals.

 

Dr. Lindsey also shared the traumatic history of boarding schools for Native Americans and the negative impact that the boarding school experience had, and continues to have, on families' and children's sense of wellness today.

 

Dr. Jackson focused on the challenges of providing culturally relevant treatment for older adults in terms of appropriate healthcare, including the challenges of an aging prison population in need of improved health and mental health. She also addressed a need for awareness and intervention for older adults in the community who are LGBT, who have in some cases hesitated to seek mental health and healthcare services due to a life-long bias against them.

 

Our overall message to the audience was that in order to be culturally competent, we must not only be aware of the client's personal history, but we must also have knowledge of the client's experiences, and to be willing to engage with and accept clients as they are rather than as we wish them to be.
 

It was exciting to experience the pulse of the fast-paced life of New York, as well as the rich variety of people from around the world. It was a great opportunity to engage and interact with other professionals in our field, and a wonderful chance to learn about how social work is practiced throughout the nation.
- Dr. Victoria Jackson



Dr. Williams-Reade Contributes Chapter to New Medical Family Therapy Text

Jackie Williams-Reade, PhD, Assistant Professor in Counseling and Family Sciences and Director of Medical Family Therapy, was invited to contribute to the recently published new text: Medical Family Therapy: Advanced Applications. Dr. Williams-Reade invited two students, Bobbi-Ann Gordon and Wendy Wray, to participate in this book chapter, which is dedicated to applying program evaluation concepts to the field of Medical Family Therapy.
Dr. Lindsey Presents Field Collaboratives at CalSWEC

Viola W. Lindsey, PhD, along with several colleagues, presented at the CalSWEC Title IV-E Summer Field Institute in June in Emeryville, California. Titled "Theoretical Framework for Leveraging Community Partnerships: From Evidence to Implementation," her presentation was made with representatives from California State University, Fresno, Fresno County Health and Human Services, Kings County Health and Human Services, Madera County Department of Social Services, and Tulare County Health and Human Services.

Title IV-E Project Coordinators were charged with presenting information that demonstrated new field collaboratives and community partnerships implemented by their schools and field placement partners. Fresno State (Corinne Florez and Cheryl Whittle) and Loma Linda University (Viola Lindsey) were paired together. The process of preparing for the CalSWEC presentation was, in itself, a collaborative effort.

 

The joint presentation showcased how different social services agencies, including the court system, were able to leverage collaborative partnerships to not only meet the unique needs of their individual agencies but to meet the needs of social work students in field placements and a social work school (Fresno State University, School of Social Work), as well.

 


 

The nexus for the joint presentation was, in part, based on qualitative research, utilizing a grounded theory approach (Lindsey, 2011). Several themes emerged from the research identifying factors that both influence, as well as inhibit, collaboration. As discussions ensued in the planning stage, it became clear that themes emerging from the research saturated the conversation in terms of some of the issues the various agencies encountered while developing collaborative relationships/partnerships.


Applying the themes emerging from the research, the above noted agencies were able to demonstrate how they reflected on and navigated the nexus between the research findings and the implementation of field models and the collaborative relationships unique to their individual needs.


Worthy of note is that both the qualitative research and the new field initiatives were conducted during different time frames and with different concepts in mind, lending validity to the areas of concerns to be addressed when building partnerships/collaborative relationships.

- Dr. Viola W. Lindsey
Departing: Dr. Carmen Knudson-Martin


Dr. Carmen Knudson-Martin has served as professor and program director of the PhD program in marital and family therapy in the Department of Counseling and Family Sciences at Loma Linda University from August of 2000 to August of 2014. For 14 years, Dr. Knudson-Martin gave of her best energies to help start and build up a marital and family therapy program that has stood out in the United States of America and Canada. With other faculty members working diligently together with her, we can now boast of having a program that is second-to-none in California and across this continent. Carmen came to Loma Linda from Valdosta State University in Georgia where she served as program director of their masters program in marital and family therapy. Prior to that, she served in the same capacity at Montana State University. She is a therapist indeed and has a passion for clinical applications in doctoral education.

 

To meet Carmen is to quickly become aware of her passion for exploring the social contexts of individuals and families. She thinks social justice and makes significant application of these areas in her work. She is known in her field as the "gender lady." Her work on couples, gender, and power has infused itself into the professional literature. She has published over 50 articles in these related areas in professional journals, presented at numerous professional conferences, published a book on the subject, and continues to engage several research groups with graduate students in that area. Four years ago, Carmen, with Dr. Douglas Huenergardt, started a research group developing a model of family therapy referred to as Socio-Emotional Relationship Therapy (SERT). With several students sharpening skills in family intervention by participating in that clinical research group, several papers, dissertations, and presentations have been birthed.


As a program director, Carmen has served diligently. She is a competent builder and has her hand on the pulse of marital and family therapy education. She is a member of several professional organizations, served as editor and on the editorial board of professional journals in her field, received numerous awards for her work, and continues to make her mark on the field she loves dearly. She was elected as president of the American of the American Association for Marital and Family Therapy, California Division, and served her term of office with distinction. At the present time, she serves on the board of directors of the American Family Therapy Academy, as vice-president of the Family Process Institute.

 

A few months ago, Carmen announced that she had accepted a position as the program director of the Marital, Couple, and Family Therapy master's program at Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon. Accepting that position would end her 9-year weekly commute to her home and husband, John Knudson-Martin, in Portland. One person remarked that "giving up directing a highly recognized doctoral program to move closer to home feels like a small price to pay when many Californians would hate a 20-mile drive on the 91 Freeway in Southern California."

 

We are pleased that Carmen came to our department in the School of Behavioral Health at Loma Linda University. She accomplished much and her impact will be felt for a very long time. We wish her the best in her new ventures.

- Dr. Curtis Fox

Departing: Dr. Carlene O. Fider

 

Dr. Carlene Fider landed in the desert region of San Bernardino, California one fall day in 2004. She was bound for Loma Linda University to begin a new journey in her academic and professional preparation with the view of making a difference in the lives of individuals and families. Previous to this experience, she attended Northern Caribbean University in Jamaica and studied psychology at the undergraduate level. Later, she served as a student recruiter for that institution before migrating to the United States of America. Carlene, born in Jamaica, West Indies, reported that she was inspired by the opportunities to work with students who were preparing for service and ministry in the world and in the church.

 

With overwhelming passion, Carlene matriculated to Loma Linda University to study for a Master of Science degree in Marital and Family Therapy. In that pursuit, she was no ordinary student. She thought and wrote critically in her field. She brought empathy to the therapy room and connected with her clients in ways that rendered her a healing presence in that context. In September of 2006, Carlene Fider had secured her place in the PhD program in family studies in the Department of Counseling and Family Sciences. Adding to her clinical knowledge base, she wanted to study close relationships and be involved in research efforts in that area. This training was designed to prepare her for a focused study and research investigation of family relationships from a non-clinical perspective, specifically in family life education. And, the family studies program at Loma Linda University was a sure pipeline to a preparation for certification as a family life educator by the National Council on Family Relations (NCFR)While doing doctoral studies, Carlene was engaged most positively in her training experience. Focused in her classroom encounters, doing parent-education with Project CUIDAR in San Bernardino and the Parenting Apart program with the Riverside family court as part of her internship experience, being diligent in a research group that was studying physician families, and assisting in the teaching of a number of graduate courses, Carlene feasted on the nutritiously stacked storehouse of knowledge and experience in her field.

 

In 2011, Carlene emerged from the grueling demands of graduate education at Loma Linda University as Dr. Carlene O. Fider. Pulled by her strong desire to learn and grow, Dr. Fider accepted a post-doctoral position in the Department of Counseling and Family Sciences. In that capacity, she engaged herself in a number of activities that added to her personal and professional preparation for greater usefulness in her field. She continued her research activities in the area of physician families, and sought further training opportunities in the areas of grant writing and parent education. She taught a number of graduate courses in the department, including research tools and methodology, marriage and the family, family life education, family resource management and others. Dr. Fider has been a steady and stabilizing presence in the Department of Counseling and Family Sciences since 2004. She was never ordinary. She rose to the top. Small in stature and powerful in nature, gentle in spirit and fearless in the pursuit of knowledge, generous in her sharing and voracious in her desire to learn and grow, the life of Carlene Fider demonstrates what a solid academician should look like. She is faithful, respectful, charming, challenging, loved, and highly regarded by her peers and associates.

 

At present, Carlene is an adjunct professor at California State University, Long Beach, and teaches courses in parenting and human development. There, no less, she is loved and valued. Carlene is a published scholar, a prolific writer, a diligent teacher, a powerful leader, and loving friend. Wholeness! That is the one summary word that characterizes her life and work at Loma Linda University. Dr. Fider embodied it. She will be missed at Loma Linda University.
- Dr. Curtis Fox

Faculty Appointments
New Appointment: Dr. Colwick M. Wilson


We would like to welcome Colwick M. Wilson, PhD to the School of

Behavioral Health as Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Professor of Social Policy and Social Research. We are excited about his return to our School and look forward to his valued contributions.


Chair of the Counseling and Family Sciences Department from 2009-2011, Dr. Wilson was on leave from SBH from 2011-2014, during which time he was a faculty member at the University of Michigan School of Nursing. He remains an Associate Research Scientist at Michigan's Institute for Social Research as well as an adjunct faculty member at the University of Michigan School of Nursing.

Among his other lecturing and teaching accomplishments, Dr. Wilson has chaired twenty-two dissertations and been a member of seventeen other dissertation committees. He is also an occasional reviewer for several publications, including the Journal of Comparative Family Studies and the National Medical Journal, and currently serves as a member of the editorial board for the Journal of Marital and Family Therapy and Contemporary Family Therapy. With numerous publications and presentations of his own, Dr. Wilson brings a wealth of academic experience to our School.

Born in Guyana, South America, and having attended Caribbean Union College in Trinidad, Dr. Wilson is a fan of all sports-but particularly of cricket. He and his wife Deleise have two teenaged daughters. If you would like to connect or reconnect with Dr. Wilson, you can drop him a line at cwilson@llu.edu.

- Dr. Beverly Buckles


New Appointment: Dr. Susanne B. Montgomery

We are pleased to announce a new appointment for Susanne Montgomery, PhD as Associate Dean for Research in the School of Behavioral Health. This comes in addition to Dr. Montgomery's current duties as Professor of Social Work and Social Ecology, Director of the Division of Interdisciplinary Studies, and Director of Research at the Behavioral Health Institute.
- Dr. Beverly Buckles
New Faculty Member: Dr. Monte Butler
   

The newest faculty member in the Department of Social Work and Social Ecology, Monte D. Butler, PhD, MSW, is a Professor specializing in public/non-profit administration, Medicare policy, gerontology, and program evaluation. He will be teaching Social Work Administration, Organizations and Systems, and Research Methods in our MSW Program, and Organizational Theory and Policy in our Doctoral Program.


Dr. Butler earned his BS at Pacific Union College and received his MSW and PhD from the University of Utah. He has previously served as Assistant Director of the Adventist Community Team Services (ACTS) for the Loma Linda University Church, Program Consultant and Treatment Supervisor for the Utah State Division of Aging and Adult Services, and Professor of Social Work for Pacific Union College (including stints as Social Work Program Field Coordinator, Social Work Program Director, and Department of Psychology and Social Work Chair). His research focus is the billing of Medicare beneficiaries beyond the Medicare "limiting charge." Dr. Butler is also an avid cyclist, resistance trainer, and motor-sport spectator.

-Dr. Kim Freeman


Open Faculty Position in the Department of Psychology
THE DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY INVITES APPLICATIONS FOR A TENURE-TRACK FACULTY POSITION AT THE RANK OF ASSISTANT PROFESSOR (OTHER RANKS CONSIDERED)

All applicants must hold a PhD or PsyD from an APA-accredited program, have completed an APA-accredited internship, and hold a CA psychology license or be license-eligible. Clinical area of specialization is open for this position, which is pending budgetary approval. Candidates would be primarily responsible for research mentoring, teaching, and clinical supervision. Ideally, applicants will have an active research program, publication track record, and prior experience teaching/supervising graduate students. A demonstrated ability/potential to pursue extramural research funding is also desirable.

Applicants should send a letter of interest, vitae, representative reprints/preprints, and names/contact information for at least three references to: Dr. Kelly Morton, Chair, Faculty Search Committee, kmorton@llu.edu; or, Loma Linda University, Department of Psychology, 11130 Anderson St., Loma Linda, California 92350. The Faculty Search Committee may request supplemental application materials from applicants.

Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.
Vision 2020

Vision 2020 is a daring $1.2 billion strategy to build on the core strengths of Loma Linda University Health (LLUH) to pursue new discoveries and develop strategies for a healthier, whole world. Vision 2020 will combine the latest research and best healthcare practices with comprehensive prevention and wellness. Vision 2020 in not a new course for Loma Linda LLUH, but rather the catalyst to embolden our focus on our mission at a greater intensity than ever before.

 

Vision 2020 priorities include clinical care, education, research and wellness. It is a bold dream filled with:

  • The promise of children able to choose who they  will be when they grow up;
  • Senior citizens who are vital, independent members of their community;
  • Passionate new professionals who save lives, or just hold a hand when it is needed most;
  • Vibrant communities that ensure the next generation lives better, healthier, more whole lives.

There is much yet to discover and much yet to accomplish. Vision 2020 will bring together the vision, the greatest minds, the resources and the passion to impact the health of a whole region and beyond. Vision 2020 will ensure more vibrant, whole families and communities, as we continue the teaching and healing ministry of Jesus Christ.

Students for International Mission Service
SIMS Mission Trip to Cameroon

From December 26, 2012-January 1, 2013, a team of four faculty and twelve students from Loma Linda University traveled to Cameroon, Africa. This interdisciplinary mission trip was coordinated by the Students for International Mission Service (SIMS) and included students from the School of Behavioral Health in the programs of social work, marital and family therapy, family studies, counseling, as well as from other schools, including the School of Public Health, the School of Dentistry and the School of Medicine. Since Buea Adventist Health Centre in Cameroon has established great rapport with the surrounding community in terms of service, the LLU team collaborated with this organization while in Cameroon. The team engaged with three major projects: a health fair, HIV/AIDS testing/counseling/education, and making donations to the HIV/AIDS orphanages for children.

Richard Fomekong (shown center) - Medical Laboratory Technologist
Crystal Clarke, MS (shown right) -  PhD student in the Family Studies program at the School of Behavioral Health

Two students from the School of Behavioral Health's Department of Counseling & Family Sciences--Crystal Clarke, a 3rd year PhD student in the Family Studies program, and Bertrand Moses, a recent graduate of the Marital and Family Therapy, MS program--were part of the team. Clarke says, "It was interesting to interact with people from the local area. We really tried to connect with everyone based on their culture, which is very important. We didn't just want to come into the environment thinking that we knew what was best for them, because we were coming from the United States. We had to do some research before we went to Cameroon and spoke with one of the locals who does HIV education in the area, and he provided us with excellent advice on how to work with the local people." Clarke and Moses are among many graduate students at Loma Linda University that have dedicated time to mission work, despite a rigorous course load in their respective programs. "As mental health students on this trip, our unique training helped us to connect with people, build rapport, and be a positive presence," says Clarke. Moses reflects, "Coming to Loma Linda, and I think completing the classes in my program...the classes on cultural competence, the classes on race...you learn about different cultures and different regions of the world. Being in class developed a fascination for me with different cultures. When I went to Cameroon, it was exciting because I got to apply what I learned and could see firsthand if it was really true. I think in interacting with people by being humble and talking to them they begin to open up naturally. For most of the people who came to receive our services, they were excited to hear from us and to interact with us."

Over 400 people were provided services in just 4 days by the LLU team, with an estimated 100 people provided with HIV/AIDS testing. "At our mid-day meal, the team would sit around the table and talk about mental health and the issues from the day from many different perspectives; medicine, dentistry, public health, and more...collaborating and seeing the need, the importance, of each other. That was pretty rewarding. [On a mission trip] your colleagues bond with you and you develop a profound respect for other disciplines," says Moses. Clarke adds that, "As a team, we were prudent in our planning. We made use of local volunteers; we taught them how to take vitals and perform all of the functions at the different [service] booths. I think that approach is important for sustainability." Moses says, "As a student at Loma Linda, mission work will change your perspective of your field, because you're meeting people with very different backgrounds, completely different ways of life, and so it forces you to think about how culture impacts people. I think, often, we tend to see people as linear. But when you meet with someone from another culture, you need to understand why people do what they do. The biggest thing that you'll walk away from a mission experience with, as a student, is an enlargement of your cultural competence. It makes you a better therapist...a better professional." 

Crystal Clarke, MS, interacting with a young Cameroonian girl.

Clarke says, "The idea of having people from different professional backgrounds work together...it helped us recognize the importance of the statement 'to make man whole.' It's helping people be the best they can be in all aspects of their lives. I believe that mission trips push the envelope. They recognize that every student, every individual, has the capacity to help and to be involved. That's why I like SIMS and the mission trips at LLU. In terms of LLU's values, [such as] integrity, compassion, humility, and so on, all of those values came into play. The students and faculty had worship daily to remember our values and to remember that God is there with us through the whole process. It was a reminder that our work is important and to practice LLU's values as an integrated part of our work."
- Jillianne Ajayi
Upcoming SIMS Trips
 
Honduras--Pan American Health Services: 
December 26, 2014- January 5, 2015
Peru: 
March 2015
 
Visit the SIMS website to sign up!
Book Recommendations
From Randall Walker, MS, Director of the Counseling and Family Sciences Clinic:
  
by Bren� Brown, PhD, LMSW

As the title suggests, this books talks about overcoming obstacles to accomplishing daring things. Bren� Brown has several of her presentations on YouTube (including the one that made her famous - a TED Talk on shame). I am still at the beginning, but would recommend this book to both alumni and non-alumni alike.




by Daniel J. Siegel, MD

Siegel, a psychiatrist at UCLA, has become a national phenomenon as he has toured the world talking about "interpersonal neurobiology." This is his latest book, which is on the NY Times Best Sellers list. The book is written for both the adolescent and his/her parent. I am listening to it on Audible during my commute and am really enjoying it. I would recommend this book to both alumni and non-alumni.


 

From Michelle MInyard-Widmann, MS, Director of the Child Life Specialist Program:


 
by Paul Bloom, PhD

Dr. Bloom is a researcher at the Infant Cognition Center at Yale University. His research concludes that morality is a product of biological evolution. That infants are hard wired with a sense of morality: of what is good and evil. "We are more than just babies," he writes. "A critical part of our morality--so much of what makes us human--emerges over the course of human history and individual development. It is the product of our compassion, our imagination and our magnificent capacity for reason." This is definitely a different take on moral development of children and how one develops his/her moral code.


 


by Nancy Boyd Webb

 

 A strengths-based approach that gives an overview of knowledge and skills for those working with this population. The book will provide helpful tools to encourage resiliency and build emotional strength in children and adolescents. I found the vignettes helpful and I utilize them in classroom discussions. 

 


From Jackie Williams-Reade, PhD, Director of the Medical Family Therapy Certificate Program:

 

 

Medical Family Therapy: Advanced Applications

by Jennifer Hodgson, Angela Lamson, Tai Mendenhall, and D. Russell Crane (eds.)
 

2014 has been a great year for medical family therapy publications as the updated seminal text was released as well as this new book that includes diverse opinions and topics from pioneers in the field. It's a great addition to your MedFT library!
 


 

 

 

Wonder

by R. J. Palacio

 

This is actually a children's book that is enchanting for both children and adults. You can read it for pure fun or with a MedFT perspective to peek into the life of a sweet boy named Auggie, who has a facial deformity. It is sure to inspire you.
 

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School of Behavioral Health
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