(Boston) – Patricia Resick, PhD, ABPP, professor of psychiatry and psychology at Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM), received the American Psychological Association's (APA) Division of Trauma Psychology Award for Lifetime Achievement in the field of Trauma Psychology in Honolulu on Aug. 2.
This award recognizes a senior distinguished psychologist who has made outstanding contributions to science, practice, advocacy and education/training that has advanced the field of trauma psychology.
Resick is Director of the Women's Health Sciences Division of the National Center for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) at VA Boston Healthcare System. Throughout her career, she served on the faculties of the University of South Dakota, the Medical University of South Carolina and the University of Missouri-St. Louis, where she held an endowed professorship.
Having served as president of the Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy (AABT) and president of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (ISTSS), Resick has dedicated her career to research on the effects of traumatic events, particularly on women. She developed Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), considered to be one of the most effective treatments for PTSD and is used by clinicians worldwide.
"I am very honored to be recognized by my colleagues for my work on PTSD," said Resick. "I have been working with trauma victims since the 1970s before there was a recognized disorder for the ongoing suffering of trauma victims. It has been very gratifying to be able to develop a treatment that is effective in improving PTSD symptoms in most patients whether they were raped, physically abused, combat veterans or victims of natural disasters. When patients or therapists tell me how helpful my therapy protocol has been, I am thrilled."
She has published more than 200 papers and is the recipient of numerous awards including the Robert S. Laufer Memorial Award for Outstanding Scientific Achievement in the Field of PTSD from ISTSS, the 2009 Leadership Award by the Association for VA Psychologist Leaders and the 2012 Outstanding Contributions by an Individual for Educational/Training Activities Presented by the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies.
About Boston University School of Medicine
Originally established in 1848 as the New England Female Medical College, and incorporated into Boston University in 1873, Boston University School of Medicine today is a leading academic medical center with an enrollment of more than 700 medical students and more than 800 masters and PhD students. Its 1,246 full and part-time faculty members generated more than $335 million in funding in the 2009-2010 academic year for research in amyloidosis, arthritis, cardiovascular disease, cancer, infectious disease, pulmonary disease and dermatology among others. The School is affiliated with Boston Medical Center, its principal teaching hospital, the Boston and Bedford Veterans Administration Medical Centers and 16 other regional hospitals as well as the Boston HealthNet.
About the American Psychological Association
The American Psychological Association is the largest scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the United States. APA is the world's largest association of psychologists, with more than 134,000 researchers, educators, clinicians, consultants and students as its members. Our mission is to advance the creation, communication and application of psychological knowledge to benefit society and improve people's lives.