Trauma, Substance, Justice, and Recovery Lab (TSJR)

What

Identify and evaluate effective prevention, treatment, and recovery support services for people with SUD, PTSD, and/or justice system involvement (populations experiencing health disparities)

How

Employ intersectional, trauma-informed, culturally-responsive & structurally-responsive research approaches that incorporate the perspectives of people with lived experience of the concerns we study and who are members of the populations we study

Why

Disseminate actionable research findings which attend to issues of power, access, and equity and center the needs of those most marginalized by the syndemic, including BIPOC, SGMs, and PLWH

Aligned with UND’s Counseling Psychology Doctoral Program training model, training on this team is grounded in a scientist-practitioner training model with a multicultural and social justice emphasis. Among other things, this means that students learn how to evaluate and apply research evidence to clinical practice and that clinical practice experiences inspire and motivate the pursuit of new knowledge. The lab’s overarching goal is to train and graduate outstanding scientist-practitioners to pursue and disseminate research findings that have the potential to enhance human health.

We strive to conduct research that aligns with the values of the American Psychological Association’s Society of Counseling Psychology, including critical consciousness, prevention, strength-based, advocacy, flexibility and adaptability, collectivism, accountability and repairing harm, liberation, and healing. Our striving toward these values is reflected in the topics we study, the populations we work with, and the ways in which we interact with one another. As a research lab housed at a public university and supported in various ways through public funds, we also volunteer our time in support of individuals and organizations with similar goals. This might involve addressing a community need by offering a presentation or training and supporting a community partner in disseminating their knowledge or seeking and securing necessary resources. Members of the lab also engage in service to the profession of psychology in a variety of ways (e.g., serving on APA committees, completing peer reviews for APA and other journals).

Our lab consists of students with a variety of career goals and previous research experiences, including post-baccalaureate and post-master’s students. Students who are enthusiastic about routinely committing time each week (during the academic year) to learn new skills and be integrally involved in all aspects of the research and dissemination process may be a good fit for this lab.

Our lab meets once per week during the regular academic year and every 2-3 weeks during summer.

Students are encouraged to come prepared to work, ask questions, share their work, receive feedback, and find solutions to issues they are encountering in their second-year projects, dissertations, conference submissions, manuscripts, and applications for funding.

In a typical lab meeting, students will have an opportunity to share updates and seek feedback and support on the main project they are working on – which could be their second-year project or dissertation, typically developed during individual advising with Dr. Flinn – as well as contribute to work on shared projects currently being pursued by multiple members of the lab (e.g., new data collection, multi-authored manuscripts). Occasionally, Dr. Flinn, another team member, or a guest will facilitate discussion or a presentation about a specific topic of interest to enhance learning and team effectiveness.

Consistently engaged team members can expect to complete doctoral study with at least three peer-reviewed publications resulting from their efforts on this team. A higher number of publications is possible depending on time students make available for work in the lab, students’ willingness to seek supplemental funding (with support from Dr. Flinn), and other factors.

Prospective applicants are welcome to contact Dr. Flinn with questions about the lab after reviewing the materials available at the following links. Please note that it is not necessary to contact Dr. Flinn prior to applying for admission, and that pre-application correspondence with Dr. Flinn has no impact on whether your application to the program will result in an offer to interview for the program. Dr. Flinn will be reviewing applications to the program in the upcoming application cycle.