BUSM Psychiatrist/Psychologist Receives Lifetime Achievement Award from the APA

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.