The Healing Power of Relationships in the Midst of PTSD
November 7 @ 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm CST
Come out and learn about the interactions between relationship functioning and posttraumatic stress disorder.
This month we are excited to highlight the outstanding research and work of the STRONG STAR Consortium at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. When your loved one is navigating PTSD, it doesn't just impact them, but it impacts their relationships with others, especially the intimate partner relationship. But the good news is that relationships play an important role in overall well-being and can support posttraumatic healing.
In this presentation, we will (1) discuss how healthy romantic relationships can facilitate psychological and physical health, (2) provide a brief overview of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and (3) examine research findings on the interconnections between relationship functioning and PTSD. Participants will also be taught a relationship skill that can help manage conflict and be provided information on an ongoing research study comparing treatment outcomes of two couples’ retreats in a sample of military and veteran families experiencing posttraumatic stress disorder.
There will also be a complimentary peer support event led by our VSN peer leaders to allow spouses and family members to process what they learned and discuss how PTSD is showing up in their family and how to implement some of the skills learned. The time and date of this event is TBD and will be added to the calendar soon!
About our Presenter:
Tabatha H. Blount, PhD
Dr. Tabatha Blount was raised in a military family, and her husband has served a total of 25 years in the Army National Guard and Army Reserves. She is an Associate Professor within the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at The University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio and a Licensed Psychologist. Dr. Blount specializes in Cognitive Behavioral Conjoint Therapy (CBCT) for PTSD, Prolonged Exposure (PE), and COPE for dual diagnosis PTSD and Alcohol Abuse. Additionally, she has training in cognitive behavioral therapies for chronic pain. Since 2010, she has served as a research therapist for the STRONG STAR Consortium and the Consortium to Alleviate PTSD, conducting studies examining PTSD treatments in post-911 active duty service members and veterans. She currently serves as the Director of Clinical Operations for STRONG STAR’s San Antonio location. She also serves as an adjunct faculty member with the Department of Psychology at The University of Texas San Antonio, where she teaches Couples and Family Psychology to undergraduate students.
Other Researchers attending:
Steffany Fredman, PhD
Dr. Steffany Fredman is an Associate Professor of Human Development and Family Studies and Psychology and the Edna P. Bennett Faculty Fellow in Prevention Research at The Pennsylvania State University. She earned her Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and completed postdoctoral training in the Women’s Health Sciences Division of the VA National Center for PTSD. Dr. Fredman conducts research on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and related conditions within a couple/family context, including ways that partner involvement in treatment optimizes outcomes for individuals with PTSD and their loved ones. Her work has been funded by the National Institutes of Health, Department of Defense, and Department of Veterans Affairs. Dr. Fredman is the co-developer of cognitive-behavioral conjoint therapy for PTSD (CBCT for PTSD; Monson & Fredman, 2012), a couple-based treatment for PTSD that has been tested in community, veteran, and active duty military populations. Dr. Fredman is also the lead developer of the Significant Others’ Responses to Trauma Scale (SORTS), a widely used measure of partner accommodation of patient PTSD symptoms.
Danielle Mullen, MS
Danielle Mullen was raised in San Antonio, Texas in a military family, with her mother serving for 20 years in active duty in the United States Air Force. In August of 2022, Danielle graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Bachelor of Music in Music Performance from Angelo State University in San Angelo, Texas. Danielle then completed a Master of Science in Music, Mind and Brain (Music Psychology and Neuroscience) with distinction at Goldsmiths, University of London, in London, England in the fall of 2023. Since October of 2023, Danielle has been a research project coordinator at the STRONG STAR Consortium based at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio (UT Health San Antonio). In this role, Danielle coordinates the activities of multiple research studies, including the Randomized Controlled Trial of Intensive Multi-Couple Therapy for PTSD versus Relationship Education in Military Couples led by Dr. Steffany Fredman.
The EmpowerEd trainings/seminars are open to the wider military-affiliated community and are offered Free of charge. Encouraged participants include the spouse or partner of an active duty service member or post-service veteran, a caregiver or divorced spouse from a veteran or active duty service member, or an active duty service member or veteran.
