We are currently accepting applications for the following positions:
- Clinical or counseling psychology postdoctoral fellows (PhD and PsyD)
- Master’s level social workers (LCSW and LMSW)
- Master’s level licensed and unlicensed professional counselors (LPC and LPC-A)
Psychology postdoctoral fellows must have completed an American Psychological Association accredited doctoral degree and internship. Psychology postdoctoral fellows, professional counselors, and social workers will serve as therapists and independent assessment evaluators for clinical programs and clinical trials being conducted with active duty military personnel, veterans, and military families. Unlicensed psychologists, social workers, and professional counselors will complete a 2-year fellowship as part of UT Health San Antono and the STRONG STAR Consortium. They will have the unique opportunity to work with and receive expert training and on-going supervision required to obtain licensure. Applicants must demonstrate the ability to perform the function of a mental health therapist to include conducting clinical diagnostic evaluations and treating individuals and families experiencing behavioral health disorders, emotional stress, or family maladjustments. They will also perform crisis intervention as needed.
Performance Location: Positions are in-office at Fort Cavazos (formerly Fort Hood) in Killeen, TX. STRONG STAR has a research and clinical training location at the Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center at Fort Cavazos (formerly designated Fort Cavazos) in Killeen, Texas. The location is supported by on-site licensed clinical psychologists and social workers who are faculty members in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at UT Health San Antonio to provide clinical supervision to meet licensure requirements for applicants working toward licensure.
Projects that these positions may support include:
- Project Title: Assessment and Treatment of Chronic Anger and Aggression Following Military-Related Interpersonal and Institutional Betrayal: A Pilot Investigation; PIs: Drs. Vanessa Jacoby and Alan Peterson, UT Health San Antonio
This is a pilot test of Countering Chronic Anger and Aggression Related to Trauma and Transgressions (CART), a transdiagnostic, transgression-focused intervention for military personnel who have experienced betrayals. CART directly targets reducing chronic anger/aggression and improving interpersonal relationships (N = 40). - Project Title: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia vs Brief Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia in Military Personnel with Postconcussive Symptoms following Mild TBI; PIs: Drs. Kristi Pruiksma and Vincent Mysliwiec, UT Health San Antonio
The overall objective is to determine if cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) and brief behavioral therapy for insomnia (BBT-I) can improve outcomes in service members with prolonged postconcussive symptoms following mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and to explore the impact of insomnia treatment (CBT-I or BBT-I) on prolonged postconcussive symptoms and on blood-based brain biomarkers levels of neuronal integrity and neuronal inflammation. - Project Title: Strong Families | Strong Soldiers Support and Prevention Program; Project Directors: Drs. Vanessa Jacoby and Samantha Marasa, UT Health San Antonio
The Strong Families Support and Prevention Program is funded by the Texas Department of Health and Human Services Commission and the Bob Woodruff Foundation to provide prevention services and evidence-based PTSD treatment to military service members, veterans, and their families. In July 2024 and in partnership with the Boys and Girls Club of Central Texas, our program will expand to offer broader mental health assessment and treatment services to both military and civilian families who are members of the Boys and Girls Club of Central Texas, with an emphasis on stress, trauma, and family transitions. - Project Title: Implementing and Evaluating a Patient-Centered PTSD Treatment Program for Military Personnel; PIs: Drs. Alan Peterson and Vanessa Jacoby, UT Health San Antonio
This study is a partially randomized preference trial to examine the relationships between patient characteristics, treatment preferences, and treatment outcomes for active duty service members engaging in a shared decision-making preintervention followed by evidence-based treatment for PTSD. The study also aims to evaluate the impact of shared decision-making on PTSD treatment completion and PTSD symptom reduction for active duty military personnel. - Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Integrated Vestibular Rehabilitation (ACTIVE) for mTBI: A Randomized Controlled Trial; PI: Dr. Anthony Kontos, University of Pittsburgh
Our overarching hypothesis is that a combined, brief (< 4 weeks) intervention involving both ACT and Integrated Vestibular rehabilitation (ACTIVE) will reduce symptoms, impairment, and functional limitations, and accelerate return to activity among military service members and civilians following mTBI with vestibular symptoms/impairment compared to usual care vestibular rehabilitation. - Ketamine and Crisis Response Planning as Rapid-Acting Interventions for Severe Suicide Risk: An Emergency Department Safety and Feasibility Trial, PI: Dr. Robert De Lorenzo, UT Health San Antonio
The study will be a four-arm randomized clinical trial evaluate the efficacy of intramuscular ketamine and Crisis Response Planning used as monotherapies or in combination for the for the rapid reduction of suicidal ideation in 180 patients treated in an emergency department setting prior to a psychiatric hospitalization for suicide. The intervention arms will include (1) 1 mg/kg intramuscular ketamine alone, (2) Crisis Response Planning for suicide prevention alone, (3) the combination of intramuscular ketamine and Crisis Response Planning, or an intramuscular saline. - A Randomized Clinical Trial Utilizing Crisis Response Planning for Suicide Prevention in Military Personnel with Traumatic Brain Injury, PIs: Drs. Hannah Tyler, UT Health San Antonio, and Craig Bryan, The Ohio State University
This project is a 2-armed randomized clinical trial (1) Cognitive Processing Therapy plus Crisis Response Training and (2) Cognitive Processing Therapy plus Safety Planning for the treatment of comorbid PTSD and suicide risk in 150 active duty military personnel and veterans. - Accelerated Treatment for Co-occurring Insomnia, Nightmares, and PTSD; PI: Dr. Carmen McLean, Stanford University and the National Center for PTSD at the VA Palo Alto Health Care System
The specific aims of this project are to determine the efficacy of accelerated Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia and Nightmares integrated with Written Exposure Therapy (WET) for PTSD among military personnel for improving insomnia symptoms, nightmare symptoms, and PTSD symptoms. One postdoctoral fellow will support this project from San Antonio. Recruitment will be from both Fort Cavazos and San Antonio. - Combining Stellate Ganglion Block with Prolonged Exposure For PTSD: A Randomized Clinical Trial; PI: Dr. Alan Peterson, UT Health San Antonio
This is a randomized clinical trial (N = 140) to evaluate the efficacy of (1) a stellate ganglion block (SGB) injection combined with massed Prolonged Exposure (PE; 90-minute PE session once daily for 2 weeks) versus (2) a sham (saline) SGB injection with massed PE for the treatment of PTSD in active duty military personnel. One postdoctoral fellow position will be available in San Antonio, Texas, and one in Killeen, Texas, at Fort Cavazos. - Written Exposure Therapy For Suicide Prevention (WET-S): A Randomized Clinical Trial; PI: Dr. Brian Marx, Boston University
This is a randomized clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy of Written Exposure Therapy for Suicide (WET-S) in reducing the incidence and severity of self-injurious thoughts and behaviors in active duty military service members, veterans, and adult military beneficiaries following a psychiatric hospitalization due to suicidal ideation, suicide plans, or a suicide attempt (N = 124). One postdoctoral fellow position will be available in Killen, Texas, at Fort Cavasos. - Augmenting Massed Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) to Prevent Suicide Risk Among Patients with PTSD; PI Dr. Craig Bryan, The Ohio State University
The primary objective of this project is to determine if suicidal behaviors can be significantly reduced when massed Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) for PTSD is enhanced with Crisis Response Planning (CRP). The aims are to determine if the addition of CRP to CPT reduces suicide attempts, to identify early markers of treatment response and relapse of suicide risk, and to identify treatment content and design features that influence treatment effectiveness and acceptability.
UT Health San Antonio is an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action employer. It is our policy to promote and ensure equal employment opportunity for all individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, national origin, age, sexual orientation, disability, or veteran status.
To begin the application process for any of these positions, please send the following to Dr. Hannah Tyler at TylerH@uthscsa.edu and Rhonda Stafford at Staffordr@uthscsa.edu
(1) A curriculum vitae (CV) or resume and
(2) a statement of interest letter
