CENTER FOR
TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP
IN CRISIS ENVIRONMENTS
CTLCE
TRAUMA THERAPIST
Providing Psychological Counseling for Recovery from Traumatic Stress
A RESPONSE TO 9/11:
A CHANGE OF CAREER TO SERVE PROFESSIONALS AFFECTED BY TRAUMATIC STRESS
Honoring and Supporting Resilience and Personal Growth
As a native of Manhattan, the events of September 11, 2001 and its aftermath had significant impact on Cameron -- ultiately redirectinge her priorities toward contibutions to shape leadership that supports the long-term well-being of public service professionals as part of any mission success. In this way, following events of 9/11 her career journey explored diverse aspects of operational stress and traumatic stress arising from civililan and military public service in environments of terrorism, war, international conflict, natural disasters, mass casualty events, and other realms of service in high-stress high-threat environments.
In embarking on this new chapter of her career, Cameron earned both a Masters Degree and Bachelor's Degree in Social Work from the University of Washington in Clinical Behavioral Health and Mental Health Research with a specialty in the treatment of traumataic stress.
As a Clinical Social Worker, Cameron provided psychotherapy for recovery from all troubling mental states, mental illnesses, and mental disorders; and her specialties are in traumatic stress for active duty U.S. military personel, military veterans, and refugees. She engaged her patient/clients in both individual therapy sessions and in group psycholgical-educational training-skills in order to provide the most effective results in mastering symptoms and her patient/clients regaining and resuming their lives. In these endeavors she provided counseling for highly diverse populations recently returned from deployment in the Iraq and Afghanastan war theater as well as those who served in the Gulf War, Vietnam, Korea, and/or World War II campaigns. Her service spanned from Department of Defense Healthcare Systems in outpatient clinics, in-patient hospital psychiatric units, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder In-Patient Intensive Treatment Programs for veterans, private and public hospitals and clinics, and county government crisis centers.
Suicide Interventions
Cameron has served in the Veterans Affairs Healthcare Systems, Emergency Rooms and psychiatric units in public and private hospitals, community crisis centers, and in the field in roles providing crisis interventions to prevent suicides. In each of these situations, suicide was averted, and these individuals instead actively engaged in psychotherapy to resolve their despondency and overcome their personal challenges.
In equally complex scenarios, Cameron provided both grief counseling and trauma counseling for military veterans who had experienced catastrophic losses and were affected by polytrauma (where the suicide risk is at its peak). These individuals were deeply afflicted by traumatic stress and equally by recent physical (even multiple) amputations, severe spinal cord injuries, and/or serious life-threatening illness. As direct and indirect repercussions of these life-changing events, many of these veterans had also lost their family and community supportive resources. To strengthen those in her professional care at their most devastating life transitions, Cameron also provided end-of-life counseling for individuals evaluated by their health providers as nearing imminent death from illness or accidents.
Mentor and Speaker in Crisis Environments:
Cameron has provided mentoring, psychology education, and mental health research presentations to hospital staffs and the larger community on topics related to working with professional individuals and communities affected by critical incidents, traumatic events, and traumatic stress. In a like manner, she shares her knowledge and expertise to assist first-responders in practices to enhance their own resilience during (and following) their service in mass casualty events and critical incidents.
Cameron has provided mentoring, psychology education, and mental health research presentations to hospital staffs and the larger community on topics related to working with professional individuals and communities affected by critical incidents, traumatic events, and traumatic stress. In a like manner, she shares her knowledge and expertise to assist first-responders in practices to enhance their own resilience during (and following) their service in mass casualty events and critical incidents.
In-Service Training:
Psychological Factors
In Crisis Environments
Mental Health Research: From Research to the Clinic, Tactical to Practical
Aware that Real-World data is the key to developing meaningful new effective approaches, Cameron contributed her efforts to four major research projects funded by the National Insitutes of Health that explored the efficacy of new psychological interventions for the treatment of major depression, traumatic stress, substance abuse, and the prevention of suicide. These interventions proved to be evidence-based best practices for healing, recovery, and positive outcomes, and are now employed effectively internationally.
Aware that Real-World data is the key to developing meaningful new effective approaches, Cameron contributed her efforts to four major research projects funded by the National Insitutes of Health that explored the efficacy of new psychological interventions for the treatment of major depression, traumatic stress, substance abuse, and the prevention of suicide. These interventions proved to be evidence-based best practices for healing, recovery, and positive outcomes, and are now employed effectively internationally.
HONORING THE RESILIENCE OF PROFESSIONALS
WHO SERVE IN CRISIS ENVIRONMENT